# Do I need a Stream?



## wizwor (Dec 18, 2013)

I really like the TiVo Mini. We are using them to reduce the splitting of my television signal. I am looking at adding a Stream to my network. What can the stream do for me? TiVo demo'd Roku and Fire TV apps at CES. Did they ever get released? Does the stream do more than provide access via a phone?


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## shwru980r (Jun 22, 2008)

Tivo has an app for the Fire TV that uses the stream. FF/REW is not as good as a mini.


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## waynomo (Nov 9, 2002)

I don't think you need a Stream. Or rather you already have one built into your equipment so you don't need another. 

Which TiVo DVR do you have?


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## PCurry57 (Feb 27, 2012)

wizwor said:


> I really like the TiVo Mini. We are using them to reduce the splitting of my television signal. I am looking at adding a Stream to my network. What can the stream do for me? TiVo demo'd Roku and Fire TV apps at CES. Did they ever get released? Does the stream do more than provide access via a phone?


If you have a any Premiere or a 4 tuner Roamio (Basic or OTA) and you want to use the TiVo app on any devices to stream recordings.... Yes

Otherwise NO


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## wizwor (Dec 18, 2013)

I have OTAs, so the mini functionality is not included. I have Amazon Fire TVs. Would the stream all the Fire TVs to act as Minis? Live TV plus recordings? Similar performance and quality?


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## pcbrew (Mar 15, 2008)

wizwor said:


> I have OTAs, so the mini functionality is not included. I have Amazon Fire TVs. Would the stream all the Fire TVs to act as Minis? Live TV plus recordings? Similar performance and quality?


Stream + FireTV is not equivalent to a Mini
- No live TV, can only view something already recording
- No control over TiVos, you only get a minimal list of available recordings
- Limited trick play, jump 8s back or 30s forward or long jump something live 5min fwd & back

With a mini you have access to live tv and can schedule recordings and have full trick-play functionality.


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## wizwor (Dec 18, 2013)

Thanks to all. I agree that a stream is not best for me.


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## JBinSD (Oct 4, 2015)

Sorry to hijack, but i just got my Roamio OTA. I have three main TV rooms in my house, all hardwired via gigabit switch. I was previously using HTPC's with WMC. Is a Stream or Mini my better option to be able to watch recorded (or live?) TV from the Roamio? Since I'm OTA, will I need to split the feed from the antenna several times for live TV in separate rooms? 

Sorry if its a silly Q, I'm new to this concept.

thanks for any thoughts,
Joel


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## gabby98 (Feb 11, 2008)

JBinSD said:


> Sorry to hijack, but i just got my Roamio OTA. I have three main TV rooms in my house, all hardwired via gigabit switch. I was previously using HTPC's with WMC. Is a Stream or Mini my better option to be able to watch recorded (or live?) TV from the Roamio? Since I'm OTA, will I need to split the feed from the antenna several times for live TV in separate rooms?
> 
> Sorry if its a silly Q, I'm new to this concept.
> 
> ...


As far as watching live and recorded, you need a mini...sorry I'm not much help in the OTA device and splitting


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## pfiagra (Oct 13, 2014)

JBinSD said:


> Sorry to hijack, but i just got my Roamio OTA. I have three main TV rooms in my house, all hardwired via gigabit switch. I was previously using HTPC's with WMC. Is a Stream or Mini my better option to be able to watch recorded (or live?) TV from the Roamio? Since I'm OTA, will I need to split the feed from the antenna several times for live TV in separate rooms?
> 
> Sorry if its a silly Q, I'm new to this concept.
> 
> ...


A mini will use one of the four tuners from the Roamio OTA for live TV, so the antenna feed only needs to be plugged into the Roamio OTA. No splitting of the tv feed is needed.

FYI - the stream is need to watch from an iOS or android device


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## JBinSD (Oct 4, 2015)

OK, thanx, so a mini shares the tuners in the roamio? Will it connect thru ethernet? I think I saw they all come with "all in"now? Sorry, I'll have to dig into this new setup. . .


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## pfiagra (Oct 13, 2014)

JBinSD said:


> OK, thanx, so a mini shares the tuners in the roamio? Will it connect thru ethernet? I think I saw they all come with "all in"now? Sorry, I'll have to dig into this new setup. . .


Yes, it will connect through Ethernet and the mini has lifetime or all-in service included.


