TiVo Premiere Review

© K.
Fowler (bkdtv), 4/20/10
Overview
The TiVo Premiere is the company's next-generation HDTV DVR for over-the-air, cable, and Verizon FiOS.
It launched in 320GB and 1TB configurations for $299 and $499 at Best Buy on March 28, and is now
shipping from TiVo.com and Amazon.com. Existing TiVo owners with a monthly or yearly subscription
receive a 20% discount on the Premiere at TiVo.com, with new units priced at $239 and $399.
The Premiere is based on the new "Series4" hardware platform with a faster dual-core processor, twice
the memory, and improved I/O. The added processing power is used to support a new high-definition
interface with a video window, faster network transfers, and robust video playback with full 1080p
output. Newer technology cuts power consumption by 35-40% for ENERGY STAR compliance.
As a dual-tuner DVR, the TiVo Premiere allows the user to watch one channel while they record another;
it will record two different HD or SD shows while playing a third, previously recorded show. It has
separate CABLE and ANTENNA inputs, with each split internally to support two channels from analog
cable, digital cable, or an off-air antenna; it will also tune and record channels from two different
sources. The Premiere doesn’t record from another box; it replaces the cable box.
User can pause and replay live television, or hit record to save the live program for future playback.
Other functions on the remote include 30 second "scan", slow motion, frame-by-frame advance, 15
minute skip-to-tick, and three speeds of fast forward and reverse (3x, 20x, 60x). Like past HD TiVos, the
Premiere maintains separate buffers for each tuner and retains the pause position on the inactive tuner,
so one does not lose their position when swapping between tuners and channels.
Recording capacity on the standard Premiere is 46 HD hours, while the XL offers 156 HD hours. Both
models officially support a 1TB external drive to add another 144 HD hours. DVRUpgrade.com and
Weaknees.com also offer upgraded Premiere DVRs with 317 HD hours. There are no quality settings to
vary record capacity on digital channels; all digital content is saved to the hard drive as is, bit-for-bit
identical to the original broadcast. Quality on live and recorded TV is identical.
The TiVo features an electronic program guide (EPG) with 14-days of guide information from Tribune
Media and Rovi. The guide is customizable, so one can remove any channels they do not want to see;
filters and favorites are supported. Program information is downloaded nightly and saved to the hard
drive. During setup, the user selects whether they want to use ethernet, wireless, or a phone line
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© K. Fowler (bkdtv), 4/20/10
adapter for guide downloads; the user enters their zip code and selects whether they use an antenna,
cable, or both. When cable or both is selected, the user is asked to pick their provider from a list.
By default, the TiVo records all programs by name rather than time; this is known as "name-based
recording." With a series recording for House, it doesn't matter what time or day of the week that
program is showing. The TiVo records House whenever it shows with the correct program length for that
episode, even when the day, time, and/or program length changes. The TiVo does this by continuously
searching the guide data for the name of the show, and adjusting its record schedule as needed. This
effectively provides "set it and forget it" recording, because once a recording is scheduled, no
adjustments are necessary when the program changes its day, time, or duration.
Single and series recordings are created through a program guide selection, a Browse TV category
selection, or by searching 14 days of program listings. The Browse TV menu organizes upcoming
television programs by genre, but goes well beyond that; it offers more than two dozen specialized
categories, including award winners, what’s new, most popular, best bets this week, and 4-star movies.
Search integrates results for upcoming TV shows, movies, actors and actresses, and all available content
from Internet video providers –such as Netflix—enabled in settings. First word matches are no longer
required and results are sorted by popularity (“best match”), minimizing the character input necessary.
Search results shown with “best match” popularity sort. One press of the remote switches to name sort.
Unlike most DVRs, TiVo also allows users to create custom series recordings to record only those
programs that meet specific criteria input using a USB keyboard, keyboard remote, or on-screen
keyboard. Such custom series recordings—known as wishlists—are useful to record only those sporting
events with one’s favorite pro or college team, regardless of date, time, and channel. Other uses
include series recordings for all new award shows, bowl games, golf majors, grand slam tennis,
MLB/NBA/NFL/NHL playoffs, NASCAR races, NCAA tournament basketball, or presidential debates.
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Every series and custom series recording can be set to record new episodes only, or new and repeat
episodes, with its own independent start and end time padding. Users are able to set the number of
episodes to keep, and whether to keep each recording until space is needed or until manually deleted.
The DVR maintains a built-in recorded history to prevent duplicate recordings of the same program.
All series and custom series recordings are listed and prioritized in a menu called Season Pass Manager.
Users rank their series recordings in that ordered list, and those rankings determine what two programs
record when three or more conflict. If three programs conflict, the TiVo records the first two and
searches for a later showing of the third program. The TiVo automatically records the next airing of the
conflicting program, so long as it is shown again in the next 28 days.
