# Why my TiVo stream 4K is going back, Back to Roku



## movielover76

I really wanted to like the stream 4K
I think the idea of unifying multiple streaming services under one UI is a winner, but it's not there yet.

I use Netflix, prime video and Hulu. They work fine.
I also use Plex, to get that to stop blinking black frames I had to turn the resolution down to 4K 30 fps. My Roku premier does 4K 60fps with no problem. The crackle app wouldn't even load.

I also found the system unstable, it locked up on me 2 or 3 times in 2 days.

The TiVo stream app is not as good as I hoped, it doesn't support a lot of services and a few times failed to automatically start the episode in a supported service.
I also don't like that I can't choose which profile to use first or set a default profile to use. Our profile recommendations real quick by mistakenly starting shows on the wrong profile.

It's not all a loss by browsing these forums I found out about other free services like reelgood and just watch.
They are similar to the TiVo stream app but support more services and I can add shows not on one of the listed services and track it manually..I just use them on my smartphone.

I reset the TiVo unit and it's going back Tuesday when the post office is open again. I think the device was rushed and feels unfinished. Android TV also just doesn't have the marketshare to guarantee good stable apps like Roku or Firestick and TiVo is very late to the game.


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## aaronwt

I have not run across the black frame issue in Plex with my Stream 4k. It will output at 2160P60 without a blinking issue. But the Always on HDR is the reason I will send mine back. if I ever get around to calling them about the return.


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## movielover76

aaronwt said:


> I have not run across the black frame issue in Plex with my Stream 4k. It will output at 2160P60 without a blinking issue. But the Always on HDR is the reason I will send mine back. if I ever get around to calling them about the return.


I myself didn't notice the HDR issues but I'm color blind lol. I heard allot about it. Never a asked my wife.

There support process is horrible too, the tech support I talked to because their was no option for returns, sounded like he was in a wind tunnel the asked me a bunch of questions and put me on hold only to forward me to customer service where I had to start all over again.


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## newappz

movielover76 said:


> I reset the TiVo unit and it's going back Tuesday when the post office is open again. I think the device was rushed and feels unfinished. Android TV also just doesn't have the marketshare to guarantee good stable apps like Roku or Firestick and TiVo is very late to the game.


Problem is not in Android TV's but in TiVo, they ruined Android TV disabling built-in functions, etc. Nvidia Shield is awseome device and Xiaomi Mi Box S is not bad too, they both running on Android TV 9.


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## movielover76

newappz said:


> Problem is not in Android TV's but in TiVo, they ruined Android TV disabling built-in functions, etc. Nvidia Shield is awseome device and Xiaomi Mi Box S is not bad too, they both running on Android TV 9.


That may be, but Roku has more streaming providers
s, it's super stable and it's much cheaper than Nvidia shield. I was only interested in switching for the streaming provider aggregation. Plus my living room TV runs Androids TV, we use a Roku because we prefer it. But it's still there for apps not available on Roku. I know Roku has quite a few limitations.


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## markjrenna

Just got mine today and set it up. Am I missing something? How is this better than my Roku? I can't even load apps, like TLC Go, that are so easily added on my Roku.


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## mdavej

markjrenna said:


> Just got mine today and set it up. Am I missing something? How is this better than my Roku? I can't even load apps, like TLC Go, that are so easily added on my Roku.


You're not missing anything. Did you not realize this before you ordered?


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## movielover76

markjrenna said:


> Just got mine today and set it up. Am I missing something? How is this better than my Roku? I can't even load apps, like TLC Go, that are so easily added on my Roku.


Agreed, its not better, that's why I returned mine


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## markjrenna

I wanted to support TiVo. Oh well. Back it goes.


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## mwhip

Sending mine back too. I actually really like the remote but the screen blinking is annoying I have gotten the black screen on home scree 4 or 5 times having to pull the power to reboot it. Also I have to manually choose that the display is 4k? Actually when it is 4k is when the blinking is the worst. I am going back to my fire TV cube.


