# I want a TIVO Search IPAD App



## bradleys (Oct 31, 2007)

TIVO is really missing the boat on this if it isn't in the works! They need to develop TIVO Search into an IPAD app... Lots of options that can work here!

- The app would allow you to search and record for any TIVO platform
- The app would allow you to "watch now" on the Premier (works as a remote)
- The app would allow you to control MRV. Move a show from TIVO 1 to TIVO 2 or save a recording to an archive.

TiVO was cutting edge a long time ago, this is what they need to get back into relevance!

Thoughts


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## audvidman (Jan 18, 2008)

Yea, were all waiting...


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## csm10495 (Nov 15, 2008)

add slinging and maybe we would be caught up to the technology of today


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## bradleys (Oct 31, 2007)

csm10495 said:


> add slinging and maybe we would be caught up to the technology of today


Sling would be cool but could get sticky with the content providers...

I just really want them to leverage the technology they already have! TiVo put out a TIVO PC product a while back that required a subscription to get similar functionality as a TIVO Box. What a waste of R&D, did they sell any of those?

This would bring real value and I believe promote sales of the TIVO Premier to people who don't already own a TIVO. When people ask me why I own a TIVO, I describe the functionality and their responce is "I already have most of that" with a shrug.

One word "differentiate!"


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## hc130radio (Sep 16, 2004)

i just want an App where i can get online and set programs to record like football games or shows i find interesting since i'm on the road an average of 6 months out of the year. everything else is gravy.


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## baimo (Mar 2, 2006)

dvr remote app works fairly well for premiere and i believe series 3 also.
I mostly use it for typing searches. costs 2.99


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## bradleys (Oct 31, 2007)

A remote is not the end game, it is just added functionality that can be supported by premier. This app would allow you to find and setup shows, move content around, manage your season passes.

Some of this functionality is already supported by the Tivo web site... Other would be functionality handled in desktop. All of it doable and if it were rolled into an IPAD app it would be killer!

Think of the Tivo Buzz! When was the last time we have had that kind of good press?


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## ZeoTiVo (Jan 2, 2004)

bradleys said:


> TiVo put out a TIVO PC product a while back that required a subscription to get similar functionality as a TIVO Box. What a waste of R&D, did they sell any of those?


 TiVo did not make that product - they licensed their interface and such to the company that made Nero. So TiVo made some bucks on the initial deal, but the product was really bad and did not sell well at all. Loss for Nero.



hc130radio said:


> i just want an App where i can get online and set programs to record like football games or shows i find interesting since i'm on the road an average of 6 months out of the year. everything else is gravy.


you can go to www.tivo.com or m.tivo.com for phones and schedule any show on any of your DVRs. You can also manipulate the season passes some.

To the OP - the app on iPad would be cool but TiVo would have to do the business deals to be able to use the guide data on the iPad. They have no license for that now.


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## aadam101 (Jul 15, 2002)

bradleys said:


> TIVO is really missing the boat on this if it isn't in the works! They need to develop TIVO Search into an IPAD app... Lots of options that can work here!
> 
> - The app would allow you to search and record for any TIVO platform
> - The app would allow you to "watch now" on the Premier (works as a remote)
> ...


Tivo is missing the boat on a lot of things. I wouldn't expect to see anything like this anytime soon......unless it's a third party app.


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## bradleys (Oct 31, 2007)

> To the OP - the app on iPad would be cool but TiVo would have to do the business deals to be able to use the guide data on the iPad. They have no license for that now.


Lord knows I do not know the complexities of TIVO's contractual agreements, but I tend to believe that it should not be an issue.

The guide data would be used in a very similar way as it is used on the TIVO website. If it is available in that format, then it shouldn't be a change to use it on an IPAD app. It is just data as a service in both instances...

If necessary, some functionality could be limited to HOME wifi only connections.

I love my TIVO's, I just wonder if they are going to still be around in 5 years... A lot of pressure in the market and most of their sales go to existing customers - not a lot of market growth for them.


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## ZeoTiVo (Jan 2, 2004)

bradleys said:


> Lord knows I do not know the complexities of TIVO's contractual agreements, but I tend to believe that it should not be an issue.


tend to believe all you want  but That would be a very different use of the guide data then what TiVo contracted for and Tribune would need to agree to it, which likely would be in the form of a contract with a fee


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## mattack (Apr 9, 2001)

aadam101 said:


> Tivo is missing the boat on a lot of things.


Heck, Tivo is missing the flotilla.


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## bradleys (Oct 31, 2007)

ZeoTiVo said:


> tend to believe all you want  but That would be a very different use of the guide data then what TiVo contracted for and Tribune would need to agree to it, which likely would be in the form of a contract with a fee


You may have personal knowledge about TIVO contractual terms. If you do, then thanks for sharing it helps educate and provides value. I am definitely not an expert on their business.

If you don't have personal knowledge please don't present yourself as an expert.

Either way - if TIVO doesn't find a way to start innovating again then they are going to quickly become irrelevant.


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## Dan203 (Apr 17, 2000)

There are so many cool things like this TiVo *could* do. Unfortunately they don't seem to work on stuff like this any more. Heck they've been working on that new UI for years, and it's still only half finished. (if that) It's sad but I their main focus has shifted away from innovation and toward deals and litigation.