The list of recorded programs –called My Shows—is sortable by either name or date, toggled with one
press of the remote. Multiple episodes of the same program are grouped into folders to reduce clutter.
Within each program group, recordings are listed by the date recorded with their episode title. A disk
space meter indicates the amount of space consumed by user-scheduled recordings.
Shown with name sort; click here for date sort.
Select a completed recording or a recording-in-progress from the recorded list and it plays from the
beginning. On recordings-in-progress, users can skip commercials until they catch up to live. If one
elects to finish viewing at a later time, the TiVo remembers the last position.
If viewing live TV, pressing record will save the program from the point it was tuned. The TiVo always
buffers both tuners, so one can pause a live TV channel at a commercial, switch to another channel to
view for awhile, pause that, and then switch back to the first channel to resume from where they left
off, skipping commercials as desired. This makes it possible to watch two concurrent live TV programs.
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Other notable TiVo software features include: a Recently Deleted (undelete) folder to recover deleted
programs; remote scheduling via the web and mobile phone; direct download of recorded files in MPG
or TS format; transfer of videos and recordings from computer to TiVo for playback; multi-room SD and
HD viewing with other TiVos; an extensive array of parental controls; Netflix SD/HD streaming; Amazon
Unbox SD/HD; Blockbuster HD/SD; and free RSS video feed subscriptions.
Both the versions of the Premiere feature a new remote similar in layout and design to the older Series3
"Glo" remote, but with four new buttons (yellow, blue, red, green); these act as shortcuts for various
options in the user interface. The remote bundled with the standard model lacks backlighting and IR
learning capability, while the XL remote adds those features. A RF Bluetooth remote with a slide-out
keyboard is expected in several months as an optional accessory at TiVo.com.
For digital cable, one CableCard (M-CARD) from the cable company is required to support both tuners.
A CableCard is a form of access card; it plugs into the CableCard slot and authorizes subscribed channels.
The box has HDMI 1.3, component, and composite (RCA) video connections; it will output audio over
HDMI, but also has analog stereo and optical (S/PDIF). Output modes are enhanced with the ability to
selectively enable or disable every resolution from 480i to 1080p. All HD and SD outputs are active
simultaneously, and the box downconverts HD channels to SD through composite for older televisions.
One of the following subscriptions is required for the first TiVo: $12.99/mo, $129/yr, $299/3yrs, or a
one-time payment of $399 to eliminate all future fees. Each box after the first requires a subscription of
$9.99/mo, $99/yr, or a one-time payment of $299. Existing customers with a lifetime subscription can
add lifetime to the Premiere at a 50% discount ($199) without affecting the service on the other DVR.
TiVo.com and Best Buy offer a 30-day return policy. TiVo includes a 7-day trial without activation, and all
TiVo subscriptions are fully refundable within the first 30 days. The standard warranty is one-year on
parts and 90-days labor, but TiVo offers two-year and three-year extended warranties for $30 and $40,
respectively. There is a $150 charge for out-of-warranty repairs and replacements.
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Unboxed
The contents of the box are as follows:
1. TiVo Premiere
2. TiVo “enhanced” remote
3. HDMI cable
4. Composite video and stereo RCA cables
5. Ethernet cable
6. TiVo Premiere: The Complete Guide
7. TiVo Premiere: Start Here
8. TiVo Legal Terms
9. CableCard Installation Sheet
The TIVo Premiere does not have a phone jack, so one must purchase the TiVo wireless adapter, TiVo
phone adapter, or a third-party ethernet bridge if it is not feasible to run an ethernet cable to the box.
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Hardware
With early DVR chip designs, processor and graphics performance were not considered a priority; the
foremost concern was cost. The result was more cost-effective DVRs for cable and satellite that lacked
the performance needed to support more advanced multi-room and user interface features.
When the first DVR chips capable of supporting a responsive high-definition interface and robust multi-
room functionality became widely available in late 2008, some questioned why there was no new TiVo
hardware with those features. In the end, it all came down to the software. TiVo did not want to simply
refresh its existing UI and software for 16:9 HD. It wanted to create a new, modern interface that would
seamlessly merge DVR and broadband media content. TiVo determined that a Flash-based UI approach
– like that taken by Hulu, Boxee, Netflix, and others—was the most effective way to do that.
Broadcom announced Flash Lite support for its new and upcoming chips in January 2009, but it took the
better part of the year for that support to mature to a production state. When TiVo was satisfied that
Broadcom’s Flash implementation would meet its needs, the company selected the highest-
performance DVR chip available (BCM7413) to form the core of its new Series4 hardware platform.
