# Better option...new Tivo with streaming or Slingbox?



## sptnut (Sep 1, 2003)

I am trying to help my boyfriend pick the best option for him and his situation. I am a longtime Tivo customer, but do not have Tivos with streaming abilities. He does not currently have a Tivo and travels extensively for work. 

He is looking for something that will allow him to watch anything he currently gets on his tv at home no matter where in the country he is. He likes the sound of the features Tivo has such One Pass and Wish Lists. But what he really wants it to be able to watch his local channels no matter where he is. Let's say he was in Texas, but wanted to watch whatever his local ABC channel in Tennessee was showing live. That's the feature he's looking for more then anything. 

From what I'm reading online, it seems like streaming from Tivo has some issues which is why I'm wondering if Slingbox might be the better for what he wants. Which do you think is a better option in this case...Tivo or Slingbox?


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## rdrrepair (Nov 24, 2006)

My TiVo's stream without any issues. Can't speak of slingbox, never owned one. My only issue with TiVo was when they stopped supporting their FireStick app, but they're getting ready to release a replacement app shortly. It's currently in beta testing.

TiVo online works for me. I watch what I want, when I want. I've tried it in Florida at Disney, Grove Oklahoma at my parents house and several other places much closer to NY.

Only limitations is copy protected shows. Anything on live tv must be initiated to record first then you can start streaming


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## mdavej (Aug 13, 2015)

I've have used Slingbox with various devices, including Tivo, for many years. While Slingbox is more clunky to set up and use, the end result is a lot better than any other method. You have full control of the box and can watch anything on it, including other streaming apps (like Netflix) anywhere in the world at the highest possible resolution for a given bandwidth. You can't do this with Tivo's streaming solution. Its resolution is much lower, copy protected content and apps can't be streamed, and doesn't work at all outside the US.

Realize that I'm talking about connecting a Slingbox to a Tivo, so you're technically using both devices, not one or the other. A Slingbox can't do anything on its own. It has to be connected to some video source like a Tivo or some other cable/satellite/OTA tuner box or DVR.

The Tivo-only streaming solution I'm talking about would utilize just a Tivo with built-in streaming (like Roamio Pro or Bolt) or add-on via the Stream box. I have a Roamio OTA with a Stream box. I use it occasionally on a phone, and it works fairly well, but still has all the limitations above. If I want to watch any copy protected content or watch on a big screen (TV rather than phone/tablet) or am travelling outside the US, I'll use my Slingbox (connected to my Tivo of course).

If the local news is the only thing he cares about, he could probably just stream that directly from the station's website. I would investigate that possibility before spending any money on new hardware.


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## nuraman00 (Dec 28, 2012)

Can you use a Slingbox to watch recorded shows on a Tivo?


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## krkaufman (Nov 25, 2003)

nuraman00 said:


> Can you use a Slingbox to watch recorded shows on a Tivo?


The Slingbox just encodes and streams the attached device's video output, so yes. (Which is also why a Slingbox is useful for getting around the copy protection limits of TiVo's built-in streaming offering.)


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## sptnut (Sep 1, 2003)

rdrrepair said:


> My TiVo's stream without any issues. Can't speak of slingbox, never owned one. My only issue with TiVo was when they stopped supporting their FireStick app, but they're getting ready to release a replacement app shortly. It's currently in beta testing.
> 
> TiVo online works for me. I watch what I want, when I want. I've tried it in Florida at Disney, Grove Oklahoma at my parents house and several other places much closer to NY.
> 
> *Only limitations is copy protected shows. Anything on live tv must be initiated to record first then you can start streaming*


Any idea if the NFL copy protects games on locals channels?


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## wmcbrine (Aug 2, 2003)

sptnut said:


> Any idea if the NFL copy protects games on locals channels?


They wish. No, it's channel-by-channel, not program-by-program, and it's your local channel provider that does it, not actually the channel owners. OTA channels aren't supposed to be flagged, but a rogue cable company might do so.


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## nuraman00 (Dec 28, 2012)

krkaufman said:


> The Slingbox just encodes and streams the attached device's video output, so yes. (Which is also why a Slingbox is useful for getting around the copy protection limits of TiVo's built-in streaming offering.)


Good to see you back, krkaufman.  Can you also check that other thread I have about the Mini? I have some updates.

Also, how do you browse through your recordings from the Slingbox?

I'm thinking about either a Slingbox 500 or a used Tivo Stream. I thought about starting with a Tivo Stream, but I'm still learning things in these threads that may influence my decision.


