# Tivo Product Lifecycle Duration



## filovirus (Aug 22, 2013)

Just curious how long the Tivo sells a particular hardware model based on past models. 

I have a Premiere XL 2 tuner with Lifetime that I bought in 2012 and I have considered selling the unit and replacing it with a basic or plus. On the other hand, the frugal person is saying sit tight and when new hardware is released, move the roamio pro to the premiere, sell it and buy the latest and greatest. 

Thanks,
Filo


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## steve614 (May 1, 2006)

If you're asking when the next model Tivo will come, I'd say it will be in about 3-4 years, based on previous release dates.
IIRC, Series 3/TivoHD came out ~2006, Premiere - 2010, and Roamio - late 2013.

I wouldn't necessarily count on TiVo coming out with a newer model. The Roamio is about as sophisticated as you can get these days, and you never know what can happen in 3 years. TiVo may be out of business by then...


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## chicagobrownblue (May 29, 2008)

TiVo is getting out of the hardware business. The Roamio line is probably the end of the line.

http://gigaom.com/2014/01/22/tivo-reportedly-fired-most-of-its-hardware-engineering-staff/


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## jrtroo (Feb 4, 2008)

That does not mean they will not have a box to sell. They could just contract it out to a group like Pace.

OP- you cannot move lifetime to a new box, but you do get a bit of a discount to purchase lifetime. If you want more tuners, and keep on having software improvements, upgrade. At some time premieres will no longer have OS improvements...


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## filovirus (Aug 22, 2013)

I was going to sell the premiere to recoop part of the lifetime I paid on it during 2012 and put it towards a basic or plus. Now I have learned the basic roamio does not have component output, so my sling 350 won't work on it without using hdmi. I would prefer to stay component for this reason. Looks like the premiere xl needs to stay. It works fine and it is a lesser watched tv, so I guess this is fine. I just need to resist the urge to give Tivo more money and get my value out of the premiere. 

Regards,

Filo


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## spaldingclan (Aug 22, 2012)

filovirus said:


> I was going to sell the premiere to recoop part of the lifetime I paid on it during 2012 and put it towards a basic or plus. Now I have learned the basic roamio does not have component output, so my sling 350 won't work on it without using hdmi. I would prefer to stay component for this reason. Looks like the premiere xl needs to stay. It works fine and it is a lesser watched tv, so I guess this is fine. I just need to resist the urge to give Tivo more money and get my value out of the premiere.
> 
> Regards,
> 
> Filo


there is a breakout cable you can buy (though its only composite)


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## aaronwt (Jan 31, 2002)

Composite will work with the Slingbox 350. Although it won't look as good because it's SD. I know for me, the main reason I got the Slingbox 350 was because it could stream in HD. So using the composite input would not be an option. Now I have a Mini dedicated to my Slingbox 350 so I can use it's component outputs.


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## jwbelcher (Nov 13, 2007)

chicagobrownblue said:


> TiVo is getting out of the hardware business. The Roamio line is probably the end of the line.
> 
> http://gigaom.com/2014/01/22/tivo-reportedly-fired-most-of-its-hardware-engineering-staff/


Or they can hire more hardware engineers when they actually need them. Its well known they staff up and down based on project needs; hardware is no different. This story wont die. I've worked at companies that wouldn't had carried them through the holidays after closing out a project. TiVo at least didn't do that.


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## kturcotte (Dec 9, 2002)

Hope they continue to manufacture boxes! Little difficult to rent a box when you have OTA only.


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## filovirus (Aug 22, 2013)

aaronwt said:


> Composite will work with the Slingbox 350. Although it won't look as good because it's SD. I know for me, the main reason I got the Slingbox 350 was because it could stream in HD. So using the composite input would not be an option. Now I have a Mini dedicated to my Slingbox 350 so I can use it's component outputs.


That is an interesting idea. The mini and lifetime are cheap enough. I thought about replacing my premiere with a roamio with its, but the hdmi only will not play well with sling. Composite is a no go for me too. A mini plus roamio gives me what I need and ota if I ever want it. Do you have the mini/ sling headless it should I say HDTV less? Will the hdmi and component breakout cable work simultaneously?


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## aaronwt (Jan 31, 2002)

filovirus said:


> That is an interesting idea. The mini and lifetime are cheap enough. I thought about replacing my premiere with a roamio with its, but the hdmi only will not play well with sling. Composite is a no go for me too. A mini plus roamio gives me what I need and ota if I ever want it. Do you have the mini/ sling headless it should I say HDTV less? Will the hdmi and component breakout cable work simultaneously?


Yes it is headless. The Mini is in a closet with the Slingbox 350 now. I just access it from a PC, tablet, or phone. And if I do have some kind of issue I guess the Mini is small enough for me to quickly remove it and connect it to a TV. But I only hooked this up last week. Prior to that I had my Slingbox 350 in another room and had the HDMI output of a Mini split to two devices and the component out into the Slingbox 350.

So far the setup in my closet has worked well for me. It's in a closet so the Slingbox IR won't affect the Mini I have in that room connected to a TV.


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## jwbelcher (Nov 13, 2007)

aaronwt said:


> Yes it is headless. The Mini is in a closet with the Slingbox 350 now. I just access it from a PC, tablet, or phone. And if I do have some kind of issue I guess the Mini is small enough for me to quickly remove it and connect it to a TV. But I only hooked this up last week. Prior to that I had my Slingbox 350 in another room and had the HDMI output of a Mini split to two devices and the component out into the Slingbox 350.
> 
> So far the setup in my closet has worked well for me. It's in a closet so the Slingbox IR won't affect the Mini I have in that room connected to a TV.


I use a headless mini too. It eliminates contention if you have family members that want to watch TV while your streaming from your Slingbox.


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