RCN TiVo rentals are poised to receive an iteration of the (glitchy) TiVo Spring Update. Whereas us retail owners have been receiving version 20.4, RCN TiVo hardware in DC and PA will be pushed 20.8 beginning next week – with their entire footprint expected to upgrade within a month. Both updates focus on under-the-hood improvements and more TiVo “back office” network fault tolerance, resolving open issues and setting the stage for follow-on enhancements expected later this year. Beyond the unseen, RCN customers will soon be able to simultaneously beam VOD content from a hub TiVo DVR to multiple satellite extenders (with a 6-tuner TiVo eventually being made available). Additional visible changes include a more detailed What To Watch Now discovery screen and slightly quicker TiVo Mini tuning. Of course, I still believe the best way to get TiVo is directly thru a cable company like RCN — they’re far more motivated to make sure the install goes smoothly and customers have far more flexibility to return, replace, or upgrade as needed.
As to what’s coming next, I know RCN is very motivated to receive the Roamio UI on Premiere and Mini, along with Android streaming capabilities as all their installers carry Samsung Galaxy phones. I assume some work will be required for Stream (and Roamio) hardware in regards to that and a broader range of streaming bitrates to meet Apple’s requirements for cellular streaming. And RCN has also lobbied for wireless TiVo Mini hardware. I continue to hope an Amazon Instant update is in the works given prior intel I received and am similarly hopeful TiVo will surprise us with some other cool new stuff. Time will tell.
I’ve been reading for some time that Spotify will be coming to RCN’s TiVos, too. Maybe this update also makes provisions for this.
Does your intel tell you if the amazon instant update includes “prime amazon instant”? Or is it just a UI overhaul of the current iteration?
I didn’t press… the nugget of intel was a gift from someone not cleared to speak on the matter. Having said that, I can only imagine the full Amazon Instant experience with Prime as a replacement. But as you know TiVo moves glacially slow and Amazon has probably devoted the bulk of their resources to Fire TV these days.
“Having said that, I can only imagine the full Amazon Instant experience with Prime as a replacement.”
Yup. It’s close to impossible to believe they’d update Amazon Instant for TiVo and not include Prime.
Dave how close is TiVo to releasing the amazon update? Spring? o hope soon. It’s pathetic how far behind TiVo is. Even 4 years after “the one box”.
Spotify…. :) so so close…
@jnealis, hopefully a newer version of the Spotify app. While the current app works okay, its way overdue for an update.
“its way overdue for an update.” That pretty much sums up TiVo in its entirety.
“That pretty much sums up TiVo in its entirety.”
A perfectly cromulent point, jagmeoff. OTOH, your comments have never been updated, no matter what is going on with reality.
Shouldn’t you at least post a disclaimer that you’re short TIVO or that you work for the NTCA? Or are you just a garden variety troll?