# AOL On app coming to TiVo Premiere



## drebbe (Apr 11, 2012)

The AOL On Network today announced the launch of version 2.0 of its connected TV app. Formerly known as AOL HD, The AOL On app will feature ad-serving capabilities at launch, and will boast a wide selection of rich, high-definition video content drawn from The AOL On library of more than 380,000 short-form videos. Already available on seven of the leading connected TV platforms, the update will be made available to three of these platforms: Samsung Smart TVs, Roku and Sony. Currently in beta, TiVo joins the lineup of supported platforms. Subscribers will receive access to the AOL On app in the coming weeks on TiVo Premiere DVRs.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/08/10/idUS146190+10-Aug-2012+BW20120810


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## Drewster (Oct 26, 2000)

What's on AOL On that one might be interested in?


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## drebbe (Apr 11, 2012)

Drewster said:


> What's on AOL On that one might be interested in?


From the Reuters link

The upgraded AOL On app boasts a newly redesigned, cutting-edge user interface. In addition to AOL original content from properties like Moviefone, Engadget and HuffPost Entertainment, the app will feature high-definition videos from the AOL On Networks premium content partners like Reuters, AP, BBC, Newsy, Entertainment Tonight, Sugar, E!, Splash News, CNET and Gourmet TV. New content will be added on a daily basis.

Meh.


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## Kingpcgeek (Feb 6, 2012)

Yawn.

How about Amazon Prime Video and HBOGo?


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## rhettf (Apr 5, 2012)

Kingpcgeek said:


> Yawn.
> 
> How about Amazon Prime Video and HBOGo?


+1


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## steve614 (May 1, 2006)

AOL is still around?


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## hillyard (Nov 1, 2011)

They take away filters in the guide and start adding add driven apps that is more than likely going to add to the lagg.


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## crxssi (Apr 5, 2010)

Just what we would need, another streaming service with forced ads. Is this the future of DVR's?


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## aadam101 (Jul 15, 2002)

Tivo actually wasted their time developing something with Aol? lol


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## sbiller (May 10, 2002)

aadam101 said:


> Tivo actually wasted their time developing something with Aol? lol


Actually. TiVo just provided AOL the SDK/API. I suspect that TiVo put very little engineering effort into support the AOL app. I guess Sony, Samsung, Roku, Google TV, and Boxee wasted their time as well...


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## DonaldBurns65144 (Jan 11, 2011)

People are begging Tivo for an Amazon Prime app and so we're going to get AOL! What's next Comp-U-Serve? Maybe a dial-up BBS? Hello, testing 1-2-3. Is anybody home? Hope it's free, 'cause there's no way in H that I'd pay for AOL. I'd rather listen to 24/7 Super Beta Prostate ads!!!!


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## atmuscarella (Oct 11, 2005)

I think some people just like to bit**. TiVo needs to have more streaming content and channels like this are part of the solution. 

For all those that think AOL HD is worthless - of course that is a personal preference thing but maybe you should wait until you see what AOL HD has before being so certain. After all Engadget, Huffington Post, Moviephone, TechCrunch etc. are all AOL properties and are contributers to AOL HD. 

I really don't see the downside to this and I am hoping it is the beginning of TiVo being able to offer more channels like other streaming/connected/smart TV devices.


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## drebbe (Apr 11, 2012)

atmuscarella said:


> TiVo needs to have more streaming content and channels like this are part of the solution.
> 
> ...
> 
> I really don't see the downside to this and I am hoping it is the beginning of TiVo being able to offer more channels like other streaming/connected/smart TV devices.


Agree completely, whatever your opinion of the quality of the content that the AOL app will offer, the fact that a major media company decided it was worth the time and expense to support the TiVo Premiere is a good thing.


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## jrtroo (Feb 4, 2008)

I have no clue why people continue to point to TiVo as if they write these apps themselves. Do people complain to Apple or Google when they want an app written for that platform?

Even if I have no interest in this app, which I don't think I will- I cannot stand hulu plus, the fact that any parties are writing apps for Tivo is great news.


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## johnd01 (Dec 17, 2002)

jrtroo said:


> I have no clue why people continue to point to TiVo as if they write these apps themselves. Do people complain to Apple or Google when they want an app written for that platform?
> 
> Even if I have no interest in this app, which I don't think I will- I cannot stand hulu plus, the fact that any parties are writing apps for Tivo is great news.


Would be nice to have the API open so we could write our own aps but until then we have to count on TIVO to write or control app development.


