11 Incredible Things That You Might Not Have Known About TiVo
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It Was Like The Original Binge-Watching Device
Long before Netflix’s streaming service came out to the public, TiVo had their Season Pass feature. With this feature, TiVo would automatically record every new episode of a season. After several episodes have been recorded, users could then catch up and binge watch all the episodes at once. TiVo also gave users the option to record first-run episodes, repeats, or all episodes. Users can also tell TiVo which shows have the highest priority for recording.
It Was Like The Original Binge-Watching Device
Long before Netflix’s streaming service came out to the public, TiVo had their Season Pass feature. With this feature, TiVo would automatically record every new episode of a season. After several episodes have been recorded, users could then catch up and binge watch all the episodes at once. TiVo also gave users the option to record first-run episodes, repeats, or all episodes. Users can also tell TiVo which shows have the highest priority for recording.
First Version Was Nicknamed ‘Blue Moon’
The first version of TiVo that was released in 1999 was nicknamed "blue moon" by the company. The reason for this was the self-imposed deadline that the founders of the company set. The plan was to ship TiVo by the end of Q1, which meant that it had to go out by March 31. It just so happened that there was a blue moon on this date. To commemorate the event, the staff at TiVo used the "blue moon" nickname.
Janet Jackson’s 2004 Halftime Show Was TiVo’s Biggest Event
During the Super Bowl XXXVIII halftime show in 2004, the world witnessed an epic wardrobe malfunction when Justin Timberlake exposed Janet Jackson’s breast. The incident is actually the most watched and replayed moment in TiVo history. Users relied heavily on TiVo to watch and pause the video of the Janet Jackson incident over and over again. The incident also convinced 35,000 people to subscribe to TiVo so that they can record these types of events.
TiVo Provides Recommendations
Users who are searching for something to watch could always depend on TiVo to provide them some recommendations. TiVo Suggestions is the special feature that coordinates this process. Users watching a program would rate the show with the "thumbs-up" button or the "thumbs-down" button. TiVo Suggestions would provide a list of recommendations based on the data from the ratings that a user provided. This feature made TiVo stand out from the rest of the competition.
TiVo In The Cloud Looks Very Promising
As more people are getting rid of traditional cable television, TiVo is capitalizing with an innovative new product. In 2018, the company launched TiVo in the Cloud, which is a cloud-based next-generation platform. Cable providers would be granted full access to all of TiVo's services. TiVo in the Cloud helps the providers compete against streaming services such as Amazon, Hulu, and Netflix. The technology is compatible with all types of television sets, DVRs, phones, and tablets.
The Remote Control Did It All
TiVo's remote control is known for its unique peanut shape, but it is actually more powerful than people give it credit for. In addition to controlling TiVo, this remote control could also manage other devices in the room. First, it can serve as the remote control for the television set. It could also control an A/V audio receiver. Part of TiVo's appeal to customers is the ability to manage all these devices with a single remote control.
TiVoToGo Is Awesome
An important feature called TiVoToGo launched in 2005. With this technology, users could move recorded shows from a TiVo device into a Windows PC device. The caveat is that the recordings can only be for personal use and not for commercial purposes. In 2007, TiVoToGo expanded to include Apple devices. The time it takes to download the show depends on the length of it. TiVoToGo revolutionized the way Americans watch television by expanding the programs to the computer.
It Was The Original Device To Skip Commercials
Most users can't stand commercials during a television or streaming program. TiVo was one of the first digital recording platforms that allowed users to skip commercials. Although people could record programs on a video tape, skipping commercials is not as efficient this way. TiVo made it easier to skip commercials by setting up the TiVo to do so in 30-second increments. Although there are other DVRs on the market today that offer similar technology, TiVo was the first one to really perfect it.
It Won A Ton Of Awards
In addition to the technology, TiVo is also known for winning some big awards. TiVo won a Creative Arts Emmy Award for "Outstanding Achievement In Interactive Television" in 2006. The following year, CNET named TiVo as the Best Home Video Gear. In 2008, PC World named TiVo as one of the 100 Best Products of the Year. Innography named TiVo as the “Top Innovator” at its 2016 customer awards. USA Today also said that TiVo was among the top 25 inventions that changed lives.
The TiVo BOLT Is More Than Just A DVR
In 2015, the TiVo BOLT was released. Unlike a DVR, the TiVo BOLT was marketed as a unified entertainment system. It has a voice-activated remote control that improves the user experience. The TiVo BOLT works with all types of apps, and it also includes all the popular features from previous versions of TiVo, and it is 4K Ultra HD compatible. The TiVo BOLT was designed to compete with Roku, Amazon, and other smart TV options.
People Can Hack it
A TiVo box has a certain amount of storage on it for programs. Some people who were not satisfied with the amount of storage have attempted to expand the capacity of the TiVo box by hacking it. These breaches are intended to either add more storage space or to extract programs from TiVo. There have been cases of users who built special devices or Ethernet cards to try to go into the TiVo box and get programs.