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## mdavej (Aug 13, 2015)

Slingbox is exactly like sitting in front of your TiVo or whatever it’s connected to. So browse the same way you would sitting in front of the TiVo. Only difference is you click the buttons on a pop up remote that looks exactly like a real TiVo remote.

I also have a Stream but it sucks on a big screen. It’s tolerable on a phone.


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## kcejo (Sep 12, 2017)

If you buy the HDMI to component adapter that Slingbox sells on its site, it allows copyrighted material to stream. I didn't even have to use the component connectors, just hooked it up HDMI to HDMI. It cuts your picture down from 1080p to just 1080, but I don't find that to be a problem.


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## nuraman00 (Dec 28, 2012)

mdavej said:


> Slingbox is exactly like sitting in front of your TiVo or whatever it's connected to. So browse the same way you would sitting in front of the TiVo. Only difference is you click the buttons on a pop up remote that looks exactly like a real TiVo remote.
> 
> *I also have a Stream but it sucks on a big screen.* It's tolerable on a phone.


Why does it suck on a big screen?

I would most likely be using it on a 21" monitor.


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## mdavej (Aug 13, 2015)

nuraman00 said:


> Why does it suck on a big screen?
> 
> I would most likely be using it on a 21" monitor.


Because the resolution is horrible. Not so noticeable on a phone. Maybe not terribly noticeable on a small monitor. You'll have to judge for yourself.


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## Series3Sub (Mar 14, 2010)

kcejo said:


> If you buy the HDMI to component adapter that Slingbox sells on its site, it allows copyrighted material to stream. I didn't even have to use the component connectors, just hooked it up HDMI to HDMI. It cuts your picture down from 1080p to just 1080, but I don't find that to be a problem.


It's it's much cheaper and easier to just get a powered HDMI splitter and it will circumvent hdcp and all copy protected content will flow through into the slingbox chuuya remote location without any problems.

A *powered* 2-way HDMI splitter can be half for about 20 bucks on Amazon. just read the reviews for that splitter to verify that it does indeed circumvent the hdcp because a non-powered splittet may not circumvent hdcp. I use an HDMI splitter and it does work. plenty of Articles from audio video Publications Etc telling how to do this and that it does indeed work. again, it must be a powered HDMI splitter so just read some of the reviews or questions on Amazon that have been answered to be certain of that particular model will indeed circumvent hdcp which means that it's a properly manufactured and powered HDMI splitter.


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## Series3Sub (Mar 14, 2010)

nuraman00 said:


> Why does it suck on a big screen?
> 
> I would most likely be using it on a 21" monitor.


 Slingbox uses proprietary encoding that provides good picture quality in even very slow bandwidth limited internet connections. while the ideal speed of 8 megabits per second sends the absolute highest quality of picture, the internet speed can be a slow is 3 megabits per second and the picture still looks good. the Slingbox dynamically changes the encoding should the internet connection change slow fast Etc all without dropping the picture or having to start all over. in my experience the TiVo Stream is extremely dependent on the speed of the internet connection and even then can often send a low quality of picture even with very fast Upstream and very fast Downstream connections. It's just so unreliable and often very frustrating.

so blowing up a poor picture quality TiVo Stream image to a 55-inch HDTV is going to look really awful, I seen it using the old TiVo app on Fire TV, and that was using my gigabit LAN. I can't begin to tell you how many frustrating instances this occurred. It seems the TiVo Stream has moods and good days and bad days.

the best the best way to watch Slingbox on a big screen HDTV is to use the Amazon Fire TV with the free Slingbox app that when launched automatically connect to the Slingbox and the picture is great it's like watching it at your house. the picture quality with a Fire TV and Slingbox app blows it up to see a 55-inch HDTV very nicely.

you can also use a Roku connected to an HDTV to watch your sling content. However with a Roku you must use a mobile device to initiate the procedure and then the mobile device becomes the remote control for the Slingbox and sling content. The Roku remote is not used while you're watching and controlling your sling content. again picture quality is good even in slow internet connections. but the Fire TV route with the Slingbox app is the easiest, most intuitive and even most reliable way of making that connection.

The only value for the only value for the TiVo Stream is if you want to transfer shows to a mobile device, but only the shows which you were allowed to that don't have the copy protection, but if you want to stream reliably and with a good picture quality even in slow speed internet, then the Slingbox is it. and remember the TiVo Stream is an old product that has not been manufactured in years and TiVo as far as I know has not updated or given it any enhancements they're fixed any of its problems for quite some time.