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## TerpBE (Jan 23, 2003)

and here it is!
https://blog.tivo.com/2012/12/aol-on-app-now-on-tivo-interface/#.UMeehtX5Unh


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## gonzotek (Sep 24, 2004)

johnd01 said:


> Would be nice to have the API open so we could write our own aps but until then we have to count on TIVO to write or control app development.


http://developer.tivo.com/

I'm just hoping that the UX is higher than it is in the Netflix and YouTube apps.


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## spaldingclan (Aug 22, 2012)

I'm guessing the release of the SDK recently will open up the possibility of more apps? HBOGO?


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## innocentfreak (Aug 25, 2001)

spaldingclan said:


> I'm guessing the release of the SDK recently will open up the possibility of more apps? HBOGO?


If HBOGO wanted to write one, I think TiVo would have already given them the SDK.


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## macery (Sep 6, 2004)

Does this mean I will start getting floppies every other day in the mail again??


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## mrizzo80 (Apr 17, 2012)

Looks like this content is integrated into TiVo Search, which is nice. 

Need to spend more time browsing the UI, but it doesn't appear to be a speed demon.

Oh, and it rebooted my TiVo 10 seconds into starting an Engadget Show launched via "Watch Now via... AOL On".

More content is always welcome, though.


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## Arcady (Oct 14, 2004)

As long as my TiVo doesn't start saying "You've got mail!" I don't care what apps they add.

Would be nice if they fixed the Netflix app though.


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## sharkster (Jul 3, 2004)

This (whatever the fack it is) just showed up on both of my Premieres last night. 

Is there no choice? I don't want to have any kind of relationship with AOL so I was trying to figure out how to delete it but was unsuccessful. Is there a way to delete it off my 'my shows' list? TIA


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## andyf (Feb 23, 2000)

Settings/Channels/Video Providers


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## sharkster (Jul 3, 2004)

andyf said:


> Settings/Channels/Video Providers


D'oh!  I even knew that. I tend to forget that there is other stuff under 'Channels' besides just playing with the channel list. I have been there before back when I deleted all that other stuff I don't use from the 'My Shows' list.

Last night I looked everywhere but there.  <---- (at self)

Thank You so much! :up:


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## scandia101 (Oct 20, 2007)

Noticed this on my Premiere today and checked it out briefly. I don't see the point and don't find the UI to be "cutting edge"


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## andyf (Feb 23, 2000)

sharkster said:


> D'oh!  I even knew that. I tend to forget that there is other stuff under 'Channels' besides just playing with the channel list. I have been there before back when I deleted all that other stuff I don't use from the 'My Shows' list.
> 
> Last night I looked everywhere but there.  <---- (at self)
> 
> Thank You so much! :up:


UR Welcome


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## Impulse0022 (Aug 15, 2010)

Not sure how much I will actually use the AOL app, but it seems to work better than the current Netflix app.


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## Drewster (Oct 26, 2000)

What does it, like, do?


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## Wingershute (Oct 22, 2010)

Loads up too slow for me as does Netflix and YouTube apps.


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## crxssi (Apr 5, 2010)

It is not a horrible interface, after waiting forever for it to load. Although slow (no shock there) it seems faster than the YouTube interface. Video quality is good, but not fantastic. It is a hell of a lot more usable than YouTube on the TiVo. Yet it is missing search.


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## moyekj (Jan 24, 2006)

I don't get the point of this App. Just looks like a random mishmash of mostly uninteresting stuff. What am I missing? What's the distinguishing feature set here? Unsurprisingly like everything else Flash based on series 4 TiVo it's pretty slow on 2 tuner Premiere and just unbearably slow on my Elite.


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## Drewster (Oct 26, 2000)

Looks like it's video content slurped up from different media sources -- AP, HuffPo, Engadget, etc. Not really something I'm interested in.


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## ntarvin (Jan 29, 2011)

Hasn't anyone here seen Windows 8 ???

This is a copy of what W8 has for many of the items on the "start screen"... only this is worse because you've got several levels of "menus" on top to navigate before you can even watch anything, and like W8, it's rather "sparse" in content...

I dumped W8 from my computer almost before it was done installing, and I'm doing the same with this...

Now, if i could only get rid of Tivo's ever-growing list of games ...


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## crxssi (Apr 5, 2010)

ntarvin said:


> Hasn't anyone here seen Windows 8 ???
> 
> This is a copy of what W8 has for many of the items on the "start screen"... only this is worse because you've got several levels of "menus" on top to navigate before you can even watch anything, and like W8, it's rather "sparse" in content...
> 
> I dumped W8 from my computer almost before it was done installing, and I'm doing the same with this....


