# Curved BOLT Design: Love it or Hate it ?



## SalemCat (Apr 13, 2006)

To me the new form factor is inconvenient and anti-functional.

I can't stack anything on top of it.

It's difficult to wall-mount.

The curve intrudes into some viewing angles.

To me it's Industrial Design done for the sake of Industrial Design - the worst of all worlds.

I hope the next iteration is a traditional box.


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## atmuscarella (Oct 11, 2005)

Well the white Bolt has been out for almost a year and TiVo just release the Black Bolt + with exactly the same form factor so I guess someone at TiVo thought the look was working for them. 

In any event I don't really care how electronics look - my concern is how they work and the Bolt works great and my Roku sits on top of it just fine.


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## SalemCat (Apr 13, 2006)

I don't actually own a Bolt, as the (4) Premieres I own serve my needs.

But the form factor is definitely important to me.

WISH LIST:

#1 To be able to plug a USB Flash Drive into the front and watch videos and display pics.

#2 Built-in keyholes on the bottom so as to be able to Wall-Mount easily

#3 The ability to plug in a standard External Hard Drive for expansion. And it should be able to be unplugged and inserted into other TiVo units.


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## Dan203 (Apr 17, 2000)

#3 is against the CableCARD rules so it will never happen. At least not for cable recordings. Maybe for OTA. 

To me the design is just meh. Don't love it, but don't hate it either. If I were in need of a new TiVo I'd buy a Bolt+


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## aaronwt (Jan 31, 2002)

I've hated the design and color since I first got a Bolt in October 2015. But that didn't stop me from getting two. I only wish the Bolt+ would have been available a year ago. The design is much more tolerable in Black. Plus it is so much smaller than the Roamio Line.


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## supie (Mar 28, 2007)

What idiot thought this up.

I been want to upgrade ever since they came out. In fact, I want to buy two of the new Bolt Pluses but I won't until they come out with a traditional enclosure.

The Curve Bolt will not fit in my Equipment Cabinet.

I can't stack on top of it.

It looks stupid in a equipment cabinet with A/V Receiver, DVD & BlueRay Players, CD Player, etc.

It looks dumb as a stand alone next to your TV.


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## bkc56 (Apr 29, 2001)

I read somewhere that the form factor was for cooling (probably providing better airflow to the fan on the bottom). But I agree, the shape is inconvenient and distracting (as is the white color on the old Bolts).


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## SalemCat (Apr 13, 2006)

Dan203 said:


> #3 is against the CableCARD rules so it will never happen. At least not for cable recordings. Maybe for OTA.


I am not familiar with those rules.

I'm not asking for the TiVo shows to be in any standard format, though.

To keep them as TiVo Videos, to be viewed only on TiVo equipment, would be fine with me.

I just don't like the expensive and unusual TiVo expansion HD. I had one; it failed; I lost all my shows.


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## sharkster (Jul 3, 2004)

I rather like it, since I don't put anything on my Tivos, nor do I mount them. I can see the frustration there, though!

But what I mostly like is that I'm a nut for keeping my electronics cool, so there is all that circulation. I think that with this particular model it's even more important, as I notice more heat coming from it than any of my previous Tivos.

I have actually always taken 4 water bottle caps and made little feet for under each Tivo so that there is some circulation underneath. It's fine except for when you clean and move it, then you have to wrestle them back where they are supposed to be.


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## lujan (May 24, 2010)

I don't mind the curve as much as the color and the flimsiness. Every time I have to pick it up I think I might break it. At least the Premiere was more sturdy.


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## dianebrat (Jul 6, 2002)

SalemCat said:


> WISH LIST:
> 
> #1 To be able to plug a USB Flash Drive into the front and watch videos and display pics.


Not going to happen, they have never expressed any interest in it


SalemCat said:


> #2 Built-in keyholes on the bottom so as to be able to Wall-Mount easily


Not going to happen, they want the current design to showcase their product over the others.


SalemCat said:


> #3 The ability to plug in a standard External Hard Drive for expansion. And it should be able to be unplugged and inserted into other TiVo units.


Never ever going to happen, CableCARD rules don't allow it.
Sounds like a Roamio Pro is the device you want.


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## PCurry57 (Feb 27, 2012)

SalemCat said:


> To me the new form factor is inconvenient and anti-functional.
> 
> I can't stack anything on top of it.
> 
> ...


