# Bolt Streaming to PC and Portable Devices



## mikecoscia (Jul 27, 2016)

So I am trying to understand what streaming with Tivo actually entails. I originally thought Tivo had abilities similar to a slingbox. That live tv or pre-recorded programs could be streamed to any browser or mobile device using the tivo app, at least on your home network. 

I don't have much issue with my iPhone at home, every thing seems to be streaming fine, both live tv and pre-recorded programs. I just hit watch now, it begins recording and immediately beings playback. 

The real trouble comes from using Tivo Online from a desktop on my home network. When I look at the guide, all channels say watch now. I hit it, select live tv, a window pops up and says its attempting to start recording and begin playback. It works on a handful of channels. Often times a blank window with a play button only appears, others I get a message saying the copyright holder does not permit streaming. The same thing happens for pre-recorded programs. I don't get it. Why can I stream the same content to my iphone without any issues. They are both on the same network. It's like the browser version is totally broken. 

Can someone clarify what can and can't be streamed to what device when you are both on and off your home network. Because I called technical support and it was like talking to a wall. They kept telling me there should be no watch now button when using the browser.....


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## atmuscarella (Oct 11, 2005)

When your computer is on the same network as your Bolt you should be able to stream both live TV and recorded shows from your Bolt to your computer. You need to log into your account on the TiVo On Line Web site, use a browser with Flash installed and it should work. You access live TV from the Guide and your recordings from the My Shows section. If it doesn't work for you I would try another browser, I just tested with Chrome and had no problems, but I only have OTA so I never see any of those copyright issues.


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## mikecoscia (Jul 27, 2016)

atmuscarella said:


> When your computer is on the same network as your Bolt you should be able to stream both live TV and recorded shows from your Bolt to your computer. You need to log into your account on the TiVo On Line Web site, use a browser with Flash installed and it should work. You access live TV from the Guide and your recordings from the My Shows section. If it doesn't work for you I would try another browser, I just tested with Chrome and had no problems, but I only have OTA so I never see any of those copyright issues.


Thanks for the response. Flash is installed, and I can get some channels to work without any problems...maybe like 4 or 5. The rest just give me a blank window with a play button. If I keep trying the same channel, it will give me the copyright error. I tried two computers and three browsers. I primarily use chrome though and everything is up to date.


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## HarperVision (May 14, 2007)

mikecoscia said:


> Thanks for the response. Flash is installed, and I can get some channels to work without any problems...maybe like 4 or 5. The rest just give me a blank window with a play button. If I keep trying the same channel, it will give me the copyright error. I tried two computers and three browsers. I primarily use chrome though and everything is up to date.


I believe I recall reading that the best browser to use is Firefox. Have you tried that?


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## atmuscarella (Oct 11, 2005)

I wonder if this could have anything to do with some of the OP channels being h.264? I can only test MPEG 2 channels as that is all I get. Perhaps someone with a cable system that has converted some of the channels to h.264 can test it out?


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## mikecoscia (Jul 27, 2016)

atmuscarella said:


> I wonder if this could have anything to do with some of the OP channels being h.264? I can only test MPEG 2 channels as that is all I get. Perhaps someone with a cable system that has converted some of the channels to h.264 can test it out?


Then why does everything work fine on my iPhone, I would imagine the bolt is using the same process to stream the feed? Can the way the app reads it vs a web browser be that different? I was playing around with it last night, I got a few more channels to work by randomly trying them in the web browser. Some that I couldn't get to work before started working, but freezing within a few seconds. I am at a complete loss.


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## scs_x5 (Dec 29, 2006)

I essentially have the same issue with my PC using FireFox or Edge (the play button does not show up) while the iOS app works anywhere I have WiFi and I can stream all of my recorded shows.


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## mikecoscia (Jul 27, 2016)

scs_x5 said:


> I essentially have the same issue with my PC using FireFox or Edge (the play button does not show up) while the iOS app works anywhere I have WiFi and I can stream all of my recorded shows.


Have you tried chrome? That is what I am using, I still can't figure it out. Phone works great for streaming anything while I am home, desktop is completely random on what it will and will not stream.

I have tried calling customer support, but they are useless. I,m kind of annoyed by the whole situation, as streaming video to any device was kind of a major selling point for me.


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## HarperVision (May 14, 2007)

HarperVision said:


> I believe I recall reading that the best browser to use is Firefox. Have you tried that?





scs_x5 said:


> I essentially have the same issue with my PC using *FireFox *or Edge (the play button does not show up) while the iOS app works anywhere I have WiFi and I can stream all of my recorded shows.


I guess that answers that question!


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## tivoyahoo (Sep 4, 2003)

atmuscarella said:


> I wonder if this could have anything to do with some of the OP channels being h.264? I can only test MPEG 2 channels as that is all I get. Perhaps someone with a cable system that has converted some of the channels to h.264 can test it out?


that could be part of it since some channels seem to work and others don't. may not be random and instead be whether it is mpeg2 or mpeg4. do we know if the OP has a mix of mpeg2 and mpeg4 ? what cable company? what area? I can test bolt + chrome/edge/firefox + comcast mpeg4/h.264. but is OP in a comcast h.264 market?

roamio has an issue with streaming certain h.264 channels on comcast, but I've not seen that reported for a Bolt.


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## tivoyahoo (Sep 4, 2003)

scs_x5 said:


> I essentially have the same issue with my PC using FireFox or Edge (the play button does not show up) while the iOS app works anywhere I have WiFi and I can stream all of my recorded shows.


same question as for the OP - what cable system and what area? and with a bolt? or roamio?


