# Amazon Instant Video



## Resist (Dec 21, 2003)

Why can't Tivo do Amazon Instant Video on the Premiere? I can do it on my computer, I can do it on my iPhone and iPad, but not on my Premiere. In this day and age, it seems silly.


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## bradleys (Oct 31, 2007)

Resist said:


> Why can't Tivo do Amazon Instant Video on the Premiere? I can do it on my computer, I can do it on my iPhone and iPad, but not on my Premiere. In this day and age, it seems silly.


1700 posts and you don't know the answer to that question?

The Premiere processor barely supports any of the apps as designed using the Adobe Air framework. Amazon has decided for their own reasons not to update it - likely because of this issue and minimal numbers of deployed units for a custom implementation.

The Roamio series has a stronger processor and uses a more common / supportable HTML5 platform. It is more likely to be updated to live streaming on that platform.

It is highly unlikely you will ever see Amazon streaming on the Premiere line.


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## Resist (Dec 21, 2003)

bradleys said:


> 1700 posts and you don't know the answer to that question?


If I knew the answer, I wouldn't have asked the question. No need to be sarcastic.


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## Dan203 (Apr 17, 2000)

We don't know. TiVo has a unique agreement with Amazon. They are the only device that can download, not stream, Amazon purchases and rentals. It could be that they don't know how to incorporate streaming without confusing users. Or it could be that the Premiere hardware is crap and apps run like sh*t and Amazon doesn't want to create an app for that platform.

At this point we're more likely to see an Amazon streaming app on the new Roamio. It has a new apps platform that uses HTML5 instead of Flash so it should be easier for 3rd party services like Amazon to create and maintain apps.


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## aadam101 (Jul 15, 2002)

Tivo was one of the first devices to work with Amazon Unbox. It may have been the only company that ever did this. I can't remember. You would think that being the first out of the gate would have been a good thing for Tivo. It wasn't. Amazon Instant Video on Tivo is almost exactly the same as when it was released circa 2007.


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## bradleys (Oct 31, 2007)

It is my belief that none of the big OTT providers were willing to allow their brands to be implemented on a platform that could not meet certain performance standards.

The Premiere platform simply could not meet these standards, thus the update was denied by Amazon. 

Done and finalized - the streaming version of the Amazon app will NEVER be added to the Premiere line although we may very well see it on the Roamio line resonably soon.


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## hawkeye62 (Sep 9, 2013)

I just stumbled on this thread. I have a Tivo Premier DVR. I thought the Premier was the last version before Roamio. Which of the prior versions will work with Amazon Instant Video? Please excuse me if the answer is obvious, I am fairly new to Tivo and I thought the Premier was the latest and greatest prior to Roamio.

Thanks, Jim


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## jrtroo (Feb 4, 2008)

The series 3 also works with the Amazon download service. That was the generation before Premiere.


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## Dan203 (Apr 17, 2000)

Amazon Instant works all the way back to the Series 2 TiVos.


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## hawkeye62 (Sep 9, 2013)

Thanks for the replies!

But NOT Premier?

Thanks, Jim


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## jrtroo (Feb 4, 2008)

You are confused. The OP asked the question incorrectly as well.

The downloading service, Amazon Instant (initially called "Unbox"), works starting with the S2 as noted by Dan. That means it works with each and every generation of Tivo all the way through the current Roamio, including the Premiere.

You seem to be asking about Amazon Prime Instant Videos, which Amazon has not enabled to be used with a Tivo. The thought is that they may finally write this app since the Roamio has a new app platform, but we know nothing at this point.

See also: http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?t=503707


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## hawkeye62 (Sep 9, 2013)

jrtroo said:


> You are confused. The OP asked the question incorrectly as well.
> 
> The downloading service, Amazon Instant (initially called "Unbox"), works starting with the S2 as noted by Dan. That means it works with each and every generation of Tivo all the way through the current Roamio, including the Premiere.
> 
> You seem to be asking about Amazon Prime Instant Videos, which Amazon has not enabled to be used with a Tivo. The thought is that they may finally write this app since the Roamio has a new app platform, but we know nothing at this point.


Thanks for clearing up the confusion!:up:

Jim


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## ADent (Jan 7, 2000)

How fast is the processor in my 3 year old Blu-Ray player? It does Amazon Prime/Instant Video.


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## aaronwt (Jan 31, 2002)

ADent said:


> How fast is the processor in my 3 year old Blu-Ray player? It does Amazon Prime/Instant Video.


But it can't download the content in 1080p. Only stream it in 720P.


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## hershey4 (May 31, 2006)

jrtroo said:


> ...
> You seem to be asking about Amazon Prime Instant Videos, which Amazon has not enabled to be used with a Tivo.


Are you sure about that? I had Amazon Prime for awhile in the past and I am pretty sure I unboxed it on my Series 2.

Prime just means that there are some "free" library movie selections. When I browse Amazon Instant Video movies, many are free for Prime or 3.99 for me. I think of Prime as a payment program, not a technical difference.


