# Tivo Mini Support



## bluebsh

anyone see the support site is live?

http://support.tivo.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/2395


----------



## Stevesreed

> You can stream recordings from any 2-tuner Premiere series box, but you will be unable to set up your TiVo Mini without a 4-tuner TiVo DVR.


That's not very good planning...


----------



## kbtivo

I spoke with the folks at Tivo, via chat at tivo.com, and asked about upgrading from a 2 tuner premier to a 4 tuner premier - no such upgrade. I also have lifetime on my 2 tuner unit. No transfer of lifetime either. So, $800 just to be able to be able to use the Mini (with lifetime) - not including the price of the Mini.

Perhaps they will have an upgrade program when the Mini is released. If not, I'll seriously look at other options rather than spend nearly $1000 to have the Mini.


----------



## Dan203

Premiere 4 = $249
MSD Lifetime = $399

That's only $648, not $800. Plus you could probably sell your old Premiere for $350-$400 to recover some of the costs. 

Cheaper then buying another 2 tuner Premiere with lifetime + CableCARD + Tuning Adapter + outlet fee. 

Dan


----------



## supasta

I would be in the same position. I would love to have another TiVo in the house, but have been waiting for the Mini to show itself. 
I currently have one TiVo Premiere, two tuner. It is still on a service contract. 
At some point I could simply purchase another Premiere one one of the many specials TiVo has been running recently (and I'm guessing things will continue into the holiday shopping season).
MSD may work out to be cheaper by adding a second unit. This may be the better option depending on the end cost of the Mini, and any service fee it may carry when it is released.

I hope that this is updated or at least clarified when the Mini is released. I can use it with a 2 tuner, but need a 4 tuner for setup?



Stevesreed said:


> That's not very good planning...


Exactly. TiVo is starting to muddy things a little bit. The compatibility of new boxes and new devices seems to be diluting with each new release. People like myself are interested in adding or upgrading TiVo devices but will be unable due to contracts and incompatibility. Not to mention each time I use my Stream or read about the Mini I think, "Why isn't this all inside the same box?" I'm sure it will be, just as soon as I upgrade and purchase the Mini, a new Series 5 box will release. Ahh, technology.


----------



## swarto112

ya, i know what ya mean. i held off buying the premiere until the stream or mini were released. I love the xl4. four tuners rock and i bet once the minis roll out the 6 tuner will be even better. 

dont care for the hd menus as it acts just like cable interfaces so ive switched it to SD and its way faster.


----------



## Athensmomof3

I am reading that the Tivo Mini release to retail will be delayed to 2013. Any truth to this? Is a retail launch still planned? 

We are anxiously awaiting . . .


----------



## slowbiscuit

http://www.zatznotfunny.com/2012-11/tivo-mini-ip-stb-delayed-until-2013/


----------



## BigJimOutlaw

It looks like the text of the Mini's page (see OP) was updated a little bit. Not as much of an MSO slant as before.


----------



## jwagner010

Does anyone know if this will support the TiVo Bluetooth remote? I want to mount this behind my TV, but unless it supports the bluetooth remote this will not be possible as the Mini will need to be viewable to the IR TiVo remote.


----------



## Dan203

I don't think anyone knows for sure. But IIRC the pictures showed a USB port, so maybe. Although there was a post in the Coffee House a few days ago saying that TiVo is discontinuing the slide remote so it may not even be around by the time the mini is released.

Although if that's not an option there are extender type devices that use a small stick-on IR receiver that captures all IR signals and transmits them inside a cabinet. You could probably use something like that to make your setup work.

Dan


----------



## jwagner010

Thanks Dan. I agree an extender is always an option but one less powered device behind the flat screen would be a huge plus !!!!


----------



## sbiller

jwagner010 said:


> Thanks Dan. I agree an extender is always an option but one less powered device behind the flat screen would be a huge plus !!!!


The Bluetooth remote was specifically mentioned in this TechOfTheHub article.

http://www.techofthehub.com/2012/05/tivo-stream-ip-set-top-box-closer-look.html


----------



## Leon WIlkinson

So the mini could serve has a Moca hub when paired with a network switch.

 could make the cost of it easier to handle for some.


----------



## Arcady

I thought I read that the Mini would have MoCA connectivity, but no MoCA bridge, meaning you can't hang a device (or switch) off it when connected via coax.


----------



## sbiller

Leon WIlkinson said:


> So the mini could serve has a Moca hub when paired with a network switch.
> 
> could make the cost of it easier to handle for some.


Where did you see that? I suspect MoCA bridge functionality would add to the cost and complexity and wouldn't be used by the majority of Mini users.


----------



## Leon WIlkinson

I was just talking from my you know what, I just assumed it did.


