TiVo Reviews

by Foto Man

I really, really dislike this latest version. We finally got TiVo in the previous version to stop buffering so much (we have G-speed broadband) and you had to bring THIS out. Yuck! We sometimes record a month or even a whole season of a show to watch later. Do you have any idea how awful it is to scroll through all those pictures to get to the episode we want? We want the list back! You take up all that space with pictures and then the text is micro. Then we’re having buffering issues again. No, our network is fine, thank you. Other streaming apps work just dandy. I had it when TiVo refused to load the new data from our box today. I threw it away and retried. No. So I’m trying downloading it again which is why I ended up here. Did I say I really, really dislike this version?

by Luke-7

The main thing I use TiVo for is to remotely record shows, mostly sport. The previous app was fine for this. Now, I search for a game, hit record, and it records standard definition. I canceled that, and scrolled to the HD version of the game, and selected record. I went to watch and it was recorded in SD. I did this previously and it worked, but now it seems hit or miss. Why SD would be a default in late 2018 is beyond me. This needs fixing...

Still not fixed, though now if I GO to the HD channel to record it will. I searched for Red Zone, the infographic SAYS HD. So I hit record. Still records in SD when searching and select record. The only way around this is to search for the show date/time (if unknown), then MANUALLY go to that date and time on the SPECIFIC channel and only then will it record in HD.

by EJ.2018

TiVo overhaul is poorly designed; downloading has become essentially nonfunctional — shows partly download, stall, and can never be started again; shows that do download often cannot be played back in their entirety (“a problem with playback” isn’t a very helpful error message) — the interface is too big (only 2-3 downloaded shows appear on my iPhone before having to scroll, and the text is too wide as it fades off the right side of the screen).

TiVo has always had some minor problems and occasional streaming/downloading issues (which seemed to get worse over the past month). But this “update” has rendered TiVo nonfunctional.

Wish I didn’t have “automatic updates” turned on or could revert to the old version.

by Db1126

The latest update is annoying. Can’t easily find what I’m looking for anymore, can’t see all the upcoming shows for a series easily if you don’t already have an episode recorded, no more basic handy remote controls on the top bar to pause or stop. All these things were in the previous version. Wish could go back to it!

Update: this version is such a disaster I’ve resorted to digging out my ancient iPad2 running iOS 9 so I could download and the far superior previous version. NOW I can find my shows easier, use TiVo to select a live program from the guide to watch, and easily pause the live tv from TiVo . I wish I had the option to go back in my newer iOS devices. The people that approved this new version should be fired!

by Fedupwithtivo

I waited as long as possible to download the latest update being as I’ve had issues in the past. This one is by far the worst. I’m in the process of downloading ALL my previously downloaded shows....WTH! Why am I having to do this? This is ridiculous.
Now I’m no longer able to see the air dates of my shows which was a previous feature I actually found helpful. I also can’t figure out how to toggle between shows I’ve recorded and those I’ve downloaded to my IPad.

“improvements” aren’t IMO! As per usual I’m sure some poor employee had to come up with this update in order to justify his/her job when there wasn’t any real need to change the look or feel. Was anyone complaining I wonder!

by BeamerDude

You people are absolutely terrible developers. I have used TiVo for years and it still has the same problems - shows get interrupted during streaming, have to constantly set up streaming (really?? you can’t do this without the user having to interact with the software??). I have extremely fast internet upload and download speeds with very low latency. My home network is extremely fast with a 1Gbps backbone, also with very low latency. The user experience with your app is so awful! Why haven’t you fixed your streaming problems? Every other reputable app developer can get an app to stream, reliably. Perhaps, you don’t care? Then, terminate TiVo !!

by Auryaun Nevin

I wish I could attach screen shots. TiVo is so frustrating! My show list, when sorted by date, lists folders in an order that doesn’t correspond to the actual contents. The folder will have today’s date, but the contents will all be from months ago, with everything already having been seen. Similarly, I get a “New” flag in folders that don’t actually contain new content. Additionally, TiVo no longer registers that I’ve watched an episode. I use my phone and my television equally, but they don’t sync information. Lastly, the mobile interface is clumsy and outdated by a few years: flat design isn’t going away, guys. Your TV app is beautiful ~

by LK====

App has stopped allowing streaming from my iPad. My only recourse is to delete TiVo and reload. Doing so will permanently delete all my downloaded shows and movies. What’s the point of having this service if I can’t count on saving my shows?

