TiVo Bolt To Feature Flat UI & HD Settings

No one leaks quite like TiVo… as the forthcoming TiVo Bolt has just shown up in five YouTube videos that seemingly document time to launch, play, etc for the development staff. However, for us civilians, there are a few interesting nuggets.

First, the Bolt will feature flatter interface elements, as previously disclosed via patent filings and an overseas demo.  Next, we can confirm the TiVo Bolt really is the “Series 6” — which reinforces differing internals than Roamio and perhaps bolster the case for those 4k capabilities I’d been alerted to. Lastly, lo and behold, the System Information screen is finally rendered in glorious HD! Will 2015 be the year that TiVo finally and completely abandons the SDUI? (probably not)

29 thoughts on “TiVo Bolt To Feature Flat UI & HD Settings”

  1. Other nuggets… Code name is obviously Minos, which roughly translates into “The HDUI is nearly complete!” Also, whatever model this is has a pretty small hard drive (assuming we’re not recording 4k content that doesn’t yet exist) – maybe 320-500GB.

  2. TiVo videos and Alex Jones weather modification conspiracy videos from the same source. They certainly have varied interests.

    Anyway, the UI looks very snappy.

  3. Wow, I’d hate for TiVo to send those out to anyone who isn’t willing to break the NDA and isn’t an idiot conspiracy theorist.

  4. I wonder if it’s an employee, a partner, or a beta tester. The earliest videos have software that’s dated from July. My first thought had been an employee who thought he had marked these as private to share with the team. But who knows.

  5. Hey, check the 10 second mark of the embedded video.

    It looks like they’re upgrading PLEX to the main TiVo Central screen.

    I’ll cross my fingers, but won’t hold my breath, that they’re also integrating PLEX into OnePass.

  6. Also, the software version is 20.5.4.M1-*, so should we start crossing our fingers for the 20.5.4 update on Roamios?

    Wouldn’t this be the next update, or does TiVo do odd-numbered releases?

  7. The homescreen UI doesn’t look particularly flat to me, but I haven’t used a TiVo in quite some time.

    The flat UI in that video is the standard HTML5 YouTube app, same as on the fireTV and androidTV.

    The other videos from “TiVo Testte” don’t appear to show the TiVo UI at all, unless I missed it?

  8. “Also, whatever model this is has a pretty small hard drive (assuming we’re not recording 4k content that doesn’t yet exist) – maybe 320-500GB.”

    That’s because most of the “DVR-ing” will be in the cloud from an OTT Streaming Service! ;-)

  9. Please tell me, after all this time, after I finally upgraded to a Roamio and Mini system, that the “complete” HDUI will also be making its way to older boxes, and it won’t be a “Bolt exclusive.”

    Because if not, that’s just pathetic.

  10. “That’s because most of the “DVR-ing” will be in the cloud from an OTT Streaming Service!”

    True. But I also wouldn’t waste money sending out 3-6TB hard drives in a test model.

  11. “The other videos from “TiVo Testte” don’t appear to show the TiVo UI at all, unless I missed it?”

    See the video embedded at the bottom of Dave’s OP. The TiVo UI is visible for the first 12-ish seconds.

  12. “Please tell me, after all this time, after I finally upgraded to a Roamio and Mini system, that the “complete” HDUI will also be making its way to older boxes, and it won’t be a “Bolt exclusive.””

    The software version in the above video is 20.5.4.M1-*, so the HD UI may roll out in the next software update for Roamios, in parallel with the release of the Bolt.

    It’ll be interesting to see what features *will* be Bolt-exclusive, though, aside from 4K.

  13. “Will 2015 be the year, TiVo finally and completely abandons the SDUI? (probably not)”

    Well, it would seem appropriate, finally getting to an HD UI… as they’re rolling out an UHD capability. Now we can all start badgering about when the HD UI will be upgraded to UHD!!

  14. “True. But I also wouldn’t waste money sending out 3-6TB hard drives in a test model.”

    Maybe they’re using external HDDs instead of internals and this is just the size HDD this tester decided to use for his testing?

    Dave Z., any confirmation on the Voice Search feature I mentioned over at TCF?

  15. Unless I’m missing something I don’t see much of a GUI change at all. The YouTube app looks “flat” but it currently does already.

  16. “Regarding Plex, eh who cares where it’s located once voice recognition launches?”

    Chuckle. Yeah, but my fingers remain crossed that it signals an intent to prioritize PLEX development and integration, hopefully into OnePass.

  17. “Unless I’m missing something I don’t see much of a GUI change at all. The YouTube app looks “flat” but it currently does already.”

    I think the main change visible is that the System Information screen has been upgraded to HD, indicating that maybe TiVo’s made some progress on getting the whole UI to HD.

    One benefit of this, as can be seen in the above video, is that the mini video window in the upper right will remain available throughout the menu, rather than getting whacked whenever you venture into a SD UI component.

  18. “Maybe they’re using external HDDs instead of internals and this is just the size HDD this tester decided to use for his testing?”

    I think we both know how insane that would be. SO many more chances for hardware failure with an external hard drive. (add’l power supply to fail, accidental disconnects or shock killing the drive, etc.)

    But who knows…

  19. You don’t need a power supply with eSATAp (sp?) the way DirecTV does it with their Genie Lite H44 which is a Genie Receiver that offers an add on HDD Kit to make it a full blown Genie DVR. This type of connector also has latches that keep it attached.

    I have one and it’s pretty cool!

  20. “don’t need a power supply with eSATAp …”

    Good to know, but an unlikely enough possibility that I’ll postpone further speculation on the external HDD front.

  21. When Dave says “flat” I’m pretty sure he’s referring to the iconography. The silhouette logo, mail icon, the Ono demo icons, and the flat thumbs up, thumbs down icons Tivo recently submitted to the USPTO.

  22. Looks like the use of yellow/gold as an accent color in the UI has fallen by the wayside too. The overall look is now a bit more modern and toned down.

  23. “My first thought had been an employee who thought he had marked these as private to share with the team.”

    Looks like the video is private now. =/

  24. “When Dave says “flat” I’m pretty sure he’s referring to the iconography. The silhouette logo, mail icon, the Ono demo icons, and the flat thumbs up, thumbs down icons Tivo recently submitted to the USPTO.”

    Ah yes I understand now. Thanks.

  25. Now hopefully they will stop crippling Plex at the knees and allow it to support 1080p etc. as of now, its a non starter for me on the TiVo.

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