TIVO Edge + Remote TIVO Mini Vox connection FAQ

[Derwin0]

Can you check something for me?
Look at your mini's and see if you have Vudu app. I do and it is working with my Vudu account on the mini Vox. Next check your Bolt and see if the app is present and if it is working or stating Coming Soon, etc.

I updated my father's Bolt, that he uses for Charter, yesterday to the new operating system (was doing this while adding my login to Amazon Prime so we could watch a movie), and I think I remember seeing Vudu as one of the apps (as I was adding a couple to Favorites).

I'll check mine when I get home (if I can remember to).

 

[harshness]

Ok, as I've never used Youtube live tv, didn't know if it had a standalone app or just ran through a normal youtube app.

That the YouTube app would serve up YTTV seems to be a fairly common misconception. Probably created by the community rather than a statement from TiVo or YTTV.

The YTTV faithful reasoned that a YTTV app would logically be a hop, skip and a jump from the YouTube app but that's looking like a poor assumption as YTTV has made appearances on only 11 platforms (I don't count Chromecast as a streaming platform): Roku, FireTV, ATV, Android, iOS, Xbox and five TV brands. YouTube apps are available for almost every viable streaming platform.

 

[harshness]

I don’t own a Mini, but Vudu has been on Roamios and Bolts for quite some time. In fact, it was on the Bolts when they were introduced.

According to the link I shared in post #110, the Edge is the only modern TiVo that doesn't have a Vudu app yet. Don's conversation with TiVo bears that out.

 

[harshness]

I have found the best all in one device is still the Roku, if I want OTA/DVR I click on the Tablo app, if I want movies click on the Vudu/Apple TV/ Movies Anywhere app, if I go back to Xfinity or YTTV their app, then of course all the other apps, the biggest advantage is we are on only one remote, made it easy for the wife.

While Roku probably has the best support in terms of covering the streaming service bases, it doesn't do a very good job of integrating them and unifying the UIs of the apps.

TiVo arguably has a better unified search when trying to glue what subscription TV it offers together with OTA.

 

[Bruce]

If I was to setup a new system, I might go a different route, but I had gotten the Tivo back when I had charter as their DVR (and DVR fees) sucked. With a Bolt and 3 mini's, I see no reason to change. As I said before, I have it for OTA, the apps are just a bonus.

I looked into Tivo but since you cannot add a external HD to extend space that was the deal breaker and the upfront costs was a lot more since you have to add a mini to every TV (have 4) to get shows from the DVR.

Tivo really needs to get their act together and provide a whole home DVR with just one box and a app, if a small company like Tablo can do it, there is no reason that Tivo cannot.


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[lparsons21]

TiVo arguably has a better unified search when trying to glue what subscription TV it offers together with OTA.

Tivo’s unified search was what made me end up going with it. It works pretty good for Hulu, Netflix and Amazon, but unfortunately those apps are not always well behaved on the Roamio/Bolts.



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[foghorn2]

The one for all device for me is no longer a TiVo DVR, its a Firestick with Sling tv and the AirTV tuner, just add Kodi.
But its not really one for all, I have to use the Samsung TV for VUDU.
The new TiVo Stream 4K may finally be that one device for all as it will have VUDU too and hopefully allow access to my TiVo DVRs. TiVo is falling off the EDGE, with the EDGE.

 

[Derwin0]

I looked into Tivo but since you cannot add a external HD to extend space that was the deal breaker

Who said you can't? The Bolt has supported an external hard drive since day 1, as did the Roamio and Premiere before it. Tivo's Series 3 was the first to implement external storage on a DVR (lost track of how many times the Tivo's guys would gloat about that in the Dish Forums back when Dish lacked that capability).

https://support.tivo.com/articles/Knowledge/How-to-Add-or-Remove-a-DVR-Expander

 

[harshness]

I looked into Tivo but since you cannot add a external HD to extend space that was the deal breaker and the upfront costs was a lot more since you have to add a mini to every TV (have 4) to get shows from the DVR.

Consider that TiVotees may be looking for a more integrated solution than their current mish-mash of different streaming clients. See more at "ecosystem".

Tivo really needs to get their act together and provide a whole home DVR with just one box and a app, if a small company like Tablo can do it, there is no reason that Tivo cannot.

That's not TiVo's business model. They want to be an end-to-end solution (much like how Apple used to be) and they seem to be keeping that going. Obviously, they need to work with many of the popular streaming services to acquire apps to access popular content to make that happen.

 

[foghorn2]

Who said you can't? The Bolt has supported an external hard drive since day 1, as did the Roamio and Premiere before it. Tivo's Series 3 was the first to implement external storage on a DVR (lost track of how many times the Tivo's guys would gloat about that in the Dish Forums back when Dish lacked that capability).

https://support.tivo.com/articles/Knowledge/How-to-Add-or-Remove-a-DVR-Expander

The DVR expanders made for TiVos are no longer avail. You cant add just any usb or ESATA drive.
I have 2 though I can sell you for $1000 dollars each.

 

[harshness]

Who said you can't? The Bolt has supported an external hard drive since day 1, as did the Roamio and Premiere before it.

As Don noted, the Edge (either the cable or the Antenna version) doesn't have an eSATA port on it (though there is a void in the back panel and Weakknees offers an adapter kit for very large money).

