# Does TiVo consider the Roamio Pro to be its current top model even after Bolt launch?



## tarheelblue32 (Jan 13, 2014)

So looking at the models:

Bolt, 500MB, 4 tuners, $299 w/1yr service included
Bolt, 1,000MB, 4 tuners, $399 w/1yr service included
Roamio Pro, 3,000MB, 6 tuners, $599 w/1yr service included

It certainly seems like based on the pricing, the Roamio Pro is considered a higher-end model than the Bolt. I know, there are features that the Bolt has that the Roamio doesn't, but there does not seem to be any 6-tuner Bolt with a larger hard drive on the horizon. If anything, I'd say that TiVo has decided that for the time being the Roamio Pro will be the top model, even though a newer model has launched. It gives me hope that maybe once the initial Bolt push subsides, the SkipMode feature may actually find its way onto the Roamios.


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## slowbiscuit (Sep 19, 2006)

Until the Bolt Pro is released, sure. They rushed the base Bolt out to meet some end of September date apparently.

SkipMode should absolutely come to the Roamio monthly customers at minimum, and I'd argue lifetime as well given that the box is only 2 years old. 

But if the Bolt bombs as I expect, it may trickle down to Roamios anyway.


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## shamilian (Mar 27, 2003)

All Roamio models are in the Tivo Outlet store..


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## waynomo (Nov 9, 2002)

I wonder if TiVo decided that a large hard drive and 6 tuners aren't that important to most consumers.


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## Dan203 (Apr 17, 2000)

waynomo said:


> I wonder if TiVo decided that a large hard drive and 6 tuners aren't that important to most consumers.


I hope not.

But it's possible. They're the only ones that know how well the various models of Roamios sold. They may have data that indicates most people don't actually need 6 tuners.


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## TWinbrook46636 (Feb 9, 2008)

So far only 3 models passed through certification two of which are the 500GB/1TB models that were announced the other being the OTA model that hasn't come out yet. That's a little discouraging. I guess it wouldn't be all that difficult to add 6-tuner support and a larger hard drive though the smaller form factor may be an issue. 

My Roamio Plus if often recording 4 shows at once and sometimes I've caught all 6 tuners are in use. I havant even added any TiVo minis to it yet.


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## tarheelblue32 (Jan 13, 2014)

shamilian said:


> All Roamio models are in the Tivo Outlet store..


I realize it is on the "outlet" page with all the other Roamios, but if you look at the service options, the Pro has the same 1-year free service that the new Bolts, while all the other Roamios do not. I think they are planning to keep the Pro around for a while as the 6-tuner/larger hard drive option for some time.


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## tarheelblue32 (Jan 13, 2014)

slowbiscuit said:


> Until the Bolt Pro is released, sure. They rushed the base Bolt out to meet some end of September date apparently.


What evidence do you have that they are planning to release a "Bolt Pro"?


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## caughey (May 26, 2007)

tarheelblue32 said:


> I realize it is on the "outlet" page with all the other Roamios, but if you look at the service options, the Pro has the same 1-year free service that the new Bolts, while all the other Roamios do not. I think they are planning to keep the Pro around for a while as the 6-tuner/larger hard drive option for some time.


It's still interesting they differentiate between the Plus and Pro like that.

I look Bolt as the hot new 2-seater sports car with the latest tech that's great for zipping around in. The Roamio Pro is the luxury model that hasn't been refreshed in a couple of years, but carries more people for longer distances.


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## krkaufman (Nov 25, 2003)

Given a response I just received from someone manning TiVo's Facebook page, I'd say "yes."



> And for customers like you who are a big fan of more tuners and storage space, please be assured we'll continue to keep the Roamio Pro in production - it's still a great box, and excellent for high-end setups. (link)


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## atmuscarella (Oct 11, 2005)

Have any of the MSOs switched to the Bolt? Interesting to see if they think 4 tuners is enough going forward or if they stay with the 6 tuner Roamios.


