TiVo digital video recorders encompass a number of digital video recorder (DVR) models that TiVo, Inc. designed. Features may vary, but a common feature is that all of the units listed here require TiVo service and use its operating system.
TiVo units have been manufactured by various OEMs, including Philips, Sony, Pioneer, Toshiba, and Humax, which license the software from TiVo Inc. To date, there have been four "series" of TiVo units produced, with the fourth series having been released on March, 2010.
Contents |
| Type | Manufacturer | Model | Capacity | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hours | GB | ||||
| Standalone | Philips | HDR110 | 14 | 14 | First model, March 31, 1999 |
| HDR112 | 14 | 14 | |||
| HDR212 | 20 | 22 | |||
| HDR310 | 30 | ||||
| HDR312 | 30 | 2x14 | |||
| HDR31201 HDR31202 HDR31203 HDR31204 |
30 | 30 | |||
| HDR612 | 60 | 2x30 | |||
| Sony | SVR2000 | 30 | 30 | Custom remote control RMT-V303 | |
| Thomson | PVR10UK | 40 | 2x20 | UK-only, uses SCART input/output | |
| DirecTV | Philips | DSR6000 | 35 | 40 | |
| Sony | Sat-T60 | 35 | 40 | Custom remote control RM-Y809 | |
| Hughes | GXCEBOT | 35 | 40 | ||
The Series1 (retronym) was the original TiVo digital video recorder.
Series1 TiVo systems are based on PowerPC processors connected to MPEG-2 encoder/decoder chips and IDE/ATA hard drives. Series1 TiVo units used one or two drives of 13–60 GB. Although not supported by TiVo or equipment manufacturers, larger drives can be added.
All standalone TiVo systems have coax/RF-in and an internal cable-ready tuner, analog video input—composite/RCA, and S-Video—for use with an external cable box or satellite receiver. The TiVo unit can use a serial cable or IR blasters to control the external receiver. They have coax/RF, composite/RCA, and S-Video output, and the DVD systems also have component out. Audio is RCA stereo, and the DVD systems also have digital optical out.
Some TiVo systems are integrated with DirecTV receivers. These "DirecTiVo" recorders record the incoming satellite MPEG-2 digital stream directly to hard disk without conversion. Because of this and the fact that they have two tuners, DirecTiVos are able to record two programs at once. In addition, the lack of digital conversion allows recorded video to be of the same quality as live video. DirecTiVos have no MPEG encoder chip, and can only record DirecTV streams.
| Type | Manufacturer | Model | Capacity | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hours | GB | ||||
| Standalone | TiVo/AT&T | TCD130040 | 40 | 40 | USB 1.1 |
| TCD230040 | 40 | 40 | |||
| TiVo | TCD230040 | 40 | 40 | ||
| TCD240040 | 40 | 40 | |||
| TCD24004A | 40 | 40 | |||
| TCD540040 | 40 | 40 | |||
| TCD140060 | 60 | 60 | USB 1.1 | ||
| TCD240080 | 80 | 80 | |||
| TCD24008A | 80 | 80 | |||
| TCD540080 TCD542080 |
80 | 80 | |||
| TCD240140 | 140 | 120 | |||
| TCD540140 | 140 | 120 | |||
| TCD649080 | 80 | 80 | Dual-tuner | ||
| TCD649180 | 180 | 160 | Dual-tuner | ||
| Pioneer | DVR-810H | 80 | 80 | DVD Recorder | |
| DVR-57H | 120 | 120 | DVD Recorder | ||
| Toshiba | SD-H400 | 80 | 80 | DVD Player | |
| RS-TX20 | 120 | 120 | DVD Recorder | ||
| RS-TX60 | 160 | 160 | DVD Recorder | ||
| Humax | T800 | 80 | 80 | ||
| T2500 | 300 | 250 | |||
| DRT400 | 40 | 40 | DVD Recorder | ||
| DRT800 | 80 | 80 | DVD Recorder | ||
| Sony | SVR3000 | 80 | 80 | ||
| DirecTV | Hughes | HDVR2 | 35 | 40 | |
| HDVR3 | 35 | 40 | |||
| SD-DVR40 | 35 | 40 | |||
| SD-DVR80 | 70 | 80 | |||
| SD-DVR120 | 100 | 120 | |||
| Philips | DSR7000 | 35 | 40 | ||
| DSR704 | 35 | 40 | |||
| DSR708 | 70 | 80 | |||
| RCA | DVR39 | 35 | 40 | ||
| DVR40 | 35 | 40 | |||
| DVR80 | 70 | 80 | |||
| Samsung | SIR-S4040R | 35 | 40 | ||
| SIR-S4080R | 70 | 80 | |||
| SIR-S4120R | 100 | 120 | |||
| DirecTV | R10 | 70 | 80 | ||
| HR10-250 | 200 | 250 | High definition, both satellite and terrestrial (OTA ATSC tuner) | ||
The Series2 was a complete redesign of the TiVo hardware. It includes USB ports (for Ethernet and Wi-Fi adapters), a new CPU, and more RAM. The availability of network connectivity has spread to the software side, where new features like TiVoToGo and Home Media Engine applications are now supported.