 

[Bruce]

Who said you can't? The Bolt has supported an external hard drive since day 1, as did the Roamio and Premiere before it. Tivo's Series 3 was the first to implement external storage on a DVR (lost track of how many times the Tivo's guys would gloat about that in the Dish Forums back when Dish lacked that capability).

https://support.tivo.com/articles/Knowledge/How-to-Add-or-Remove-a-DVR-Expander

From that page-The DVR Expander is no longer available. If you need additional storage, consider upgrading your device.

Even if still available, you can only extend it 1TB, I have a 8TB hooked to my Tablo and it has already filled up 3TB already and the TV season is only half done.


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[Bruce]

That's not TiVo's business model. They want to be an end-to-end solution (much like how Apple used to be) and they seem to be keeping that going. Obviously, they need to work with many of the popular streaming services to acquire apps to access popular content to make that happen.

But they said they were going to, from a post i already made-

A year ago at CES, TiVo demonstrated how popular OTT devices, such as Roku and Apple TV, could let users enjoy access the content on the TiVo DVR in their living room from other rooms in the house, or out of the home.

But this week at CES 2020, a Ted Malone, VP of products and services for TiVo, conceded that apps for OTT players are no where close to being deployed.



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[lparsons21]

From that page-The DVR Expander is no longer available. If you need additional storage, consider upgrading your device.

Even if still available, you can only extend it 1TB, I have a 8TB hooked to my Tablo and it has already filled up 3TB already and the TV season is only half done.


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Yep, the DVR Expander isn’t available anymore. I have one on one of my Bolts.

How are you able to find enough interesting to record that much? My main Bolt has the least I’ve ever recorded at about 14%, streaming has very much lessened my need for recordings. Doesn’t help that I’m finding fewer and fewer new shows to be of interest.


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[lparsons21]

But they said they were going to, from a post i already made-

A year ago at CES, TiVo demonstrated how popular OTT devices, such as Roku and Apple TV, could let users enjoy access the content on the TiVo DVR in their living room from other rooms in the house, or out of the home.

But this week at CES 2020, a Ted Malone, VP of products and services for TiVo, conceded that apps for OTT players are no where close to being deployed.



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According to a few posters over at the Tivo community, it doesn’t appear that the actual Tivo box itself may be much of a priority. Instead seeing software as the key to their future. Unfortunately I don’t see any software they are working on that would accomplish that.


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[Bruce]

How are you able to find enough interesting to record that much? My main Bolt has the least I’ve ever recorded at about 14%, streaming has very much lessened my need for recordings. Doesn’t help that I’m finding fewer and fewer new shows to be of interest.

Recording a lot of OTA right now, but have not watched any yet since we binge everything due to my wife's memory issues because of Parkinson's.

I asked her neurologist about it and she said when the Brain receives more information ( watching every episode at once) vs once a week (plus shows go on breaks during the season) she can retain much more information from it.

So everything we record via OTA right now we will watch during the summer and right now everything we watch is on Netflix and Hulu, plus I will do a once a month only for CBS when both Star Treks are done this year and maybe I will do HBO at the end of this year to get caught up on any shows there.


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[TheForce]

As Don noted, the Edge (either the cable or the Antenna version) doesn't have an eSATA port on it (though there is a void in the back panel and Weakknees offers an adapter kit for very large money).

Weaknees is the easy approach that costs plenty. But you can do it for the cost of parts and a little effort if you are skilled at following instructions with a 3rd party formatting app. That's why I equated Weaknees for this with ifixit. They make DIY relatively easy but with a little effort and skill the tools are readily available. I know this can be done with the Bolt and earlier models but I'm not sure that utility is set for the Edge yet. Obviously its only of academic interest to me at this point. I see less and less desire to archive large volumes of content except for 3D Blu Rays. Of more interest is a repair to replace existing hardware. I respect what theBruce does is different and good reason to need lots of storage. Every TIVO owner needs to know the options for upgrade / repair of their TIVO's

Here's what is a limitation in the Edge. If you decide to add an esata adapter then it negates the internal hard drive because the main board only has one SATA port on board. eSATA adapter cable just plugs into the Sata / powersupply connection. Then you format the external drive for your TIVO ( the complicated part) Or buy from Weaknees and they send you a hard drive already to go. Part of what you are paying them for. You just need to do the setup again but your TIVO is already activated so that part doesn't need to be repeated.

 

[TheForce]

I don’t own a Mini, but Vudu has been on Roamios and Bolts for quite some time. In fact, it was on the Bolts when they were introduced.


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Glad to hear that because it means Edge is not treading on uncharted territory. I had Vudu on my Samsung Player but they recently had a spat and dropped the app support. same with Hulu. Must be something to do with names with double U.

 

[Derwin0]

As Don noted, the Edge (either the cable or the Antenna version) doesn't have an eSATA port on it (though there is a void in the back panel and Weakknees offers an adapter kit for very large money).

That's a shame, as esata drives run fairly quickly. Oh well, never needed more space anyway.

 

[Derwin0]

Haven't used it, because I really don't like to setup my pc to stream (prefer not to bog it down), but the Tivo Bolt does have a Plex app.