Comcast video on-demand comes to Boston area TiVo Premieres Monday

Posted on 25/05/2012 by Richard Lawler

Now that Comcast has started delivering its video on-demand to TiVo Premieres, the company has now revealed the second area where access will be turned on is Boston, starting Monday. The news ~~was announced in a tweet~~ from Head of Corporate Communications Steve Wymer, and as Gizmo Lovers notes, was likely held back as Comcast announced its own X1 platform would launch soon in Boston as well. We're now more than a year past the original announcement, hopefully this is just the start of the rollout as it picks up the pace, if the two companies work well together maybe Comcast could be on the list for that six-tuner Pace box at some point.

Update: And just like that.. it was not announced. Steve has indicated he was actually RTing someone else, and no date has been confirmed for the rollout of Comcast VOD on Beantown TiVos.

Comcast video on-demand comes to Boston area TiVo Premieres Monday originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 25 May 2012 07:04:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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TiVo Premiere XL4 review

Posted on 10/05/2012 by Ben Drawbaugh

With the recent spring TiVo Premiere update we figured it was as good of a time as any to spend some quality time with the newly-renamed TiVo Premiere XL4. The highest model in the TiVo line, the XL4 costs $399 plus $15 a month, or $499 for lifetime service. For the money, it records four HD shows at once with a single CableCARD and offers 2TB of storage. More tuners and space aren't the only things that have changed since we gave the original TiVo Premiere a once-over just two years ago. No, there have been a few notable releases as well as the release of the TiVo Slide Remote and a number of TiVo companion apps for phones and tablets. How all that comes together is exactly what you'll find out should you choose to click on through to the other side.

Gallery: TiVo Premiere XL4 review

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TiVo Premiere XL4 review originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 10 May 2012 12:02:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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TiVo Spring update brings new Netflix and YouTube experience

Posted on 10/05/2012 by Ben Drawbaugh

As promised at CES earlier this year, TiVo has released its Spring update with the anticipated new Netflix and YouTube apps, as well as porting parental control options to the Premiere's HD user interface. Netflix is the most intriguing of the additions, but while TiVo Premiere owners can now watch Netflix 1080p programming with Dolby Digital Plus discrete surround sound, like Hulu Plus, it isn't a TiVo experience. The new Google-built YouTube app is also like any other streamer and with the exception of search, there isn't much integration at all. Parental control options can finally be set when using the HD UI, but still isn't as full featured as it was with the old UI and is a far cry from KidZone. What the update doesn't do yet however, is complete the HD interface transformation that some Premiere owners have been waiting two years for. Still, we suspect that caveat won't stop owners from rolling the dice on an update check for their TiVo every day over the next few weeks.

TiVo Spring update brings new Netflix and YouTube experience originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 10 May 2012 12:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Comcast VOD coming to Boston TiVos, next gen X1 DVR platform could launch there too

Posted on 03/05/2012 by Richard Lawler

Comcast already reported its Q1 results earlier today but on the earnings call CEO of the cable division Neil Smit revealed its next generation X1 cloud DVRs (previously called Xcalibur and promised for a wide rollout to "hundreds of thousands" of customers this year) will launch in a major market in the second quarter. Light Reading cites sources indicating field testing is already under way in Boston and that it could launch in May which fits all too well because The Cable Show will take place there May 21st. In case you've forgotten, the quad-tuner X1 DVRs have an all new UI with support for third party apps and social media tie-ins, and will reportedly precede the company's eventual push towards IP video. While that's the rumor, what we do know is that TiVo has completed the rollout of Comcast video on-demand support to Premiere DVRs in the Bay Area, and also let us know that Boston, coincidentally, will be next. Customers in other areas can sign up on TiVo's site at the link below for notifications when the feature goes live in their neck of the woods.

Gallery: Comcast Xfinity Spectrum DVR hands-on

Comcast VOD coming to Boston TiVos, next gen X1 DVR platform could launch there too originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 03 May 2012 05:32:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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TiVo quietly rebrands the Premiere Elite DVR as the Premier XL4 under cover of darkness

Posted on 23/04/2012 by Daniel Cooper

TiVo's rebranding its Premiere line of DVRs in order to eliminate customer confusion in the lineup. The range will now comprise of the Premiere, the dual-tuner Premiere XL, and the quad-tuner Premiere Elite is now called the Premiere XL4. The first two are suitable for over-the-air programming, while the latter is limited to those of you with cable or FiOS subscriptions. New livery and branding should arrive in stores soon, although TiVo's website has yet to reflect the changes.

TiVo quietly rebrands the Premiere Elite DVR as the Premier XL4 under cover of darkness originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 23 Apr 2012 09:26:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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TiVo Premiere DVRs in the Bay Area get Comcast VOD starting today

Posted on 10/04/2012 by Richard Lawler

TiVo DVRs in the Bay Area updated with Comcast video on-demand starting today

Just one month shy of a year after we first heard it would happen (not counting the icon flub during the original Premiere announcement) TiVo has announced its DVRs will be able to access Comcast's Xfinity On Demand library. The blog and product page feature several screenshots flashing the Xfinity VOD icon and showing off the TiVo Premiere UI's universal search pulling from Comcast's library alongside other sources like Netflix, Amazon and Hulu Plus. Until now, switching to third party DVRs exclusively meant largely foregoing access to Comcast's VOD, but with this customers who dig the TiVo experience can switch without making compromises. Naturally, to make use of this customers will need to be Comcast TV subscribers, although we hear the video will be delivered via QAM just like on cable company owned boxes instead of IP, which might provide higher video quality than the Xbox 360's recently launched app. The update will be made available to customers in the San Francisco Bay Area to start, delivered "today and over the next few weeks" -- no word yet when we'll see this roll out elsewhere.

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TiVo Premiere DVRs in the Bay Area get Comcast VOD starting today originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 10 Apr 2012 00:31:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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TiVo Premiere updates coming with new Netflix and YouTube apps; Bay Area gets Comcast VOD

Posted on 04/04/2012 by Richard Lawler

Waiting for your TiVo to see the upgraded Netflix and YouTube streaming apps we got a peek at during CES a few months ago? How about the ability to access Comcast's video on-demand that we've been waiting for since last year? According to tweets by Vice President of user experience Margret Schmidt we may see all that and more soon, as she mentioned "expecting" the Spring Update with new video streaming apps and parental controls in HD menus to roll out to Premiere and Elite DVRs this month. As far as Comcast Xfinity On Demand, the rollout is targeted to begin in the San Francisco Bay Area, with an update for DVRs there this week before the feature is turned on later this month. This shaping up to be a very interesting year for the smiley faced DVR company with new hardware still waiting in the wings, add in all these new software capabilities and TiVo looks like a winner in more than just the legal battles.

[Thanks, Joe, Sebs]

Gallery: TiVo's latest Netflix and YouTube interfaces