CableCard 512MB RAM 8MB Flash ROM

POD Slot DDR2-800 JS28F640P30B85
B
a 6.4GB/s
California Micro
s Microtune Micronas TS In Broadcom BCM7413 CMD2030-AOTR HDMI
e MT2131 DRX 3944J Dual-core 400MHz MIPS32/16e HDMI 1.3 transmitter
b 64-bit DDR2 DRAM controller
Component video
TS In MPEG-2, MPEG-4, VC-1 decoders
a Microtune Micronas
2D+3D graphics processor Composite video
n MT2131 DRX 3946J
Multi-format audio processor S/PDIF out
d Dual PVR Engine w/ trick modes
Analog stereo out
Data transport module
TS In Security processor 2x USB 2.0
I NXP SAA7164
PCI 2.3, USB 2.0, Serial ATA-2 10/100 Ethernet
n Dual MPEG-2 encoder
10/100 Ethernet
p eSATA for external HDD
SATA-2 SATA-2
u
t Micron 46V16M16-5B Altera EPM3032A 1TB Hard Drive
32MB DDR400 SDRAM CMOS EEPROM SATA-2
The BCM7413 represents an across-the-board upgrade; it upgrades every major subsystem, including
the CPU, memory controller, 2D/3D graphics, decoders, and disk controller. The most notable feature of
the new chip is a dual-core, 400MHz MIPS32/16e CPU. That isn’t much by PC standards, but is
substantial improvement over the single-core, 300MHz MIPS CPUs found in most other DVRs.
It is worth noting that unlike PCs, the chips in all modern DVRs feature dedicated hardware video
decoders for MPEG-2, MPEG-4 AVC, and VC-1, with a media switch to decouple decode and playback
operations from the CPU. As a result, the CPU is left free to handle the embedded operating system
(usually Linux), the DVR software and interface, and any associated features such as multi-room viewing.
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Processor Performance
Performance in Dhrystone MIPS - Higher is Better
1200
1000
800
600
400
200
0
TiVo Series1 TiVo Series2 DirecTiVo HR10 TiVo Series3 TiVo HD TiVo Premiere
(1999) (2001) (2004) (2006) (2007) (2010)
Like other recent 65nm Broadcom SoCs, the BCM7413 features an improved 2D graphics core – known
as the Memory-to-Memory Compositor, or M2MC. This part of the chip is responsible for compositing
regions of the on-screen display and scaling them to the output resolution. Coupled with the faster CPU,
this new graphics core makes it possible to support more compelling interface designs on set-tops.
Superior processing power is of little use if the system lacks the bandwidth to take advantage of it.
Many DirecTV subscribers witnessed the importance of memory bandwidth when the dual-chip HR20
design was replaced with the single-chip HR21/HR22/HR23. All featured similar raw CPU performance,
but the newer models eliminated the second memory channel for the decoder, instead sharing a single
64-bit DDR memory channel between the CPU, graphics subsystem, and video decoders. That took vital
bandwidth way from the system and performance suffered as a result.
The TiVo Premiere features a new 64-bit DDR2 memory controller that provides 6400 MB/s of memory
bandwidth. That’s twice the amount of most cable and satellite DVRs based on single-chip solutions,
and a 35-50% improvement over past dual-chip designs like the TiVo Series3, DirecTV HR20, and Dish
Network ViP722. TiVo also equipped the Premiere with 512MB of DDR2-800 memory—twice that of the
latest cable DVRs, and four times the amount of most DVRs in cable homes.
TiVo Premiere TiVo HD TiVo Series3 TiVo Series2
Memory 512MB DDR2-800 256MB DDR400 256MB DDR400 32MB DDR266

1x 64-bit DDR
Memory interface 1x 64-bit DDR2 1x 64-bit DDR 1x 16-bit DDR
1x 32-bit DDR
Memory bandwidth 6400 MB/s 3200 MB/s <4800 MB/s 525 MB/s
After subtracting the memory reserved for the decoders and other hardware, the Premiere has roughly
321MB RAM available for the embedded Linux OS, TiVo software, and future third-party applications.
Contrast that to the 24MB available on the TiVo Series2 and 126MB on the TiVo HD. Most cable DVRs
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are equipped with 128MB, but only 60-90MB remains available for the OS and software after
subtracting the reserved memory, limiting possibilities for future enhancement.
The Broadcom chip in the Premiere also incorporates a new SATA-2 controller with two ports. The first
is used internally for a Western Digital AV-GP hard drive—the 320GB WD3200AVVS or 1TB WD10EVVS—
and the second for an eSATA interface to allow capacity expansion with an external drive. This is an
upgrade from the TiVo HD, whose chip featured a single SATA-I connection; to support both internal and
external drives on that model, TiVo split the SATA-I connection in two using a chip from Silicon Image.
All benchmark results suggest the Premiere offers superior disk throughput.
An improved memory subsystem and enhanced hardware decoders enable the Premiere to support
higher bitrates and new formats. The older TiVo HD and Series3 hardware couldn’t handle MPEG-4
video encoded at much above 25Mbps, which ruled out possibility of playing most Blu-ray backups
stored on a computer. Thanks to its new chip, the TiVo Premiere is able to handle video at much higher
bitrates, including MPEG-2 and MPEG-4 in 1080p at up to 40Mbps. The BCM7413 in the Premiere also
adds support for DIVX at up to 1080p, Windows Media Pro (up to 7.1) audio, and AAC-HE.
