# Tivo iOS Airplay support announcement



## confinoj (Apr 2, 2003)

Anyone see this?

http://www.macrumors.com/2015/07/14/tivo-airplay-apple-tv/


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## The Merg (Dec 2, 2007)

While it's a good start, I don't need to AirPlay in my own house. The current update restricts it to the home network of the TiVo. I'm looking for the day that I can easily stream to a TV that is not at my house, such as when I'm on vacation.


- Merg

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## alleybj (Dec 6, 2000)

is whether I can stream in my second home, which does have a Roamio that shares the MAK with the others and does show up on the app as an available device-- that would be huge for me


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## Blakeintosh (Sep 8, 2014)

The updated iOS app is available in the App Store now

https://itunes.apple.com/app/tivo/id401673976?mt=8


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## trip1eX (Apr 2, 2005)

nice if it works good. but streaming to ios devices is hit and miss in my experience. it isnt on the level of a Mini in terms of reliability.

And so not expecting much from this. 

and when it does work the trick play experience isnt great.


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## mbernste (Apr 6, 2003)

They need to do Chromecast support, but given TiVo's slowness with Android, I'm not holding my breath that I will see this anytime soon.


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## blacknoi (Jan 23, 2006)

Bleh, since I'm jailbroken, I can't stream from the app on my phone anyway, nor download content for playback offline later... so no win for me here 

Still nice for them to open up the AirPlay protocol in their app. Previously I thought the only reason they restricted it was to protect Tivo mini sales.


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## Philmatic (Sep 17, 2003)

alleybj said:


> is whether I can stream in my second home, which does have a Roamio that shares the MAK with the others and does show up on the app as an available device-- that would be huge for me


No, it only works inside the home where the Roamio or Stream is located.


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## alleybj (Dec 6, 2000)

Philmatic said:


> No, it only works inside the home where the Roamio or Stream is located.


I realize that with respect to streaming, but what about shows downloaded in one home--can those be played in another using Apple Play?


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## alleybj (Dec 6, 2000)

I've updated the app and reconfigured the downloaded shows, but I'm not seeing any sort of apple play option; thanks


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## kbmb (Jun 22, 2004)

alleybj said:


> I've updated the app and reconfigured the downloaded shows, but I'm not seeing any sort of apple play option; thanks


Airplay through Control Center:



> By turning on AirPlay Mirroring to an Apple TV from Control Center on the user's iOS device, content from the TiVo box can be streamed to the device and on to any Apple TV-equipped television on the local Wi-Fi network, replacing some of the functionality of the company's TiVo Mini box.


EDIT:
And they STILL didn't fix the low resolution on an iPhone 6.

-Kevin


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## saronian (Aug 22, 2004)

New logo in the app...


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## The Merg (Dec 2, 2007)

mbernste said:


> They need to do Chromecast support, but given TiVo's slowness with Android, I'm not holding my breath that I will see this anytime soon.


That would be my perfect setup. Stream from my iPhone to Chromecast when I am away from home. Considering the Mini and Roamio use the same basic protocol as the Chromecast, it shouldn't be too difficult to do.

- Merg

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## rainwater (Sep 21, 2004)

The stream is so limited in terms of quality, I guess I just don't see the point in trying this on a big tv. Even TiVo Online doesn't even come close to Slingbox quality. I am confused as to way they have yet to update the stream.


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## kbmb (Jun 22, 2004)

rainwater said:


> The stream is so limited in terms of quality, I guess I just don't see the point in trying this on a big tv. Even TiVo Online doesn't even come close to Slingbox quality. I am confused as to way they have yet to update the stream.


On an iPad I was getting HD quality. If you are referring to using an iPhone, there is a bug they seem to refuse to fix where even the stream directly to the iPhone is SD.

-Kevin


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## dalabera (Jan 10, 2013)

alleybj said:


> I've updated the app and reconfigured the downloaded shows, but I'm not seeing any sort of apple play option; thanks


Just did it for fun to see how it works. After you start streaming the video you need to bring up the IOS control panel... I was kind of expecting a option on the video itself like you have it with the chromecast. Once you have the IOS control you click airplay and it will show you on your screen.

It works very nice, however you need to leave your iPhone/iPad sitting on that screen, otherwise the video will stop. Compare to chromecast I can cast something to the TV and then open another app or even disconnect the Wifi and the TV stream will still continue to work.


