# Tivo Beta on Fire TV?



## cartercarter

I'm using the Tivo Beta (that connects to the Stream) on Amazon Fire TV. 

The first month or so, it was working perfectly but now, I'm having an issue. I'll watch something one night and it's fine. The next day, I'll get back into the app and it says I need to setup the streaming again. I try and it doesnt work. The only thing that works is for me to go to the settings in the app, log out, log back in (retyping my username and password) and then I'm re-connected. 

Any idea how I can fix this? I'd love some help. 

Thanks!


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## PCurry57

Doesn't this belong on fieldtrials.tivo.com and not here.


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## jrtroo

It belongs here to me, its the official app, though labeled a beta.

So, to the OP, I can say I have not seen this with the app, but have seen it with the standard android app on my phone once in a while when connectivity is broken. I would not expect much support on this as it is a beta, but you may want to call Tivo to log it.


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## Series3Sub

Correct, the original post belongs here for the reason stated by jrtoo. This "beta" app is open to the public and can be added by anyone using their FireTV. It's like that "Beta" search app that EVERYONE with an S3 had that was labeled "Beta" for its entire multi-year existence.

I use the FireTV App connected to a DVR, not a Mini, and on my LAN, and I've not experienced this. However, it has been a few weeks since I have used the app. My experience for the last several months was positive. I shall have to try the app this week and report back if I have problems. I hope you problem gets solved.


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## Dan203

cartercarter said:


> I'm using the Tivo Beta (that connects to the Stream) on Amazon Fire TV.
> 
> The first month or so, it was working perfectly but now, I'm having an issue. I'll watch something one night and it's fine. The next day, I'll get back into the app and it says I need to setup the streaming again. I try and it doesnt work. The only thing that works is for me to go to the settings in the app, log out, log back in (retyping my username and password) and then I'm re-connected.
> 
> Any idea how I can fix this? I'd love some help.
> 
> Thanks!


This same thing happens on the iPad and Android apps all the time so I don't think it's unique to the FireTV app. Usually if you reboot the TiVo/Stream at home and re-set it up while on your home network it will fix the problem for a while.


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## cartercarter

Thanks for the comments everyone. I didn't even think about rebooting my Tivo Stream - I'll do that tonight when I get home. 

I do love the app and use it all the time so I'm hoping they take it out of beta sometime soon.


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## Brookshire

I have the Tivo (beta) app on the Amazon Fire TV connected with wired gigabit ethernet to my Tivo Bolt. It was working great till recently. 

"My Shows" come up fine, but when I select a show to watch, I get error code "e=8 v=-1" saying I can't do out of home streaming. It's not out of home streaming! It's connected to the same Wired network.

When I set the amazon Fire TV to use Wifi, it works fine. But the stream is obviously not as good as it was when the wired connection was working.

I chatted online with Joseph from Tivo, he said it could be happening because I am using an unmanaged network switch between my devices and the router. He recommended I try connected the Amazon FireTV directly to my Router using wired ethernet. I did as he said and now it works again. So yes, all of a sudden my unmanaged Netgear 24-port switch is not letting the Tivo stream my shows, though all my other apps on the FireTV are working perfectly.


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## cartercarter

That's the same exact issue I'm having. Like earlier posters recommended, I re-booted the Tivo Stream (several times) and still didn't work properly. 

I have mine connected in my bedroom to a network switch as well. Unfortunately I can't connect it directly to my router from there. 

I wonder if there's anything else I can do? Like you said, it was working fine until recently.


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## Brookshire

Joseph from Tivo recommended that I just use WIFI. 

I know my FireTV just recently did an automatic update, so I'm wondering if that had something to do with it.


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## cartercarter

Didn't think of that. I just figured a wired connection would be the way to go. 

I'll try that tonight. Thanks for the tip.


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## cartercarter

Went to wifi on the FireTv and it's still giving me the error. It's such a pain to log out and log back in every time I want to watch Tivo.


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## sluciani

cartercarter said:


> Went to wifi on the FireTv and it's still giving me the error.


I'm not surprised. That "unmanaged" switch suggestion didn't make sense to me, because an unmanaged switch is virtually transparent on a home network.

Something else is acting up, IMHO. It's not the switch.

FWIW, I just today downloaded the TiVo app on my v1 Firestick. Took a couple of refreshes before the app set-up recognized I had a streaming device. Worked as expected after that.

Nice little app, IMO. I like that the Amazon remote << and >> buttons are replay and skip when single-clicked, but jump 4-5 minutes when you press and hold.


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## Brookshire

As of last night, the TiVo app on the Amazon Fire TV (v2) still works when on WIFI, but as soon as I connect using Ethernet (either through a switch or directly into router) it gives me the error code. It appears that it thinks I'm trying to do out-of-home streaming.

My whole house is wired with gigabit Ethernet, so I obviously don't want to have to use the slower WIFI connection.

Also, all the other apps on the Amazon Fire TV work fine. It's only the TiVo app having problems.


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## jrtroo

So long as the signal and picture are good, the slower wifi is actually irrelevant. Not saying its not an issue for Tivo to resolve, but if it looks good then it looks good. Similarly, many folks get concerned with the basic roamio not having gigabit, but in the end it does not impact the user experience, so it does not matter.


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## Fofer

It sure matters when I transfer shows to my computer using pyTiVo or Archivo. Gigabit Ethernet is (much) faster than the TiVo's WiFi.

For regular watching of shows on remote screens, I'd agree. But there's a lot more a TiVo can do, and wired in those instances is much better than wireless. In my experience. YMMV.


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## jrtroo

Right on transfers, but the post was in response to streaming to the Fire TV.