While the TiVo Premiere will output 1080p24 content as is, it won’t convert lower-resolution content for
output at 1080p60. This is a limitation of the system chips found in all existing cable and satellite DVRs.
Broadcom has a new chip on the way with full 1080p60 upconversion for all sources, but waiting for that
solution would’ve delayed the Premiere’s release another 4-6 months. TiVo wanted to get the box out
in early 2010, and selected the best hardware that would allow it to meet that goal.
Like past models, the TiVo Premiere has separate ANTENNA and CABLE inputs, with each split internally
to support two tuners from a single coax feed. TiVo eliminated the second CableCard slot, so one multi-
stream CableCard (M-CARD) is required to support both tuners with digital cable and FiOS.
Two Microtune MT2131 silicon tuners—a popular 1GHz tuning solution—remain the only holdover from
the TiVo HD design. The Premiere drops the ATI Theater 314 QAM/VSB demodulators in favor of the
newer Micronas DRX 3946A and DRX 3944J. These demodulators are responsible for recovering and
separating the A/V transport stream from the cable or broadcast RF signal for the Broadcom chip.
TiVo Premiere TiVo HD TiVo Series3

Tuner IC 2x Microtune MT2131 2x Microtune MT2131 2x Philips TDA6651
Micronas DRX 3946J
Demodulators 2x ATI Theater 314 2x ATI Theater 314
Micronas DRX3944J
The Micronas DRX demodulator is the same solution used by SiliconDust in the latest version of its
popular HDHomerun tuner. TiVo uses a different part in the DRX line that adds support for CableCards
and encrypted cable. In theory, it should provide a modest improvement over past TiVos in over-the-air
reception with an antenna, although we saw little difference at our particular location in limited testing.
Like past TiVo models, the Premiere supports analog channels. The TiVo Premiere features a completely
new implementation of analog support, which eliminates the reliability and quality issues some
customers saw with analog channels on the older TiVo HD model. Those with a TiVo Series2 can expect
equal or better picture quality on their analog channels with the TiVo Premiere.
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TiVo Premiere TiVo HD TiVo Series3

NTSC decoders NXP SAA7164CE 2x NXT SAA7138CHL 2x ?
MP@ML encoders NXP SAA7164CE VIXS XCode 2115 2x Broadcom BCM7042
In order to record analog channels, a DVR must perform at least three distinct operations: decode the
analog signal (NTSC decoder), convert the analog signal to uncompressed digital form (A/D circuit), and
then compress the uncompressed digital signal (MP@ML encoder) for storage on the hard disk.
With the TiVo Premiere, all of these operations are performed by a single chip – the NXP SAA7164CE.
This highly integrated IC features two NTSC decoders and ADCs, a 3D comb filter, 2D/3D noise reduction,
and two MP@ML encoders, as necessary to record two different analog channels. Contrast that to the
TiVo HD, which had two separate NTSC decoders and ADCs with a 2D comb filter, plus a third chip for
the MP@ML encoding. In effect, the Premiere replaces three older chips—four on the Series3—with
with one newer, higher-performance solution.
The Premiere features the same 10/100Mbps ethernet interface as past models, but to very different
effect. Many complained of poor network performance on past TiVos, but that had nothing to do with
the 100Mbps connection. Rather, it was the fault of limited CPU performance and system I/O, both of
which improved significantly on the Premiere. The result is superior network throughput –from DVR to
DVR and DVR to PC—that far exceeds the TiVo HD and Series3.
Two USB 2.0 ports support TiVo’s 802.11g wireless adapter or phone adapter, a cable company SDV
tuning adapter, and/or a wired or wireless keyboard. Later this year, TiVo will introduce a new
Bluetooth remote with a slide-out keyboard. That remote will use IR signals to control one’s TV and
sound system, but communicate with the TiVo using RF signals through a Bluetooth USB dongle.
For video output, the box has HDMI 1.3, component video, and composite video connections. The box
passes audio through HDMI, optical S/PDIF, and RCA stereo connections. All audio and video outputs
are active simultaneously; HDMI and component output a HD picture while composite outputs a SD
picture to support older televisions and recording devices. Anamorphic 16:9 SD output is supported.
Newer components built on newer manufacturing processes tend to consume less power, and TiVo
directly benefits as result. Without any new power saving modes, the TiVo Premiere averages 23 watts
in standby and 26 watts while recording, sufficient to meet the current ENERGY STAR requirements for
DVR products. That is a significant reduction from the 38 to 41 watts used by the TivoHD and Series3.