LOL!!! I was just about to post the exact same response! It looks a lot like MS-WIndows 8-

A random, colorful, and irritating mish-mash of mostly stupid stuff. Bingo!! At least it doesn't appear the squares are animated, like in Win8.

Good thing I use Linux.


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## aaronwt (Jan 31, 2002)

AOL On doesn't seem too bad. There seems to be alot of content to look at. It doesn't seem to be too slow on this Elite I'm trying it on. Well except for the initial loading which does take entirely too long. Of course any UI can always be faster.

For Windows 8, I put it on four of my machines and I will probably put it on a couple more since I like Windows 8 so much. It took a little to get used to at first, but now that I am used to it I prefer using my Machines with Win8 to my machines that still have Windows 7 on them.

And especially for the price I paid, it was bargain. My first machine was $40 for the upgrade and the other three only cost me $15. Although when I upgrade my other two, those will most likely be $40 each.


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## magnus (Nov 12, 2004)

I think OSX only cost me $20 for all of my Macs.


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## crxssi (Apr 5, 2010)

magnus said:


> I think OSX only cost me $20 for all of my Macs.


And Linux (Mageia, Fedora, and CentOS) cost me $0 for all my computers. I win!


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## magnus (Nov 12, 2004)

crxssi said:


> And Linux (Mageia, Fedora, and CentOS) cost me $0 for all my computers. I win!


Yep, kinda depends on if you have enough good programs to run on Linux. If its free and you can't run any good programs well then....


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## HeatherA (Jan 10, 2002)

magnus said:


> I think OSX only cost me $20 for all of my Macs.


One of my favorite Mac perks  It'd cost us $100 to upgrade all PCs in our house... we decided to pass.

As for this AOL On... I'd rather we have gotten Amazon streaming... this is pretty worthless. Though, I must say it's nice to see new features hitting the box... hope TiVo steps it up and gives us more.


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## crxssi (Apr 5, 2010)

magnus said:


> Yep, kinda depends on if you have enough good programs to run on Linux. If its free and you can't run any good programs well then....


Thankfully it does everything I want and with tons of good programs. That won't necessarily be the case for everyone, of course. The reverse is true too (MS-Windows and MacOS don't do everything I want).

All of us are used to not getting everything we want, already, though.... we are TiVo owners


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## slowbiscuit (Sep 19, 2006)

magnus said:


> Yep, kinda depends on if you have enough good programs to run on Linux. If its free and you can't run any good programs well then....


In this space you can run MythTV, which is the most powerful DVR software ever made. And free, and can be complex to setup and maintain. But it runs rings around everything else out there, if you can put up with the limitation of only being able to view/record unprotected content (non-CCI'd). It also allows you to build a whole-home media server with SFF, low-power/quiet slave PCs that can do pretty much anything, audio and video-wise.


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## abqdan (Aug 29, 2012)

Played with AOL On for a while. Nothing there I'd watch. I don't really want to watch 2 minute snippets of news etc - if I did, I'd go to YouTube. And any interface that clicks at me, without giving me a button to turn the annoying noise off, isn't going to get much use. I turned off all 'noises' on the TiVo, but this app still clicks. 

Following this Windows 8 paradigm is stupid, particularly on a box like the TiVo. A simple list of content would be far easier to navigate, and fast too, without all the unnecessary graphics. The Tile "preview" tells me nothing about the content - I still have to look at the description of the clip to know what is going on, so what's the point? Another example of programmers not having a clue about human interface design.


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## TrooperOrange (Apr 23, 2012)

Anyone else have this app disappear after having been installed and used?

I had it, watched an hour long Engadget show that I enjoyed. Went back today, it is missing.

Checked the Settings > Channels > Video Providers, and everything else is listed, but AOL isn't. 

Re-booted etc... no change.

Any help would be appreciated.


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## CharlesH (Aug 29, 2002)

TrooperOrange said:


> Anyone else have this app disappear after having been installed and used?
> 
> I had it, watched an hour long Engadget show that I enjoyed. Went back today, it is missing.
> 
> Checked the Settings > Channels > Video Providers, and everything else is listed, but AOL isn't.


That happened to me too. I really don't care enough about it spend any time trying to sort it out.


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## morac (Mar 14, 2003)

TrooperOrange said:


> Anyone else have this app disappear after having been installed and used?
> 
> I had it, watched an hour long Engadget show that I enjoyed. Went back today, it is missing.
> 
> ...