Downloaded shows stop playing hourly unless I interact with the show. Even when I’m in airplane mode. Your chat support says its a known “feature” created during the last release but can’t tell me what the benefit to the user is supposed to be. Please learn how your users want to use TiVo . I want my downloaded movies to play until the end without intervention from me.

by DrJose

TiVo could used to be better. Problems: 1. when you set it up to record a program, even when you set it to not record duplicates, it records the same program twice; 2. connectivity is not great, difficult to watch shows as it often says it can’t connect even when you are a few feet away from the modem; 3. you can only transfer to an apple product; 4. often you have to manually update TiVo , it should do that automatically; 5. About every other month TiVo just quits, when you try to transfer recordings to an iPad it just gives you an error message saying it was unable to transfer, but provides no rationale or solution, so I end up having to delete TiVo and starts all over again which is very frustrating for someone who travels for work. You would think TIVOwould hire a team of computer engineers that could make an app

by Bogie100

They took what was a reasonable app from just ok to terrible. The GUI is so much worse, made it difficult to navigate, can’t search for a channel # if you know it, fonts and background has terrible contrast and size some labels are unreadable. I’m middle age and have a very hard time reading the labels and navigating. I would say I have above average technical abilities for my age group and I have a very difficult time with TiVo. Some suggestions: make fonts easier to read and better and higher contrast, make this be much more functional and able to select a program to record at a current or future time slot more intuitive and easier and quicker.

by VanHalensing

TiVo has become too cluttered, and doesn’t even work with all devices. Specifically, it doesn’t work with the Stream 4K. Their newest device isn’t supported. Even if they had 2 apps it would be better. One for all devices that’s a remote and basic functions, and one for all the fancy stuff that is cluttering TiVo . Or, a mode to turn those things off. Whatever works for them. Right now they’re caught between doing too much, and not enough.

by MM-Maloney

TiVo was a bit difficult when downloading before but now it is even more challenging. But the worst are the UI changes. Why is the download group of videos not treated like the main?? Where is the folder groupings of the shows, where is the option or order by the season/episodes. And what happen to swipe to delete a show or folder? Now I have to go into the item to remove it. Some of the ease has been lost... please bring at least the UI in download up to speed and it would greatly improve TiVo usability!

by JingoroKitty

The latest release has more snazzy graphics but makes it much harder to do one of the primary tasks I use TiVo for - managing my recorded shows on the box. I used to be able to swipe left on a single recording from the main My Shows view to delete it, or in the case of series, swipe left on individual episodes on the series page to delete them. Now I have to go into each episode to delete, and there is no option to “stop recording now and delete” for something actively recording - have to wait till the recording is complete. I don’t need more pretty graphics or “more ways to discover”. I just need basic recording management back, in as few taps as possible. Please!

by Victorian-charm

I work in Information technology so I am not adverse to change. With that said TiVo has a lot of bugs. I use TiVo to schedule my recordings and trying to find out what is on for movies is impossible. 1). I get halfway through the list and it produces an internal error. I checked my network and rebooted my box, but still gets the error. EVERY TIME! 2). Movies are shown on channels I have to pay for. And not eve for channels I subscribe to. If I want to pay for a movie I will go to that app. The old version of TiVo only showed free movies. I prefer that.

I do hope they fix this.

by Jjddgg

For my purposes, TiVo works well ... once I'm logged in, that is.