The least significant change to the new Premiere is also the most obvious. TiVo opted to take a “safer,”
more understated approach to case design with their new DVR. The hardware is housed in a slim, all-
black chassis measuring 16.5”W by 9.7”D by 2.4”H. The new aesthetic matches the black equipment
bezels adopted by consumer electronics in recent years, yet still provides a distinctive look with green,
blue, and red lights to indicate power, transfers, and recordings. For those that don’t want to notice the
TiVo at all, a menu option will disable the front panel LEDs.
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Hardware: Under the hood

The TiVo Premiere is opened just like the TiVo HD, but with four torx T10 screws rather than six.
There are no warranty seals to break.
The hard drive is attached to the drive cage with four torx T15 screws, and the drive cage is held in place
with four torx T10 screws – just like the TiVo HD and Series3. The only notable difference is the drive
orientation. The drive in the 320GB Premiere is the Western Digital “GreenPower” WD3200AVVS.
Removing the four screws and drive cage reveals the Micronas DRX demodulators and NXP SAA7164C.
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1 Broadcom BCM7413 System chip

2 Numonyx Strataflash JS28F640P30B85 8MB Flash ROM
3 (2) Micron Technology 9WG27 256MB DDR2-800
4 (2) Micron Technology 9WG27 256MB DDR2-800
5 NXP SAA7164CE/3 Dual NTSC decoders + MP@ML encoders
6 Altera EPM3032A CMOS EEPROM
7 Micron Technology 46V16M16-5B 32MB DDR400 SDRAM
8 Micronas DRX 3944J QAM/VSB demodulator w/ POD interface
9 Micronas DRX 3946J QAM/VSB demodulator
10 Microtune MT2131 Silicon tuner
11 Microtune MT2131 Silicon tuner
12 California Micro Devices CMD2030-AOTR HDMI 1.3 transmitter
Western Digital WD3200AVVS 320GB SATA-2 hard drive
Western Digital WD10EVVS 1000GB SATA-2 hard drive
Note: There are four 9WG27 128MB DDR2 memory chips, with one pair on each side of the board.
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Storage capacity, capacity expansion

The TiVo Premiere is available in 320GB (46 HD hours) and 1TB (156 HD hours) configurations.
Both models officially support “plug and play” external drive expansion with Western’s Digital’s My DVR
Expander. Currently available in a 1TB version, the My DVR Expander adds 144 HD hours, for a total of
190 HD hours on the Premiere and 300 HD hours on the Premiere XL. When enabled, external storage
is seamlessly integrated; the TiVo appears as if it has a single, larger hard drive.
External drives other than Western Digital’s My DVR Expander are not compatible. In its software, TiVo
restricts external drive expansion to the specific make and model drives used in the My DVR Expander.
Replacing the drive inside that enclosure has no effect, because it is the drive model and firmware that
matters. TiVo says this restriction is to benefit users, as certain drives won’t function reliably with the
way they implement storage expansion, causing potential instability or lost recordings.
Like the TiVo HD and Series3, the TiVo Premiere implements storage expansion through disk striping.
Once an external drive is added, new recordings are spread across both the internal and external drives.
As a result, permanently disconnecting the external drive results in the loss of all recordings made after
it was added; disconnecting the drive does not affect recordings made before the drive was added. To
prevent the loss of recordings with accidental disconnection, the Premiere displays an “External Storage
Missing” screen which asks the user to reconnect the external drive or confirm permanent removal.
With past TiVos, some users preferred internal drive upgrades to eliminate the need for a separate
storage device in their system. Internal drive upgrades were possible on the TiVo HD and Series3 using
free software tools such as WinMFS and MFSLive, which enabled capacity on large replacement drives
by creating a new partition with the extra space. Past TiVos recognized this new partition and used it to
store recorded programs, thus increasing usable storage capacity. The Premiere does not.
The TiVo Premiere does not recognize partitions created by existing upgrade tools, so a new method is
required to utilize the added capacity on a replacement drive. Weaknees.com and DVRUpgrade.com
discovered such a method, and both offer pre-upgraded Premiere DVRs with 2TB (317 HD hours)
capacity; Weaknees.com also sells an internal plus external drive configuration with 4TB (639 HD hours).
Both opted not to publicly disclose the new method or tools for competitive reasons, so DIY enthusiasts
must wait for the appropriate method and tools to find their way into the public domain.
Such large capacities are made possible by the Premiere’s newer operating system and SATA driver. The
TiVo Series3 and TiVo HD are currently based on Linux 2.4.20 with an older EIDE driver that supports a
maximum of 1TiB per partition; that limits total expansion of the internal and external partitions to 2TiB.
The Premiere runs Linux 2.6.16 with a SATA driver that supports virtually unlimited capacity, but
maximum usable storage is limited to 4TiB – twice the Series3—by the TiVo’s partition scheme (APM).