I never got it in the first place.


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## TrooperOrange (Apr 23, 2012)

Well I tried to sort it out, no luck, nothing simple.

I don't care enough to contact Tivo either. lol

If I had to guess, they rolled it to some, maybe found a bug, so pushed a new update to remove it or something.

Who knows. The app is by no means brilliant, but it is content that we didn't have otherwise. *shrug*

The more the merrier.


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## TIVO_GUY_HERE (Jul 10, 2000)

for what it's worth, I still have it, after checking it out last night.


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## gonzotek (Sep 24, 2004)

morac said:


> I never got it in the first place.


+1. Wonder if it's a regional rollout, for whatever reason?


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## ntarvin (Jan 29, 2011)

I disabled AOL earlier this week, but checked it this morning - and it's still there.

Regional?? Perhaps. Tivo-Guy 's in Dallas, I'm in Tulsa, CharlesH was San Fran area.... maybe a west-to-east rollout???

(I'm keeping it disabled - I still don't like it.)


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## jrtroo (Feb 4, 2008)

UG. I need to disable this as well.

The app has no appreciation for us timeshifters.

After watching the entire season of survivor, and keeping away from NBCnews.com (which is notorious for spilling the beans in their article titles) since the finale recorded Sunday, I just happened to check out the app. First thing I saw was a headline indicating the winner.

UG. App dismissed.


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## rainwater (Sep 21, 2004)

Drewster said:


> Looks like it's video content slurped up from different media sources -- AP, HuffPo, Engadget, etc. Not really something I'm interested in.


They are all AOL-owned media properties, not just random sources.


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## apw2607 (Nov 17, 2012)

App is terrible. Slow. Poor content. User interface looks like a copy of the opera tv store ... Which is also horrible.

It would be nice if they go back and fix the junky apps that are already on the box like amazon VOD....


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## apw2607 (Nov 17, 2012)

sbiller said:


> Actually. TiVo just provided AOL the SDK/API. I suspect that TiVo put very little engineering effort into support the AOL app. I guess Sony, Samsung, Roku, Google TV, and Boxee wasted their time as well...





jrtroo said:


> I have no clue why people continue to point to TiVo as if they write these apps themselves. Do people complain to Apple or Google when they want an app written for that platform?
> 
> Even if I have no interest in this app, which I don't think I will- I cannot stand hulu plus, the fact that any parties are writing apps for Tivo is great news.


In the case of Apple TV, all the 3rd party content UIs use the standard Apple TV UI.


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## bfaz18 (Feb 11, 2003)

Tried it yesterday. Slowest App Ever!
First attempt - didn't finish initializing enough to accept navigation moves.
Second attempt - initialized ( finally ); watched one 2 minute segment.
A 5 minute segment didn't start after 5 minutes, gave up.
Reminds me of the "search beta"; I might try in another 6 months when it might be fully "cooked".
( Note I have no trouble streaming Premiere to Premiere or Internet->TV ).
While I love my TIVOs, TIVO's implementation of internet apps doesn't hold
a candle to my other devices. -- doesn't matter if they do the development
or it's 3rd party -- it's up to TIVO to certify ready for "primetime".


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## scandia101 (Oct 20, 2007)

I looked at it again today and I just don't get the appeal of slogging through random videos to see if there's anything I might want to actually watch. Am I missing something?


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## morac (Mar 14, 2003)

AOL On has an iPad app and it's available on Roku. I think both have a better interface and faster. Note, I've only tested AOL On in the SD menus on TiVo since that's the only way I've been able to get to it.

AOL Music CD is kind of interesting and it's not available on the iPad app, but it is in the Roku version.


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## jrlbc06 (Apr 29, 2012)

Forget AOL.

ESPN3 ESPN3 ESPN3

Why has this not happened yet? XBox has ESPN3.


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## Delegator (Jan 9, 2004)

I decided to try this app and see what kind of content it brought with it. On the main page was "Honey Boo Boo's Family Shares a Christmas Photo." :down:

I wish I could just remove the stupid thing. 

I also don't bother with the Amazon App on Tivo, because
a. it doesn't know up front that I'm an Amazon Prime member, so I can't have it just show Amazon Prime videos like I do with Roku, and
b. It's dog slow, whereas Roku is quite snappy
c. With TiVo I have to buffer a show in order to start watching it, but with Roky I don't.

The performance problems are also there on the Netflix app. Xbox and Roku are much better interfaces.