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## Rob Spenc

movielover76 said:


> I really wanted to like the stream 4K
> I think the idea of unifying multiple streaming services under one UI is a winner, but it's not there yet.
> 
> I use Netflix, prime video and Hulu. They work fine.
> I also use Plex, to get that to stop blinking black frames I had to turn the resolution down to 4K 30 fps. My Roku premier does 4K 60fps with no problem. The crackle app wouldn't even load.
> 
> I also found the system unstable, it locked up on me 2 or 3 times in 2 days.
> 
> The TiVo stream app is not as good as I hoped, it doesn't support a lot of services and a few times failed to automatically start the episode in a supported service.
> I also don't like that I can't choose which profile to use first or set a default profile to use. Our profile recommendations real quick by mistakenly starting shows on the wrong profile.
> 
> It's not all a loss by browsing these forums I found out about other free services like reelgood and just watch.
> They are similar to the TiVo stream app but support more services and I can add shows not on one of the listed services and track it manually..I just use them on my smartphone.
> 
> I reset the TiVo unit and it's going back Tuesday when the post office is open again. I think the device was rushed and feels unfinished. Android TV also just doesn't have the marketshare to guarantee good stable apps like Roku or Firestick and TiVo is very late to the game.


 All I did was install VLC player and set my apps like emby and Plex and others to use an external player then the players installed pops up and no more black screen flicker when using VLC player, EUMC flickered and others, but not VLC, very simple fix.


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## rczrider

Just dropped mine off at FedEx using the prepaid label. I recorded the call (let the CSR know, of course, since I'm not sure which state or country they're in and some places require 2-party consent)...there was no mention of me being responsible for the return shipping, or that it would be deducted from my refund. So I'm prepared to threaten to (or actually) contact my credit card if they give me anything but a full refund.

Real shame, TiVo. You could have just left Android TV as vanilla as possible and thrown the Stream app on the device. Probably wouldn't have the problems you're having now, and people like me would gladly replace their other streaming devices with the TS4K.


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## aaronwt

I dropped both of mine off, at FedEX, this morning too.
But prior to that I receievd two emails saying that both my credit cards had been credited a refund of $52.99. Which was the full amount paid.

So now hopefully FedEX doesn't screw up the two returns.


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## aaronwt

The $52.99 credit showed up on one of my credit cards today. And my returns show a delivery date of Monday with the FedEx racking. Hopefully the credit shows up on my other credit card tomorrow.

But I am glad it was actually a full refund like I was told by the CSR on the telephone.


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## MScottC

Last night I successfully loaded the HBO Max app on my Tivo 4K Stream... because of that and CBS AA, both of which are free (sort of) to me, the Stream is staying.


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## aaronwt

The $52.99 credit, for my second Stream 4K, showed up on my other credit card today. So TiVo did give me a full refund. As they said they would. So I am pleased about that. Now the return just needs to get delivered on Monday.


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## BillyClyde

markjrenna said:


> Just got mine today and set it up. Am I missing something? How is this better than my Roku? I can't even load apps, like TLC Go, that are so easily added on my Roku.


Yes, you're missing something. It has the Google Play Store in the main Android TV menu. You can load any app that shows up there. Just hit the white circle button on the remote to take you to the AndroidTV home screen then select the Play Store from the top row of app listings.



mwhip said:


> Sending mine back too. I actually really like the remote but the screen blinking is annoying I have gotten the black screen on home scree 4 or 5 times having to pull the power to reboot it. Also I have to manually choose that the display is 4k? *Actually when it is 4k is when the blinking is the worst. *I am going back to my fire TV cube.


They just sent an update which apparently fixes the black screen issue. If not I can almost guarantee it's a cable issue. 4K60p is very high bandwidth so you must ensure your cables are HDMI Premium Certified to handle 18Gbps. The packaging has a holographic HDMI certification label on it to verify this, but even then it's touchy. I even bought one with the label and it still wasn't good enough. I swapped with another certified brand and all was well.


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## ptcfast2

Rob Spenc said:


> All I did was install VLC player and set my apps like emby and Plex and others to use an external player then the players installed pops up and no more black screen flicker when using VLC player, EUMC flickered and others, but not VLC, very simple fix.