An unfortunate consequence of TiVo’s decision to restrict expansion to a specific external drive –in this
case, Western Digital’s My DVR Expander—is that it forces customers to wait for higher-capacity
versions of that product. While other DVRs can already take advantage of 2TB external drives to add
300 HD hours, TiVo users are left waiting for Western Digital to offer a 2TB version of its DVR Expander.
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High-definition interface, introduction

Bob Poniatowski, TiVo’s Director of Product Marketing, took the time to discuss the past, present, and
future of the Premiere’s new high-definition interface.
Several years ago, TiVo began researching HD UIs. It looked at what others were doing, conducted
usability studies, and engaged customers to gather feedback on proposed designs to determine the best
way to proceed. About a year ago, TiVo finalized plans for the new UI and set to work prototyping and
building the new interface in Adobe Stagecraft (Flash Lite 3.1 with Actionscript 2.0).
Why use Adobe Flash? In its research and discussions, TiVo found that consumers disliked the separate
environments for local and broadband content found on existing products. Users wanted a single,
consistent interface for all content. One of TiVo’s primary goals with the new HDUI is to replace the
disparate interfaces that exist today with one seamless experience for TV and broadband media.
Adobe’s Stagecraft platform is well suited for this purpose, as Flash applications with identical look and
feel can run from the hard drive or from Internet servers, with no apparent distinction to the user.
Flash on the Premiere is not a browser plug-in like users have on their PCs, but a specialized Stagecraft
application environment optimized by Broadcom for the hardware. TiVo, Broadcom, and Adobe
continue to work to provide the best possible Flash experience. As an example, work is now being done
to improve performance through utilization of the second core on the TiVo’s Broadcom chip.
TiVo’s new high-definition interface isn’t complete for launch. TiVo plans to roll out the new interface
over multiple updates in the coming months. The company prioritized the redesign of “high-traffic
areas” for release, with less trafficked menus to follow in the second half of 2010. For now, some
menus and features are HD while others are still SD. TiVo runs the “classic” SD interface and the Adobe
Stagecraft environment simultaneously and swaps between the two for different menus.
The initial version of the HD interface will include new high-definition menus for My Shows, Search, and
Browse TV. Other key parts of the interface, including the channel banners and program guide, won’t
be available in high-definition at release; TiVo will update those and other features with software
updates in the coming months. As more of the interface is redesigned in HD over time, users will see
less and less of the older menus until they are eliminated from view entirely.
[The classic UI will always remain a settings option for those that want and/or need it.]
TiVo’s plans also call for the Premiere to get new, enhanced Flash versions of all the popular HME
applications—Netflix, Rhapsody, some games, etc—that seamlessly integrate with the new interface.
These new Flash versions won’t be available at release; they too will follow later and replace the existing
HME versions. Looking forward, TiVo intends to develop Flash versions of all new applications for the
Premiere; the older platforms are unable to support Flash, so they will get HME versions when possible.
Although still in the planning stages, TiVo intends to make their Flash environment accessible to end
users and end-user applications. TiVo’s Bob Poniatowski mentioned an apps store where third parties
and end-users might share (and sell?) Flash applications written in Adobe Stagecraft.
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High-definition interface, new UI features

By itself, new hardware does little to improve the experience for the user. New hardware needs new
software to take advantage of it.
TiVo uses the faster hardware to support a new high-definition interface with a video window, sharper
fonts, and high-resolution graphics. Improvements with the new multi-pane interface include:
 VIDEO WINDOW in the corner of all HD menus displays the current recording or live TV channel.
Users can pause the video window, or toggle the window on or off from any menu using the SLO
MO button on the remote. A settings option will disable the video window.
 PREVIEW AREA in menus provides additional information about the selected movie, series, or
episode without the need to transition to a new screen.
 POSTER IMAGES throughout the interface make it easier to identify actors, series, and movies.
 DISCOVERY BAR is shown at the top of many HD screens and displays suggested TV series,
movies, collections, and TiVo tips, based on what is popular or similar to the selected program,
or content previously recorded by the user. Limited customization is available at launch, and
further customization is planned for future updates.
 SEARCH integrates results for TV series, movies, actors, and web videos. Results include
television programs showing in the next 12 days, as well as content from Internet providers
enabled in Video provider settings. First word matches are no longer required, and the new
engine searches every word in every title. By default, results are sorted and displayed by
popularity to minimize the character input necessary; sort by name remains an option.
 BROWSE TV organizes available and upcoming content into categories. Categories include
traditional genre selections for TV series, movies, and sports, plus two dozen specialized
“collections.” Collections include categories for award winners, what’s new, and most popular.
As with search, the Browse TV menu displays those programs showing on television in the next
12 days, plus matching content from any Internet providers enabled in Video provider settings.
 DISK SPACE METER on the My Shows screen indicates the percentage of disk space consumed
by user-scheduled recordings. This disk space meter is enabled by default, but can be hidden.