----------



## flashedbios

kbtivo said:


> I spoke with the folks at Tivo, via chat at tivo.com, and asked about upgrading from a 2 tuner premier to a 4 tuner premier - no such upgrade. I also have lifetime on my 2 tuner unit. No transfer of lifetime either. So, $800 just to be able to be able to use the Mini (with lifetime) - not including the price of the Mini.
> 
> Perhaps they will have an upgrade program when the Mini is released. If not, I'll seriously look at other options rather than spend nearly $1000 to have the Mini.


who said you have to get lifetime?


----------



## Dan203

No one, but it's the better buy. Units with lifetime retain much of their value even after several years. Units without lifetime are practically worthless after a few years. With lifetime you'll be able to recoup a large part of your initial investment making it a much better deal in the long run.

Dan


----------



## Arcady

+1

I was able to convert my whole house from Series3 to Series4 pretty inexpensively, because I received over $1000 for the old boxes. Without lifetime, they would have been worth about $200. So every time I upgrade 3 boxes, it's like buying one and getting two free.


----------



## Dan203

Makes it even easier when TiVo keeps adding tuners. Replace two 2 tuner units with one 4 tuner unit and you'll likely walk away ahead if both had lifetime.

Dan


----------



## Arcady

I actually did just that. For a year we had two TiVo HD boxes in the living room. Now there's just one Elite. The extra box went away, along with the cablecard fee. I only have one monthly box left, which is a 45 hour Premiere on a legacy $6.95 plan. That box might go away if the mini ever comes out.


----------



## Dan203

How did you get a Premiere on a $6.95 plan? I thought Premiere units weren't allowed to be attached to grandfathered $6.95 plans?

Dan


----------



## Arcady

It can be done. I sent you a PM.


----------



## aaronwt

I got my $6.95 a month Premiere at launch. When the Premiere launched you could get a deal on a Premiere for each S3/TiVoHD box you had. If your S3 box was on monthly, you could transfer that $6.95 plan over to the Premiere and I think the S3 box got one year of service. I only have on e$6.95 a month box now. And I did what you mentioned earlier and sold two, two tuner, Lifetime Premieres to cover the cost of each of my Elites. I'm hoping if/when a six tuner box comes out I'll be able to sell my Elites to cover the six tuner box. At least as long as it has at least a 3TB hard drive.


----------



## mahohmei

Stevesreed said:


> That's not very good planning...


"You can stream recordings from any 2-tuner Premiere series box, but you will be unable to set up your TiVo Mini without a 4-tuner TiVo DVR."

I've seen similar planning. My wife got a TiVo Series2 in 2005 (before we were married), and she was already a cell-phone-only household. Despite having a USB-Ethernet dongle, she still had to hunt down someone with a POTS phone line and set it up from their home.


----------



## Dan203

Not quite the same thing. The Mini requires a 4 tuner TiVo on your network to act as it's host. Once it's setup the UI on the Mini is basically a reflection of that 4 tuner host, including the list of other TiVos on your network at the bottom with the ability to select them at play a recording from them. I don't think you'll be able to take a Mini to your friends and set it up with his 4 tuner Premiere and then bring it home and use it with your 2 tuner unit. If the host is suddenly missing it'll like cease to function completely.


----------



## DaveDFW

Dan203 said:


> I don't think you'll be able to take a Mini to your friends and set it up with his 4 tuner Premiere and then bring it home and use it with your 2 tuner unit. If the host is suddenly missing it'll like cease to function completely.


I assume the Mini will operate like other Tivo devices and will be bound to the MAK on your account. If you want to move the Mini to another network with a different MAK, the Mini would have to be transferred to that other account.


----------



## Dan203

DaveDFW said:


> I assume the Mini will operate like other Tivo devices and will be bound to the MAK on your account. If you want to move the Mini to another network with a different MAK, the Mini would have to be transferred to that other account.


Good point. So setting it up at a friend's house is not a viable option at all.

So let's just assume that the Mini will only work if you have a 4 tuner TiVo on your account. If you don't then you're SOL.


----------



## takeagabu

But can you get a XL4 from your friend transfer to your account, set it up, and then transfer it back?


----------



## Dan203

Probably not. The Mini would likely cease working once the XL4 dropped off the network. It's basically a reflection of the 4 tuner boxes UI. If the 4 tuner box is gone it wont have a My Shows list, and as such no way to pick the 2 tuner unit to play shows from.


----------



## Davisadm

DaveDFW said:


> I assume the Mini will operate like other Tivo devices and will be bound to the MAK on your account. If you want to move the Mini to another network with a different MAK, the Mini would have to be transferred to that other account.


Yes, that is correct. You have to activate the Mini on your account, and it will be assigned the same MAK as your other TiVo products on the same account. And it has to be on the same LAN.


----------



## takeagabu

Dan203 said:


> Probably not. The Mini would likely cease working once the XL4 dropped off the network. It's basically a reflection of the 4 tuner boxes UI. If the 4 tuner box is gone it wont have a My Shows list, and as such no way to pick the 2 tuner unit to play shows from.


In theory, that is how it should work, but I never give tivo that much credit. I can't wait to see someone try it.


----------