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## arw01 (Feb 22, 2003)

Getting the error:

Problem Playing Show
We are unable to detect your TiVo streaming device from this location. If you are currently away from home, streaming video is not supported at this time.

Has this not been resolved after months and months to a PC?


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## jrtroo (Feb 4, 2008)

Question unclear. You can stream within the home to a PC, outside of the home is restricted, not a bug.


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## arw01 (Feb 22, 2003)

Then why does the sales page tell me right now that I can STREAM to the PC?
*Watch TV anywhere.*
Your entertainment shouldn't be stuck on a wall. Access your TiVo BOLT with our apps for tablets and smartphones or directly from your laptop.

That does not say ANYWHERE in your home...


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## atmuscarella (Oct 11, 2005)

arw01 said:


> Then why does the sales page tell me right now that I can STREAM to the PC?
> *Watch TV anywhere.*
> Your entertainment shouldn't be stuck on a wall. Access your TiVo BOLT with our apps for tablets and smartphones or directly from your laptop.
> 
> That does not say ANYWHERE in your home...


Not sure if you are asking a question or not. But the bottom line is for some reason that we are not 100% sure about, streaming to a web browser is not supported outside of your local LAN.

If this feature is going to be added in the future is unknown. Right now all you can do is download the shows you want to watch to your laptop (assuming your cable company allows downloads) before you leave your home.

My 2cents on this is that this feature will not be added to the current HDUI. There maybe some chance it will be added when/if the new Hydra UI is released.


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## John Emery (Jun 18, 2017)

atmuscarella said:


> Not sure if you are asking a question or not. But the bottom line is for some reason that we are not 100% sure about, streaming to a web browser is not supported outside of your local LAN.
> 
> If this feature is going to be added in the future is unknown. Right now all you can do is download the shows you want to watch to your laptop (assuming your cable company allows downloads) before you leave your home.
> 
> My 2cents on this is that this feature will not be added to the current HDUI. There maybe some chance it will be added when/if the new Hydra UI is released.


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## John Emery (Jun 18, 2017)

I recently purchased a Tivo Bolt 500GB and am within the 30 day window for return. I read all the advertising and marketing material about the use the Tivo Bolt to stream TV anywhere and view it anywhere I had reasonable Wifi. After hours of playing with apps, reading setup material, testing and retesting, I discover that TV anywhere is really just marketing hype and is a figment of the marketing departments imagination. Will probably return the device within the return period. 

Anybody have experience with other devices to DVR at "home" location and stream to "second home" location


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## alexb (Jan 4, 2003)

You could use a hdhomerun and emby. It won't do copy protected content but works quite well (I was watching livetv at work over a web browser today).


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## slowbiscuit (Sep 19, 2006)

atmuscarella said:


> Not sure if you are asking a question or not. But the bottom line is for some reason that we are not 100% sure about, streaming to a web browser is not supported outside of your local LAN.


It works if you use kmttg. Not directly from a Tivo but better anyway as long as you transfer the shows to a PC first. And of course it won't work for CP'd stuff or live TV.


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## slowbiscuit (Sep 19, 2006)

John Emery said:


> Anybody have experience with other devices to DVR at "home" location and stream to "second home" location


You want to look into setting up a router-to-router VPN to bridge both networks.


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## dnorth12 (Feb 10, 2005)

I am now experiencing this problem today. I have in the past few months just gone to tivo online and selected a program to watch on a computer while away from home and watch the program. Mostly just programs off the major 3 networks. Now all of a sudden I am getting this dialogue. 

"We are unable to detect your TiVo streaming device from this location. If you are currently away from home, streaming video is not supported at this time."

Was I just lucky and they caught up with me or did something change in the rules?


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## HerronScott (Jan 1, 2002)

dnorth12 said:


> I am now experiencing this problem today. I have in the past few months just gone to tivo online and selected a program to watch on a computer while away from home and watch the program. Mostly just programs off the major 3 networks. Now all of a sudden I am getting this dialogue.
> 
> "We are unable to detect your TiVo streaming device from this location. If you are currently away from home, streaming video is not supported at this time."
> 
> Was I just lucky and they caught up with me or did something change in the rules?


Interesting since others have announced that seemed to be generally released late last year but there still seem to be users that have not been able to do it (the last time that I tried it I still wasn't able to).

Scott


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## dnorth12 (Feb 10, 2005)

Scott that is the thing. I was able to and now I am not able to.


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## dnorth12 (Feb 10, 2005)

Am I the only one having this problem lately? If so the rest of you should be stepping up to tell me how to get it working again.


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## Mikeguy (Jul 28, 2005)

I'm not aware that this feature ever was generally released. Instead, I believe that it was going into beta-testing, and nothing ever was heard about it since, officially. My guess is that the occasional people who have reported having had the capability (sometimes, as above, only temporarily) have stumbled into the beta/testing code somehow.


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## dnorth12 (Feb 10, 2005)

I contacted customer service. They didn't address the fact that I was able to use it on my desktop for the several sessions that I did. They just said it can only be used on a device, ie phone, ipad etc. Since when is a desktop not a device?


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## kendq (Jan 12, 2005)

I was able to watch my Northern home tivo shows (in my southern home)until they replaced my Bolt under warranty, I can still watch my southern home tivo in my Northern home. this is so aggravating I bout 3 bolts and 4 mini's and it doesn't work I get "We are unable to detect your TiVo streaming device from this location. If you are currently away from home, streaming video is not supported at this time."


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