In the HD interface, TiVo Central is now organized into two panes, with the main menu selections on the
left and sub-menu selections on the right (screenshot).
TiVo renamed the “Now Playing” recorded list to “My Shows.” Programs are sorted by the user's
choice of name or date, toggled with one press of the button on the remote. Program folders are
also toggled on and off with one press of the button. A disk space indicator is shown just below the
My Shows text, and optionally hidden through a setting in My Show Options.
14
Recordings shown with date sort; click here for name sort. Note the WASHINGTON CAPITALS series folder.
A poster image, rating, and genre are shown for each selected program folder. For individual episode
selections, the poster image, TV rating, episode number, episode title, episode description, and channel
logo are shown in the right pane. Pressing PLAY on a highlighted recording bypasses the main
information screen and starts playback. Pressing PLAY on a highlighted folder plays the contents
sequentially, from oldest to newest, while pressing SELECT displays the folder contents (see below).
Click any image for high-resolution version.
15
Pressing SELECT on a highlighted recording opens the episode screen, where the rating, genre, key
actors, and original airdate are shown as part of the description. In the right pane, the recorded date
and channel are shown with the program duration and a poster image. For every recording, options are
given to resume playing (if previously viewed) and start from the beginning.
Search displays results for shows, movies, web videos, and actors. First word matches are no longer
required, and the new engine searches every word in every title of every program.
16
By default, search results are listed in order of popularity. The button on the remote toggles
between sort by popularity and sort by name, while the button toggles between all, free, and watch
now. “All” lists results for TV, plus any programs from enabled video providers; “free” lists results for
TV, web content, and Netflix if enabled; and “watch now” lists content available from Netflix, Amazon,
and Blockbuster VOD. Selecting a search result opens a screen for the actor, movie, or television series.
Each series screen includes menu selections for Upcoming, Episode guide, Cast, and Bonus Features. The
“Upcoming” menu lists episodes on television in the next two weeks, with new episodes identified by an
icon; episodes scheduled to record are marked as such with another icon. The “Episode guide,” shown
below, lists all series episodes by season; when a specific episode is highlighted, icons indicate whether
that program is upcoming on TV, available for instant streaming from Netflix, or available for purchase
from Amazon. The “Cast” menu lists the actors and actresses with portrait images.
Movie screens in search display menu selections for Cast and Crew. As with a series, “Cast” lists the
actors and actresses with portrait images; “Crew” does the same, except for directors, writers, and
producers. Clicking a portrait displays a new screen for the actor or crew member.
The screen for actors and cast members offers limited biographical information and a portrait image,
plus menu selections for TV, Movies, and if applicable, Production credits. Each menu displays the
content with that actor or crew member showing on television in the next two weeks; it also displays
any content from Netflix, Amazon, and Blockbuster, if those video providers are enabled.
For those that wish to browse program categories rather than search, TiVo added the Browse TV menu.
This menu organizes available and upcoming content in a range of categories. Categories include
traditional genre selections for TV series, movies, and sports, as well as twenty specialized “collections.”
Collections include Oscar winning films and Emmy winning TV series for each decade, Sundance award
winners, what’s new, fun for foodies, date night, ’09 box office blockbusters, and animated classics.
17
The user can mark specific categories as favorites, and those categories appear under My favorites.
Selecting a subcategory on the Browse TV menu displays the programs showing on television in the next
12 days, plus any matching content from Internet video providers enabled in settings. As with search,
the button on the remote toggles between all, free, and watch now. “All” lists results for TV, plus
any programs from enabled video providers; “free” lists results for TV and Netflix; and “watch now” lists
content available from Netflix, Amazon, and Blockbuster VOD.
18
A description is shown for the highlighted program. An icon at the bottom right of the screen indicates
the source of the program, be it TV, Netflix, or some other pay provider (if enabled).
The main screen for the program displays options to schedule a recording, “Watch now..,” and/or “Get
from..,” depending on where the program is available and what Internet video providers are enabled.
19
Other software enhancements

Much of the press surrounding the TiVo Premiere concerns the new high-definition interface. But the
new DVR also incorporates other enhancements available in both the new HD interface and the “classic”
SD interface, which remains available as an option in settings.
 30 second scan
On past TiVos, the ADVANCE (-->|) button toggled between the beginning and end of the program
by default. If the user wanted that button to perform 30 second skip—a popular feature to skip
commercials—they had to enter a special remote sequence: SELECT-PLAY-SELECT-3-0-SELECT.
The TiVo Premiere ships with a new 30 second “scan” function enabled by default on the ADVANCE
(-->|) button. This feature is very similar to the 30 second "slip" on DirecTV's latest DVRs. It doesn't
skip 30 seconds; instead, it fast forwards through a 30 second interval in one second (i.e. 30x speed).
Pressing ADVANCE repeatedly queues added time. Four presses of the ADVANCE button fast
forwards through 120 seconds of programming (or commercials) in four seconds.
