# TIME TO DROP TIVO SINCE THEY DECIDED TO LEAVE US BEHIND!!!



## CelesteJak (5 mo ago)

Really NO REASON TO CONTINUE TIVO since they are not supporting HULU any more. I will just change to other streaming services. A little notice would have been nice that it was being dropped...an email, a note in the mail, SMOKE SIGNALS....SOMETHING instead of sitting down to watch a show we have been watching for MONTHS on Tivo to find the hulu app gone, no explanation and then spending the entire dinner hour on the chatline with hulu's representative while he tried desperately to help me. TIME TO DROP TIVO AND GO WITH THE CABLE COMPANY AND OTHERS A BIT MORE CONCERNED WITH CUSTOMER SERVICE AND SUPPORT!!! NO MORE IGNORING LONG TIME CUSTOMERS. At least with the cable company I expect to be ignored...Tivo used, USED to care about all their customers...guess the company made a change...now we will!!!


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## gigaquad (Oct 25, 2004)

Yeah, notice would be nice, but they're not really interested in customers anymore. Just in licensing deals. The inventor would be rolling in his grave. However, I'll still be using them as long as I can find a working roamio anywhere on the planet. You can't get the same pause/record/commercial skip in any other product unless you build it yourself.


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## pl1 (Jan 18, 2007)

gigaquad said:


> Yeah, notice would be nice, but they're not really interested in customers anymore. Just in licensing deals. The inventor would be rolling in his grave. However, I'll still be using them as long as I can find a working roamio anywhere on the planet. You can't get the same pause/record/commercial skip in any other product unless you build it yourself.


Just out of curiosity, I looked it up. I think both of the Inventors are still alive. This is an interview with Jim Barton and Mike Ramsay and others who started the company. The Definitive Oral History of TiVo

Edit: This interview is from April 2019.


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## tommage1 (Nov 6, 2008)

CelesteJak said:


> Really NO REASON TO CONTINUE TIVO since they are not supporting HULU any more. I will just change to other streaming services. A little notice would have been nice that it was being dropped...an email, a note in the mail, SMOKE SIGNALS....SOMETHING instead of sitting down to watch a show we have been watching for MONTHS on Tivo to find the hulu app gone, no explanation and then spending the entire dinner hour on the chatline with hulu's representative while he tried desperately to help me. TIME TO DROP TIVO AND GO WITH THE CABLE COMPANY AND OTHERS A BIT MORE CONCERNED WITH CUSTOMER SERVICE AND SUPPORT!!! NO MORE IGNORING LONG TIME CUSTOMERS. At least with the cable company I expect to be ignored...Tivo used, USED to care about all their customers...guess the company made a change...now we will!!!


It's not Tivo not supporting Hulu, it's Hulu not supporting Tivo with new software. And not just Tivo, a lot of other devices also including many smart TVs. Not sure if the stream 4K will still work with Hulu, I will be testing both, DVRs and stream 4K.


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## tommage1 (Nov 6, 2008)

Hulu gone on Edge. Still works on 4K. Its not Tivos fault, Hulu changed the software, will no longer function on Tivo DVR hardware. Expect more of this, not many stream through DVRs, they mostly use dedicated streamers. Same thing happened with Comcast On Demand and Tivo years ago, Comcast changed software so Tivo hardware could not support.

Use the Tivo DVR for recording, get a stream 4K or other dedicated streamer for Hulu and other streaming services.


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## tommage1 (Nov 6, 2008)

gigaquad said:


> Yeah, notice would be nice, but they're not really interested in customers anymore. Just in licensing deals. The inventor would be rolling in his grave. However, I'll still be using them as long as I can find a working roamio anywhere on the planet. You can't get the same pause/record/commercial skip in any other product unless you build it yourself.


The notice came from Hulu, in an email, they listed devices that would no longer be supported with their new software (a lot more than just Tivo).


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## bareyb (Dec 1, 2000)

Meh. Keep your TiVo and get the Hulu app. It makes a good backup if the Internet goes down and the ToDo list is still nice to have.


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## krkaufman (Nov 25, 2003)

FWIW, this was posted here a month ago…









Hulu Will No Longer Be Supported on TiVo Devices


Just received this email from Hulu: We wanted to let you know that the Hulu app will no longer be supported on select, older TiVo Smart TV devices like yours starting on August 19, 2022. With this change, you will no longer be able to access Hulu on that device. We are continually working...




www.tivocommunity.com


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## dianebrat (Jul 6, 2002)

krkaufman said:


> FWIW, this was posted here a month ago…
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Why let facts get in the way of a good scorched earth rant?


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## CelesteJak (5 mo ago)

tommage1 said:


> It's not Tivo not supporting Hulu, it's Hulu not supporting Tivo with new software. And not just Tivo, a lot of other devices also including many smart TVs. Not sure if the stream 4K will still work with Hulu, I will be testing both, DVRs and stream 4K.


Let us know when you find something that works please. I would love to have just what I had...Hulu on my Tivo. You know I was on the phone for an HOUR at least with Hulu and they had NO idea why Hulu was not working on the Tivo anymore and according to what I found on the web, it was Tivo that stopped supporting Hulu, not the other way around. Since Hulu had no idea why it was working one day and stopped the next in their tech office, I'm inclined to believe it was Tivo that stopped supporting Hulu. Wonder what the truth is....


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## CelesteJak (5 mo ago)

dianebrat said:


> Why let facts get in the way of a good scorched earth rant?


I don't know what made you special but I have talked to ten family members and neighbors with Tivo and Hulu and NOT A SINGLE ONE got any notice AT ALL. Just got up, went to watch a show we were all in the middle of and POOF...no Hulu, no way to get it, and HULU had no idea about the problem. I spent over an hour on the phone with tech support and thirty minutes on chat with customer service and neither department had any idea it was gone, why it was gone and they both spent a great amount of time walking me through ways they thought I might be able to rectify the situation. I don't think they would have wasted their or my time had they known and if they didn't know...why would we believe Tivo would have notified ALL their customers. So like I said...wonder what made you get notice when so many others did not...?


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## CelesteJak (5 mo ago)

tommage1 said:


> The notice came from Hulu, in an email, they listed devices that would no longer be supported with their new software (a lot more than just Tivo).


Sure is a cr*ppy way to treat customers.


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## tommage1 (Nov 6, 2008)

CelesteJak said:


> Let us know when you find something that works please. I would love to have just what I had...Hulu on my Tivo.


As I mentioned the Tivo 4K works. As will many other dedicated streamers. No way I'd give up my Tivo DVRs as long as they still function. Though Tivo as a company has a lot of "issues", the DVR is STILL the best thing going for recording shows, season passes etc. Tivo 4K can be purchased in the $30-40 range for streaming, or a different brand. Forget about seeing Hulu on the Tivo DVRs again though. Whomever you talked to at Hulu must not have known what they were talking about, check your emails from Hulu, you should have got the one that mentions some Tivos (the DVRs basically though it does not say that specifically) will would no longer work after 8/19/2022. They provided a code for a free month of Hulu service to lessen the blow I guess, not much good if you don't have another device that WILL support Hulu though.

Dated Wed July 20th:

"We wanted to let you know that the Hulu app will *no longer be supported* on select, older *TiVo* Smart TV devices like yours starting on August 19, 2022. With this change, you will no longer be able to access Hulu on that device. We are continually working to improve your streaming experience, and updates may occasionally make certain legacy devices incompatible with our app."


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## tommage1 (Nov 6, 2008)

CelesteJak said:


> Sure is a cr*ppy way to treat customers.


I assume you mean Hulu? However streaming is constantly "evolving", supposedly making it "better"  But the evolving can cause older devices to no longer work. DVRs are becoming pretty much obsolete, especially the hard drive based units that require cable cards. So enjoy your Tivo DVR while you can, as a DVR, I myself consider the "apps" on DVR kind of a bonus, for me the DVR is just that, a DVR.


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## dianebrat (Jul 6, 2002)

CelesteJak said:


> I don't know what made you special but I have talked to ten family members and neighbors with Tivo and Hulu and NOT A SINGLE ONE got any notice AT ALL. Just got up, went to watch a show we were all in the middle of and POOF...no Hulu, no way to get it, and HULU had no idea about the problem. I spent over an hour on the phone with tech support and thirty minutes on chat with customer service and neither department had any idea it was gone, why it was gone and they both spent a great amount of time walking me through ways they thought I might be able to rectify the situation. I don't think they would have wasted their or my time had they known and if they didn't know...why would we believe Tivo would have notified ALL their customers. So like I said...wonder what made you get notice when so many others did not...?


I don't know, maybe the fact that I didn't go on an ALL CAPS subject rant about blaming the wrong source as a problem would be a start.
As mentioned by several people, Tivo did not change anything, Hulu decided to drop their Tivo app, that's your reason to rant on Hulu.
The apps on Tivos have ALWAYS been crap and nowadays a $30 streaming stick from many companies will provide a far richer and more satisfying experience.
You could buy a $30 streamer the next day, log into Hulu, and watch a superior Hulu experience.

It's a single issue rant on an issue that was not one Tivo could do anything about, rant to Hulu, this is their job, plenty of us got multiple emails on this change from Hulu before it happened.
Customer service in both sides being incompetent? well that's the story for CS everywhere in the world nowadays.


