# Buying Roku like adding a tuner or 2 to my TiVos



## macjeepster (Sep 2, 2007)

Using the Roku for for streaming HBO Go and Showtime Anytime makes recording these channels on my TiVos unnecessary. 
Amazingly, the quality of the Roku streaming is far superior to Time Warner's overly compressed signal on these channels. I can dedicate my Premieres to just recording regular network and cable channels.
If there were commercials, it would probably be different, because mostly the Roku won't let you fast-forward through them, but on these channels there are none, so that's not an issue.
The Roku is a great companion for Tivo.


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## gweempose (Mar 23, 2003)

I have Comcast, so I can't access HBO GO or Showtime Anytime via the Roku. Regardless, I still love it and use mine almost every day.


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## tarheelblue32 (Jan 13, 2014)

Time Warner Cable also has its own Roku app that you can use to receive TWC on-demand content as well as live TV channels streamed over the internets.


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## buscuitboy (Aug 8, 2005)

gweempose said:


> I have Comcast, so I can't access HBO GO or Showtime Anytime via the Roku. Regardless, I still love it and use mine almost every day.


I am a Comcast customer so do what I do to get HBOGO and Showtime on my Roku...."borrow" a Verizon FIOS ID from a family member (who has both Showtime and HBO) to watch all their programs OnDemand. Works like a charm  :up:

I will also say that the Comcast Play app is actually pretty good too (where I use my current Comcast HBO account with).


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## moedaman (Aug 21, 2012)

gweempose said:


> I have Comcast, so I can't access HBO GO or Showtime Anytime via the Roku. Regardless, I still love it and use mine almost every day.


I love my Roku, but I'm getting Comcast installed tomorrow. Luckily, where I live I can get On Demand on my Premiere and my TivoHD is on the same tv my HTPC is connected to. So I'll be fine for that. I would really hate to pay for a couple of Xbox Live Gold subs to watch On Demand.


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## mcf57 (Oct 19, 2012)

I am actually giving serious thought to dumping my 3 lifetime TiVos and just going with a Roku and some tablets. My only hesitation is that I am gonna maybe wait and hold out to see what happens with the Aereo development and how it does in the Supreme Court. 

If Aereo wins, I will then get a Roku and use their app to get my local channels (since I am in an area that can) along with HBOGO (borrowed ID too) on it.


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## PaJo (Dec 17, 2001)

I think Comcast would be wise to release a Roku "On Demand" channel for Comcast customers. It would be a way to keep them rather than force them to look elsewhere. It might even help because some might subscribe to HBO just to get HBOGO. I don't think many current Tivo subscribers are going to drop TIVO for a Comcast DVR or more expensive Tivo just to get On Demand. I suspect many current Tivo owners are happy just where they are. They might add a little more but not ready to make more expensive upgrades.

On edit: we have a Roku attached to every TV in the house but only 1 HD Tivo for our main TV.


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## gweempose (Mar 23, 2003)

moedaman said:


> I love my Roku, but I'm getting Comcast installed tomorrow. Luckily, where I live I can get On Demand on my Premiere ...


The fact that I can now get Xfinity VOD on my TiVo definitely helps to mitigate my anger over not being able to access HBO or Showtime from my Roku. Xfinity doesn't seem to have as deep of an archive, but most of the main stuff is there.


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## HarperVision (May 14, 2007)

tarheelblue32 said:


> Time Warner Cable also has its own Roku app that you can use to receive TWC on-demand content as well as live TV channels streamed over the internets.


 I agree. This is what allowed me to go from a pro to a 4 tuner basic with a Roku at each TV.


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## aaronwt (Jan 31, 2002)

From what I've seen so far from my several Rokus and several TiVos on FiOS. The quality of the streaming apps(audio and video) is worse than what I have on FiOS. Plus with some of the apps, like HBO Go, you can't get access to it unless you have a cable subcsription to HBO anyway.


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## macjeepster (Sep 2, 2007)

The Time-Warner on demand is OK, but you can't FF through the commercials like you can on a TiVo. I guess IiVo has spoiled me, but I hate watching TV with commercials.


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## gweempose (Mar 23, 2003)

macjeepster said:


> The Time-Warner on demand is OK, but you can't FF through the commercials like you can on a TiVo. I guess IiVo has spoiled me, but I hate watching TV with commercials.


I don't know if it's the same with Time Warner, but I actually found Hulu to have less commercials than XFinity On Demand.


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## Johncv (Jun 11, 2002)

mcf57 said:


> I am actually giving serious thought to dumping my 3 lifetime TiVos and just going with a Roku and some tablets. My only hesitation is that I am gonna maybe wait and hold out to see what happens with the Aereo development and how it does in the Supreme Court.
> 
> If Aereo wins, I will then get a Roku and use their app to get my local channels (since I am in an area that can) along with HBOGO (borrowed ID too) on it.