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## gabby98 (Feb 11, 2008)

You will also probably need a MOCA to connect them


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## waynomo (Nov 9, 2002)

gabby98 said:


> You will also probably need a MOCA to connect them


Not if he's using Ethernet.


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## gabby98 (Feb 11, 2008)

waynomo said:


> Not if he's using Ethernet.


Yea...I missed that part didn't i:banghead:


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## JBinSD (Oct 4, 2015)

cool, thanx guys.


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## JBDragon (Jan 4, 2004)

JBinSD said:


> Sorry to hijack, but i just got my Roamio OTA. I have three main TV rooms in my house, all hardwired via gigabit switch. I was previously using HTPC's with WMC. Is a Stream or Mini my better option to be able to watch recorded (or live?) TV from the Roamio? Since I'm OTA, will I need to split the feed from the antenna several times for live TV in separate rooms?
> 
> Sorry if its a silly Q, I'm new to this concept.
> 
> ...


I switched was Windows Media Center a few months ago. Think of the Tivo Roamio or Tivo Bolt as your WMC PC. With that setup, you are using Extenders to watch content on your HDTV's. The best Windows Media Center Extender is/was the Xbox 360. Mine were set to boot up directly into that mode. For Tivo this is the Tivo Mini's!!!

So for example, I have my Main Tivo Roamio OTA box in my Family Room. Then I have 2 Tivo Mini's, One for each Bedroom. Only the Main Tivo needs a Antenna connection. Not the Mini's. while they have a Antenna looking connection, that is only used for the MOCA network connection if you use that. I use my Gigabit Ethernet Network as my house is wired for that. So nothing plugs into that connector. The Tivo Roamio or the Tivo BOLT are doing all the work recording. Using the Mini looks just like you were using the main Tivo. You can watch all your content and stream from Netflix and others like like from the Main Tivo.

What the Tivo Stream does, it's a small Box. Mine is hidden in my closet next to my 24 port Gigabit Switch. It allows me to watch programs my Tivo Roamio Recorded on my PC. It also allows me to set recordings and look at the To Do list, etc. This comes in handy as I watch a lot of my Tivo programs on my Windows Computer. It also allows you to watch your recorded content on a ipad or a iPhone. Or even away from home. In a way it's kind of like a Slingbox, but only for the Tivo you're using.

You can watch LIVE TV from a TIVO Mini using one of the 4 tuners that a Roamio OTA has built in. Of course if it needs to record 4 programs at once, you won't have a free tuner to watch a LIVE program. That's never been a problem for me as I rarely watch anything LIVE, I record everything so I can skip commercials.

It's nice that my Winds PC is no longer always busy recording programs. The Roamio OTA for $300 including Lifetime service is a killer deal. Throw in a 3TB WD Green Hard drive, and now you have a ton of space. Simple swap and you're good to go.


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## JBDragon (Jan 4, 2004)

JBinSD said:


> OK, thanx, so a mini shares the tuners in the roamio? Will it connect thru ethernet? I think I saw they all come with "all in"now? Sorry, I'll have to dig into this new setup. . .


The Mini's can connect either using Ethernet or the MOCA Network. MOCO allows people to use their Cable Wires they may already have in their house for a wired network if they don't have Ethernet. There's no Wireless option. Wifi doesn't have enough bandwidth for good HD streaming anyway. WMC setup, you could stream to 1 HD Extender at a time, but that was the limit.


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## pfiagra (Oct 13, 2014)

JBDragon said:


> What the Tivo Stream does, it's a small Box. Mine is hidden in my closet next to my 24 port Gigabit Switch. It allows me to watch programs my Tivo Roamio Recorded on my PC. *It also allows me to set recordings and look at the To Do list, etc.* This comes in handy as I watch a lot of my Tivo programs on my Windows Computer. It also allows you to watch your recorded content on a ipad or a iPhone. Or even away from home. In a way it's kind of like a Slingbox, but only for the Tivo you're using.


TiVo Stream is not needed to manage your TiVo recordings and To Do list via http://online.tivo.com.


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## JBDragon (Jan 4, 2004)

pfiagra said:


> TiVo Stream is not needed to manage your TiVo recordings and To Do list via http://online.tivo.com.


That's is true, but it is needed to stream your content which is something I do daily right to my Windows 10 PC.


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