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## javabird (Oct 13, 2006)

If you’re looking for another way to access Hulu, the $50 Roku stick is easy to set up and this one has a Hulu button on the remote for easy access.

I like my Apple TV to access Hulu, and the latest 32gb model is on sale right now at Best Buy for $119.


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## ppartekim (Jan 18, 2007)

Yep, I kinda gave up on the Tivo "Apps" years ago and totally gave up when Disney+ came out and there was never an App for that. Always used my Apple TV and Rokus for all streaming and my PLEX server. Tivo is just my DVR (course it is 90% of my TV watching) but NOT for any streaming app. When my Roamio broke I tried PLEX/Homeconnect Tuner as a replacement, it did not just perform the same and now it is only used for remote watching TV away from home (which the Roamio does not do) or watching live TV on my streaming boxes (since the Local app has been discontinued). I will be watching my Roamio until Tivo shutdown its guide servers (I found a backup Roamio for hardware failures). Just my 2cents.


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## krkaufman (Nov 25, 2003)

…


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## CaspianC (May 20, 2017)

CelesteJak said:


> Sure is a cr*ppy way to treat customers.


The same thing happened when Tivo said Xfinity quit supporting the Xfinity app. Except Tivo lied and said it would be back once the re-development was complete, That was like 3-4 years ago...I love tivo despite the fact that they have no interest in developing Edge or Roamio anymore. This trend will continue with unsupported apps.


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## tommage1 (Nov 6, 2008)

CaspianC said:


> The same thing happened when Tivo said Xfinity quit supporting the Xfinity app. Except Tivo lied and said it would be back once the re-development was complete, That was like 3-4 years ago...I love tivo despite the fact that they have no interest in developing Edge or Roamio anymore. This trend will continue with unsupported apps.


Yeah. What I find interesting is Hulu does still work on the stream 4K. I am guessing the Comcast app might work on the 4K also. Maybe that one is on Tivo? Or maybe not. Would like having Comcast On Demand on the 4K for sure.


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## slowbiscuit (Sep 19, 2006)

Yawn. Yet another ranter about apps on a device that no longer runs them worth a crap, and hasn't for years. Doesn't matter whose fault it is, the Roamio is a poor streamer.

Get sticks for streaming. Use the Tivo for what it's intended, the best DVR you can buy.

:dead horse beating:


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## CelesteJak (5 mo ago)

dianebrat said:


> I don't know, maybe the fact that I didn't go on an ALL CAPS subject rant about blaming the wrong source as a problem would be a start.
> As mentioned by several people, Tivo did not change anything, Hulu decided to drop their Tivo app, that's your reason to rant on Hulu.
> The apps on Tivos have ALWAYS been crap and nowadays a $30 streaming stick from many companies will provide a far richer and more satisfying experience.
> You could buy a $30 streamer the next day, log into Hulu, and watch a superior Hulu experience.
> ...


It just seems very odd that neither tech support nor customer service at Hulu had the slightest idea about the app being dropped by Hulu or Tivo and spent over an hour trying to figure out what caused the app to disappear. Seems strange that if the problem was at Hulu and THEY quit supporting the app, NO ONE at Hulu has any idea about it....even supervisors and still today. The supervisor had tech support at Hulu told me I was the 22nd person that day with the issue so WHOEVER...I suspect Tivo since Hulu had no idea...dropped the app did a rotten job of letting folks know.


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## CelesteJak (5 mo ago)

ppartekim said:


> Yep, I kinda gave up on the Tivo "Apps" years ago and totally gave up when Disney+ came out and there was never an App for that. Always used my Apple TV and Rokus for all streaming and my PLEX server. Tivo is just my DVR (course it is 90% of my TV watching) but NOT for any streaming app. When my Roamio broke I tried PLEX/Homeconnect Tuner as a replacement, it did not just perform the same and now it is only used for remote watching TV away from home (which the Roamio does not do) or watching live TV on my streaming boxes (since the Local app has been discontinued). I will be watching my Roamio until Tivo shutdown its guide servers (I found a backup Roamio for hardware failures). Just my 2cents.


It is a shame cause Tivo could make a huge comeback by combining access to streaming with the DVR. Particularly since they would be the only game in town and the infrastructure exists with them. It is amazing to me how companies don't seem to care about what folks want and concentrate on what they THINK you should want. I may go back to my old DVR...still have plenty of disks to use and no monthly fees. If I cannot get streaming on the Tivo which I consider part of the service fee I am paying...it was part of the reason I went with Tivo instead of the cable company's DVR service, giving up on demand and other features, to have the streaming Tivo offered. Still paying the same fees, but getting less service...the new 'wave of the future' I guess........


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## Wil (Sep 27, 2002)

slowbiscuit said:


> the best DVR you can buy


Still true. Amazingly.

I was reminded recently that I have an old S3HD downstairs serving a couple of specialized functions and feeding into the LAN, and I'd become almost unaware it's actually there. I just transferred an old modified S3 (original) to someone who happens to have a Cable TV provider where it's useful and he's loving it.

The basic Tivo notion and its quality of implementation was wonderful (never profitable, unfortunately). There are plenty of reasons to be infuriated at today's Tivo company; lack of streaming that a cheap stick can do just fine is a little strange.


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## dianebrat (Jul 6, 2002)

CelesteJak said:


> It just seems very odd that neither tech support nor customer service at Hulu had the slightest idea about the app being dropped by Hulu or Tivo and spent over an hour trying to figure out what caused the app to disappear. Seems strange that if the problem was at Hulu and THEY quit supporting the app, NO ONE at Hulu has any idea about it....even supervisors and still today. The supervisor had tech support at Hulu told me I was the 22nd person that day with the issue so WHOEVER...I suspect Tivo since Hulu had no idea...dropped the app did a rotten job of letting folks know.


As I said, clueless CUSTOMER support is nothing new and this is on Hulu 100%
”technical support” doesn’t really exist anymore

As far as “if TiVo cared“ they don’t and haven’t for many years and mergers, those of us around here accept as a given, they want out of retail, and will bail when it loses too much money or requires an investment of cash.


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## MScottC (Sep 11, 2004)

Until a better DVR comes out, TiVo will be my cablebox of choice. You will have to pry it from my cold dead hands.

And quite frankly I've never relied on it as my "streaming" box. I've made use of the abilities of my "Smart TV" and dedicated streaming boxes like Rokus and TV4K stream. Sure, it's an annoyance that I have to push a button to get to a second input on my TV, but this is just as much the streaming box's fault for not being a DVR as it is TIVo's fault for not being a good streamer.


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## capilot (Jan 9, 2022)

CelesteJak said:


> Really NO REASON TO CONTINUE TIVO since they are not supporting HULU any more. I will just change to other streaming services. A little notice would have been nice that it was being dropped...an email, a note in the mail, SMOKE SIGNALS....SOMETHING instead of sitting down to watch a show we have been watching for MONTHS on Tivo to find the hulu app gone, no explanation and then spending the entire dinner hour on the chatline with hulu's representative while he tried desperately to help me. TIME TO DROP TIVO AND GO WITH THE CABLE COMPANY AND OTHERS A BIT MORE CONCERNED WITH CUSTOMER SERVICE AND SUPPORT!!! NO MORE IGNORING LONG TIME CUSTOMERS. At least with the cable company I expect to be ignored...Tivo used, USED to care about all their customers...guess the company made a change...now we will!!!


Really???? As others have posted it was NOT TIVO that dropped Hulu, it was the other way around. Would be extremely helpful if you got your information correct BEFORE you post your "rage". I do have Hulu, but rarely watch it, and DO NOT watch it through my TIVO, but directly with either my Roku, or streaming it directly on any of my computers or iPads. . I also have Amazon Prime with both Prime Music and Prime Video, as well as a subscription to Peacock. I have had my TIVO since the beginning of the year, and LOVE my TIVO Bolt Vox!!! I just wish I had gotten it years ago. I get SO MANY more stations FREE, over the air, than I ever did paying Spectrum for 3 levels, or with Dish that had 3 price increases in two years. In the LA area I get over 100 English speaking stations, all for FREE!!! With the digital "primary" channel, and the "sub"channels, many stations provide 4 "broadcasts". I get 4 PBS networks, each broadcasting 4 "streams". ABC, NBC, CBS, the CW, and FOX, all have a primary broadcast, and several "sub" channels. So, just with the 4 PBS stations, I get 16 broadcast "streams" just from them. With Spectrum & Dish, I only got two, and PAID for them. I LOVE getting so many stations, and more of them for FREE, than when I was paying Spectrum (Time Warner Crap), or Dish.

The only network I could not get, that I watched, was MSNBC, so I pay $5.00 a month for MSNBC, but save $50.00 from dropping Dish and the lowest level they had. Spectrum is far more expensive, I only have them for internet, as the only other internet option in my area of West LA, is EXTREMELY SLOW Frontier DSL. On a "bonded pair" I could only get 8 Mb download speed. Now with the EBB and the new FCC program, they pay for $30.00. I was getting 200 + Mb with Spectrum, this week they announced 50% higher speeds of 300 + Mb, at no additional charge. 