Series2 TiVo systems are based on MIPS processors connected to MPEG-2 encoder/decoder chips and high-capacity IDE/ATA hard drives. Current Series2 units have drives of 40–250GB in size. Although not supported by TiVo or equipment manufacturers, larger drives can be added.
All standalone TiVo systems have coax/RF-in and an internal cable-ready tuner, analog video input—composite/RCA, and S-Video—for use with an external cable box or satellite receiver. The TiVo unit can use a serial cable or IR blasters to control the external receiver. They have coax/RF, composite/RCA, and S-Video output, and the DVD systems also have component out. Audio is RCA stereo, and the DVD systems also have digital optical out. The Series2 systems also have USB ports, currently used only to support network (wired Ethernet and WiFi) adapters. The early Series2 units, models starting with 110/130/140, have USB 1.1 hardware, while all other systems have USB 2.0.
Some models manufactured by Toshiba, Pioneer, and Humax, under license from TiVo, contain DVD-R/RW drives. The models can transfer recordings from the built-in hard drive to DVD Video compliant disc, playable in most modern DVD systems. The video encoding on these models was modified to match the DVD standard so transferring to DVD does not require transcoding.
The Series2 standalones can only tune analog signals, so to comply with FCC rules on analog TV phaseout, models that record from over-the-air channels are no longer sold. The dual tuner (DT) models and the TCD542 (a revision of the TCD540) will only record from cable and satellite sources.
Some TiVo systems are integrated with DirecTV receivers. These "DirecTiVo" recorders record the incoming satellite MPEG-2 digital stream directly to hard disk without conversion. Because of this and the fact that they have two tuners, DirecTiVos are able to record two programs at once. In addition, the lack of digital conversion allows recorded video to be of the same quality as live video. DirecTiVos have no MPEG encoder chip, and can only record DirecTV streams. However, DirecTV has disabled the networking capabilities on their systems, meaning DirecTiVo does not offer such features as multi-room viewing or TiVoToGo. Only the standalone systems can be networked without additional unsupported hacking.
The HR10-250 DirecTiVo units can also record HDTV to a 250GB hard drive, both from the DirecTV stream and over-the-air via a standard UHF- or VHF-capable antenna. They have four tuners (two DirecTV and two ATSC over-the-air) and, like the original DirecTiVo, can record two programs at once; further, the program guide is integrated between over-the-air and DirecTV so that all programs can be recorded and viewed in the same manner. Recording capacity is variable, up to 30 HD or 200 SD hours.
On July 8, 2006, DirecTV announced an upgrade to version 6.3 of the TiVo software for the HR10-250, the first major upgrade since this unit was released.[4] This upgrade includes features such as program grouping (folders), a much faster on-screen guide, and new sorting features.
