# No Amazon Prime? Really?



## WebFusion (May 27, 2012)

I would love to hear the justification for not allowing Amazon Prime Streaming on the Roamio.

You'd think that would be one of the many weaknesses/omissions they would fix.

There's really no excuse for not having it at this point.

Pity. 

Fix it, Tivo, and you get my money. If not, I'll sit on this series 4 until it crumbles to dust.


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## bradleys (Oct 31, 2007)

I suspect that TiVo has a lot of interest migrating to HTML5 apps for all the over the top apps on the Roamio... I suspect they just need to work with Amazon to port their existing HTML5 app used on Roku's etc... 

With that update - Amazon Prime should be the new standard.


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## marsh1n (Oct 30, 2002)

Exactly!!


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## takeagabu (Oct 7, 2007)

I always suspected that tivo only has apps for places that have kickbacks.


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## rainwater (Sep 21, 2004)

bradleys said:


> I suspect that TiVo has a lot of interest migrating to HTML5 apps for all the over the top apps on the Roamio... I suspect they just need to work with Amazon to port their existing HTML5 app used on Roku's etc...
> 
> With that update - Amazon Prime should be the new standard.


Does Amazon have a HTML5 app on any device? I know the Roku and Xbox version aren't but I don't know about some that are on networked televisions.


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## BigJimOutlaw (Mar 21, 2004)

This is up to Amazon to fix.

Their app isn't HTML5 at this point. Chromecast owners are screaming for support too. We may be able to benefit with pseudo-support through DIAL if/when that happens.


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## WebFusion (May 27, 2012)

BigJimOutlaw said:


> This is up to Amazon to fix.
> 
> Their app isn't HTML5 at this point. Chromecast owners are screaming for support too. We may be able to benefit with pseudo-support through DIAL if/when that happens.


Sorry, but I just don't buy that. So many devices have come out before and after the series 4 (to include two of my Vizio flatscreens) that have amazon Prime enabled that you can't tell me that the Tivo folks couldn't have gotten a working Amazon Prime app by now had they actually pursued it.

Just like the fact that there are still SD menu's present in the UI (something even MS media center fixed in 2007), this appears to be simply a case of a very poorly managed coding team.

Either that, or they are just stonewalling because they think that adding Prime will cut into their Amazon revenue stream.


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## Dan203 (Apr 17, 2000)

The AdobeAir version of the Amazon Prime app on my Samsung TV is slow and buggy, I can't imagine how bad it would be on the Premiere. Hopefully with better hardware they will draw in more apps.

The other sticking point with Amazon and TiVo is they have a special deal for downloads of rentals and purchases. They probably need to do a special app that incorporates that functionality as well since for some people streaming isn't a viable option.


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## robo456 (May 28, 2002)

isn't that the amazon streaming app shown?


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## Grakthis (Oct 4, 2006)

robo456 said:


> isn't that the amazon streaming app shown?


That's the generic Amazon Digital Movies and TV app. It includes streaming and downloads. The Tivo only supports the downloads part.

With the HTML5 interface, we should see a new amazon app in the next year or two. Amazon has a pretty strong incentive to create one.


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## jrtroo (Feb 4, 2008)

WebFusion said:


> Sorry, but I just don't buy that.


Who do you think writes these apps? I cannot get it as an app on my Xoom either, should I complain to Tivo?


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## larrs (May 2, 2005)

Grakthis said:


> That's the generic Amazon Digital Movies and TV app. It includes streaming and downloads. The Tivo only supports the downloads part.
> 
> With the HTML5 interface, we should see a new amazon app in the next year or two. Amazon has a pretty strong incentive to create one.


I wonder if Tivo has some incentive with Netflix that makes it hard to add competing streaming services.

Amazon Prime and Redbox Instant are both better deals than Netflix right now for movie watching.


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## bradleys (Oct 31, 2007)

larrs said:


> I wonder if Tivo has some incentive with Netflix that makes it hard to add competing streaming services.
> 
> Amazon Prime and Redbox Instant are both better deals than Netflix right now for movie watching.


I don't think so...

I think it is most likely that these other content providers looked at the slow Netflix and Youtube apps and decided it was not the best platform to showcase their content.

The more powerful machines and more standard platform should make more content viable. HOWEVER, number of units deployed is also a big motivator for these providers. With the MSO's mostly opting out of streaming services, that leaves retail as the relevant install base.