Since TIVO replaces my cable, or Dish network subscription, and I am saving $50.00 a month, there is NO WAY I'd get rid of TIVO, just because one of my subscription services was no longer supported. I think your "rage" is unwarranted, and a bit (quite) over the top, with "NO REASON TO CONTINUE TIVO". Really??? Calm down, and think it over, I am sure you can come up with at least one, or many more reasons to CONTINUE TIVO. Yes, it is sad, and too bad that there wasn't notice, but again, it was not TIVO that did this, it was Hulu.


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## 53richart (Feb 26, 2019)

I don't use my Tivo's for streaming...they suck. And who can blame Hulu for dropping streaming support for a device like the Tivo? There is such a small installed customer base to support the costs involved with developing and maintaining the app. My main TV has Android TV and it is heads and tails better for streaming than any Tivo. And my older dumb TVs have Roku sticks which are good streamers...and will probably be supported by Hulu for quite a while because of the large user base.


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## krkaufman (Nov 25, 2003)

CelesteJak said:


> I suspect Tivo since Hulu had no idea


Hulu’s killing the app, Hulu sent out an email to an incomplete list of affected users, Hulu failed to communicate the change effectively across their support organization and TiVo is at fault. Right.


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## dswallow (Dec 3, 2000)

I certainly commiserate with those who've been able to utilize TiVo-based software for third-party streaming services. But I abandoned those years ago. Might even be a decade by now. I don't pay any attention. I've long ago moved on to using the apps from streaming providers that are provided on latest-generation devices, which typically means my TV, and more specifically Android TV so far but has been through Roku then nVidia devices, too. I still use the TiVo. but exclusively for the TiVo capabilities it started with... recording video from Cable TV sources. And maybe 2 years or so back I had a hard drive failure in my TiVo Bolt and decided then that if I fixed it with an external 3.5" drive that the TiVo could stay, otherwise I was ready to find other approaches to what remains of my TV viewing that happens over TiVo. I wasn't going to pay anything more to upgrade to a newer generation TiVo device once mine becomes unusable.

It's been a long run, and it's been a good one. TiVo has never found a way to get the rest of the world on board to its vision, unfortunately. And when it has managed something, it has regularly been a twisted version of it. I wish the FF/REW/Trick Play features could exist across all streaming platforms. TiVo's are and always have been the best, most responsive on the market. But every streaming service wants to control their own environment, and the subscriber base for TiVo has never been enough to grab the ear of the streaming services.

Sadly, the best feature set exists by downloading videos from torrents in the "pirate" universe. The quality is higher, the space required is dramatically lower. You just need some local space to store everything.  And then you're not trying to live with forced-disabled FF, or much like DVD/Blu-ray's STILL do today, being forced to watch that silly anti-piracy FBI notice nonsense on the medium you actually did PAY for.

Anyway, I digress a bit. But I definitely don't consider TiVo a necessity anymore. There are alternatives. But I still prefer it. And I could envision how the entire streaming universe could've been better. What I can no longer see is how TiVo could have any influence over it anymore, or even find a way to coordinate an offering of some consistent user interface design that mimics TiVo itself.

TiVo is dead. Long live TiVo.


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## CelesteJak (5 mo ago)

dswallow said:


> I certainly commiserate with those who've been able to utilize TiVo-based software for third-party streaming services. But I abandoned those years ago. Might even be a decade by now. I don't pay any attention. I've long ago moved on to using the apps from streaming providers that are provided on latest-generation devices, which typically means my TV, and more specifically Android TV so far but has been through Roku then nVidia devices, too. I still use the TiVo. but exclusively for the TiVo capabilities it started with... recording video from Cable TV sources. And maybe 2 years or so back I had a hard drive failure in my TiVo Bolt and decided then that if I fixed it with an external 3.5" drive that the TiVo could stay, otherwise I was ready to find other approaches to what remains of my TV viewing that happens over TiVo. I wasn't going to pay anything more to upgrade to a newer generation TiVo device once mine becomes unusable.
> 
> It's been a long run, and it's been a good one. TiVo has never found a way to get the rest of the world on board to its vision, unfortunately. And when it has managed something, it has regularly been a twisted version of it. I wish the FF/REW/Trick Play features could exist across all streaming platforms. TiVo's are and always have been the best, most responsive on the market. But every streaming service wants to control their own environment, and the subscriber base for TiVo has never been enough to grab the ear of the streaming services.
> 
> ...


Thanks for the great post. I believe the person who comes up with a product to combine all Tivo's great features AND streaming...good streaming, will be another Musk when it comes to earnings. Unfortunately, my knowledge of technology is so limited, I'm happy if I can get the 'smart' tv to comprehend the remote. It would have been nice to be part of the 'technology' generation but unfortunately I first SAW a TV..a tiny black and white when I was about six years old and was ten before my parents could save enough to actually BUY one)). Oh well...I'll never do it, but maybe one of you will. I hope so. Let me know when you do...I will be the first customer!!


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## CelesteJak (5 mo ago)

krkaufman said:


> Hulu’s killing the app, Hulu sent out an email to an incomplete list of affected users, Hulu failed to communicate the change effectively across their support organization and TiVo is at fault. Right.


If Hulu is killing the app then why does no one there seem to know about it? I am serious, the tech department Supervisor and one of the techs spent at least an hour and a half trying to help me get it to work on the Tivo. It doesn't make sense.


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## MScottC (Sep 11, 2004)

CelesteJak said:


> If Hulu is killing the app then why does no one there seem to know about it? I am serious, the tech department Supervisor and one of the techs spent at least an hour and a half trying to help me get it to work on the Tivo. It doesn't make sense.


You really think any typical low paid company phone rep is going to badmouth their own company and owe up to their company being the root of a problem? Those folks manning the phones aren't in the back rooms making the decisions regarding what their company is going to support or not support. It's human nature to blame the other guy.


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## dianebrat (Jul 6, 2002)

CelesteJak said:


> If Hulu is killing the app then why does no one there seem to know about it? I am serious, the tech department Supervisor and one of the techs spent at least an hour and a half trying to help me get it to work on the Tivo. It doesn't make sense.


Those were not "technical people" no matter what their titles, and the answer is that they were uninformed, by their own management.
Once again, this was a Hulu problem, in the Hulu house, under Hulu management, just repeating that you feel it was Tivo's problem won't make those facts change.


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## jerryez (May 16, 2001)

I found that TiVo Roamio OTA was very slow in accessing Prime and the picture quality sucked. I bought a Roku and never looked back. I have ethernet connected and 500gb download.


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## krkaufman (Nov 25, 2003)

jerryez said:


> I have ethernet connected and *500gb download*.


Here I was thinking I was hot stuff finally getting to a Gigabit download connection.


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## dadofkart (7 mo ago)

CelesteJak said:


> Really NO REASON TO CONTINUE TIVO since they are not supporting HULU any more. I will just change to other streaming services. A little notice would have been nice that it was being dropped...an email, a note in the mail, SMOKE SIGNALS....SOMETHING instead of sitting down to watch a show we have been watching for MONTHS on Tivo to find the hulu app gone, no explanation and then spending the entire dinner hour on the chatline with hulu's representative while he tried desperately to help me. TIME TO DROP TIVO AND GO WITH THE CABLE COMPANY AND OTHERS A BIT MORE CONCERNED WITH CUSTOMER SERVICE AND SUPPORT!!! NO MORE IGNORING LONG TIME CUSTOMERS. At least with the cable company I expect to be ignored...Tivo used, USED to care about all their customers...guess the company made a change...now we will!!!


This is not TiVo thing as much as a Hulu thing. Hulu stopped supporting the TiVo platform. I have been using TiVos for over 15 years, and find they are great at being a DVR, but the app suppport is lacking. Especially since Comcast dropped support with their Xfinity App on the TiVo platform.
I found the cheapest and easiest thing to do was to pick up a Roku, Chromecast or Amazon stick for $30-$40 bucks to use for streaming services. The main reason I picked the Roku was because it did Apple TV(Airplay), Disney+ and now Hulu. The voice activated remote is a nice feature also.


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## Cainebj (Nov 11, 2006)

I never used any of the apps through TiVo - I switched to RoKu about 3 years ago while also using TiVo first through cable and then OTA - when my annual TiVo service ends in October I am cutting TiVo off for good. The last time I tried to get any help from TiVo they were useless. It is a shame because I swore by TiVo since they went on the market, now they are just a relic.


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## astrohip (Jan 7, 2003)

53richart said:


> I don't use my Tivo's for streaming...they suck. And who can blame Hulu for dropping streaming support for a device like the Tivo? There is such a small installed customer base to support the costs involved with developing and maintaining the app. My main TV has Android TV and it is heads and tails better for streaming than any Tivo. And my older dumb TVs have Roku sticks which are good streamers...and will probably be supported by Hulu for quite a while because of the large user base.


Exactly this. It was painfully slow trying to load streaming apps on a TiVo. It got slightly better with each newer model, but compared to any modern TV/device, it was still slow.

A mix of Smart TVs and Rokus is so much easier.


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## randyb359 (Jan 3, 2009)

CelesteJak said:


> If Hulu is killing the app then why does no one there seem to know about it? I am serious, the tech department Supervisor and one of the techs spent at least an hour and a half trying to help me get it to work on the Tivo. It doesn't make sense.


Those "tech support" people probably do not even work for Hulu. If it is not in their script they know nothing about it.


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## autotech4 (Aug 23, 2019)

TiVo streaming has been useless for years. But for antenna DVR there's still nothing better. I just include a Firestick with my Bolt and mini -- and I'm good to go until the Bolt breaks.