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## nuraman00 (Dec 28, 2012)

Series3Sub said:


> Slingbox uses proprietary encoding that provides good picture quality in even very slow bandwidth limited internet connections. while the ideal speed of 8 megabits per second sends the absolute highest quality of picture, the internet speed can be a slow is 3 megabits per second and the picture still looks good. the Slingbox dynamically changes the encoding should the internet connection change slow fast Etc all without dropping the picture or having to start all over. in my experience the TiVo Stream is extremely dependent on the speed of the internet connection and even then can often send a low quality of picture even with very fast Upstream and very fast Downstream connections. It's just so unreliable and often very frustrating.
> 
> so blowing up a poor picture quality TiVo Stream image to a 55-inch HDTV is going to look really awful, I seen it using the old TiVo app on Fire TV, and that was using my gigabit LAN. I can't begin to tell you how many frustrating instances this occurred. It seems the TiVo Stream has moods and good days and bad days.
> 
> ...


Yeah, that's not me. I don't enjoy watching things on a mobile device, the screen is too small. I'd rather wait to watch on a TV, or a good sized PC / laptop monitor.


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## tommiet (Oct 28, 2005)

Slingbox also adds nice commercials to your tv viewing.. You can block them... Google it.


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## Series3Sub (Mar 14, 2010)

tommiet said:


> Slingbox also adds nice commercials to your tv viewing.. You can block them... Google it.


But only when launching some versions of the app but never ever during playback of your content. I don't get the ads and that maybe because I do remember having some of the paid apps. But I've since used a newer devices the free apps and I don't get that problem. also if watching on a PC you can easily go to full video and the ads never ever appear in full screen video on your PC.

Sling was trying to use the YouTube model of a short ad upon launch of an app and then some ads when you were in the Limited screen mode because there is a cost in maintaining and updating the app and the only source of Revenue sling was getting was from the initial sale of the box, and Sling media was indeed updating and enhancing the sling apps and developing new apps for the Fire TV etc. Again ads never ever interrupt your streamed content and when viewing in full screen mode never ever any ads visible. You can also resize the full screen to be a very small square on your PC screen and ads still never ever appear. The SlingPlayer app on Fire TV never ever ever has any ads whatsoever anywhere.

Frankly the whole Slingplayer ads kerfuffle was a whole lot of nothing. I had expected the worst, and it turned out to be a great big nothing. Meanwhile, YouTube constantly interrupts my streamed viewing of their content Even after only four minutes of a 9-minute video, and even worse if I pause the YouTube content then come back a few moments later to resume it immediately goes to an ad before I'm allowed to continue viewing, and this happens no matter how many times I may have to pause to do something in say and eight or nine minute video. Heaven forbid I have to pause just for 60 seconds to do something because when I resume I'm always sent to one of those stupid ass before the video resumes. On the other hand, ads with SlingPlayer are easy to ignore, or make completely disappeared when watching in full screen mode and resizing that full screen down to a very small square if you so desire and never any ads. In fact, with a sling player it's easy to view things as if ads never exist.


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## tommiet (Oct 28, 2005)

Overpriced with adds... Junk and I sold mine.

Other options available. My new Tivo Bolt does a fair job of remote access (with no adds.) You could buy a web-based video service or use an add-on device.

Save your $$$$.

IMO...
Slingbox is on its last days.... And when they die... your Slingbox will too as it needs their servers to work. The old ones did not and you could connect directly to your Slingbox.


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## Series3Sub (Mar 14, 2010)

tommiet said:


> Overpriced with adds... Junk and I sold mine.
> 
> Other options available. My new Tivo Bolt does a fair job of remote access (with no adds.) You could buy a web-based video service or use an add-on device.
> 
> ...


Okay, you are entitled to your opinion. However, here are some facts:

1. TiVo Stream will not stream nor move content to a mobile device that has CCI restrictions or other content protection. This is a well-known, big gripe among many here on the TCF and why many TCF members inquire about a Slingbox rather than using the TiVo Stream feature or old add-on device after experiencing the TiVo streaming features limitations, frustrations and often inferior stability and picture quality, along with the inability of owners of TiVo DVR's that do not have TiVo Stream built-in the DVR to get the no longer manufactured old TiVo Stream external device for which Slingbox is the best alternative. Further, TiVo will not stream to any locations outside of the USA, another irritant to some TiVo users. Slingbox, on the other hand, will Sling all content regardless of Digital Rights Management by using either the analog inputs, which include component for HD, or if using HDMI, using a very inexpensive HDMI splitter to circumvent content restrictions. Also, Slingbox will stream to devices located anywhere in the world. there is no other device currently available that can do what Slingbox does and do it in as high quality as Slingbox is capable of doing. all the other imitators are inferior in picture quality or require monthly fees or annual fees even a big one time fee. There is no additional cost to using a Slingbox after the initial purchase of the box, and free SlingPlayer apps are available. *I will say the TiVo Stream or built-in stream function certainly has tremendous value in being able to transfer recordings to mobile devices, that is recordings that do not have content restrictions, which are many, unfortunately.*