In October 2007, DirecTV sent a message to all DirecTV TiVo R10 and HR10 users saying that they will be applying numerous features to the DirecTiVo. It include two features:
| Type | Manufacturer | Model | Capacity | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hours HD/SD |
GB | ||||
| Standalone | TiVo | TCD648250B | 32/300 | 250 | THX-certified, no M-Card support. |
| TCD652160 (aka TiVo HD) | 20/180 | 160 | |||
| TCD663160 (aka TiVo 160) | 30/60 | 160 | Australia/NZ Model, DVB-T, Dolby Digital Decoder | ||
| TCD663320 (aka TiVo 320) | 60/120 | 320 | Australia/NZ Model, DVB-T, Dolby Digital Decoder | ||
| TCD658000 (aka TiVo HD XL) | 150/1,350 | 1,024 | THX-certified | ||
The Series3 TiVo was officially unveiled at the 2006 Consumer Electronics Show[5], and was released to the public on September 12, 2006. In April 2010, it was superseded by the Series 4 "Tivo Premiere" and is supported but no longer manufactured by Tivo for North American markets.
The Series3 DVR features support for high-definition broadcasts and has two tuners. In North America, they each can receive analog and HDTV over-the-air (NTSC and ATSC) in addition to both analog and digital cable (QAM). Encrypted digital cable is decoded through CableCARDs available from your cable provider. As of September 2009[update] satellite TV connections are not supported. In Australia and New Zealand, the dual tuners support the recording of two digital (DVB-T) over-the-air signals at the same time, whilst playing back a third.
With the dual tuners, it can record or view any two sources simultaneously. For example, two over-the-air broadcasts, two cable programs, or any combination can be recorded at the same time. The initial hardware release (TCD648250B) was unable to take advantage of Multi-Stream CableCARDs and required the use of a pair of CableCARDs to enable its dual tuners with encrypted digital cable. The followup Series3 models had an option of using either one Multi-Stream card or two single stream cards.
Switched Digital Video (SDV), a technology which allows cable providers to send only one channel stream at a time instead of the entire provider's channel lineup in order to better manage and expand bandwidth, requires a USB attachment to a separate tuning adapter available from your cable provider.
One HDMI port and two sets of component, S-video, and composite outputs are included. The Series 3 is also the first DVR to feature THX-certified audio and video. The unit is also equipped with two USB 2.0 ports, a Fast Ethernet port, and a modem, which are all used to connect to the TiVo service. The built-in wired ethernet or an optional USB 802.11 wireless adapter can download video on demand from various providers. Multi-room viewing and transferring programs to and from a PC is allowed. HD content may only be transferred between Series 3 units.
A Series 3 can be connected to several types of televisions and if necessary convert to the appropriate resolution. This allows displaying HD channels on older TVs using composite or s-video connections.
Storage can be increased to 1 TB by replacement of the hard drive—something that can be done professionally, but is usually done by users familiar with how to perform PC drive replacement. An external SATA port allows up to 1TB in additional storage when using TiVo-certified external hard drives.
| Type | Manufacturer | Model | Capacity | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hours HD/SD |
GB | ||||
| Standalone | TiVo | TCD746320 (aka TiVo Premiere)[6] | 45/400 | 320 | 1080P, 1 M-Card slot, Adobe Flash interface, optional qwerty remote |
| TCD748000 (aka TiVo Premiere XL)[7] | 150/1,350 | 1,024 | 1 Terabyte storage, premium remote, THX certification | ||
| Virgin Media | Cisco Systems | CT8685DVB (aka Virgin Media TiVo)[8] | 150/1,350 | 1,024 | UK-only, 1 Terabyte storage, tri-tuner, Adobe Flash interface, 10 Mbit/s dedicated line |
| CT8685DVB (aka Virgin Media TiVo)[9] | 75/675 | 500 | UK-only, tri-tuner, Adobe Flash interface, 10 Mbit/s dedicated line | ||
| ONO | HD-DVR 8685DVB[10] | 23/200 | 160 | Spain-only, Adobe Flash interface | |
| Canal Digital | Technicolor SA | DSI803[11] | 45/400 | 320 | Scandinavia-only |
The Series4 TiVo Premiere was officially unveiled on March 2, 2010[12], and was released to the public on March 28, 2010. Series 3 and Series 3 HD units are still supported but are no longer distributed for North American markets. The higher end Premiere model features a more sophisticated remote and larger hard drive. Upgraded Tivo Premieres are available from third parties with storage up to 4 terabytes.[13]