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## Albert (Sep 27, 2002)

No one who wants to stay sane uses a TiVo DVR as a streaming device.


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## Albert (Sep 27, 2002)

krkaufman said:


> Here I was thinking I was hot stuff finally getting to a Gigabit download connection.


Well you are hotter than me.... I'm still stuck at only 500 megabits. That's still a lot faster than my 14.4 kbps modem was though.


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## jsherknus (Jan 2, 2009)

I still have my lifetime premiere TiVos, but I stopped using Tivo a few years ago. I have been using Tivimate over the internet on a 4K FireTV stick. It has a guide and recording capabilities, and the recordings are stored to a local 4TB network hard drive. The cool thing is all my TVs using Tivimate can see the hard drive and watch the recorded video. Plus, I get Amazon Prime Video, Hulu and Netflix...plus any other net-based streaming service.

The only thing I am missing is season pass and thumbs up/down. But, I can live with that to save a ton of money.


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## NickTheGreat (Aug 31, 2015)

I used my Roamio maybe 3 times to stream. And that was about 3 times too many.

When you can buy a Roku for <$50, I didn't put much effort into it. Not to mention the things Roku has that Tivo doesn't.

I really want the other way around: Watch Tivo on a Roku. I know that's just a pipe dream, especially in this day and age.


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## nitsuj (Oct 14, 2007)

people actually use the tivo for streaming services and haven't killed anyone because of how awful that experience has been for years?


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## JAta2 (May 23, 2009)

tommage1 said:


> It's not Tivo not supporting Hulu, it's Hulu not supporting Tivo with new software. And not just Tivo, a lot of other devices also including many smart TVs. Not sure if the stream 4K will still work with Hulu, I will be testing both, DVRs and stream 4K.


It’s really a bit of both. TIVO only supported the old Hulu API in its app and refused to upgrade. Hulu stopped supporting the old Hulu API which meant Tivo could no longer offer it. In the end, the customer is left holding the bag. One would think that this was not inevitable if there was a will.


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## misterclick (Oct 24, 2012)

MScottC said:


> Until a better DVR comes out, TiVo will be my cablebox of choice. You will have to pry it from my cold dead hands.
> 
> And quite frankly I've never relied on it as my "streaming" box. I've made use of the abilities of my "Smart TV" and dedicated streaming boxes like Rokus and TV4K stream. Sure, it's an annoyance that I have to push a button to get to a second input on my TV, but this is just as much the streaming box's fault for not being a DVR as it is TIVo's fault for not being a good streamer.


I agree with you totally...
I love TiVo since forever, the main reason I have NOT changed, is the slow motion and also the way you can go back and forth.
I have put up with lots of crap from them over the years, but hopefully they won't go belly up any time soon.
Click.


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## J Nechleba (Feb 3, 2021)

MScottC said:


> Until a better DVR comes out, TiVo will be my cablebox of choice. You will have to pry it from my cold dead hands.
> 
> And quite frankly I've never relied on it as my "streaming" box. I've made use of the abilities of my "Smart TV" and dedicated streaming boxes like Rokus and TV4K stream. Sure, it's an annoyance that I have to push a button to get to a second input on my TV, but this is just as much the streaming box's fault for not being a DVR as it is TIVo's fault for not being a good streamer.


But TIVO really missed the boat not having the Tivo Stream 4K be able "tune" a TIVO DVR and play either Live or recorded content. Then there is no input switching, etc.

Personally, I have a lifetime Premiere that runs as back up (which I never need) to my Channels DVR setup which is everything TIVO could have been but isn't. Channels DVR:

1) records all my content (I have it running on a QNAP NAS with a Silicon Dust HDHomeRun Prime (cablecard) as tuner
2) plays it both live & recorded through my sticks (TS4K and CCwGTV)
3) streams it from my main home to my other homes (one is in Italy - am there now)

Channels DVR is what TIVO should have become and its amazing that TIVO still doesn't understand that.


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## krkaufman (Nov 25, 2003)

JAta2 said:


> It’s really a bit of both. TIVO only supported the old Hulu API in its app and refused to upgrade. Hulu stopped supporting the old Hulu API which meant Tivo could no longer offer it. In the end, the customer is left holding the bag. One would think that this was not inevitable if there was a will.


Again, the choice not to update the Hulu app for the TiVo platform beyond the now-dead Classic version was Hulu’s.

TiVo can be blamed for having an insufficient user base and a sufficiently unique app platform to dissuade wider app development; or for failing to deliver a TiVo experience for streaming devices.


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## mfiman (Nov 9, 2017)

slowbiscuit said:


> Get sticks for streaming. Use the Tivo for what it's intended, the best DVR you can buy.


I agree. These days, with so many ways to get the more popular streaming services, depending on (and then complaining about) TiVo seems "off-target." Newer "smart TVs" come with major streaming channels pre-installed. Amazon Fire stick, Google Chrome stick, Roku or even TiVo's streamer can also do the job. There's also Apple TV, for those willing to pay extra for Apple device integration. They typically support 4K and HDR (which the TiVo Roamio does not) and offer many more channels than does TiVo.

So...I use my TiVo as a great DVR (still better than anything else out there) and rely on other devices for streaming Netflix and such. This has worked and continues to work super well. My main concern is that TiVo (for cable) appears to heading towards extinction.


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## vbphil (Apr 12, 2003)

Love the TiVo Bolt and 2 Minis, everything with the old interface, not that New Experience. I find that Netflix and AMZ Prime work fine with the Bolt, but I use AMZ Firestick for all other streaming. The Bolt with cable is really a good user experience they just aren't accommodating everything moving to streaming. I think the "cable cutters" ruined the user experience. It hasn't gotten any better or easier than the old cable days with a TiVo DVR. Sad to see it die.


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## peakay (Apr 7, 2002)

I'm admittedly not close to the technical details, but am shocked they couldn't somehow piggyback off of Roku apps while they owned them and somehow made Tivo have a wide variety of apps. I'm really close to finally pulling the plug on Tivo as a customer since the 1900s and moving to YTTV, but the controls really bug the crap out of me tryign to watch sports. I hate having to switch inputs and remotes all the time.


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## jastavoss (Sep 16, 2012)

Many people, like me, have no interest in streaming. We want to record or download videos, and edit out clips.


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## PCurry57 (Feb 27, 2012)

Wil said:


> Still true. Amazingly.
> 
> I was reminded recently that I have an old S3HD downstairs serving a couple of specialized functions and feeding into the LAN, and I'd become almost unaware it's actually there. I just transferred an old modified S3 (original) to someone who happens to have a Cable TV provider where it's useful and he's loving it.
> 
> The basic Tivo notion and its quality of implementation was wonderful (never profitable, unfortunately). There are plenty of reasons to be infuriated at today's Tivo company; lack of streaming that a cheap stick can do just fine is a little strange.


No it's not true. HDHomeRun is now, it's 4K broadcast capable annual DVR service is only $35 p/y you can add devices with more tuners worth the same $35 license not additional. Recently Out-Of-Home video with TiVo hasn't been working. Hdhomerun works with PlexPass lifetime PlexPass is far less expensive especially considering its one and done than All-In for each device. The integration with GoogleTv and other streaming services is far better than TiVo.

Nope TiVo used to rule the roost as best DVR but no more. I’m contemplating selling off my Premiere's with external WD drives and the Roamio's w/3TB drives all with what is now known nas All-In while they still have a bit of resale value.

PlexPass integration with HDhomerun and Google TV additional TV' is as easy as a $50 Chromecast w/Google TV search across many sources and more rapidly get to the video and with broadcast 4K availability.


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## Cutthecord (Sep 10, 2011)

slowbiscuit said:


> Yawn. Yet another ranter about apps on a device that no longer runs them worth a crap, and hasn't for years. Doesn't matter whose fault it is, the Roamio is a poor streamer.
> 
> Get sticks for streaming. Use the Tivo for what it's intended, the best DVR you can buy.
> 
> :dead horse beating:


I've been with TiVo since 2008. For what it is worth it is still the simplest, "Mom friendly" DVR box out there. The Roamio 4 tuner OTA with Cable card option is the most versatile followed by the White Bolts 4 tuner OTA with Cable card. As for streaming it's obvious that the current owners of TiVo are opting to push their integrated streamer the TiVo4K. Unfortunately they didn't integrate their killer DVR functionality opting instead to push Sling. 
A very good, solid and versatile DVR option to TiVo is ChannelsDVR. It should be noted I have no affiliation with ChannelsDVR just use it, like it, and find it a fantastic alternative to TiVo. It rips ALL commercials out of recordings automatiaclly if you turn on that feature. My set up at home is I have a TiVo Roamio at on tv and a Bolt at the other tivov's are connected to an Antenna. I also Have an AppleTV4K at the TV's. I watch tv most of the time via the ChannelsDVR app on my AppleTV4K's. I keep my TiVo's as a back up and so my elderly Mom can watch TV. She struggles with the whole streaming thing. 
Check it out I think you will find ChannelsDVR a great addition, If not a replacement, for TiVo.
Channels can be installed on nearly every streaming device including TiVo4K. You can use a PC to act as a head unit or add a external HDD to your device if that device has that feature. TiVo4K does allow and external HDD to be connected. Same with some FireSticks. I use Channels with AppleTV4K. I have a head unit, a little Dell 3040 PC as a "server", set up at another location that has a fiber connection with a huge amount of upload speed and does not meter data. Works like a champ, easy to set up. Hope that helps those getting frustrated with TiVo's recent evolution away from what made it great so many years ago.