Credentials expire quickly enough that I need to verify my identity just about every time I use TiVo . However, it's not integrated with iPhone biometrics, so touch and face ID are not available. This makes logging in a huge pain in the rear since I use a long, complex password stored in a password manager. For a long time, TiVo and the manager didn't play well together.

by Seale69

I’m glad TiVo exists because I can set up and edit recording plans when I’m away from home. Search could be improved and interface is off in parts. I tried to use guide to look for a show in the future but didn’t realize I had to click on the black bar’s blank space to get it to take. Wished the search worked better then I wouldn’t have to use Google to find the actual times for a college football event.

by Rjrustia

I use TiVo on a daily basis. I bring my iPad with me wherever I go. I don’t like the fact that I can’t stream some of my shows due to flags set by the cable company, but I can live with that. I agree with others that downloads should appear the same as the my shows view. But I rarely have problems streaming shows, and on the rare occasion that a download fails, I delete the download and start it again.

Adding cellular download ability is great! My biggest complaint is that TiVo will not download while streaming or download in the background while using another app. I use several streaming apps and they all download in the background. Also, the buttons are too small for my big fat fingers. No reason to make them so small, and not give the user the ability to enlarge them. I think the developers are young, and don’t realize older disabled users have trouble with small tightly grouped buttons and fine print. Fix these issues and you get 5 stars from me.

by PurpleUrge

When I search for a movie/tv show, it shows me the options to view it (prime, Netflix, etc), but if I have recorded a show and overlooked it, it never shows me that I already have it on my box. Hard drives have gotten so large now it is easy to scroll past something. I feel like TiVo should always show me if the show I am searching for is already on my box, before I pay to watch it elsewhere.

Otherwise, I generally like TiVo . The buffer can be a little short and that can be tough to watch.

by Jlwhitten

Put the remote control icon and access back on the top of the main page. Plenty of room at the top of screen (next to search icon). Shouldn’t have to switch pages to just to call up remote to then pause, skip commercials, jump forward and back, etc.

Seems like selecting to watch something on Live TV should more intuitive and require one touch only.

Just my own situation, I understand why TV on and off can’t work in app, but a nice compromise might be to provide a toggle to blank the screen (to black) when desired.

by STPLOX

Some may have different needs than I have, but for me TiVo works flawlessly. WiFi allows me to see what’s on and when, set a one pass if i wish, watch what’s on my play list no natter where I am. And if I wish, use TiVo as a remote control, find shows I enjoy and note when to watch (or record), in my home network watch a show away from my TV on any connected device (I do this often while in my workshop etc.).

by Lambchoupe

I wish I could attach screen shots. TiVo is so frustrating! My show list, when sorted by date, lists folders in an order that doesn’t correspond to the actual contents. The folder will have today’s date, but the contents will all be from months ago, with everything already having been seen. Similarly, I get a “New” flag in folders that don’t actually contain new content. Additionally, TiVo no longer registers that I’ve watched an episode. I use my phone and my television equally, but they don’t sync information. Lastly, the mobile interface is clumsy and outdated by a few years: flat design isn’t going away, guys. Your TV app is beautiful ~

by Jwginthe49203

This review is from a 18 year Series 1 customer

This is a... ‘if I could give it zero’ review. Primarily use TiVo on the road. Have used religiously for years. Always just worked. Now endless login’s, playback issues, not on home network fails (which is the ONLY reason you need to view on a device or you’d watch your in home system), records SD when specifically directed to HD ONLY, clunky new interface, IT IS GARBAGE. Go a different direction! Not to mention NUMEROUS requests to customer support only to get page turning techs with ZERO ability to comprehend or problem solve... frustrated and beginning my search for alternatives. Sad. Very Sad day for a once great product.

by Echotest2112

Three months and still no update or addressing of the most critical issues. Like almost every other user, previous app version had its issues but was mostly usable. While traveling could not download more than several shows from my roamio or Bolt and most of the ‘completed’ downloads were not playable. Why can’t the Download folder be sorted and shows grouped together in a folder? Trying to watch shows in the proper order is now a time wasting effort in trying to figure out where they are in a random list of every show that is downloaded. And what if you are not on WiFi 100% of the time? All useful information is no longer available when it is not connected, and the screen is barren except for titles. And please bring back reasonable sized fonts and ability to swipe to delete a show or at least make the buttons easier to press individually and not so tightly grouped together. Very disappointed.