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## tarheelblue32 (Jan 13, 2014)

atmuscarella said:


> Have any of the MSOs switched to the Bolt? Interesting to see if they think 4 tuners is enough going forward or if they stay with the 6 tuner Roamios.


I think it's very likely the MSOs will stick with the Roamio Plus/Pro. MSOs don't like change, and they will want equipment to be standardized across their deployments. Also, why would a cable company want to deploy a DVR capable of OTA? I suppose TiVo could turn off that capability in the software, but why pay to put in the extra hardware when you don't need it. And I think the new Bolt design is just going to be too out there for them to swallow, and a 6-tuner whole home DVR is basically what all of the cable companies have gone to for their premium whole-home DVR setups.

I think TiVo will be churning out Roamio Pros/T6s for retail and MSO partners for a good while to come.


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## atmuscarella (Oct 11, 2005)

tarheelblue32 said:


> I think it's very likely the MSOs will stick with the Roamio Plus/Pro. MSOs don't like change, and they will want equipment to be standardized across their deployments. Also, why would a cable company want to deploy a DVR capable of OTA? I suppose TiVo could turn off that capability in the software, but why pay to put in the extra hardware when you don't need it. And I think the new Bolt design is just going to be too out there for them to swallow, and a 6-tuner whole home DVR is basically what all of the cable companies have gone to for their premium whole-home DVR setups.
> 
> I think TiVo will be churning out Roamio Pros/T6s for retail and MSO partners for a good while to come.


Thats what I think also. Which may also explain why there is no 6 tuner Bolt (no demand from cable companies). If they would just let these 4 tuner Bolts fully function as a mini I'll bet more people would be interested in adding them to their setups, especially people who get good OTA reception. A setup with a Plus/Pro using cable and a Bolt using OTA plus however more minis they needed would not be out of the question for lots of the people around here if the Bolt could share a tuner from the Plus/Pro when live cable was wanted.


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## waynomo (Nov 9, 2002)

If you add a Mini or two to the mix suddenly 6 tuners isn't all that much. I'm wondering if the Mini has been a successful product in terms of Tivo's perceptions.


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## Keen (Aug 3, 2009)

tarheelblue32 said:


> So looking at the models:
> 
> Bolt, 500MB, 4 tuners, $299 w/1yr service included
> Bolt, 1,000MB, 4 tuners, $399 w/1yr service included
> Roamio Pro, 3,000MB, 6 tuners, $599 w/1yr service included


I'm _pretty_ sure there's more storage than that in these models...


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## tarheelblue32 (Jan 13, 2014)

Keen said:


> I'm _pretty_ sure there's more storage than that in these models...


Ah, I see. I accidentally used "MB" instead of "GB". Stupid metric system. Whoopsies.


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## generaltso (Nov 4, 2003)

If the lower end Roamios were better sellers than the Pro, I can totally see TiVo replacing the Roamio Basic and Plus with the Bolt and keeping the Roamio Pro around for the smaller number of customers that do need more tuners and/or more storage space. However, if they're going to keep the Roamio Pro around as the current option for "power users", I don't see how they can withhold big new features like SkipMode. That's artificially forcing customers into a choice they really shouldn't have to make.


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## tarheelblue32 (Jan 13, 2014)

generaltso said:


> if they're going to keep the Roamio Pro around as the current option for "power users", I don't see how they can withhold big new features like SkipMode. That's artificially forcing customers into a choice they really shouldn't have to make.


That's why, despite what we have heard so far, I think eventually they will announce that the SkipMode feature will be coming to the Roamio line.


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## generaltso (Nov 4, 2003)

tarheelblue32 said:


> That's why, despite what we have heard so far, I think eventually they will announce that the SkipMode feature will be coming to the Roamio line.


Could be. But it's odd that they've specifically said that SkipMode is a Bolt-only feature, whereas QuickMode is "coming soon" to the Roamio.


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## tarheelblue32 (Jan 13, 2014)

generaltso said:


> Could be. But it's odd that they've specifically said that SkipMode is a Bolt-only feature, whereas QuickMode is "coming soon" to the Roamio.