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## Whoever58 (Jan 29, 2019)

In the long run, TIVO is dead. 

My kids don't have any form of linear TV: they only stream. 

The FCC has dropped the requirement for cable companies to support Cablecard. 

There are not enough people using antennas to keep TIVO running when it becomes impossible to use a Cablecard. The death will be slow, and TIVO will try to squeeze out as much revenue for the least amount of work.

We had a Roku before we got a Tivo with streaming capability (although we have had TIVOs since 2004 or perhaps earlier), so I see the Hulu issue as irrelevant.


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## dfreybur (Jan 27, 2006)

jsherknus said:


> I still have my lifetime premiere TiVos, but I stopped using Tivo a few years ago. I have been using Tivimate over the internet on a 4K FireTV stick. It has a guide and recording capabilities, and the recordings are stored to a local 4TB network hard drive. The cool thing is all my TVs using Tivimate can see the hard drive and watch the recorded video. Plus, I get Amazon Prime Video, Hulu and Netflix...plus any other net-based streaming service.
> 
> The only thing I am missing is season pass and thumbs up/down. But, I can live with that to save a ton of money.


The thumbs database stopped working several years ago.

I don't get why folks attempt to stream on Tivo. I got a Roku and never looked back. I use my Tivo OTA to monitor my antenna and record shows. That's what it's for to me.


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## Bruce24 (Jan 8, 2003)

Whoever58 said:


> My kids don't have any form of linear TV: they only stream.


I don't watch TV in linear form either...haven't done for over a decade...and Tivo helps me do it. Having said that, I'm using my Tivo less and less each year, but I still watch a good amount of network shows where I want to be able to skip (or atleast fast forward) through commercials. Plus I like to use quickmode for some shows. While I use my AppleTV a lot, if I had the option to record to or download shows to my Tivo I would and then watch everything, peanut remote in hand.


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## reds1fan (Aug 12, 2015)

I use the mini Tivo 4K streaming stick and also have a firestick for streaming Hulu and others. I don't think the DVR's for cable will be around much longer maybe 10 years . I hope longer since we love it .


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## steve_scifi (May 10, 2019)

I am not sure the tivo streaming was ever good, play recorded shows from tivo and that is it, stream from my roku tv.


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## slowbiscuit (Sep 19, 2006)

PCurry57 said:


> Nope TiVo used to rule the roost as best DVR but no more. I’m contemplating styling off my Premiere's with external WD drives and the Roamio's w/3TB drives all with what is now known nas All-In while they still have a bit of resale value.


Sorry, the HDHomeruns and add-ons cobbled together with a PC or Channels is in no way as easy to use, nor does it have the Tivo remote and the best trickplay/quickplay you can get. A whole lot more expensive to put together than a $200 used Roamio with 6 tuners too. Might have more features than Tivo but for core DVR functionality (scheduling and watching) Tivo is still unbeatable.

Your Premieres are ancient btw, we're talking Roamios here.


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## wspencerjr60 (Jan 13, 2022)

I don't know why you don't have a Roku for you streaming apps to start with, as the operate much better than through Tivo.


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## randyb359 (Jan 3, 2009)

nitsuj said:


> people actually use the tivo for streaming services and haven't killed anyone because of how awful that experience has been for years?


I have used the TiVo for streaming almost exclusively. I did try a Roku but don't really see a great advantage with Netflix, Amazon, Vudu or Hulu which is mostly what I use. It is convenient. One remote no changing inputs.


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## judyn (Feb 26, 2009)

Love love love our Tivos! Before Tivo we had ReplayTV. I hope Tivos outlive us... We do a lot of uploading to the Tivos (the new pytivo is great!), things we have downloaded etc. We are OTA only and have been for many years. Well, OTA and streaming and feeding them downloads. 

We buy with lifetime (or whatever they call it now) and have been very lucky that they are very reliable. The last incident was just a power supply. We have two houses and 5 Tivos. 

I never watch anything live -- I'm allergic to ads... Even if it's only a few minutes after the program starts... We are so spoiled to be able to watch anything we want to watch any time we want to watch it...


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## snowghost (Oct 9, 2009)

I've had TiVos OTA since 2008. I too don't watch anything live. The only streaming I've done is Vudo from the Mini. That worked okay. Other streaming sucks, but that's what AppleTV and Firestick are for.


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## JAta2 (May 23, 2009)

krkaufman said:


> Again, the choice not to update the Hulu app for the TiVo platform beyond the now-dead Classic version was Hulu’s.


Saying something doesn’t make it true. I don’t know the reasons why TIVO would not update their app. A modern web browser has no problem with the updated UI across platforms. It’s definitely not the hardware. But it’s all speculation that unless either of us has inside knowledge, is just speculation.

I don’t blame Hulu for withdrawing support of their old Ui. It wasn’t just TIVO that was affected. Reminds me of Microsoft stopping support for Windows 7 and the ensuing gnashing of teeth. But as far as blame goes from Hulu’s perspective, I don’t know what kind of talks between the companies, if any, had been performed and failed. I do know that the one free month they gave out to affected customers was probably all they thought it was worth.


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## Fofer (Oct 29, 2000)

autotech4 said:


> But for antenna DVR there's still nothing better.


/Channels DVR has entered the chat


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## dianebrat (Jul 6, 2002)

JAta2 said:


> *Saying something doesn’t make it true.* I don’t know the reasons why TIVO would not update their app.


Tivo does not develop or write the apps, the providers write the apps and provide them to Tivo, the lack of a Hulu app is 100% on Hulu, it is not "Tivo's app" it is written, tested, and provided by Hulu.
Ignoring the truth doesn't make that fact go away.


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## zalusky (Apr 5, 2002)

dianebrat said:


> Tivo does not develop or write the apps, the providers write the apps and provide them to Tivo, the lack of a Hulu app is 100% on Hulu, it is not "Tivo's app" it is written, tested, and provided by Hulu.
> Ignoring the truth doesn't make that fact go away.


And clearly Hulu little if any market share in addition to what share there is shrinking. It also a share on antiquated platform that they cannot leverage for possible features you might have on other platforms.
There may be fans here saying you will have to take it from my cold dead hands but they are really making a mistake. At some point they will very sad when they turn on their TV and there are no guide updates.


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## More_Cowbell (Mar 20, 2015)

Today I got an email for the Edge for Antenna, and it has the Hulu logo as a streaming app choice. (I have the OTA Bolt.) So does the website Stream Movies, TV, Sports & More | TiVo Stream 4K Is Hulu available on the latest Edge for Antenna (or the Stream 4k), or is Tivo just continuing to advertise Hulu despite no longer having it? Thanks for any answers.


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## dianebrat (Jul 6, 2002)

More_Cowbell said:


> Today I got an email for the Edge for Antenna, and it has the Hulu logo as a streaming app choice. (I have the OTA Bolt.) So does the website Stream Movies, TV, Sports & More | TiVo Stream 4K Is Hulu available on the latest Edge for Antenna (or the Stream 4k), or is Tivo just continuing to advertise Hulu despite no longer having it? Thanks for any answers.


The Stream 4K is a different product, it's an android streaming stick and those are the apps that can run on it.
No Tivo DVR can do Hulu at this time.


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## More_Cowbell (Mar 20, 2015)

dianebrat said:


> The Stream 4K is a different product, it's an android streaming stick and those are the apps that can run on it.
> No Tivo DVR can do Hulu at this time.


Thanks! So the email ad I got is just wrong.


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## Joey Bagadonuts (Mar 13, 2006)

CelesteJak said:


> Really NO REASON TO CONTINUE TIVO since they are not supporting HULU any more. I will just change to other streaming services. A little notice would have been nice that it was being dropped...an email, a note in the mail, SMOKE SIGNALS....SOMETHING instead of sitting down to watch a show we have been watching for MONTHS on Tivo to find the hulu app gone, no explanation and then spending the entire dinner hour on the chatline with hulu's representative while he tried desperately to help me. TIME TO DROP TIVO AND GO WITH THE CABLE COMPANY AND OTHERS A BIT MORE CONCERNED WITH CUSTOMER SERVICE AND SUPPORT!!! NO MORE IGNORING LONG TIME CUSTOMERS. At least with the cable company I expect to be ignored...Tivo used, USED to care about all their customers...guess the company made a change...now we will!!!


As many others have now pointed out, your issue is with Hulu, not TiVo. So yeah, you look pretty silly from the get-go. Speaking of looking silly, what's with the CAPS? How old are you...8?


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## Fofer (Oct 29, 2000)

I’m surprised it was the discontinuation of HULU support that made you finally realize this. Many other apps pulled support years ago. And it’s not like it ever really worked well with these add-on services. Streaming app support, UI and UX on old TiVos has been absolutely horrible since the beginning.


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## Whoever58 (Jan 29, 2019)

randyb359 said:


> I have used the TiVo for streaming almost exclusively. I did try a Roku but don't really see a great advantage with Netflix, Amazon, Vudu or Hulu which is mostly what I use. It is convenient. One remote no changing inputs.


