# Tivo has sent out an extensive survey for the Stream via email



## ptcfast2 (May 10, 2020)

Heads up, Tivo is sending out surveys to folks about the Stream. It's a very extensive survey and it seems they are aware of the issues based on the questions they are asking.

Various questions you would expect are there (what do you like, what don't you like about it...) where you can actually voice your opinion. You are also entered to win some Amazon gift cards, but the possibility of some folks at Tivo seeing direct feedback is worth it alone for me.

Also of note - if you complete the survey, you'll possibly be invited to be a Beta Tester as they seem to have opened that program for the Stream.

Here's the juiciest bit - a question about what would help well, "improve" your Tivo Stream 4K "experience":

_Setup_

Make it easier to get through initial setup
Make it easier to log into my streaming services
Make it easier to get my remote control to work with my TV/receiver

_Software quality_

Fix issue with switching inputs on my TV or receiver (CEC issue)
Improve general software quality (fix bugs, etc.)
Improve product stability (reduce reboots and crashes)
Improve speed and performance

_Integration_

Improve the integrated program information (descriptions, information about who offers each show/movie, images, etc.)
Integrate additional streaming live TV services (Hulu + Live TV, YouTube TV, AT&T TV Now, etc.)
Integrate additional streaming apps into the TiVo Stream app (so I can search, browse, add programs to My Shows, and get recommendations)
Let me import my watch lists/queues from integrated streaming services (like Netflix, Prime Video, Hulu, Disney+, etc.)

_Enhancements_

More/better personalized content
Give me a way to get local TV channels
Let me quickly filter results/recommendations for "free" vs. "paid"
Include star ratings for movies and TV shows
Make it easier to tell what programs are recorded on Sling TV
Improve Sling TV recording controls (how many episodes record, include or exclude reruns, etc.)
Allow TiVo Stream 4K to stream recordings from my TiVo DVR


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## mdavej (Aug 13, 2015)

Please somebody mention forced HDR and the lack of Play/ffwd/rew buttons on the remote. Arrows don’t cut it on many apps.


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## moyekj (Jan 24, 2006)

Yes at this point even if they fixed plethora of bugs on current version, unless they are planning on releasing a version with a revised remote that has useful ff/play/few buttons instead of a bunch of mostly useless number buttons I wouldn't even consider buying another or recommending it to anyone. A lot of people have mentioned the initial impulse to buy this was for the familiar TiVo remote form factor, but unfortunately TiVo even botched that.


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## jimpmc (Oct 31, 2001)

moyekj said:


> Yes at this point even if they fixed plethora of bugs on current version, unless they are planning on releasing a version with a revised remote that has useful ff/play/few buttons instead of a bunch of mostly useless number buttons I wouldn't even consider buying another or recommending it to anyone. A lot of people have mentioned the initial impulse to buy this was for the familiar TiVo remote form factor, but unfortunately TiVo even botched that.


I'd rather Android TV than Fire OS, however.


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## rczrider (May 16, 2020)

Yep, took the survey. Took longer than I expected, but I was honest and descriptive. I signed up for the beta program.


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## moyekj (Jan 24, 2006)

I've been part of many TiVo beta programs over the years, but to be honest even the quality of those has declined considerably last few years. The last one I did was so bad/embarrassing I promised myself never to bother joining another. I'll give brutally honest feedback about the TS4K but will not join any TiVo beta program any longer.


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## stuart628 (Jul 5, 2006)

rczrider said:


> Yep, took the survey. Took longer than I expected, but I was honest and descriptive. I signed up for the beta program.


Same. I still feel the same as I did about this thing so much potential. But they need some fixes first

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## stuart628 (Jul 5, 2006)

By the way glad they are doing this hopefully that means that they are taking this serious and wanting to make changes sooner rather then later or not at all!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## pshivers (Nov 4, 2013)

rczrider said:


> Yep, took the survey. Took longer than I expected, but I was honest and descriptive. I signed up for the beta program.


Took the survey last night, it was extensive!

I did like the question about access to Tivo DVR's.

Paul Shivers


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## Noelmel (Nov 6, 2014)

Really hope I get sent one. I’ve gotten them in the past. I bet 100% if responses check the box for streaming recordings from other TiVo’s lol


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## reneg (Jun 19, 2002)

moyekj said:


> I've been part of many TiVo beta programs over the years, but to be honest even the quality of those has declined considerably last few years. The last one I did was so bad/embarrassing I promised myself never to bother joining another. I'll give brutally honest feedback about the TS4K but will not join any TiVo beta program any longer.