2. it is not true that the Slingbox is dependent upon servers. The original implementation of Slingbox was never dependent upon servers, but rather made direct connections between the Slingbox and the viewing device, even after Echostar/Dish bought Sling media (in those days one could even connect to the Slingbox within a LAN even if there was no connection to the internet). Later, Echostar, parent of Sling Media, determined it needed advertising to generate revenue to pay for the cost of updating and creating new versions of the SlingPlayer apps. This meant that Slingboxes would have to momentarily connect with a server in order to load and later inject ads, but the Slingbox would still stream directly to the SlingPlayer at the remote location without any routing to or through a server. This is the same scheme on many web pages where you connect directly to, say a newspaper, but upon loading the page, a third party used a separate stream to inject the ads that appear in the article once the entire page has loaded. You can eliminate that separate stream that loads the ads on the webpage and still see all the content of the newspaper article, but it's just the ads won't appear, and your computer still has a direct connection to that newspapers website that loads the article only. Likewise, Sling Media can at anytime decide to just forget about the advertising and let users continue to use their Slingbox and Sling players using the original model of a direct connection between the Slingbox and the SlingPlayer without ever making momentary initial contact with any server. This means that Slingbox and SlingPlayer can still be used for years without Sling media being involved in any way. However, _*it is the TiVo Stream function that is greatly dependant upon TiVo servers*_ that provide all the portions of the web page regarding TV shows and movies currently on air, Etc. or available for recording or viewing, accessing different TiVo devices or moving content to another TiVo DVR, creating timers, Etc. Without the TiVo servers the TiVo Stream service is non-existent.

And lastly, you are aware of TiVo's plans to inject advertising all over the EPG, right? in fact it can be interpreted as TiVo's last Hail Mary pass to make TiVo economically sustainable, and if the new TiVo scheme of injecting ads all over its UI fails, then it's TiVo DVRs and other Hardware far more likely headed to becoming door stops and boat anchors, not Slingbox, because TiVo Hardware is absolutely dependent upon TiVo servers to provide EPG data, clock data, app functionality, Etc. in order to function as it does today, meaning being a useful tool as a DVR and whatever else. on the other hand, Sling media can walk away from Slingbox forever but slingboxes and sling players can still work as they do today, not at all the case with TiVo.


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## tommiet (Oct 28, 2005)

Glad you like your SlingBox... Most reviews do not...










If most of your issues are not being able to view content outside of the usa, get a VPN client. Problem solved. And if you have to hack it to get the services you need... Go for it. When I travel outside the USA, TV is the last thing on my list. If you need to download content, do it before you leave home.

Another reason I dumped my Slingbox was I was having HDMI issues with content via my TIVO. Sling suggested that I use RCA cables. Multiple errors with the HDMI verification.


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## JustJohn7 (Mar 20, 2012)

sptnut said:


> He is looking for something that will allow him to watch anything he currently gets on his tv at home no matter where in the country he is. He likes the sound of the features Tivo has such One Pass and Wish Lists. But what he really wants it to be able to watch his local channels no matter where he is. Let's say he was in Texas, but wanted to watch whatever his local ABC channel in Tennessee was showing live. That's the feature he's looking for more then anything.


I use a mini and a slingbox M2, and it works very well for me. I mainly use it on a Kindle Fire tablet. I can watch anything the mini can watch, including all streaming channels/apps. When we evacuated Fort Lauderdale for hurricane Irma, I was easily able to watch local (I only had antenna and AT&T internet) broadcasts the entire time from 400 miles away. The slingbox solution works well, although it can be cumbersome to navigate to what you want to watch, once there and watching, the performance and quality is excellent. I don't own, nor have I tried the TiVo stream, so can't answer that. I just have a 4 tuner Roamio (supports cable and antenna) and a mini.


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## osu1991 (Mar 6, 2015)

My faithful slingbox 350 was defeated by a lightning strike and power surge Thursday, along with my tvs, Roku, firetv stick, 1 tivo mini and my surround receiver. 1 Roamio lost its Ethernet port too.

I may not replace the slingbox at my house as we still have one connected in Las Vegas at the condo and 1 at my dads house here. I can use those as long as my dad isn’t using them. He is in Vegas now and using the slingbox here several hours a day. There is also a TiVo stream connected that I can try to use too, as long as I’m not on iOS and cellular. If a trade in or lifetime service swap came up for a Bolt, I might consider swapping the Roamio for one.


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