One problem, no one know what will happen if Aereo win. Fox has stated that they will end all OTA broadcasting and go cable only, but legally can they break the contract with local broadcaster? Same with ABC, CBS, NBC. Local sports teams have also stated that they would end all OTA broadcast of local games, can they break contracts with local stations? What happen to all the broadcast spectrum own by FOX, ABC, CBS, NBC do they return it to the government for it to be re-sold to the cell phone companies? How will local stations survive without anything to broadcast? The lawyer are going to have field day and we all know Congress will be useless.


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## PaJo (Dec 17, 2001)

I understand the legal questions concerning Aereo but NimbleTV, USTVNow seem similar and offer DVR services as well, but I am not sure about commercials. If I did not have a Tivo product I may be interested in one of those services to use with their private Roku channels. They may be OK for a temporary fix but as expensive as having cable TV. One thing for sure, times are changing and there are more options available today then the Tivo series 1 days.


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## Bigg (Oct 31, 2003)

The quality of HBO GO is not as good as recording off of cable. I find those things are only useful as a backup when you can't get the content any other way...


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## macjeepster (Sep 2, 2007)

Bigg said:


> The quality of HBO GO is not as good as recording off of cable....


I guess that depends on how many channels they cram into the available bandwidth on your cable system and the setup on your device.

HBO Go on my Roku 3 is noticeably better than HBO Go on my Apple TV and HBO on Time Warner cable recorded on my TiVo .


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## Bigg (Oct 31, 2003)

macjeepster said:


> I guess that depends on how many channels they cram into the available bandwidth on your cable system and the setup on your device.
> 
> HBO Go on my Roku 3 is noticeably better than HBO Go on my Apple TV and HBO on Time Warner cable recorded on my TiVo .


IIRC, HBO and ESPN are the two channels big enough to force even Comcast to not tri-mux them. HBO on Comcast looks pretty amazing. That's interesting. As a Comcast subscriber, I don't have it on Roku, so my comments are based on the iPad app AirPlaying to my AppleTV. I can't use the AppleTV directly, as the remote is almost worthless. I could just try HBO on XoD, but I don't think they have nearly the selection that HBO Go does, and that ties up a tuner.


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## Fofer (Oct 29, 2000)

Bigg said:


> my comments are based on the iPad app AirPlaying to my AppleTV. I can't use the AppleTV directly, as the remote is almost worthless.


What's wrong with the AppleTV remote? I like it. And if you find it so bad, why not just use a better universal IR remote? Or the excellent "Remote" app for iOS? Native playback on the AppleTV (when possible) looks and feels better to me than relying on AirPlay.


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## Bigg (Oct 31, 2003)

Fofer said:


> What's wrong with the AppleTV remote? I like it. And if you find it so bad, why not just use a better universal IR remote? Or the excellent "Remote" app for iOS? Native playback on the AppleTV (when possible) looks and feels better to me than relying on AirPlay.


It just doesn't work most of the time. The IR window is so small and so sensitive that it just doesn't work. I suppose I could use the iPhone/iPad remote, but it's easier just to AirPlay the content in the first place...


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## Fofer (Oct 29, 2000)

I hear ya. I programmed the IR into my Harmony One. I think it has a more powerful emitter. With the original remote I have to point it directly and specifically at the AppleTV, but with the Harmony One I can basically point it "generally in that direction" and it still works.


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## Bigg (Oct 31, 2003)

Fofer said:


> I hear ya. I programmed the IR into my Harmony One. I think it has a more powerful emitter. With the original remote I have to point it directly and specifically at the AppleTV, but with the Harmony One I can basically point it "generally in that direction" and it still works.


Yeah, it must be due to the tiny size of the IR emitter window on their remote. That, and it's not very comfortable to hold...


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## javabird (Oct 13, 2006)

Fofer said:


> What's wrong with the AppleTV remote? I like it. And if you find it so bad, why not just use a better universal IR remote? Or the excellent "Remote" app for iOS? Native playback on the AppleTV (when possible) looks and feels better to me than relying on AirPlay.


I like the Apple remote too, and it works 100% of the time for me. I also think it's comfortable and easy to use, but I can understand it might be harder for people with larger hands. However, I find I use the iOS remote more often because I usually have my iPhone close at hand.


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## Bigg (Oct 31, 2003)

javabird said:


> I like the Apple remote too, and it works 100% of the time for me. I also think it's comfortable and easy to use, but I can understand it might be harder for people with larger hands. However, I find I use the iOS remote more often because I usually have my iPhone close at hand.


It depends on the room you're using it in- but I've googled it and I'm not the only one who has major problems with that thing. There is no way something that flat can be comfortable to use. The Peanut and Roku remote are examples are good remotes.


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## aaronwt (Jan 31, 2002)

Bigg said:


> It depends on the room you're using it in- but I've googled it and I'm not the only one who has major problems with that thing. There is no way something that flat can be comfortable to use. The Peanut and Roku remote are examples are good remotes.


I read that the FireTV remote is similar to the Apple TV remote, only a little larger. I hate the FireTV remote. It is very uncomfortable since it is small and has sharper edges.

