TiVo+ has arrived. Boy is it underwhelming. Merely being available on a TiVo box for “free” isn’t innately compelling if the content isn’t interesting or usefully presented. And that’d be a double no at present.
Given the number of places TiVo+ is advertised within the UI (home screen x2, guide, apps), it’s absurd how little content there seems to be at the moment and how poorly it’s integrated into the overall experience. I, mean, this is the company that pioneered digital recordings, a recommendation engine, and the live guide. Yet, none of that exists for TiVo Plus. It’s merely a jumble of “live” video streams without any transport controls. Watch the video, you’ll see.
On the “plus” side, if there is one, the video streams aren’t yet preceded by pre-roll commercials. But, as to the content itself, well I didn’t actually watch anything long enough to determine what advertising may be embedded within the stream. I gots too many other superior video choices available.
Like many of the company’s initiatives at launch, TiVo Plus seems somewhat incomplete. Which hopefully portends deeper, smarter integration to help surface the meaningful content… if there is any.