TiVo's Stream transcoding box and IP connected extender make their debut at Cable Show 2012
Now that TiVo has delivered updated software for its Premiere boxes its focus is turning to some new hardware accessories, including the TiVoToGo-style transcoder we saw at CES, now dubbed Stream (top), and the IP extender set-top box mentioned earlier this year (bottom). According to TiVo's press release, both boxes will be available at retail and via the various cable operators that are offering its DVRs to their customers, while availability will be announced "in the coming months". The Stream transcoder reformats live and recorded video from a Premiere DVR for viewing on mobile devices or tablets (including sideloading for offline viewing away from the home), and TiVo says it's the first to stream or download shows simultaneously to multiple devices like iPads or iPhones without interrupting what's being watched. The IP box on the other hand is all about multiroom, designed to pull in either live or recorded video from a Premiere Q plus cable VOD and internet content, similar to the existing Preview but without the CableCARD tuner. A press release follows after the break, while Zatz Not Funny has a few pics of them on the floor at this week's 2012 NCTA Cable Show.
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TiVo Expands Whole-Home and Multi-Screen Offerings
TiVo Introduces a Low-Cost IP Set-Top Box to Extend the Full TiVo Experience to Additional Televisions in the Home
BOSTON, MA -- (Marketwire) -- 05/21/2012 -- TiVo Inc. (NASDAQ: TIVO), the creator of and a leader in advanced television services, including digital video recorders (DVRs), for consumers, content distributors and consumer electronics manufacturers, today announced two major enhancements to its whole-home viewing solution. Its IP set-top box, delivers the TiVo experience on secondary televisions throughout the home. TiVo Stream, provides transcoding to enable content viewing on mobile devices.
Through these new products, operators working with TiVo can give their subscribers the content they want on any screen within the home, including secondary televisions, tablets and smart phones and all through the same easy-to-use TiVo interface. For example, the IP set-top box complements the home's primary TiVo DVR by extending the TiVo experience onto secondary TVs including live and recorded television viewing. TiVo Stream delivers content to a customer's tablet or mobile device, creating a cohesive viewing experience no matter how they choose to watch their programs. Both products are optimized for operator distribution, including automated provisioning and activation, and the low-capital costs that operators demand.
Tom Rogers, President and CEO, TiVo Inc., said, "Consumers not only want an enjoyable TV experience, but now demand choice and the flexibility to watch content on multiple devices and screens within the home. TiVo has worked with our operator customers to create a suite of affordable companion devices that deliver a cohesive experience regardless of the screen the customer wants to use."
The IP set-top box works with the TiVo Premiere Q, a home's primary gateway device, to give consumers access to live and recorded TV, operator VOD, plus broadband-delivered content on every TV in the house. This is delivered through the innovative TiVo experience consumers have come to know and love. It includes integrated MoCA to simplify home networking and multi-room applications.
TiVo Stream seamlessly delivers the content available on a consumer's TiVo Premiere or Premiere Q DVR to alternative screens such as iPads and iPhones. Unlike similar offerings in the market, this is the first product to enable streaming or download of shows simultaneously to multiple portable devices without interrupting what's playing on the television. The power of TiVo Stream enables users to quickly transfer shows to their mobile device for viewing outside the home.
TiVo will release both products at retail and through select cable operators. Additional details on availability for both the IP set-top box and TiVo Stream will be announced in the coming months.
TiVo unveiled details about both products during the 2012 NCTA Cable Show in Boston. For more information visit the TiVo booth #1859 located in the main exhibit hall.