I got the survey and spent the time giving them my honest (and brutal) feedback on the TS4K. For me, being in a Tivo Beta is like beating your head against the wall repeatedly. Worst Tivo Beta experience for me was Hydra. Bug after bug reported in Beta was ignored. After the official release of Hydra, it was painful to watch post after post on these forums of everything that came up in Beta, coming up again in the release.


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## rczrider (May 16, 2020)

Noelmel said:


> I bet 100% if responses check the box for streaming recordings from other TiVo's lol


Not me. I've never used a TiVo product before and so don't have one now. I really only care about the TS4K as a bang-for-your-buck streaming device. I told them that, of course, and also checked the box that was something like "I didn't realize TiVo was still around" when they asked about how I felt about TiVo as a brand :tearsofjoy:


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## wizziwig (Aug 29, 2014)

moyekj said:


> I've been part of many TiVo beta programs over the years, but to be honest even the quality of those has declined considerably last few years. The last one I did was so bad/embarrassing I promised myself never to bother joining another. I'll give brutally honest feedback about the TS4K but will not join any TiVo beta program any longer.


Same experience here. I get the sense they outsourced most of their development to save money and the current staff is not really qualified for the job. Lots of bugs would get submitted but hardly anything ever got fixed. Instead they waste time adding more useless features nobody asked for. As an engineer, I found the whole experience very frustrating because I knew I could fix some of those bugs in minutes if I had access to the software. Hope things fare better with this new product but my first impression does not inspire confidence.


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## Bierboy (Jun 12, 2004)

moyekj said:


> I've been part of many TiVo beta programs over the years, but to be honest even the quality of those has declined considerably last few years. The last one I did was so bad/embarrassing I promised myself never to bother joining another. I'll give brutally honest feedback about the TS4K but will not join any TiVo beta program any longer.


Same here..I really hesitated on this last Beta, but went ahead with it. Regretted it...never again.


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## rczrider (May 16, 2020)

Bierboy said:


> Same here..I really hesitated on this last Beta, but went ahead with it. Regretted it...never again.


I didn't read the agreement, of course...is there something that requires you to use the beta software? Several of you have complained that it was an awful experience.


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## babsonnexus (Jan 13, 2016)

Hmmmm... no survey yet... is there a generic link? I'd be glad to take it!


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## pshivers (Nov 4, 2013)

babsonnexus said:


> Hmmmm... no survey yet... is there a generic link? I'd be glad to take it!


The survey is limited to a few TS4K owners by invite only...

Paul Shivers


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## Bierboy (Jun 12, 2004)

rczrider said:


> I didn't read the agreement, of course...is there something that requires you to use the beta software? Several of you have complained that it was an awful experience.


You're required to use whatever software/hardware they're having you test. On the other hand, if it's so bad, you don't have to do anything (other than to let them know).


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## vurbano (Apr 20, 2004)

can they end the black screens? the SLing buffering? integrate OTA channels, other services?, how about making it a tivo? a record button? pause live tv on all channels. Integrate a service with more than 50 gb of cloud storage? allow local storage of recordings.


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## trip1eX (Apr 2, 2005)

as if they need a survey. more like they have a marketing person on the payroll and they gotta keep busy.


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## rczrider (May 16, 2020)

trip1eX said:


> as if they need a survey. more like they have a marketing person on the payroll and they gotta keep busy.


You don't see any value in finding out what bugs people the most so they can prioritize fixing those things first? I'm assuming you didn't actually get or take the survey, or you'd know that half of it is in regards to the Stream app and the way you use the device, not just asking what you like and don't like about the TS4K.


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## trip1eX (Apr 2, 2005)

rczrider said:


> You don't see any value in finding out what bugs people the most so they can prioritize fixing those things first? I'm assuming you didn't actually get or take the survey, or you'd know that half of it is in regards to the Stream app and the way you use the device, not just asking what you like and don't like about the TS4K.


they already know the top 10 major bugs and problems.

Survey is just spinning the wheels.


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## rczrider (May 16, 2020)

trip1eX said:


> they already know the top 10 major bugs and problems.
> 
> Survey is just spinning the wheels.


I didn't claim otherwise. What I said is that I see value in _prioritizing_ the fixing of these bugs, which was part of the survey. It's silly to think they're going to fix every issue with the next firmware update, so they're trying to identify what matters most to folks.

The other part of the survey was about the Stream app, which was clearly the single biggest reason TiVo released this device in the first place.

If you don't agree that the survey addresses either of these things - and therefore has some sort of value other than giving a marketing person something to do - I can only assume you either didn't receive an invitation to take it, or did and refused. To those who took the survey, it's pretty obvious.