The problem here is with the Tivo, not the Rokus. We have several Rokus and one Tivo connected to our Tivo via HDMI.

If I press any button on one of the Roku remotes, the TV will switch on and the input will switch to the related Roku. The Roku remotes have volume and power buttons for the TV also. 

On the other hand, the Tivo will not make the TV switch to its connection: I have to cycle through all the possible inputs until the TV input gets to the Tivo. The Tivo doesn't switch on the TV. I understand that some of these functions may exist with the TE4 software, but, based on comments here and elsewhere, that isn't something I want to do. 

As for streaming on Tivo: it's much slower to start the app and get to the desired program on the Tivo than it is on the Roku. 

Since you mention Hulu, exactly how are you streaming Hulu? This whole discussion started with discussing the fact that Hulu is no longer supported on Tivo DVRs.


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## mdavej (Aug 13, 2015)

Whoever58 said:


> The problem here is with the Tivo, not the Rokus. We have several Rokus and one Tivo connected to our Tivo via HDMI.
> 
> If I press any button on one of the Roku remotes, the TV will switch on and the input will switch to the related Roku. The Roku remotes have volume and power buttons for the TV also.
> 
> ...


Sounds to me like you need a better remote which can be programmed with discrete input commands or suck it up and get TE4 so you can use HDMI CEC to do the switching automatically. I don't know what features of TE3 you're using that you would lose, but TE4 adds more than it takes away, IMO.

For me, the Hulu app on Tivo has been unusable for years. It's never been able to use profiles or voice commands/search or any newer features that I have on other platforms. But Tivo isn't alone. I have several smart TVs and old DVD/BD players that have Hulu apps that haven't worked in years. I didn't throw any of those in the garbage. I just used whatever device could run the apps I wanted. You have to accept the fact that you need the latest and greatest streaming device to keep up with the latest and greatest apps. Tivo has never been able to run most of the apps I use, and that's unfortunate, but not a huge deal.


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## JAta2 (May 23, 2009)

dianebrat said:


> Tivo does not develop or write the apps, the providers write the apps and provide them to Tivo, the lack of a Hulu app is 100% on Hulu, it is not "Tivo's app" it is written, tested, and provided by Hulu.
> Ignoring the truth doesn't make that fact go away.


Ummm your post shows some profound ignorance. No company writes an app for another to host without a contract and exchange of money. If Hulu wrote the app, they were contracted by Tivo to do so for a price. So no, it’s not all Hulu’s fault. They clearly didn’t want to pay what Hulu would charge to upgrade their app. In comparison, Roku paid and that’s why their app works.


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## Fofer (Oct 29, 2000)

lol





Roku Charges $1 Million For Home Page Takeovers, & Branded Remote Buttons Go For $1 Per Customer – Cord Cutters News







www.cordcuttersnews.com













Netflix is paying to advertise on your Roku remote and you don't even know it


Roku makes money off each button every time a device is sold.




mashable.com


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## dianebrat (Jul 6, 2002)

JAta2 said:


> Ummm your post shows some profound ignorance.* No company writes an app for another to host without a contract and exchange of money. *If Hulu wrote the app, they were contracted by Tivo to do so for a price. So no, it’s not all Hulu’s fault. They clearly didn’t want to pay what Hulu would charge to upgrade their app. In comparison, Roku paid and that’s why their app works.


If you're going to insult people, at least do so with facts. Let me review how apps are written and provided to assorted ecosystems.

Apple, Google, Roku, Microsoft, Tivo, assorted Linux distributions, do not as normal business, pay developers to write software for their operating systems. They follow the same general approach of providing an API and common languages so that any developer can write code to produce an application, they do so at will, with a general understanding that if they write code to the OS providers spec, it can run on the OS, in the case of some devices such as Roku, Apple, Google to some extent, and Microsoft, the vendor may also need to have the app certified to be available for installation on the OS. (and in some cases pay for aspects of certification)

I can assure you that Hulu, Netflix, etc, do not get "paid" by an OS provider for their apps, nor are they given "contracts"


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## randyb359 (Jan 3, 2009)

Whoever58 said:


> Since you mention Hulu, exactly how are you streaming Hulu? This whole discussion started with discussing the fact that Hulu is no longer supported on Tivo DVRs.


I have a TiVo stream that I used for the rare occasion I wanted to watch something that was not available on the TiVo. I will use that next time I want to watch something on Hulu.


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## cwoody222 (Nov 13, 1999)

JAta2 said:


> Ummm your post shows some profound ignorance. No company writes an app for another to host without a contract and exchange of money. If Hulu wrote the app, they were contracted by Tivo to do so for a price. So no, it’s not all Hulu’s fault. They clearly didn’t want to pay what Hulu would charge to upgrade their app. In comparison, Roku paid and that’s why their app works.


This is 100% incorrect.

The only one who writes code for the Hulu app is Hulu. And they do so because they believe the work they’re doing to write the app for a particular platform will pay dividends in the form of more subscribers or views, and not due to monetary payment.

Hulu decided TiVo wasn’t worth their time to support the app any more.

This was Hulu’s decision. Believing otherwise doesn’t make it true. You are wrong.


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## Soapfan82 (Jun 2, 2019)

steve_scifi said:


> I am not sure the tivo streaming was ever good, play recorded shows from tivo and that is it, stream from my roku tv.


Streaming Amazon Prime and Netflix on the Bolt work well, but I only ever streamed Hulu when a show was pre-empted or I forgot to record it.


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## Whoever58 (Jan 29, 2019)

cwoody222 said:


> This is 100% incorrect.
> 
> The only one who writes code for the Hulu app is Hulu. And they do so because they believe the work they’re doing to write the app for a particular platform will pay dividends in the form of more subscribers or views, and not due to monetary payment.
> 
> ...


I think the money flow is usually the other way. Hulu pays Roku to be on their platform. They also pay (or have paid in the past) to have a Hulu button on the Roku remote.


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## dianebrat (Jul 6, 2002)

Whoever58 said:


> I think the money flow is usually the other way. Hulu pays Roku to be on their platform. They also pay (or have paid in the past) to have a Hulu button on the Roku remote.


You're agreeing with the post you quoted, the post @cwoody222 and I are replying to is one that says Tivo would pay Hulu and other providers for apps, which is incorrect.
There are indeed some scenarios like the one you listed where the app developer may pay more to the OS supplier for preferential placement in the OS/hardware.


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## PCurry57 (Feb 27, 2012)

slowbiscuit said:


> Sorry, the HDHomeruns and add-ons cobbled together with a PC or Channels is in no way as easy to use, nor does it have the Tivo remote and the best trickplay/quickplay you can get. A whole lot more expensive to put together than a $200 used Roamio with 6 tuners too. Might have more features than Tivo but for core DVR functionality (scheduling and watching) Tivo is still unbeatable.
> 
> Your Premieres are ancient btw, we're talking Roamios here.


ROFLMAO 
TiVo has never been a great streamer. Using today's streaming devices like Chromecast w/GoogleTV (which TiVo got in the market with and btw works with silicon dust homerun's). TiVo NEVER made a 6 tuner OTA box. My TiVo experience goes way back to Series 2 Directions. As for scheduling HDHomeRun with a lifetime PlexPass does indeed beat the economics of a TiVo today. 

When your done smoking CRACK come back and have a serious discussion on what's more expensive.


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## c133roamioerrors (Dec 28, 2013)

I've been recording TV for a very long time. Sanyo Vcord, Sony Betamax, VHS, Panasonic HD dvr. I was happy with the Panasonic until my cable provider went digital so I bought a Premier. I upgraded to a Roamio and my son uses the Premier. All is well until the apps started taking a long time to start. I bought an Edge because of the all-in sale. 

The Edge is a POS. The apps start quicker but Netflix won't work with a 4k setting, Hulu doesn't show all content and Prime disappears from the apps. The good news is that the edge reboots faster than the Roamio; the bad news is that it reboots a lot more often, Tivo should be embarrassed offering this POS.

The biggest attraction of the Tivo is that it records and streams; one device. My cable company dropped Starz and added HBO Max and Tivo hasn't added any new apps, so I bought a Tivo 4k stick for HBO max and Starz. Captioning didn't work for HBO Max, so I bought a Roku. I set up all the apps on the Roku and the 4k can take a long walk off a short pier. All the apps work on the Roku, it adjust volume, has volume leveling and will control my receiver and TV.


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## Dave.H (Aug 21, 2021)

Need to add TiVo Support to that list too! TiVo technical support is now an absolute joke. They are slow to respond and do not solve the problems, they just attach a link to an answer on their help site that usually won't fix the problem. Do they not know that the customer has already been to the help site to find a solution, especially when the customer states to them that they have⁉ Tivo must have children running the place because they certainly don't provide solutions.


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## Fofer (Oct 29, 2000)

These are the same problems people have complained about for 5+ years now. When TiVo initially announced they’d be releasing iOS, AndroidTV, FireTV and Roku apps to stream from TiVo hardware, I thought they had a fighting chance. When they abandoned that plan and released a streaming stick instead that doesn’t even connect to TiVo hardware, I knew they’d lost.

When they didn’t even add CEC control to TiVo Minis, even ones upgraded to TE4, I knew they were dead and buried.

That said, the “time to drop TiVo” over these missteps was about 2 years ago. It’s beyond obvious at this point that TiVo simply doesn’t care. We are not their customers anymore, we’re the product being sold.