How does the speed impact the offline transfers in the end? I know they go more quickly, but does that do anything separately, other than having to babysit them for a shorter period of time? just wondering.


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## Fofer

Not as far as I can tell. But the speed of the transfer (to me) is the most important metric. That's the one thing that stands in my way when I queue up a bunch of shows to take with me on the road. This sort of transfer is something I usually do the day/night before a trip. And that's when I really don't feel like babysitting a computer for more hours than I need to. I want it to work as quickly as technically possible.


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## TechGuerrero

Fire TV Tivo App* "get error code "e=8 v=-1"* should not happen, why hasn't it been fixed?

Another forum piece indicates Tivo Bolt won't have "out of home streaming" until future update, regardless that is not the issue that started this conversation. My TivoBolt is ethernet-plugged to Time Warner Cable's modem (Arris DG1670A Touchstone Data Gateway) in living room. Tivo App works (via wi-fi) on my Fire TV STICK in my office (next to living room.) However it does NOT work on Fire TV (wi-fi) in bedroom, nor on Fire TV in living room (ethernet) itself (right next to the Tivo, just to test it). Fire TV Stick yes vs Fire TV no? c'mon!

*This is not an "out of home streaming" issue, how can I solve it?​*
Tivo customer service made me re-booth and ended up sending me to Amazon, Amazon customer service told me to plug/unplug/re-booth Fire TV's but that's not solving it.

I've obviously done the "Start Setup" *on both Fire TV's and it results in an error. The rest of the apps on those Fire TV's are working fine.

*Any solutions for this? *​
With the difficulties of setting up MOCA or ethernet in an apt rental (to replace media boxes with Tivo-Mini,) TiVO should take this FireTV app from beta to working ...or implement it on Apple TV, Chromecast, etc.

*Thanks for any useful input.*

* Ref. https://support.tivo.com/articles/Features_Use/TiVo-App-for-Amazon-Fire-TV-Use


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## jrtroo

huh?

You have three fire TVs (or sticks) and you get the e=8 v=-1 error code on two of them. Is that right?

Have you rebooted all of your network and tivo components? Then retried the set up process? What about removing and re-adding the app?

Also, Tivo does a weird job in counting the "up to 12" app streaming devices. You may find that all of your troubleshooting caused that count to rise. If so, then you'll need to restart that through setup.


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## thyname

Amazon has the Fire tv on sale for $85.

I wonder if this is a good choice for adding the capability of streaming recorded shows on Bolt to another tv, or even outside of house when on vacation?

Does it work well? How is the interface?

Is this TiVo app only available with Fire tv ? How about Android TV?

A little hesitant as a version is rumored to be launched this year with OTA capabilities and cloud DVR...


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


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## mdavej

Great for streaming outside the house. Brutal to use compared to Mini (10 remote buttons vs. 40). I've never tried it on any device except Fire TV. 

Fire stick is much cheaper and works the same but slower.


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## RustySTL

How is everyone's video quality? I'm using a Fire TV stick and I tried it out of home and the video quality is pretty poor. I'm working out of town and went home this past weekend and tried it and it was still quite poor, but then one day it was crystal clear. I had a pretty good wifi connection in both places. Just wondering if it's just because it's still beta.


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## jrtroo

I think this thread represents where it is generally. I have never heard of anyone claiming it was crystal clear before.


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## fyodor

The FTV app is a repurposed version of an app designed for tablets and phones. That's the baseline level of performance you should expect.


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## RustySTL

Unfortunately the Ipad app has much better quality than the fire tv app. I realize it's a beta app, but was just hoping that it would be better than it is.


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## lew

RustySTL said:


> Unfortunately the Ipad app has much better quality than the fire tv app. I realize it's a beta app, but was just hoping that it would be better than it is.


I'm not sure it's that much better. I've used an apple 30 pin to HDMI adapter to view iPad on my TV set. PQ was just OK, not sure if it was any better then fire stick.

If you're going to use a TV on a regular basis a mini is far superior to an app based solution.

For occasional use its OK.


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## mdavej

What kind of upload speeds are you guys talking about? With my 3Mbps, the PQ from the Stream is abysmal. Are you saying that even with plenty more bandwidth, there is little to no improvement? My Slingbox looks a hundred times better on the same limited bandwidth, but the interface is a lot clunkier.


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## Series3Sub

RustySTL said:


> How is everyone's video quality? I'm using a Fire TV stick and I tried it out of home and the video quality is pretty poor. I'm working out of town and went home this past weekend and tried it and it was still quite poor, but then one day it was crystal clear. I had a pretty good wifi connection in both places. Just wondering if it's just because it's still beta.


Rusty, here is what I've found in dealing with that issue. You should know I am talking about viewing on my LAN because I've not had the opportunity to view the Fire TiVo app at a remote location.

OK, so my LAN WILL provide excellent PQ, but at times, the Fire TiVo app will start off with LOW PQ as seen by my eye and confirmed by the bar at the lower left of the screen. Here is the work around that has worked 100% so far:

Back out of the poor quality streaming video and then select ANOTHER TiVo DVR to stream from--and it seems to work when I select ANOTHER Roamio unit, not the Premieres, but I'll have to experiment some more--and begin playback from there. In all my cases, at this point, the video is EXCELLENT quality and no low quality bar at the bottom left. NOW, I go back and select the TiVo DVR I originally wanted, and, as if by magic, it also now streams at very high excellent quality with no low quality bar at the bottom left.

I don't know if the above will work for you, but give it a try. It has ALWAYS worked for me, but I have TWO Roamios to play with, I don't know if it will work changing to a Premiere and back. It seems switching to a Roamio or DIFFERENT Roamio on the network has been the key to me.


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