The Tivo Premiere has the features of the Series 3 Tivos with the addition of support for 1080P high definition video, and a new high definition user interface using Adobe Flash. It is also Energy Star compliant after cutting power consumption by 35% to 45%. The slimmer unit relies on a single Multi-stream CableCARD ("M-Card") slot and uses a dual core processor delivering greater performance. Communication speeds are claimed to be 3 to 5 times faster than a Tivo HD, and supports an optional QWERTY keyboard remote that communicates via Bluetooth. Like the Series 3, it does not support analog video input from devices such as satellite television or AT&T U-verse set top boxes as does the Series 2 Tivos. The new user interface is meant to seamlessly integrate features such as Rhapsody, Netflix, Amazon, Blockbuster, Hulu, and YouTube video, and make development of such applications easier through use of Adobe Stagecraft (Flash Lite 3.1 + Actionscript 2.0). The operating system enhancement allows third party Flash applications similar to those possible with HME, and other Flash Lite consumer devices such as Chumby. Such applications will be available from Tivo's application store.[14]
It has been popular among owners of earlier Tivo models to upgrade internal hard drives with higher capacity drives. Earlier software tools, such as WinMFS and MFSLive, that worked on Series 2, Series 3 and TiVo HD DVRs do not work with the Premiere's new disk format, but upgrade is possible. One vendor, Weaknees, offers a 4 terabyte Tivo Premiere with a 2TB internal drive, and a 2TB external. Do-it-yourself Premiere hard drives upgrades are now possible using a downloadable ISO image burned to CD.[15]
Hardware:
The TiVo Premiere Q is TiVo's first box to allow four simultaneous recordings through the combination of multiple tuners and an internet connection.
The Premiere Q will be made available exclusively through select cable manufacturers. RCN has been announced as one of the cable companies that will offer the Premiere Elite to customers, although more partners will be offering the device as distribution continues.
TiVo further elaborated on the Premiere Q in a press release on their website:
TiVo announced its first ever non-DVR HD set top box that is designed as a companion device to complement the Premiere Q's multi-room capabilities. The TiVo Preview will also be available exclusively through select cable manufacturers.
From a TiVo.com Press Release:
A retail version of the TiVo Premiere Q will apparently be released at some point. It is assumed that the device will be identical to the Premiere Q, but will simply be called the TiVo Premiere Elite.[17]
In 2008, DirecTV and TiVo announced they would be renewing their partnership and releasing a new DirecTV TiVo box.[18] But the new DirecTV TiVo device release date was not firmly set and kept getting pushed back.[19]
On March 3, 2010, TiVo CEO Tom Rogers revealed that although the new devices will be based on the familiar and classic TiVo user interface, they will nonetheless be updated with new functions and features.[20] The new product, the TiVo HD DVR from DIRECTV, was finally launched in limited markets on December 8, 2011, with full availability expected in 2012. It featured two tuners, storage for 100 hours of HD programming, and access to the DIRECTV On Demand content library.[21]
TiVo announced an iPad app on November 22nd, 2010. The app allows customers to manage their TiVos from their iPad.[22]
The TiVo Companion App for iPad was released in the weeks following its announcement.
The app works with TiVo Premiere and Premiere XL boxes.
In a blog, TiVo stated the following:
"For all of our iPad fans out there – listen up! TiVo’s best in class user interface is coming to a small screen near you.
We have just announced a powerful new TiVo app for the iPad, which will effectively turn your iPad into command central for your TiVo Premiere box. With the TiVo app for the iPad, you can search, browse, explore and share your favorite entertainment all without interrupting whatever is playing on your TV.
It is your second screen companion. We’ve created a true two-screen TV experience so you can access the full suite of TiVo capabilities on a second screen and right at your fingertips.
Something new that we’re bringing to the TiVo service with this app is the ability to post directly to Facebook and Twitter. You can now share with friends what you’re watching now or your thoughts on favorite shows directly from the TiVo iPad app.
Other cool features include:
TiVo will also release apps for iPhone as well as Android devices. TiVo's Director of Retail and Channel Marketing, Bard Williams, stated the app: "...offers ... complete control over management and program selection, a multi-touch remote that features gestures-based navigation, and the ability to manage and navigate Season Pass recording, your queue and info about cast, crew, similar shows – without interrupting your TV experience...When you're not at home, the app still lets you interact with your Premiere for basic management and recording tasks."[24]