TiVo Online Allows Users to Stream DVR Recordings, Live TV

TiVo has confirmed that its new TiVo Online service will allow subscribers to stream DVR recordings in addition to live television programming via a Web browser interface. The site includes recommendations, an online guide, a search feature, and the ability to manage upcoming recordings and track favorites (including content available via streaming services such as Netflix and Hulu). The DVR maker is looking to address the evolving needs of viewers expecting to access TV on any screen by providing a tool that performs more like a modern streaming service.

“Over the years, TiVo has worked with cable or satellite TV providers to grow its business, but these days the company has had to address the new ways consumers are accessing television programming — cord cutters are watching for free, over-the-air, and many are turning to streaming services in addition to, or in replace of, traditional TV,” reports TechCrunch.

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To meet the changing needs of this audience, TiVo introduced a DVR for cord cutters called the TiVo Roamio OTA, and developed a show tracking feature called “OnePass” that combines recordings with episodes from online streaming services.

TiVo Online joins these efforts by providing subscribers with essentially the same familiar feature set, but making it available from a browser interface. However, it only works on desktop or laptop computers (no mobile yet) and only enables streaming and live TV within the home (the PC needs to be on the same Wi-Fi network as the DVR).

Despite these current limitations, TiVo Online could be tied to the company’s plans for out-of-home streaming and the new “legal” version of Aereo expected to be announced next month (TiVo purchased Aereo’s trademarks and customer lists after the streaming service lost its Supreme Court fight).

“It’s possible the forthcoming service will involve a ‘cloud DVR’ function, and the ‘legal’ component could come from working with pay TV providers to offer their broadband customers a package with a video component,” notes TechCrunch.

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