I get that folks are salty over the TS4K, especially if you're someone already invested in the TiVo ecosystem. I, too, am annoyed that TiVo decided to make everyone a beta tester. All I can say is that you can let it ride and see what happens, or return the device and find something else. Trash-talking TiVo for asking for feedback is pointless.


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## trip1eX (Apr 2, 2005)

rczrider said:


> I didn't claim otherwise. What I said is that I see value in _prioritizing_ the fixing of these bugs, which was part of the survey. It's silly to think they're going to fix every issue with the next firmware update, so they're trying to identify what matters most to folks.
> 
> The other part of the survey was about the Stream app, which was clearly the single biggest reason TiVo released this device in the first place.
> 
> ...


Lol. I didn't say you did. I am not annoyed that they made everyone a beta tester. I already knew that was going to be the case. I am not trash talking them. I am merely pointing out that the marketing guy is going to do surveys whether they are needed or not because a person gotta look busy. Haven't you worked in a corporation. Read Dilbert. Etc.


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## rczrider (May 16, 2020)

trip1eX said:


> I am merely pointing out that the marketing guy is going to do surveys whether they are needed or not because a person gotta look busy.


Except that with this logic, there are two scenarios: the survey is needed or it's not. I've clearly demonstrated that there's value in the survey outside of "person gotta look busy".

So if the survey has value because the data from it can be used in such a ways as to improve the product, I don't think it really qualifies as "spinning the wheels".

Maybe you're just talking to talk, I don't know. Some folks seem pretty annoyed at TiVo and I get that. I think they deserve criticism, but that doesn't mean that they deserve criticism for everything they do. By your logic, it's a damned if you do, damned you if you don't situation.


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## trip1eX (Apr 2, 2005)

rczrider said:


> Except that with this logic, there are two scenarios: the survey is needed or it's not. I've clearly demonstrated that there's value in the survey outside of "person gotta look busy".
> 
> So if the survey has value because the data from it can be used in such a ways as to improve the product, I don't think it really qualifies as "spinning the wheels".
> 
> Maybe you're just talking to talk, I don't know. Some folks seem pretty annoyed at TiVo and I get that. I think they deserve criticism, but that doesn't mean that they deserve criticism for everything they do. By your logic, it's a damned if you do, damned you if you don't situation.


lol. we both agree they got plenty on their plate without surveys.

not sure you're yammering on about.


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## rczrider (May 16, 2020)

trip1eX said:


> lol. we both agree they got plenty on their plate without surveys.
> 
> not sure you're yammering on about.


Okay. If you still don't understand or aren't reading what I'm posting, then the one spinning their wheels is me. We get it, TiVo is wasting time asking you what to prioritize because you're not interested in telling them. Good thing you weren't offered the survey or didn't bother doing it, eh?


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## trip1eX (Apr 2, 2005)

rczrider said:


> Okay. If you still don't understand or aren't reading what I'm posting, then the one spinning their wheels is me. We get it, TiVo is wasting time asking you what to prioritize because you're not interested in telling them. Good thing you weren't offered the survey or didn't bother doing it, eh?


'they already know the major problems' implies a prioritization in case you don't what the word 'major' means.

it is a waste. but a lot of corporations tend to also do uneeded/excessive stuff like this to cover the butts of managers etc. that way they can blame it on the 'data.'


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## ElT60 (May 27, 2020)

trip1eX said:


> 'they already know the major problems' implies a prioritization in case you don't what the word 'major' means.
> 
> it is a waste. but a lot of corporations tend to also do uneeded/excessive stuff like this to cover the butts of managers etc. that way they can blame it on the 'data.'


 The number of major problem isn't the only issue here. There is also the number of resources they have to fix the problems. Plus other issues/things on the plate ( e.g., rolling out AndroidTV 10 , the Tivo app pulls from iOS/Android Tivo app resource pool and their "to list" resource consumption, etc. ) . Problems have to be matched with resources to fix them which means there is more than just a unidimensional "complaint' meter vector of what gets done , when. This isn't a high cost product so there probably isn't a massive pool of developers sitting idling by to assign work to. ( pretty decent chance Tivo is selling this about at cost for the materials and operational support present. )

If it is a relatively complex software stack there is an never ending stream of stuff to get fixed (or features requested). User 'chat' boards typically are not a good broad , representative measure of user experience. Survey can be better if take into account some factors to make sure getting a broad demographic.

If they get the Beta to a highly skewed , too small demographic can get the same sampling issues. Survey can also confine/dispute some of the feedback got from the Beta folks also.


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