TiVo Video Downloads Come To Android

Nearly a year after TiVo brought video streaming to Android, the DVR pioneer has just followed up with video downloads for offline viewing — finally putting the app on par with iPhones and iPads, perhaps even exceeding iOS given cellular capabilities. As TiVo is quick to caution, the recordings you’ll have access to are determined by your carrier’s relationships with the studios (real or perceived, right TWC?). As a FiOS customer, nearly everything is available to me (other than HBO and Fox properties) … although having requested higher quality downloads, as illustrated below, not enough time has elapsed for me to actually sample and report back on TiVo’s latest video goodness.

TiVo Roamio Pro and Plus owners, such as myself, have these capabilities built-in. Whereas Roamio OTA, Roamio Basic, and Premiere DVR owners, will need the TiVo Stream accessory to beam their content around. Presumably, TiVo will simplify things with the upcoming Bolt line and I’m hopeful all models in the new lineup with feature mobile access … and more.

(Thanks Dan!)

14 thoughts on “TiVo Video Downloads Come To Android”

  1. This does not seem to download to an SD card. I looked on my Galaxy Tab and it only recognized the built in storage on the my shows – on tablet screen. This is disappointing, as I hope they change this. I know iPads have no SD card, but this would’ve helped seeing the cheap price of sd cards these days.

  2. Is your app installed on device or SD card? Wonder if app is on card if recordings end up there too. However it’s designed now is how it’ll probably stay, that’s my guess – they’ve ticked this box, on to the next thing.

  3. Tried that, did not work. Oh well… Guess you can’t have it all when it comes to TiVo. I will have to get a phone with plenty of built in storage. Thankfully I am in the market.

  4. Yes. Fox owned channels like National Geographic have been restricted since late July on FiOS. Along with the previously restricted HBO and Cinemax channels.

  5. Definitely a nice addition to the TiVo app. And the UI update is a nice change too. While waiting for TiVo to add this feature I started using Plex with their Sync feature. Plex definitely has it’s advantages, especially with Plex being available on every platform. But, it’s really hard to beat the convenience that TiVo offers, especially now that they’ve added downloading.

  6. “As a FiOS customer, nearly everything is available to me (other than HBO and Fox properties)”

    Beyond neglecting to mention Fox channels, (as others have noted upthread), you also forget to mention Cinemax. Never forget Cinemax.

  7. Well, Cinemax is an HBO property… like a really inferior second cousin of unknown origin. We did try a few episodes of The Knick, but the surgical scenes were a little too graphic.

  8. “Well, Cinemax is an HBO property… like a really inferior second cousin of unknown origin.”

    Oddly, due to all of HBO original programming and repeats filling up the schedule, Cinemax is actually notably superior to HBO for movies.

    “We did try a few episodes of The Knick, but the surgical scenes were a little too graphic.”

    Hmmm… Perhaps the pregnancy doesn’t help in that regard. I’d suggest you watch repeats of Friends as a more standards & practices friendly option. (Sesame Street has gotten far too graphic since the HBO deal.)

  9. can someone explain to me why you need a stream to download the shows? is this a real limitation? i can understand needing the horsepower to stream a show in real time, but to slowly download something why cant my premiere 4 do this? will they rename the stream since they werent forward thinking enough?

  10. Technically speaking, what you suggest is possible. However, TiVo has focused on streaming and downloading the much more efficient MPEG4 versus the MPEG2 that is recorded. Stream hardware and Roamio Pro/Plus have efficient, modern transcoding built-in. Premiere itself could probably transcode to MPEG4 as well… but it would impact performance and other functions, as the chip wasn’t really designed or selected with that functionality in mind. That’s my guess anyhow. Doubt they’ll rename the Stream and if all Bolt models include transcoding, they’d probably just work to clear their existing inventory versus manufacturing more. Another guess.

  11. Absolutely worthless upgrade. The iOS version allows you to download protected shows by deleting the original from the TiVo. No such option with the Android.version. Everything but the local is protected on my CableCo, Cox.

  12. On the issue of the download location, I put the question to TiVo support. Their answer:

    “Due to copy protection, there is no way to download to another folder other than the one it created on the internal hard drive.”

    So, it looks like this download feature is going to be pretty useless on my 2GB phone. I had to move some things around just to be able to download a 30 minute show. I would have to delete several apps to be able to download a one hour show. And downloading a 90 minute movie is never going to happen.

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