From the Cable Show this morning, TiVo announced plans to offer cable companies partner-branded versions of their existing mobile apps. Beyond potential integration with TiVo hardware and services, the apps can also optionally tie into operator billing and account management. Atlantic Broadband, with ~250,000 customers, is the first taker and their “powered by TiVo” app is expected this fall. Unfortunately, what may not be expected this fall is Android support for the TiVo Stream. From the press release:
Finally, when paired with a TiVo Stream and an iOS device, users can stream content within the home network and side-load recordings to take on the road.
Back at CES, TiVo indicated Android support is on docket for 2013, yet TiVo partner RCN is managing subscriber expectations with a note that it’s “coming, but not anytime soon.” As the new owner of a Galaxy Note 2 (and soon-to-be-former owner of a Kindle Fire HD), I remain disappointed in TiVo’s de-emphasis of the Android platform.
At one point it made some sense why Android was behind IOS, but as Android has grown it is disappointing to see how it has been forgotten about. I guess the MSOs aren’t putting enough pressure or getting enough pressure from their customers for Android support.
I was such a Tivo fan (currently own 1 elite and 2 series 3’s), but it just gets harder and harder to like Tivo. They *still* are not 100% HD in the interface. The apps are SO SLOW. This Android issue is just the latest thing. I still use them because the alternative from FIOS is beyond awful, but I can definitely see myself switching in the future. 5 years ago I would have never said that.
Sadly, I’ve given up hope that TiVo is going to follow through on this. While I’ll be quite happy if they do, I’ve learned to not expect anything new from TiVo. They are becoming less and less relevant by the day. As a TiVo user for over 10 years, this makes me very sad.
It is sad that Tivo seems to continually give the retail customer short shrift. Once they blow through all that patent cash they will have squandered a great product, but I guess their bread will be buttered by all their MSO and ad deals by then.
Thanks for staying on top of this Dave, but I have to say this comes as no surprise. I’ll continue to use the stream along with my wife’s iPad, but I would much rather have everything on my Note II, instead of swapping between devices. I guess I’ll reset my android support guessometer to 6-12 months from now when perhaps we see some new HW.
I guess part of the problem is Android’s bad implementation of HLS. I found an older article on HLS and Android. http://www.longtailvideo.com/blog/31646/the-pain-of-live-streaming-on-android/ I don’t know if this is still the case.
HLS is the encryption TiVo uses with the Stream based off what Dan203 has said on TCF.
HLS is a streaming mechanism, not an encryption standard (though it specifies the option of using AES to encrypt the mpeg2ts segments).
It almost certain that the issue is not HLS (though Android having large numbers of deployed devices without OS level support does not help), but that it is very problematic to ensure the content is not copied out from the app post decryption on a lot of Android devices, which TiVo is almost certainly required to do as part of their agreements with CableLabs.
PSA: Anonymous tipster, who I can’t vouch for, claims we’re on for November with broader Android device support than one might expect from the first iteration of a video stream app on that platform.
For a while, didn’t the android app keep saying in the notes that “TiVo Stream Support is coming soon!”?
I of course, can’t find this anywhere anymore, but I seem to remember seeing that a lot this winter whenever there was a minor update.
I like that November rumor… FWIW, Samsung Galaxy devices will be enabled for Streaming for TiVo’s deployment with Com Hem…
This is total bullsh*t that they support the ipad and still no plans to support any android tablets in the near future. I am slowly loosing interest in Tivo.
I’m with you Mad user. My premiere XL4, Stream and mini are all about to go on craigslist. I’ve ditched Nike+ products (which I loved more than tivo) because of lack of Android support and about to do it to tivo. I’m ready for a new tablet and i don’t see an apple product in my future…
it offends me that the TIVO CEO can go on record Sept 25 2012, saying that Android support for Tivo Stream was coming soon (it was on this statement that I bought it) and then the company doesn’t work to make good on the CEO’s promise. My version of soon would be under a year. I see repeated attempts in the forums to get a clear answer on when, it is embarrassing for them, and bad for the brand.
Just echoing what I’ve seen here. I am beyond angry at Tivo’s lack of support for Android. Apple is falling behind, so you either support Android or you go bye bye.
Soon as I can get a decent way to watch shows from Netflix, Hulu, Vudu that includes shows from HBO, I’m ditching both cable AND Tivo. HBO is pretty much the only reason why I don’t do it right now…. that, and because I won’t resort to piracy.
lol – Apple is falling behind?!? I guess we will find out just how far Apple is behind tomorrow (10/22). At this point the only people surprised that Android, **especially** in tablets, is still playing second fiddle are those who buy into the church of market share. Which ironically works dramatically against arguments for Android tablets since, for tablets it’s still the iPad by far and away with everything else lumped together in a distant second. Now having said that, I wouldn’t mind picking up a Fire and being able to stream from it, but I’m not holding my breath. This excellent article, http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2013/10/googles-iron-grip-on-android-controlling-open-source-by-any-means-necessary/, touches on a few of the many complexities of the Android market via iOS. It also explains rather well why, even now, iOS is still the first target for companies. Not that companies do it out of spite, stupidity, a pro-Apple bias or other such irrational arguments but due to the most basic of all reasons: economic realities.