While my Roku 3 and Roku 2 remotes are very comfortable to me since they are larger and rounded.


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## Bigg (Oct 31, 2003)

aaronwt said:


> I read that the FireTV remote is similar to the Apple TV remote, only a little larger. I hate the FireTV remote. It is very uncomfortable since it is small and has sharper edges.
> 
> While my Roku 3 and Roku 2 remotes are very comfortable to me since they are larger and rounded.


I haven't gotten a Fire yet, but it looks a little thicker than the AppleTV remote, although that might not mean much...

Roku remotes are more like the Peanut.


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## Chris Gerhard (Apr 27, 2002)

gweempose said:


> I have Comcast, so I can't access HBO GO or Showtime Anytime via the Roku. Regardless, I still love it and use mine almost every day.





tarheelblue32 said:


> Time Warner Cable also has its own Roku app that you can use to receive TWC on-demand content as well as live TV channels streamed over the internets.


I doubt if Comcast has said anything about this but if the Comcast/TWC merger goes through, I would expect this to change. My guess, either both will work with Roku or neither will. I haven't even seen any explanation as to why Comcast doesn't want HBO GO to be on Roku but does want to play nice with Chromecast.


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## Fofer (Oct 29, 2000)

Chris Gerhard said:


> I doubt if Comcast has said anything about this but if the Comcast/TWC merger goes through, I would expect this to change. My guess, either both will work with Roku or neither will. I haven't even seen any explanation as to why Comcast doesn't want HBO GO to be on Roku but does want to play nice with Chromecast.


...and AppleTV.


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## pdhenry (Feb 28, 2005)

Adding to the confusion is the fact that Comcast authorizes HBOGo on a Chromecast.


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## Fofer (Oct 29, 2000)

Yes, Chris Gerhard posted that, just above.

I suspect this has to do with the date the contracts were written up and not because Comcast has some vendetta against Roku.


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## tarheelblue32 (Jan 13, 2014)

pdhenry said:


> Adding to the confusion is the fact that Comcast authorizes HBOGo on a Chromecast.


I don't think that Comcast actually authorizes HBOGOo on Chromecast. Chromecast support is built into the HBOGO website itself, so I think as long as Comcast allows you to log into the HBOGO site at all, you can use it with Chromecast. So to stop their customers from using Chromecast with HBOGO, Comcast would have to deny them access to the HBOGO website completely.


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## Johncv (Jun 11, 2002)

tarheelblue32 said:


> I don't think that Comcast actually authorizes HBOGOo on Chromecast. Chromacast support is built into the HBOGO website itself, so I think as long as Comcast allows you to log into the HBOGO site at all, you can use it with Chromecast. So to stop their customers from using Chromecast with HBOGO, Comcast would have to deny them access to the HBOGO website completely.


What you're implying is that Google is paying to support HBOGo on the Chromacast. As long Google is paying for the support, Comcast (or anyone else) would have no say in the matter.


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## pdhenry (Feb 28, 2005)

I think what tarheelblue32 is saying is that since I can access HBOGo on my PC and it the "Cast" icon that Comcast doesn't know that I've sent it to the Chromecast.

That would be the case if my PC or Android had to be in the loop for streaming to continue, but I'm not just casting a tab so I'm less convinced that it's invisible to Comcast.

But this is the Roku thread.


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## Shanezam203 (Jul 28, 2007)

I also have 2 Roku's and like them a lot. HBOgo and a few others are not yet an option for me with Comcast in Chicago on my Roku but they work on my Apple TV's. 

In time, does anyone see Tivo adopting any kind of a Roku Channel option experience where you can go to an app store and download apps to a Tivo box? Now we have Netflix and MLB TV but it would be nice to be able to search wwe network, hbo go and some others... any plans?


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## Johncv (Jun 11, 2002)

Shanezam203 said:


> I also have 2 Roku's and like them a lot. HBOgo and a few others are not yet an option for me with Comcast in Chicago on my Roku but they work on my Apple TV's.
> 
> In time, does anyone see Tivo adopting any kind of a Roku Channel option experience where you can go to an app store and download apps to a Tivo box? Now we have Netflix and MLB TV but it would be nice to be able to search wwe network, hbo go and some others... any plans?


Not going to happen, would be nice if TiVo search show everything on all the streaming servers would be nice to compare the price between Amazon and Apple or see what on Netflix and Redbox and see what DVD they both carry. Hate it that Netflix remove the DVD options from the streaming app.


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## Fofer (Oct 29, 2000)

Shanezam203 said:


> In time, does anyone see Tivo adopting any kind of a Roku Channel option experience where you can go to an app store and download apps to a Tivo box? Now we have Netflix and MLB TV but it would be nice to be able to search wwe network, hbo go and some others... any plans?


No plans that we know of, but of course, had they embraced that earlier on it would have been very wise. What we have now is very far from being the "one box" and quite frankly makes me fear for its future.


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