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## grey ghost (Feb 2, 2010)

I am so excited that Airplay is now an option. I've downloaded 3 shows from my Tivo onto my iPad Air 2 to take to my 2nd home. Looking forward to being able to watch then up there on the big screen, not on the iPad


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## dbattaglia001 (Feb 9, 2003)

grey ghost said:


> I am so excited that Airplay is now an option. I've downloaded 3 shows from my Tivo onto my iPad Air 2 to take to my 2nd home. Looking forward to being able to watch then up there on the big screen, not on the iPad


I don't have an apple tv, but my understanding is that the casting only works when you are connected to the same wireless network as your tivo box. So unfortunately, my guess is your plan won't work.


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## HarperVision (May 14, 2007)

dbattaglia001 said:


> I don't have an apple tv, but my understanding is that the casting only works when you are connected to the same wireless network as your tivo box. So unfortunately, my guess is your plan won't work.


Can you say "VPN"?


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## snoopdogg1 (Sep 24, 2008)

As of right now, the TiVo app version 3.6 is broken on the iPAD. Don't update if you haven't already. The app crashes on start on iOS 8.4 and the iPad Air.


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## Dan203 (Apr 17, 2000)

Works fine for me on my iPad Air

I had that happen once on an older version of the app. I deleted it, rebooted the iPad, and then reinstalled from the store and it worked again.


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## snoopdogg1 (Sep 24, 2008)

Thanks, I may have to do that as a last resort. REALLY don't want to lose all those shows, though. I deleted many shows off my TiVo, and they ONLY resided on my iPad (per copyright restrictions), so I will lose dozens of hours of shows if I delete and reinstall the app. 

It's weird, because it works on my kids' iPad minis, but not on my iPad Air.



Dan203 said:


> Works fine for me on my iPad Air
> 
> I had that happen once on an older version of the app. I deleted it, rebooted the iPad, and then reinstalled from the store and it worked again.


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## kbmb (Jun 22, 2004)

snoopdogg1 said:


> Thanks, I may have to do that as a last resort. REALLY don't want to lose all those shows, though. I deleted many shows off my TiVo, and they ONLY resided on my iPad (per copyright restrictions), so I will lose dozens of hours of shows if I delete and reinstall the app.
> 
> It's weird, because it works on my kids' iPad minis, but not on my iPad Air.


Kill the app and do a couple hard resets to see if that helps (Hold power and home button at same time until Apple logo appears).

-Kevin


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## snoopdogg1 (Sep 24, 2008)

Thanks... I'll try that!


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## snoopdogg1 (Sep 24, 2008)

Killed the app and did 3 hard resets. Same result. I see the new TiVo logo on the screen for about 15-20 seconds, then it crashes, and I'm back to the home screen.

Thanks. I'm in contact with TivoMargret and her staff to try to work out a solution.


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## alleybj (Dec 6, 2000)

dbattaglia001 said:


> I don't have an apple tv, but my understanding is that the casting only works when you are connected to the same wireless network as your tivo box. So unfortunately, my guess is your plan won't work.


Airplay of recorded shows that were downloaded to the iPad works out of network--yea!


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## Dan203 (Apr 17, 2000)

I might buy an Apple TV just for that. I don't really need one at home, but when I travel it would be nice to AirPlay directly to the TV.


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## alleybj (Dec 6, 2000)

Streaming works out of the home network, as well, you just have to use the airplay/mirroring option in the control panel, the watch TV function is not supported out of the home network.


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## notyou (Oct 9, 2001)

Anybody know they also enabled mirroring over HDMI? Because I'd love to bring a cable with me instead of an Apple TV.


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## b_scott (Nov 27, 2006)

saronian said:


> New logo in the app...


yuck


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## Dan203 (Apr 17, 2000)

notyou said:


> Anybody know they also enabled mirroring over HDMI? Because I'd love to bring a cable with me instead of an Apple TV.


I remember reading something about how the HDMI cable for lightning actually uses AirPlay and is not a direct HDMI out. So maybe because they added AirPlay it will work?

There are also AirPlay apps for PC that allow you to stream, and record, from iOS AirPlay. I wonder if this could be used to capture shows that are protected?


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## morac (Mar 14, 2003)

Dan203 said:


> I remember reading something about how the HDMI cable for lightning actually uses AirPlay and is not a direct HDMI out. So maybe because they added AirPlay it will work?
> 
> There are also AirPlay apps for PC that allow you to stream, and record, from iOS AirPlay. I wonder if this could be used to capture shows that are protected?


The restriction for protecting video out applies to both HDMI and AirPlay, so presumably if it's no longer restricted for AirPlay, it's also no longer restricted for HDMI out.