It's ugly, don't like the bend (limits placement, can't stand on edge), hate the bright white.

The plus while black and added two more tuners (ok, but it loses OTA capability), limited streaming capability (down to two streams), and finally one again losing OTA compatibility is a big do-not-buy.


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## thyname (Dec 27, 2010)

I don't have any strong opinion on the shape of Bolt. I certainly don't mind it.


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## V7Goose (May 28, 2005)

I very much dislike the curved case - others have already stated all the reasons. What I really HATE is the white color combined with the stupid curved design - it looks like a piece of Applecrap, which is something I would NEVER own or even allow in my house, so it disgusts me every time I look at it.

And BTW - the Dish Hopper allows the use of any standard USB drive as external storage, and that drive can be removed, reconnected, and even transferred to a different Hopper WITHOUT losing any recordings anywhere! So if a greedy company like Dish can do that, in my opinion there is absolutely NO excuse for TiVo to not do it!


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## SalemCat (Apr 13, 2006)

V7Goose said:


> I very much dislike the curved case - others have already stated all the reasons. What I really HATE is the white color combined with the stupid curved design - it looks like a piece of Applecrap, which is something I would NEVER own or even allow in my house, so it disgusts me every time I look at it.
> 
> And BTW - the Dish Hopper allows the use of any standard USB drive as external storage, and that drive can be removed, reconnected, and even transferred to a different Hopper WITHOUT losing any recordings anywhere! So if a greedy company like Dish can do that, in my opinion there is absolutely NO excuse for TiVo to not do it!


Thanks good to know.

I would invest in the next TiVo for that alone.

I'd love to attach a 5TB Seagate to a USB 3.0 Port !!


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## jrtroo (Feb 4, 2008)

V7Goose said:


> And BTW - the Dish Hopper allows the use of any standard USB drive as external storage, and that drive can be removed, reconnected, and even transferred to a different Hopper WITHOUT losing any recordings anywhere! So if a greedy company like Dish can do that, in my opinion there is absolutely NO excuse for TiVo to not do it!


Dish does not need to deal with the cablecard standard. So, there is a great reason for Tivo to make it work the way it does. I'm sure they would rather make it easier for folks that to have the restriction they use now for compliance.


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## Dan203 (Apr 17, 2000)

SalemCat said:


> I am not familiar with those rules.
> 
> I'm not asking for the TiVo shows to be in any standard format, though.
> 
> ...


The CCI flag rules are weird. You can't copy a recording, or move a hard drive between devices. However you can stream a protected recording. You can also move a recording to the drive of another device as long as it's not accessible by both devices at the same time. (this is how the iPad premium download feature works) The main point is they're not allowed to store the recordings on a drive that can just be moved and plugged in to another device. In fact to prevent "hacking" they actually spread recordings equally across both the internal and external HDD so that there are no complete recordings ever on the external drive.

As for allowing other brands... they could do that. In fact they did that originally. But they had a lot of support issues with drives that were not up to spec so they changed it to only allow the official WD DVR Expander drives.


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## lujan (May 24, 2010)

Dan203 said:


> ...
> 
> As for allowing other brands... they could do that. In fact they did that originally. But they had a lot of support issues with drives that were not up to spec so they changed it to only allow the official WD DVR Expander drives.


Speaking of WD DVR Expander drive, I have a 1 TB drive for sale. Don't know if this is the right thread but I thought I'd let you know. Don't know what to sell if for but bought it and never used it because I never go above the space on the TiVo itself.


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## SalemCat (Apr 13, 2006)

Dan203 said:


> The CCI flag rules are weird. You can't copy a recording, or move a hard drive between devices. However you can stream a protected recording. You can also move a recording to the drive of another device as long as it's not accessible by both devices at the same time. (this is how the iPad premium download feature works) The main point is they're not allowed to store the recordings on a drive that can just be moved and plugged in to another device. In fact to prevent "hacking" they actually spread recordings equally across both the internal and external HDD so that there are no complete recordings ever on the external drive.
> 
> As for allowing other brands... they could do that. In fact they did that originally. But they had a lot of support issues with drives that were not up to spec so they changed it to only allow the official WD DVR Expander drives.


Thanks for the knowledge.

Laws can change if you vote for people who will do so.


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