I was able to get the black screens on Plex to resolve by disabling DTS on the Stream via the More menu and also allowing only Dolby Digital pass through in Plex. It was driving me insane, but I have some of my sanity restored.


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## ehardman

aaronwt said:


> The $52.99 credit, for my second Stream 4K, showed up on my other credit card today. So TiVo did give me a full refund. As they said they would. So I am pleased about that. Now the return just needs to get delivered on Monday.


Tivo charged me for FedEx return shipping of $12.xx. Not happy.


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## cwoody222

I’m not returning line but I disconnected it and went back to FireTV.

I just don’t see the value it adds.

But I’ll keep it in a box somewhere to play with again in the future.


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## Steveknj

I was about to return mine or at least keep it disconnected, but it is one of two devices I have that do HBO Max (the other being my XBox One), and since they fixed the CEC issue, it works OK. It still does some weird stuff when device switching though. It really needs some work. Hopefully it will get there eventually.


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## rczrider

rczrider said:


> Just dropped mine off at FedEx using the prepaid label. I recorded the call (let the CSR know, of course, since I'm not sure which state or country they're in and some places require 2-party consent)...there was no mention of me being responsible for the return shipping, or that it would be deducted from my refund. So I'm prepared to threaten to (or actually) contact my credit card if they give me anything but a full refund.


I'm quoting myself because I just now got an email from TiVo saying their received the TS4K I sent back and will be processing a refund of $40.34.

Think again, TiVo. RMA creation date was 06/03. You credited my account $53.61 on 06/04. I'll have to double-check the FedEx tracking (the URL in the email no longer works), but you received the unit the following Monday or Tuesday. You know, 5 weeks ago. You'd better not try some sort of reversal.


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## movielover76

rczrider said:


> I'm quoting myself because I just now got an email from TiVo saying their received the TS4K I sent back and will be processing a refund of $40.34.
> 
> Think again, TiVo. RMA creation date was 06/03. You credited my account $53.61 on 06/04. I'll have to double-check the FedEx tracking (the URL in the email no longer works), but you received the unit the following Monday or Tuesday. You know, 5 weeks ago. You'd better not try some sort of reversal.


It's weird, I got the exact same email, except the amount is 40.11.
I have no idea what's going on over at TV, I sent mine back a long time ago and already got a full refund


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## rczrider

movielover76 said:


> It's weird, I got the exact same email, except the amount is 40.11.
> I have no idea what's going on over at TV, I sent mine back a long time ago and already got a full refund


I suppose it could be an automated email tied to the actual _processing_ of the returned item (meaning it sat in a processing center for more than a month). And it's possible that the automated email is not part of a process that "knows" I've already had the full amount returned, in which case it might be just throwing a number that reflects a 25% restocking fee or some such nonsense.

In any case, it won't fly if they try to take away anything they've already refunded. I'll give them one chance to fix it if they do, then it's off to the races with complaint to my credit card company.


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## aaronwt

I'm glad i was able to get a full refund on both of my Stream 4K units.


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## rczrider

aaronwt said:


> I'm glad i was able to get a full refund on both of my Stream 4K units.


I mean, I got a full refund over a month ago, too...which is why it was surprising to get an email 5 weeks later that they're refunding it (again?) with a 25% penalty or something.

Might be an error. Might be that they refund it twice. Might be that they end up doing an adjustment and take back some of what they already refunded.


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## aaronwt

rczrider said:


> I mean, I got a full refund over a month ago, too...which is why it was surprising to get an email 5 weeks later that they're refunding it (again?) with a 25% penalty or something.
> 
> Might be an error. Might be that they refund it twice. Might be that they end up doing an adjustment and take back some of what they already refunded.


I just looked at my TiVo emails. I do see two emails about my Stream 4K units. One shows that a Stream 4K was received on June 18th. And the other shows they received a Stream 4K on July 14th. Which is a little weird to be almost a month apart, since they were both shipped back on the same day. But the email I received a few days ago about the return still shows a refund of $52.99.


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