From the ‘this feature generates no additional revenue’ school of management, TiVo continues to chip away at their differentiated DVR selling points by killing off new television recording Suggestions (without advance notice). Instead, via on-box messaging, TiVo is directing remaining DVR customers to utilize TiVo+ — a sluggish, ad-supported streaming service of random and frequently junky content. Even if you’d like to partake, the situation is poorly messaged and targeted as it isn’t available to users who run the prior “TiVo Experience.” You’d need Hydra, with all the good … and the bad. In any event, this sort of FAST content is much more easily accessed via other services and cheaper boxes (that do not require a subscription) — including TiVo’s very own transitional Android TV dongle.
This move also effectively kills the iconic TiVo thumbs up/down buttons that previously powered the Suggestions recommendation engine and were periodically tested for interactive appointment television.
Full message text follows:
TiVo Suggestions will no longer be supported.
The Tivo Experience brings you great ways to discover new shows, and now we’re consolidating our discovery features into our TiVo+ app. The TiVo+ app brings content together from multiple partners to provide a variety of programs that is sure to capture your interest.
You can find the TiVo+ app on your Home screen and under the Apps
menu.Never fear. Your existing Suggestions folder and recordings won’t be impacted and will remain on your TiVo box.
We hope you enjoy finding new shows you’ll love with the TiVo+ app!
(Thanks for the heads up Runciter!)