Tivo Premiere- Family Movie Night is Back

Tivo released some very exciting information about their upcoming Series 4 set-top box, the Tivo Premiere. In the home media market, bridging the gap between a regular cable box, and a net appliance has always been separated into two or three separate devices. This integration is indeed the next evolution of digital media delivery to your Living Room.

Two models

TiVo Premiere

320GB storage space
Can record up to 45 hours of HD programming or up to 400 hours in SD
Supports digital cable, high-definition digital cable, antenna (ATSC) and Verizon FiOS
Outputs: HDMI, Component video, Composite video, Optical audio, Analog audio
Video output modes include: 480i, 480p, 720p, 1080i, 1080p
Inputs: CableCARD™ support (request a Multi-Stream cards from your provider), Cable coax, Antenna coax, Ethernet
Ethernet connection, USB 2.0 ports (2), E-SATA support for external storage
TiVo Wireless N and G Network Adapter support (optional- must buy separately)

TiVo Premiere XL

Same network/video connectivity options as the TiVo Premiere
1 TB of storage space
Can up to 150 hours of HD programming or up to 1350 hours in SD
TiVo premium backlit remote control
THX-certified
THX Optimize- a video calibration tool that lets users fine tune color, black levels and other settings to improve picture quality. A pair of THX Optimizer Blue Glasses, designed for adjusting Color and Tint settings, is included with the owner’s manual.

New Interface

The long-awaited interface refresh (Series 4) was done with Adobe Flash, which should give it a dynamic, content rich feel. I put some pictures below to give you an idea of what to expect. If you aren’t familiar with Tivo’s interface historically, it has always been far superior to the Cablevision / Time Warner / Brighthouse cable boxes. The search functions have always performed better, and more logically as well.

New QWERTY TiVo Remote

Later this year, consumers will have access to a groundbreaking, slide-out QWERTY TiVo remote. It will have a plug n’ play installation, extended range utilizing Bluetooth (about 30′) and backlit programmable buttons. The remote will be shipped with a Bluetooth USB dongle that will be plugged into an available USB port on TiVo Series3, TiVo HD, or TiVo Premiere boxes.

I don’t know if I would use this, but I see a perfect use-case for a Tivo iPhone App.

TiVo Wireless N Adapter

Coming in May, the TiVo Wireless N Adapter allows for quicker transfer speeds and longer range, utilizing both the 2.4 and 5GHz bands.

What it means for you

The key to the success of this box, and it will be a success, is the integration of web-based content from places like Blockbuster, Amazon, Netflix, YouTube, and others. Hulu is conspicuously gone. The addition of that service would make this a killer device.

Another major feature is Tivo search. It not only looks for future TV shows, or previously recorded items stored on your DVR, but looks for available web-based content as well. This brings back the Saturday-night family movie night! Microwave popcorn, anyone?

At the very least, this will be the beginning of a new type of DVR /set-top box offered by Cable /Satellite /Fiber providers. One of the most obvious places for future home computing, and centralized media delivery, is the TV, and these devices will become more and more like a thin client solution.

After having paid an exorbitant fee for a monthly rental ($12/mo for 6 years = $864) for an excruciatingly painful DVR from Cablevison, I will gladly pay for Tivo’s service.