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## jrtroo (Feb 4, 2008)

Yes, 100% sure. They are different services. Prime is streaming, like netflix, the other serivce is for downloads.

The Amazon "prime" program did not even exist when the S2 was in production.


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## hershey4 (May 31, 2006)

jrtroo said:


> Yes, 100% sure. They are different services. Prime is streaming, like netflix, the other serivce is for downloads.
> 
> The Amazon "prime" program did not even exist when the S2 was in production.


I have only recently had streaming available on my recent Roku and I had Prime well before that so I must have downloaded Prime videos (to my S2).

The other "service" (non-Prime) is definitely stream-able-- Just not on a Tivo. I would not call it a service. Prime and not-Prime are both part of Amazon Instant Video service.

S2 may be out of production, but not out of use. The download AIV app still works fine.

I plan on getting another free "trial" of Prime for the holiday season to take advantage of free shipping. (after a waiting period, you get to trial it again). I will confirm.


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## aaronwt (Jan 31, 2002)

I guess I need to jump on the Amazon streaming bandwagon. Since I don't have a main TiVo at each location since going to a Roamio and a couple of MInis. And you can't stream downloaded Amazon content from the Roamioto the Mini, I guess they need to get the streaming Amazon app on the Mini. I do have a Roku at each location so it's really not an issue, but it the TiVo Minis have Amazon streaming then I don't have to switch inputs.


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## moedaman (Aug 21, 2012)

aaronwt said:


> But it can't download the content in 1080p. Only stream it in 720P.


I would rather watch 1080p from a Redbox BD rental at 1/3rd the cost though. The only time I rent streaming video is Vudu HDX 99 cent specials. Although I did purchase Breaking Bad last season after Dish gave me a $35 credit and a free Roku player because of the AMC dispute.


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## aaronwt (Jan 31, 2002)

moedaman said:


> I would rather watch 1080p from a Redbox BD rental at 1/3rd the cost though. The only time I rent streaming video is Vudu HDX 99 cent specials. Although I did purchase Breaking Bad last season after Dish gave me a $35 credit and a free Roku player because of the AMC dispute.


The BD takes too long to come out. The 1080P content I will watch from Amazon is typically streamed within a few days of the original air date. If I'm going to stream a movie I will watch it from Vudu as my first choice. For BD rentals I use Netflix, 3D Blu-ray rental , and Blockbuster. With Redbox to take up any slack. But RedBox is more of a pain since you have to pick up the disc and drop it off.


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## gweempose (Mar 23, 2003)

Vudu HDX rentals are expensive, but the quality is excellent. They also have a very deep catalog. I wish more stuff was available on Prime, but they seem to be about the same as Netflix in terms of selection.


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## moedaman (Aug 21, 2012)

aaronwt said:


> The BD takes too long to come out. The 1080P content I will watch from Amazon is typically streamed within a few days of the original air date.


Wait a minute, are you purchasing tv episodes from Amazon? You have 8 tuners available to record with! I was only talking about movies.


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## scandia101 (Oct 20, 2007)

hershey4 said:


> I have only recently had streaming available on my recent Roku and I had Prime well before that so I must have downloaded Prime videos (to my S2).


No. You've already been told this, you did not ever download an Amazon Prime video to your Tivo because it has never been possible.


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## aaronwt (Jan 31, 2002)

I'm running into this amazon issue alot now that I am reliant on a TiVo mini at my secondary and tertiary viewing locations. Any show I purchase I download to my Romaio Pro, but I can't view them on my TiVo Minis. So for now I need to change inputs and use my Roku2 boxes at each location. But it would be better if I could just keep using my TiVo Minis to view the Amazon content.


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## philhu (Apr 11, 2001)

scandia101 said:


> No. You've already been told this, you did not ever download an Amazon Prime video to your Tivo because it has never been possible.


I think the confusion is that Amazon Unbox, now Instant used to have FREE stuff for download. I have downloaded a few Mary Tyler Moore and Fall Guy episodes a few years back to my TivoHD. They were free and never expired. Still have them.

Amazon Prime Instant Video is NOT on a Tivo. I use my Roku for that. As a Matter of Fact, I use my Tivo just to record television as everything else it does is slow, buggy and breaks.

A cheap Roku will do everything a Tivo 'says' it can do and more. Use the Tivo for what it was meant for. TV recording, Season Passes, etc.

TIVO - Television In Video Out. Use it for what it was


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## scandia101 (Oct 20, 2007)

philhu said:


> I think the confusion is that Amazon Unbox, now Instant used to have FREE stuff for download.


That can't be, Amazon Instant still has free videos that can be downloaded to a Tivo.


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## philhu (Apr 11, 2001)

Ok. Still does

But it is not Amazon free prime videos


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## scandia101 (Oct 20, 2007)

philhu said:


> But it is not Amazon free prime videos


Is that in question?


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