As we continue to track the unannounced TiVo Bolt, we can now confirm the Roamio-replacement will feature 4k support. What my industry source couldn’t tell me is if this applies to all models and what it might do to hardware cost. But it’ll be quite impressive if TiVo beats both Apple TV and Roku to 4k. Of course, the real world value (in 2015) is debatable with only a subset of potential customers possessing a UHD set and a very limited amount of 4k content from the likes to Netflix and Amazon. Not to mention, many of those aforementioned 4k sets possess their very own Netflix and Amazon apps… although there are those who swear by TiVo OnePass.
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Well if the Bolt handles UHD then my next question would be if it can downscale UHD content from 2160P to 1080P. If so then a TiVo Bolt might be in my future. And I would be selling my current Roamio Pro.
I don't have any UHD sets yet. But I wouldn't mind being able to watch the Netflix UHD 4K content downscaled to 2K.
"But it’ll be quite impressive if TiVo beats both Apple TV and Roku to 4k. Of course, the real world value (in 2015) is debatable with only a subset of potential customers possessing a UHD set and a very limited amount of 4k content from the likes to Netflix and Amazon. Not to mention, many of those aforementioned 4k sets possess their very own Netflix and Amazon apps"
I continue to maintain that the first widespread deployment of 4K content will come to the multicast before OTT, due to bandwidth issues.
So, yeah, the ability to playback OTT in 4K is not a massive competitive advantage, though keeping up with the Jones is still good. But more importantly, this positions TiVo to be there on day one when MSO's start shipping 4K through the multicast.
(Also, makes me wonder, depending on how much additional cost this will add, if TiVo keeps the Roamio around longer than we all think as a lower cost option...)
I guess that explains the unintuitive name change. It certainly won't hurt sales.