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## moedaman (Aug 21, 2012)

larrs said:


> I wonder if Tivo has some incentive with Netflix that makes it hard to add competing streaming services.
> 
> Amazon Prime and Redbox Instant are both better deals than Netflix right now for movie watching.


Amazon is good with many exclusives that Netflix lacks, but still isn't quite as good as Netflix. Now that is my opinion. My wife likes Amazon more than Netflix (thanks to Downton Abbey and the HGTV content), so YMMV. Redbox isn't anywhere in the same class as Netflix or Amazon. The streaming selection is poor and getting the "4 per month" dvd/bd option only makes it less sucky.


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## Grakthis (Oct 4, 2006)

larrs said:


> I wonder if Tivo has some incentive with Netflix that makes it hard to add competing streaming services.
> 
> Amazon Prime and Redbox Instant are both better deals than Netflix right now for movie watching.


Almost certainly not. Such a thing wouldn't benefit either party.

I have Netflix and Prime. Prime is better for kids shows, but for virtually everything else, Netflix is better. Of course, Prime is essentially free (since I happily pay the annual cost just for the shipping) whereas Netflix costs money.

The reason we don't have a new Amazon streaming app is because Amazon has much better platforms to work on. I mean, literally, they have not written a stock android app. Only google TV and Kindle Fire. They just released the iOS app like a year ago. They have a Roku app, and smart TV apps and I assume they have an AppleTV app... I mean, that's a lot of apps to support.

The ideal hope is that they write an HTML5 app that will let them support Chromecast on the Fire and iOS and TiVo talks them in to running it on the Roamio. That's the best case scenario.


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## Philmatic (Sep 17, 2003)

Also Netflix and YouTube are always the quickest in providing updates/new apps.


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## magnox (Aug 11, 2010)

Dan203 said:


> The AdobeAir version of the Amazon Prime app on my Samsung TV is slow and buggy, I can't imagine how bad it would be on the Premiere. Hopefully with better hardware they will draw in more apps.
> 
> The other sticking point with Amazon and TiVo is they have a special deal for downloads of rentals and purchases. They probably need to do a special app that incorporates that functionality as well since for some people streaming isn't a viable option.


Prime works great on my panasonic tv. Not sure how amazon paid movies/tv works but they cant give you the free prime stuff? makes no sense.


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## Grakthis (Oct 4, 2006)

magnox said:


> Prime works great on my panasonic tv. Not sure how amazon paid movies/tv works but they cant give you the free prime stuff? makes no sense.


the Tivo app doesn't support streaming, only downloading. The Prime videos are streaming only.


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## larrs (May 2, 2005)

Grakthis said:


> the Tivo app doesn't support streaming, only downloading. The Prime videos are streaming only.


And I might add this is important. The quality of the downloads is impeccable. I do not get the same quality with Prime Instant (although it is on a different device so YMMV).


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## larrs (May 2, 2005)

moedaman said:


> Amazon is good with many exclusives that Netflix lacks, but still isn't quite as good as Netflix. Now that is my opinion. My wife likes Amazon more than Netflix (thanks to Downton Abbey and the HGTV content), so YMMV. Redbox isn't anywhere in the same class as Netflix or Amazon. The streaming selection is poor and getting the "4 per month" dvd/bd option only makes it less sucky.


I will agree on Amazon vs. Netflix, I also look at it that Amazon is basically free for me as I would pay for the Prime shipping anyway.

However, I am willing to bet on Redbox/Verizon for the long term though. If you look at their model, they are planning to be a full service entertainment solution with disc rentals, digital rentals, digital purchases (including Ultraviolet this fall) and subscription streaming, they would basically cover all the bases. Currently it is not where it needs to be, but right now I look at it that I am spending $3 monthly for it ($9 less $6 in Blu Ray Rentals= $3).


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## mr_smits (Dec 17, 2009)

larrs said:


> I will agree on Amazon vs. Netflix, I also look at it that Amazon is basically free for me as I would pay for the Prime shipping anyway.
> 
> However, I am willing to bet on Redbox/Verizon for the long term though. If you look at their model, they are planning to be a full service entertainment solution with disc rentals, digital rentals, digital purchases (including Ultraviolet this fall) and subscription streaming, they would basically cover all the bases. Currently it is not where it needs to be, but right now I look at it that I am spending $3 monthly for it ($9 less $6 in Blu Ray Rentals= $3).


I don't see Verizon/Redbox winning this race. Sure, they have disc rentals now, but those are less and less important with each passing year. Plus Verizon, like AT&T, has a way of screwing up innovation and attempting to impose their view on the market.


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