Dan


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## Joe3 (Dec 12, 2006)

Dan203 said:


> There are so many cool things like this TiVo *could* do. Unfortunately they don't seem to work on stuff like this any more. Heck they've been working on that new UI for years, and it's still only half finished. (if that) It's sad but I their main focus has shifted away from innovation and toward deals and litigation.
> 
> Dan


Tivo's leadership is not cool. They need to go!


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## Beryl (Feb 22, 2009)

Bumping this up after downloading the new Xfinity iPad app. Not only does it have the full HD iPad interface (instead of just being compatible), it automatically tunes and record if you have their equipment. You can select from multiple boxes on your account.

If it allowed streaming, I'd probably sell all of my TiVo/Slingbox equipment (including my fancy new TiVo bluetooth remotes). It would be great to see TiVo catch up with them since I hate renting equipment.


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## bradleys (Oct 31, 2007)

Yep! That is what I am talking about...



> Comcast Announces Launch for Xfinity TV App for iPad with the Ability to Watch TV Shows and Movies Anytime, Anywhere
> 
> SAN FRANCISCO and PHILADELPHIA - November 15, 2010
> 
> ...


http://technologizer.com/2010/11/17/xfinity-ipad/

http://www.comcast.com/Corporate/About/PressRoom/XfinityTVApp.html


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## bigpatky (Apr 23, 2008)

bradleys said:


> Yep! That is what I am talking about...
> 
> http://technologizer.com/2010/11/17/xfinity-ipad/
> 
> ...


it's a joke that a company that is as difficult to work with as comcast gets something like this out before tivo.


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## KungFuCow (May 6, 2004)

bigpatky said:


> it's a joke that a company that is as difficult to work with as comcast gets something like this out before tivo.


Come on.. you know that theyre hard at work on the HD interface,. Cut them some slack.


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## innocentfreak (Aug 25, 2001)

http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?t=459643


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## bradleys (Oct 31, 2007)

Yep, I saw that and I am very happy. I was planning on upgrading my Series 2 to a Premier for Christmas so this works for me.

I do understand why they focused on the Premier. The big capability that is missing to make this work on the Series 3 platform is remote by IP. They may choose to add that funtionality to the Series 3 platform later, they may not... I do not think hardware would be a limitation in this case...

What I did not see and what I hope to see in the future is MRV functionality. I would love to be able to initiate a transfer from Unit A to Unit B or from Unit A to a Computer...

If they add Series 3 units and add MRV functionality in the future, this will be a big win... 

Either way, I am happy to see them deliver this product and look forward to getting my hands on it!


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## orangeboy (Apr 19, 2004)

bradleys said:


> Yep, I saw that and I am very happy. I was planning on upgrading my Series 2 to a Premier for Christmas so this works for me.
> 
> I do understand why they focused on the Premier. The big capability that is missing to make this work on the Series 3 platform is remote by IP. They may choose to add that funtionality to the Series 3 platform later, they may not... I do not think hardware would be a limitation in this case...
> 
> ...


I could see an TiVo iPad "lite" that incorporated the LAN network remote, but the full-blown app has hooks into Premiere only data, such as "Collections".


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## bradleys (Oct 31, 2007)

Can you explain "Collections" to me?

I have always tried to be understanding about Tivo upgrading their hardware and software... As the hardware improves, I want them to continue to develop functionality for the new platforms.

I am an IT developer, and from what I can see...there is no visible hardware limitation for this functionality between the S3 and Premier platforms. Don't get me wrong, there very well may be - just from my limited perspective I do not see it.

I do suspect that there is little interest to update the legacy platform at this time - but it may come eventually. 

I am glad they did not wait - they need to keep improving to make themselves relevant.


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## innocentfreak (Aug 25, 2001)

bradleys said:


> Can you explain "Collections" to me?


If you look at the other thread you will see what he is talking about. The Premiere has a new feature called Collections and this is one of the things shown in the video. It is similar to showcases.


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## orangeboy (Apr 19, 2004)

bradleys said:


> Can you explain "Collections" to me?


I'd say they're most closely related to Guru Guides. Just shows or movies with a common theme, grouped into a menu only found on the Premiere box itself. But yes, I'd very well imagine that the data is gathered at the TiVo mothership, and distributed to the Premiere boxes.



bradleys said:


> I have always tried to be understanding about Tivo upgrading their hardware and software... As the hardware improves, I want them to continue to develop functionality for the new platforms.
> 
> I am an IT developer, and from what I can see...there is no visible hardware limitation for this functionality between the S3 and Premier platforms. Don't get me wrong, there very well may be - just from my limited perspective I do not see it.
> 
> ...


I've heard the legacy systems are hard to maintain. Since you come with an IT background, haven't you looked over some poorly documented legacy code written by someone no longer with the company and wonder "what was this guy thinking, and what is this program doing?!". I'm not saying that the TiVo legacy code is poorly documented, but I think the talent that originally wrote the code is no longer at TiVo (and that's pure speculation on my part). To try to retrofit in some new function or feature without breaking core functionality may be too great a risk, given the change in language that came with the Premiere. What's "easy" to do in Adobe Stagecraft (Flash) may not be so easy to port over to the old C code. It actually may explain the lengthy time it's taking to create a complete HDUI for the Premiere: Deciphering what the old C SD menus are doing, and trying to translate that into Flash. Again, pure speculation on my part with nothing to back it up...

Edit: trying again - Got a "Server too busy error" when trying to submit...


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