With OTA and cable, TiVo takes your “method of access,” custom-tailors your list of channels (i.e. do you have HBO, Showtim, etc.), you tell it what shows you want from each channel, TiVo then checks in with a database to update the list of channels, shows, episodes, etc. to give you new content.

Couldn’t TiVo do this exact same process for OTT with Roku: find out which Roku channels you have, what shows you want from each channel, then update each show’s info, taking the data via RSS? Can’t it make recommendations based on this (i.e. if you like “Stella” with David Wain on Hulu, you’ll like “Wainy Days” with David Wain on MyDamnChannel? I’m assuming most Roku channels have RSS feeds, so isn’t this data easily obtained and updated?

TiVo tried and failed to do with its OTT channels what Roku succeeded at. Meanwhile, Roku deperately needs a good channel and show guide, which nobody besides TiVo has managed to do successfully.  

Am I off base here? What barriers are there? TiVo’s subscription model?

I expect I’m a lot like other (remaining) Tivo users, in that I’m slowly drifting away to other services, while continuing to hang on to Tivo as my DVR of choice. 

I use an Apple TV to watch recent movies since it has a much better UI and streams more quickly than the Amazon client on the Tivo. 

I now use a Roku box to watch the latest Top Gear HD episodes, since like everything else on the net they’re in MKV format and of course TTG doesn’t support that (I used to convert the videos using the free Tivo Converter but that hasn’t been updated in years and doesn’t of course support the more recent MKV format).

I use the Roku to stream episodes of Sesame Street for my daughter, since they’re free for streaming to Amazon Prime customers, which Tivo doesn’t support.

I use the Apple TV to play back music since the user interface, Genius feature, playlists, photo slide shows, etc are all far better than anything on the Tivo.

I use the Apple TV to handle photo slide shows and to play back home videos I’ve shot, again since the Tivo either doesn’t do a good job of these tasks, or doesn’t handle the formats I use (AVC HD in this case, meaning transport streams).

I play music at parties sometimes using MOG on my iPhone to stream radio stations or ‘Genius’ type playlists to the TV/Receiver using Air Play to the Apple TV.  Be happy to use MOG or Spottify or Rdio if there were a Tivo client, but there isn’t…

Etc.  Slowly but surely, Tivo is becoming less important to me…

In practicality, TIVO is still a great DVR with a number of acceptable 3rd party media services.  However, while there have been minor steps forward (HULU PLUS & Pandora) on the Premiere over the last year, TIVO Product Management has consistently disappointed their long term customers by failing to attend to persistent issues with its HDUI; minimal Netflix UI; missing Amazon Prime support; and substandard DLNA support.  In addition to glaring product deficiencies, TIVO Management has the arrogance to believe their monthly service is worth an 80% increase, making the combined monthly fees for a Premiere with CableCard $5-$15 higher than most Cable Company DVR’s!   

Over the last year, the value proposition for a TIVO Premiere has drifted farther below the bar required by retail buyers and serious reviewers (such as this site), which is driving new consumers (and long time TIVO customers) toward other options.   Sadly, TIVO mistakenly believes they are still a leader in this space….  

In practicality, TIVO is still a great DVR with a number of acceptable 3rd party media services.  However, while there have been minor steps forward (HULU PLUS & Pandora) on the Premiere over the last year, TIVO Product Management has consistently disappointed their long term customers by failing to attend to persistent issues with its HDUI; minimal Netflix UI; missing Amazon Prime support; and substandard DLNA support.  In addition to glaring product deficiencies, TIVO Management has the arrogance to believe their monthly service is worth an 80% increase, making the combined monthly fees for a Premiere with CableCard $5-$15 higher than most Cable Company DVR’s!   

Over the last year, the value proposition for a TIVO Premiere has drifted farther below the bar required by retail buyers and serious reviewers (such as this site), which is driving new consumers (and long time TIVO customers) toward other options.   Sadly, TIVO mistakenly believes they are still a leader in this space….  

I agree that the TiVo needs a lot of improvement in the OTT area. TiVo is working on a improved Amazon client that supports streaming but they won’t give out an expected launch date.

I also like the idea of an open API but does TiVo really have enough active subscribers to make it attractive to developers?

It feels like TiVo’s real focus right now is partnering with MVPDs. While they have had some nice additions lately like Hulu Plus, it feels like they are running up against some resource limitations. 

I agree that the TiVo needs a lot of improvement in the OTT area. TiVo is working on a improved Amazon client that supports streaming but they won’t give out an expected launch date.

I also like the idea of an open API but does TiVo really have enough active subscribers to make it attractive to developers?

It feels like TiVo’s real focus right now is partnering with MVPDs. While they have had some nice additions lately like Hulu Plus, it feels like they are running up against some resource limitations.