What else have you been waiting for?


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## JAta2 (May 23, 2009)

cwoody222 said:


> This is 100% incorrect.
> 
> The only one who writes code for the Hulu app is Hulu. And they do so because they believe the work they’re doing to write the app for a particular platform will pay dividends in the form of more subscribers or views, and not due to monetary payment.
> 
> ...


Your first sentence is true, but that’s not what we’re talking about. We’re talking about who funds Hulu to write their app for Tivo to host on their platform. That’s where the rest of your reply is unfounded and falls flat with conjectures. You seem to think that Hulu just writes an app on their own dime for Tivo and it magically appears on TiVo. And when it doesn’t, it’s Hulus fault. That’s pure nonsense. Nothing appears on TiVo’s platform without Tivo. Nothing. Doesn’t matter who actually writes the app. In the end, there has to be an agreement between the two companies. That’s a contract. Who pays what is negotiated.

Frankly, I’m surprised I have to explain these basic thoughts to you. If you’re going to insist on making statements grounded in fantasy, by all means continue. I’ll let you have the last word.


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## Fofer (Oct 29, 2000)

It's also up to TiVo to provide a platform that's not onerous to develop for, and hardware that can handle the task of running the resulting client app well. I'm sure Hulu would love to be available on as many boxes as possible, so as many customers as possible could pay for and enjoy their service. In this case I think it got to a point where Hulu decided it just wasn't worth it. I also think 3rd party streaming apps never really a priority for TiVo. Even when these apps worked on TiVo boxes, they were absolutely awful compared to every other actual streaming box or stick in existence.


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## cwoody222 (Nov 13, 1999)

JAta2 said:


> You seem to think that Hulu just writes an app on their own dime for Tivo and it magically appears on TiVo.


This is exactly how it works.

Although “magically” is described in much better detail by dianebrat above.

I’m sorry but you’re just wrong about the business aspects of apps and app platforms.


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## dianebrat (Jul 6, 2002)

JAta2 said:


> Your first sentence is true, but that’s not what we’re talking about. We’re talking about who funds Hulu to write their app for Tivo to host on their platform. That’s where the rest of your reply is unfounded and falls flat with conjectures. You seem to think that Hulu just writes an app on their own dime for Tivo and it magically appears on TiVo. And when it doesn’t, it’s Hulus fault. That’s pure nonsense. Nothing appears on TiVo’s platform without Tivo. Nothing. Doesn’t matter who actually writes the app. In the end, there has to be an agreement between the two companies. That’s a contract. Who pays what is negotiated.
> 
> *Frankly, I’m surprised I have to explain these basic thoughts to you. If you’re going to insist on making statements grounded in fantasy, by all means continue. I’ll let you have the last word.*





cwoody222 said:


> This is exactly how it works.
> 
> Although “magically” is described in much better detail by dianebrat above.
> 
> I’m sorry but you’re just wrong about the business aspects of apps and app platforms.


@JAta2 
We're not looking for the "last word" we're trying to understand where you're getting your information on how the process works in your description.
As everyone else has pointed out, your understanding of how the process works may be in some other business, but is in no way is at all accurate to anything happening in this decade related to the app ecosystems.
The OS owner does not give any money to the app producer, and as was said, there are times the app producer will pay the OS provider for preferential placement, I can tell you that's how it works from personal experience with a friend of mine that is an app developer, she writes the app with no assumptions of income from an OS provider.


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## slowbiscuit (Sep 19, 2006)

PCurry57 said:


> ROFLMAO
> TiVo has never been a great streamer. Using today's streaming devices like Chromecast w/GoogleTV (which TiVo got in the market with and btw works with silicon dust homerun's). TiVo NEVER made a 6 tuner OTA box. My TiVo experience goes way back to Series 2 Directions. As for scheduling HDHomeRun with a lifetime PlexPass does indeed beat the economics of a TiVo today.
> 
> When your done smoking CRACK come back and have a serious discussion on what's more expensive.


Never said anything about streaming - was talking about core Tivo DVR functionality vs. Channels or whatever, most importantly with ease of use.

And if you can put together a Channels + 6-tuner HDHomerun setup for less than $200, show how you did it - I was talking about a cable DVR, not OTA so it's probably apples-to-oranges anyway. 

You don't have to insult me because I don't agree with your call.


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## zalusky (Apr 5, 2002)

slowbiscuit said:


> Never said anything about streaming - was talking about core Tivo DVR functionality vs. Channels or whatever, most importantly with ease of use.
> 
> And if you can put together a Channels + 6-tuner HDHomerun setup for less than $200, show how you did it - I was talking about a cable DVR, not OTA so it's probably apples-to-oranges anyway.
> 
> You don't have to insult me because I don't agree with your call.


I would say Channels DVR is better than Tivo all the way for core DVR tech. You can tell it to record just the last episode of something or the last 1/2/3/...
There are many different ways to view upcoming shows and I think the guide goes out farther. You can also choose multiple services and change them without affecting your season passes.
Other than slow mo/fast speed how does Tivo beat Channels.

Commercial skip mode is the same if not better than Tivos.

Your only complaint seems to be upfront cost and if you have a spare hand me down computer laying around even thats less of an issue given all the different platforms it runs on.

They update the software on a regular basis almost everyday to deal with the ever changing world. Say that about Tivo.

The subscription price is way cheaper than Tivo and I am willing to pay for good service. Paid up models don't work in the long run as we see.


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## JAta2 (May 23, 2009)

dianebrat said:


> @JAta2
> We're not looking for the "last word" we're trying to understand where you're getting your information on how the process works in your description.
> As everyone else has pointed out, your understanding of how the process works may be in some other business, but is in no way is at all accurate to anything happening in this decade related to the app ecosystems.
> The OS owner does not give any money to the app producer, and as was said, there are times the app producer will pay the OS provider for preferential placement, I can tell you that's how it works from personal experience with a friend of mine that is an app developer, she writes the app with no assumptions of income from an OS provider.


If you want to see how it's done, see TiVo Will Offer Hulu Plus on TiVo Premiere DVRs for an example. Notice the term "teamed up" and "agreement". I assure you there is money involved as well as IP rights. It doesn't happen by magic.


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## cwoody222 (Nov 13, 1999)

zalusky said:


> I would say Channels DVR is better than Tivo all the way for core DVR tech. You can tell it to record just the last episode of something or the last 1/2/3/...
> There are many different ways to view upcoming shows and I think the guide goes out farther. You can also choose multiple services and change them without affecting your season passes.
> Other than slow mo/fast speed how does Tivo beat Channels.


TiVo can record the # Of episodes you specify.
TiVo has multiple ways to view upcoming and discover shows.
TiVo guide goes out 12 days, is Channels longer?

I don’t know what “multiple sources” in a One Pass would be. But you can select multiple channels to record and/or to include streaming or not. If you’re recording from all channels you can change your input source and not lose a thing.

I’ve used channels and found no compelling feature TiVo was lacking.


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## eherberg (Feb 17, 2011)

JAta2 said:


> If you want to see how it's done, see TiVo Will Offer Hulu Plus on TiVo Premiere DVRs for an example. Notice the term "teamed up" and "agreement". I assure you there is money involved as well as IP rights. It doesn't happen by magic.


I have to assume you're just trolling people now. If there was money changing hands - it was likely Hulu paying TiVo at that point while they were still relevant (assuming the agreement wasn't simply promotion).

You have a very old-world way of thinking on how apps get on devices in a modern streaming world. The simple truth is that the TiVo architecture is just simply not worth the effort based on the system age itself as well as the minimal number of users for Hulu to bother with. I doubt losing TiVo logins even moved the needle .. and also solves potential expense in customer service inquires as more and more features would not be able to be implemented on the aging system


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## JAta2 (May 23, 2009)

eherberg said:


> I have to assume you're just trolling people now. If there was money changing hands - it was likely Hulu paying TiVo at that point while they were still relevant (assuming the agreement wasn't simply promotion).
> 
> You have a very old-world way of thinking on how apps get on devices in a modern streaming world. The simple truth is that the TiVo architecture is just simply not worth the effort based on the system age itself as well as the minimal number of users for Hulu to bother with. I doubt losing TiVo logins even moved the needle .. and also solves potential expense in customer service inquires as more and more features would not be able to be implemented on the aging system


Not odd, accurate. You and others have no idea what you’re talking about and when shown a precise example, you just talk nonsense. We’re talking Tivo and Hulu. That’s how apps appear on Tivo. The bottom line is that Tivo and Hulu couldn’t come to an agreement about a v2 app so Hulu didn’t write it. And Hulu pulled support for the v1 app not just on Tivo but all platforms. All conjecture from you and others not withstanding. I understand the frustration folks including myself had but ignorant finger pointing doesn’t help. We have no idea why Tivo and Hulu couldn’t agree, we just know they didn’t.


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## eherberg (Feb 17, 2011)

JAta2 said:


> All conjecture from you and others not withstanding


As opposed to your cold hard provable facts on streaming app placement.


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## dswallow (Dec 3, 2000)

I assure you, no discussion here is going to solve Hulu support on current model TiVo's. No matter how emotional anyone gets over it.