When they first launched the new website, it did say that SkipMode was coming to the Roamios, but they quickly pulled that back. It could be that they actually do plan to eventually roll out SkipMode to Roamios, but didn't want to potentially hurt Bolt sales out of the gate by saying it.


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## generaltso (Nov 4, 2003)

tarheelblue32 said:


> When they first launched the new website, it did say that SkipMode was coming to the Roamios, but they quickly pulled that back. It could be that they actually do plan to eventually roll out SkipMode to Roamios, but didn't want to potentially hurt current Bolt sales out of the gate by saying it.


I have a feeling that SkipMode will make it to Roamio one way or another. It wouldn't be the first time TiVo has reversed course.


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## tarheelblue32 (Jan 13, 2014)

generaltso said:


> I have a feeling that SkipMode will make it to Roamio one way or another. It wouldn't be the first time TiVo has reversed course.


Very true, they have done it before. And the fact that they are continuing on with at least the Roamio Pro as their 6-tuner high capacity DVR for the foreseeable future makes it all the more likely.


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## keenanSR (Oct 13, 2004)

generaltso said:


> Could be. But it's odd that they've specifically said that SkipMode is a Bolt-only feature, whereas QuickMode is "coming soon" to the Roamio.


QuickMode would seem to be much easier to implement than SkipMode. One requires human intervention(SkipMode) and the other(QuickMode) is just a software tweak on a fast forward speed. QuickMode would be an easy add to the Roamio, SkipMode is a more labor intensive task they may want to limit to their latest product as a sales hook.


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## tarheelblue32 (Jan 13, 2014)

keenanSR said:


> QuickMode would seem to be much easier to implement than SkipMode. One requires human intervention(SkipMode) and the other(QuickMode) is just a software tweak on a fast forward speed. QuickMode would be an easy add to the Roamio, SkipMode is a more labor intensive task they may want to limit to their latest product as a sales hook.


It is more labor intensive, but you only have to do labor of tagging commercial blocks once whether it is just for Bolts of for Roamios also. So there is no extra labor involved in the tagging process by rolling it out to Roamios.


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## keenanSR (Oct 13, 2004)

tarheelblue32 said:


> It is more labor intensive, but you only have to do labor of tagging commercial blocks once whether it is just for Bolts of for Roamios also. So there is no extra labor involved in the tagging process by rolling it out to Roamios.


True, I guess in the end it's a feature that's only available to the current line of products and it appears the Basic and the Plus are EOL, at least as far as features are concerned. New features for current product line only.

Who really knows what TiVo is thinking...


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## krkaufman (Nov 25, 2003)

Somewhat authoritative answer on the subject, from the Q&A w/ Ira Bahr... here.


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## Dan203 (Apr 17, 2000)

And it sounds like the Bolt Pro, or whatever it's called, wont be released until next year. He specifically mentions a 3 year cycle, so I'm assuming they're aiming for next Summer.


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## krkaufman (Nov 25, 2003)

Dan203 said:


> And it sounds like the Bolt Pro, or whatever it's called, wont be released until next year. He specifically mentions a 3 year cycle, so I'm assuming they're aiming for next Summer.


Right, in his 2nd post to the Q&A (answering your question)... here.


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## keenanSR (Oct 13, 2004)

A year from now works for me, depending on the subscription options and unit pricing.


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## tarheelblue32 (Jan 13, 2014)

keenanSR said:


> A year from now works for me, depending on the subscription options and unit pricing.


I would expect the subscription options to be the same as for the Bolts. Either $15/month, $150/year, or $600 "all in".


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## keenanSR (Oct 13, 2004)

tarheelblue32 said:


> I would expect the subscription options to be the same as for the Bolts. Either $15/month, $150/year, or $600 "all in".


Very likely, although I'm sure they're aware of the blowback amongst their core users here so an adjustment in pricing may be a possibility. Having a year's worth a data should be enough time to see how the new pricing has affected the bottom line. It would make for a good promo when linked to a new product launch.


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