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## crxssi (Apr 5, 2010)

Delegator said:


> I decided to try this app and see what kind of content it brought with it. On the main page was "Honey Boo Boo's Family Shares a Christmas Photo." :down:
> 
> I wish I could just remove the stupid thing.


You can. Just turn it off in your video service settings.


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## slowbiscuit (Sep 19, 2006)

jrlbc06 said:


> Forget AOL.
> 
> ESPN3 ESPN3 ESPN3
> 
> Why has this not happened yet? XBox has ESPN3.


Because of content they don't show on the ESPN family of channels? Not seeing the point otherwise.


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## DonaldBurns65144 (Jan 11, 2011)

I have Amazon Prime on my cell phone, on my Kindle Fire and I've connected an old computer to our widescreen to be able to stream Amazon Prime. PITA to use. Would be nice to have Amazon Prime on the Premiere and remove the kludge computer setup. Wasn't worth the reboot time to add an AOL app that is less than useless, IMHO. It has been turned off on our Premiere a few seconds after being reviewed the very first time.


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## rainwater (Sep 21, 2004)

jrlbc06 said:


> Forget AOL.
> 
> ESPN3 ESPN3 ESPN3
> 
> Why has this not happened yet? XBox has ESPN3.


Xbox is the only set top box that offers it. My guess is they have an exclusive contract with ESPN. Otherwise, they would be on PS3, Apple TV, Roku, etc by now.


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## djwilso (Dec 23, 2006)

DonaldBurns65144 said:


> I have Amazon Prime on my cell phone, on my Kindle Fire and I've connected an old computer to our widescreen to be able to stream Amazon Prime. PITA to use. Would be nice to have Amazon Prime on the Premiere and remove the kludge computer setup. Wasn't worth the reboot time to add an AOL app that is less than useless, IMHO. It has been turned off on our Premiere a few seconds after being reviewed the very first time.


$49 would get you a Roku box that does Amazon Instant very well (as in, it's HD and has 5.1 surround sound). Just a thought.


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## sbiller (May 10, 2002)

I was looking for a particular video that is a 60 minutes clip. I know its on AOL On here -> http://on.aol.com/video/60-minutes--maggie-smith-talks-killing-downtons-dowager-countess-517675689

Is there a way to search for a clip on AOL On? I don't think it is part of unified search at this point.


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## abqdan (Aug 29, 2012)

Drewster said:


> What does it, like, do?


Nothing useful. Almost all the content is short video clips like you see people post on Facebook. Total Yawn. I don't mind Tivo adding stuff, but can't they find something useful, like Vudu or Amazon Prime?


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## abqdan (Aug 29, 2012)

slowbiscuit said:


> Because of content they don't show on the ESPN family of channels? Not seeing the point otherwise.


But Xbox Live charges you $8 a month so that you can watch things you are already paying for - like Hulu and Netflix. Total rip off by Microsoft. We have Xbox, but we only need the games we've purchased, so we don't subscribe to Live, and we certainly wouldn't so that we could watch things we've already paid for! Microsoft really is evil.


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## slowbiscuit (Sep 19, 2006)

Please don't exaggerate, Xbox Live Gold is routinely on sale for $35-40 a year (12 month cards). More like $3/month in other words. I don't like paying extra for Gold but the cost is minimal, and MS is not evil for charging for it.


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## abqdan (Aug 29, 2012)

slowbiscuit said:


> Please don't exaggerate, Xbox Live Gold is routinely on sale for $35-40 a year (12 month cards). More like $3/month in other words. I don't like paying extra for Gold but the cost is minimal, and MS is not evil for charging for it.


Other systems, like PS3 do not charge for pass-through services like Netflix. Maybe you like paying extra for nothing, and maybe you think such payments are minimal - but this is just like the cable companies nickle and diming us. If you are an online gamer, I'm sure it's reasonable, but anyone buying the Xbox just to play games in their own living room is conned by Microsoft into thinking all this stuff is available, when in reality they provide nothing for free - it is all tied to Gold. Yes, they are evil.


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## slowbiscuit (Sep 19, 2006)

So you're evil at $3/month... man Comcast is going straight to hell with those bogus outlet fees for extra Cablecards then.


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## morac (Mar 14, 2003)

slowbiscuit said:


> So you're evil at $3/month... man Comcast is going straight to hell with those bogus outlet fees for extra Cablecards then.


Yes.

http://news.cnet.com/8301-17852_3-20048006-71.html


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