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## dianebrat (Jul 6, 2002)

JAta2 said:


> Not odd, accurate. You and others have no idea what you’re talking about and when shown a precise example, you just talk nonsense. We’re talking Tivo and Hulu. That’s how apps appear on Tivo. The bottom line is that Tivo and Hulu couldn’t come to an agreement about a v2 app so Hulu didn’t write it. And Hulu pulled support for the v1 app not just on Tivo but all platforms. All conjecture from you and others not withstanding. I understand the frustration folks including myself had but ignorant finger pointing doesn’t help. We have no idea why Tivo and Hulu couldn’t agree, we just know they didn’t.


and I'm tagging out, the world you seem to be in where Tivo pays app developers to make apps is the fantasy, the fact that you use an old blurb from a Premiere pretty much nails it.

When Tivo started trying to offer its first round of streaming apps in 2010 in your example, TWELVE years ago, there's the possibility there was some seed money going around for a first impression, that was long ago and far away, but in the past decade that is not part of the ecosystem.


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## cwoody222 (Nov 13, 1999)

dianebrat said:


> and I'm tagging out, the world you seem to be in where Tivo pays app developers to make apps is the fantasy, the fact that you use an old blurb from a Premiere pretty much nails it.
> 
> When Tivo started trying to offer its first round of streaming apps in 2010 in your example, TWELVE years ago, there's the possibility there was some seed money going around for a first impression, that was long ago and far away, but in the past decade that is not part of the ecosystem.


Yep, I blocked him. No need to see such nonsense.


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## mattack (Apr 9, 2001)

have no idea why Hulu would be a good enough reason. QuickPlay mode (esp when I speed up to 1.7 or 1.9x based on content) and knowing my recordings will be there (until my hard drive goes bad, and even in that case, I can likely rescue most of the recordings) are enough to keep me on Tivo until cable cards aren't supported AT ALL.


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## slowbiscuit (Sep 19, 2006)

zalusky said:


> Your only complaint seems to be upfront cost and if you have a spare hand me down computer laying around even thats less of an issue given all the different platforms it runs on.


And HDHR cable tuners, and the yearly Channels sub. It all adds up to way more than $200 for a used lifetime Roamio for cable.

And I disagree that core DVR functionality is better than a Tivo with the peanut remote. As good? Sure. Better than how easy a Tivo with Minis is? Nah. As someone else mentioned above, Tivo has all the features you need, what Channels adds is nice but when you compare like to like it's not better, just different.


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## Fofer (Oct 29, 2000)

But a TiVo's (and TiVo Mini's) streaming app support is absolute CRAP. Always has been, and it's only managed to get even worse over the years. And streaming apps for most folks are as important, if not more important, than live TV. And a TiVo Mini (still) doesn't support HDMI-CEC for easy input switching to the better box or stick we're using for Netflix, Hulu, HBO Max, etc. So then we've got to fiddle with multiple remotes, or involve a universal remote...?

"Core DVR functionality" is only one piece of the TV puzzle, and that piece is becoming less important. Having Channels (or some other cloud-based DVR, like YouTube TV, Hulu Live, Fubo, etc.) as well as all of the other on-demand streaming apps on one device, one TV input, results in a vastly better overall UI and UX. 

Yes, it's different, but it's also better.

I've also taught the AppleTV the IR commands from my old TiVo peanut remote, and it works there too.


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## slowbiscuit (Sep 19, 2006)

I'll readily grant you the streaming argument, but pretty much all TVs now run apps and so don't need other inputs/remotes anyway.


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## Fofer (Oct 29, 2000)

slowbiscuit said:


> I'll readily grant you the streaming argument, but pretty much all TVs now run apps and so don't need other inputs/remotes anyway.


But then you're using the TiVo remote for TiVo stuff, and the TV remote for those built-in apps? Same problem.

Not to mention, those apps don't run as well or get updated as often as they do on dedicated streaming boxes and sticks. Either at their outset, or eventually. I've found it much better for the "smarts" of the TV to be delegated to a modular (replaceable, upgradeable) device.

Having one native remote control, for one device on a single input that handles everything TV-related is a very nice perk that improves overall ease-of-use and reliability. TiVo never figured that out, and it's part of the reason they failed.


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## zalusky (Apr 5, 2002)

slowbiscuit said:


> And HDHR cable tuners, and the yearly Channels sub. It all adds up to way more than $200 for a used lifetime Roamio for cable.
> 
> And I disagree that core DVR functionality is better than a Tivo with the peanut remote. As good? Sure. Better than how easy a Tivo with Minis is? Nah. As someone else mentioned above, Tivo has all the features you need, what Channels adds is nice but when you compare like to like it's not better, just different.



At least with the HDHomerun tuner you have a choice to buy it or not if you dont want antenna. With Tivo there are only two models Cable with 4 tuners or 2 tuner antenna.
Try changing your basic service from say Comcast to YTTV or Hulu Live or DTV Stream and maintain your season passes. How does that work for you?
Try telling your Tivo to reorder the guide and your personalized favorite guide groups which is helpful for live tv surfing
Try telling your Tivo to record only the last episode of a show
Try telling your Tivo to autodelete after your watch something
Try telling your Tivo to simply get better guide data
Try telling your Tivo to edit the metadata on the shows you recorded and want to keep! Notes, Dates, search categories.
Try changing the Icons for a saved show.
Are your shows saved by season?
Channels can alter the playback speed from .5x to 2x and points in between. So don't use that as an excuse.
We all know both can nuke commercials. So Tivo does not have that as leverage.

Lastly yes there is a subscription fee and it is quite cheap. I pay it because I want the company to keep innovating compared to Tivo who gave up years ago. Channels is delivering updates almost everyday if you go beta.

I have had all the various Tivo's since 2001 but I am not a loyalist when something better comes along I give it a fair look. If something better than Channels comes a long I will look at that too.
Don't let Tivo or short term wallet thinking hold you back. I do a lot more streaming now and use Channels primarily for commercial based shows which I watch less and less of. It's more for the wife.
She at first was nervous about it but she is a big convert now. Tivo held her back and now she watches much more stuff because she has control. We pay for YT Premium now because she spends more time on that now than the old days where she basically plus'd her way through the guide on a couple of cooking channels.

One last thing. You are talking about buying something off of eBay with no subscription price. This in fact means you are not Tivo's customer and they have no incentive to do anything for you.


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## Fofer (Oct 29, 2000)

zalusky said:


> Channels is delivering updates almost everyday if you go beta.


Aside from the overall better TV experience, I've been consistently impressed by the small development team working on Channels DVR. They're active as developers and well as tech supporters, in their community forum. I've seen customers make feature requests, which are discussed and then added to the latest Test Flight... within days. They fix bugs quickly too. The developers are communicative and transparent. It's obvious that they use their own product extensively and want to see it excel as much as we do. It's clear who their customers are, and they cater to that priority.

It's refreshing and exciting.

Just as an example. After two decades of believing TiVo was the best, comparing their "out-of-home remote streaming" experience to the one offered by Channels DVR... was quite the eye-opener. It's just better, in every conceivable way.


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## Fofer (Oct 29, 2000)

zalusky said:


> Try changing your basic service from say Comcast to YTTV or Hulu Live or DTV Stream and maintain your season passes. How does that work for you?


Try transferring your recordings when you upgrade TiVo hardware, or when your TiVo or its hard drive dies. 
Try adding more storage effortlessly.
Try backing up your TiVo recordings.
Try exporting and transcoding so you can archive or edit a clip.
Try importing recordings you've downloaded from elsewhere.

The fact that Channel DVR's recordings are just .mpg files without any DRM, just like any other file on your server, makes non-issues of such tasks, along with long-term management and scalability.


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## slowbiscuit (Sep 19, 2006)

As long as TVE continues to work with Channels, sure. Got to hope that's the case and that Channels continues to fly under the radar of what's permissible with TVE. I hope it does because I'll likely be a Channels user at some point.

Very good to hear of the active and responsive dev support of the product.


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## IronRon (8 mo ago)

randyb359 said:


> I have used the TiVo for streaming almost exclusively. I did try a Roku but don't really see a great advantage with Netflix, Amazon, Vudu or Hulu which is mostly what I use. It is convenient. One remote no changing inputs.


 THIS, plus I liked that you could set up a OnePass and have it track all the things that needed to be watched. Didn't matter if it was DVR recorded, Hulu or Netflix. The device would find the shows and movies for me. I didn't have to remember what I already watched or where I watched it. TIVO figured it out for me and tracked what was already watched. Can't do that without the Hulu information. Is there another way to do this that I haven't figured out yet?


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## ggtz702 (May 28, 2017)

TiVo used to be good and solid, but being torn apart and loosing subscribers to its service will be the cash cow death of TiVo. The platform is software outdated by light years, and the hardware becoming old. TiVo sadly is dying a slow death. After 15 years of Tivo its time for a newer platform. Albet a bit less expensive in the long run too.


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## dianebrat (Jul 6, 2002)

ggtz702 said:


> TiVo used to be good and solid, but being torn apart and* loosing subscribers to its service will be the cash cow death of TiVo.* The platform is software outdated by light years, and the hardware becoming old. TiVo sadly is dying a slow death. After 15 years of Tivo its time for a newer platform. Albet a bit less expensive in the long run too.


As mentioned in your other reply, there is no " cash cow" it's a dying product/division as far as retail, they have not expended any money in it for ages, and the current owners never have expressed any interest in keeping Tivo running.
Sad but true.


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