According to the article comment linked below it doesn't use AirPlay. At the time of the article (March 2013) HDMI out over the lightning cable was limited to 1600x900 as opposed to the true 1080p of the original non-lightning cable. The comment indicates that the lightning cable HDMI adapter runs code pushed to it by the device and that improvements to quality would come in a later iOS update, so it might be possible the resolution is greater now, though according to an Amazon review from March 2015 that isn't the case.

https://www.panic.com/blog/the-lightning-digital-av-adapter-surprise/#comment-16841


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## Dan203 (Apr 17, 2000)

Funny, that's the same article I was referring to, but I didn't read the comment. 

But the basic idea is that it uses the same mechanism to encode the screen to an H.264 stream as AirPlay but then sends that stream out of the lightning port where it's decoded by the chip in the HDMI adapter rather then an AppleTV.

Is the AppleTV resolution also limited? Wondering if that 1600x900 limit is caused by the encoding on the iOS device or some limitation of the decoder in the HDMI adapter?


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## morac (Mar 14, 2003)

Based on the comment it's a limitation of the lightning port. It's simply not capable of the bandwidth required for 1080p. 

It's odd that they went that route as the older 30 pin adapter was capable of outputting at 1080p so my old iPad 2 can actually output at a higher resolution than my iPad Air 2. 

I'm not sure if Air Play has a similar limitation. I know the Apple TV itself is capable of outputting at 1080p. I'm fairly certain that the resolution for AirPlay is 1080p, though it lacks 5.1 audio support like the HDMI cable does. That would mean the Wifi/network bandwidth is greater than the Lightning port bandwidth.

Edit:

Researching more, apparently streaming is 1080p. Mirroring is 720p. I'm not sure which TiVo is using.


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## met_fan (May 12, 2014)

morac said:


> Based on the comment it's a limitation of the lightning port. It's simply not capable of the bandwidth required for 1080p.
> 
> It's odd that they went that route as the older 30 pin adapter was capable of outputting at 1080p so my old iPad 2 can actually output at a higher resolution than my iPad Air 2.
> 
> I'm not sure if Air Play has a similar limitation. I know the Apple TV itself is capable of outputting at 1080p. I'm fairly certain that the resolution for AirPlay is 1080p, though it lacks 5.1 audio support like the HDMI cable does. That would mean the Wifi/network bandwidth is greater than the Lightning port bandwidth.


When I AirPlay HBO Go from my phone to an Apple TV it's 5.1 sound, but that might actually be the Apple TV making the connection.


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## morac (Mar 14, 2003)

met_fan said:


> When I AirPlay HBO Go from my phone to an Apple TV it's 5.1 sound, but that might actually be the Apple TV making the connection.


I think it depends on what's happening. The Apple TV is capable of pulling streams directly from the Internet, so if you AirPlay something that's being streamed to your iPhone/iPad, the Apple TV can, in some cases, stream directly from the source.

Other things are sent from the device. I believe those have a limited resolution and are in stereo. I can test out TiVo's app to see how it works since that would definitely not be something the Apple TV could natively stream.

Edit:

I just remembered that transferred and streamed recordings max out 720p anyway, so testing with the TiVo app would be pointless.


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## Dan203 (Apr 17, 2000)

720p is probably good enough for a hotel TV anyway. Better then sitting in bed with an iPad on my lap. I might buy one of those HDMI adapters.


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## bradleys (Oct 31, 2007)

I just downloaded an AirPlay emulator for my PC to play with this. It works pretty well. It is mirroring only...

Pretty cool, but I doubt I will use it. I have AMIDuOS on my laptop and that works better for hotel viewing.


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## mmf01 (Jan 31, 2011)

notyou said:


> Anybody know they also enabled mirroring over HDMI? Because I'd love to bring a cable with me instead of an Apple TV.


Yep, it sure does. HDMI out is now enabled as part of this update. I was shocked to see this as it comes in handy when traveling.


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## taynt3d (Apr 4, 2010)

mmf01 said:


> Yep, it sure does. HDMI out is now enabled as part of this update. I was shocked to see this as it comes in handy when traveling.


Yup, been working for me too all week on a business trip. However, it's forced into 4:3 aspect or something, so widescreen ends up being both letterboxed and pillarboxed at the same time, with the signal going to TV in a way that you can't even "zoom" the aspect ratio of the TV itself. I'm still stoked though, but I hope they fix the output aspect issue eventually.


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