The traditional 30 second instant skip function is still available, and enabled with the same remote
sequence. Simply enter SELECT-PLAY-SELECT-3-0-SELECT while viewing a recorded program.
 Trick play enhancements: Jump to beginning/end and skip-to-tick on live TV
With the Premiere, pressing and holding the REPLAY button for one second jumps to the beginning
of the recording or the beginning of the live TV buffer. Pressing and holding the ADVANCE button for
one second jumps to the end of the recording or the end of the live TV buffer (i.e. live TV).
Users can also jump forward or backward in 15 minute increments on live TV and recordings. When
rewinding, each press of the REPLAY button jumps backward in 15 minute increments. When fast
forwarding, each press of the ADVANCE button jumps forward in 15 minute increments.
 USB keyboard support; support for upcoming keyboard remote
The Premiere supports both wired and wireless USB keyboards. The implementation conforms to
the USB HID specification, which TiVo will use to support its upcoming Bluetooth keyboard remote.
Alphanumeric keys function in both the HD and classic menus, while the ENTER, cursor, and F1-F11
keys perform various TiVo remote functions. The keyboard is not yet supported in older HME
applications such as Youtube, Swivel Search, and interactive games.
 Improved handling of delete notifications; increase in default “keep until” period
On past TiVos, new recordings were protected from deletion for 48 hours, and icons were used to
indicate the amount of time a recording was protected. No icon meant the recording was
protected for at least 24 hours; a yellow ball meant the recording was protected for less than 24
20
hours; and a yellow ball with an exclamation point meant the recording was no longer protected and
the DVR would delete the recording when space was needed for a new one. It didn’t matter how
much space was available; every recording older than 48 hours was labeled as “may be deleted.”
The TiVo Premiere protects all new recordings from deletion for 72 hours, but does a much better
job of reporting when the DVR will delete older recordings. It no longer labels every recording as
“may be deleted” simply because it is 48 or 72 hours old. Instead, it calculates the disk space
requirements for scheduled recordings to report what recordings the DVR will delete and when. It
only flags recordings as “will be deleted” when recording space runs low, or when an upcoming
episode will replace an older one, per the user’s own series setting for “keep last X episodes.”
 Support for full 1080p24 output
The TiVo Premiere adds the ability to output 1080p24 without conversion to 1080i. The first
beneficiary of this new capability is Amazon, which already encodes all of its high-definition VOD
content in 1080p24 @ 5 Mbps. Those with compatible TVs will see 1080p output on Amazon HD.
Full 1080p24 output is also useful for playback of most 1080p computer video files.
 Simplified video output selections, auto-detection of supported formats
The TiVo Premiere simplifies setup with a new automatic output feature that selects the highest-
resolution supported by the TV. For those that want to change the default display settings, the
Premiere also adds a new menu to assist in determining supported formats.
TiVo replaced its separate native, hybrid, and fixed output modes with more intuitive selections. The
Premiere lists each ATSC format – 1080p24, 1080i, 720p, 480p, and 480i—and asks the user to select
those to output natively without processing. If all formats are selected, then all channels are output
in their original format. If only 1080i is selected, then all channels are converted to 1080i. If 480i
and 720p are selected, then SD channels are output as is, and HD channels are converted to 720p. If
720p and 1080i are selected, then all HD is output in original form, while SD is upconverted to 1080i.
 New channel logos in recorded list
With the Premiere, TiVo added channel logos for a number of new HD channels.
 Increased menu timeout
Under previous versions of the TiVo software, the DVR would revert to live TV after five minutes of
user inactivity on any menu. With the Premiere, TiVo increased that timeout to 15 minutes.
TiVo suggested current TiVo HD and Series3 owners could see some of these enhancements in a
software update later this year, but has not yet announced anything to that effect.
21
User interface performance

The Broadcom BCM7413 chip inside the TiVo Premiere features a dual-core 400MHz processor, meaning
it combines two 400MHz processors with some shared resources. In order to realize full performance,
the software must be written to take advantage of both processor cores.
The Premiere’s underlying operating system – Linux 2.6.18—is able to support both processor cores, but
in testing, TiVo found the current version of its DVR software was not stable with both cores enabled.
Rather than further delay release to address the issue with dual-core support, TiVo opted to temporarily
disable the second core under the operating system (Linux). This is a software setting, not a hardware
setting, so it is something the company can change in a software update. TiVo expects to re-enable the
second core later this year after it modifies the software to correctly function with both cores enabled.
For now, both the “classic” SD interface and the new HD interface run exclusively on a single 400MHz
processor core. The single core represents a significant upgrade over the 300MHz processor in the
Series3, but it does not deliver the performance TiVo intended for the product. TiVo designed the new
HD interface with the expectation of two processor cores, and a single core does not provide the desired
performance. Responsiveness is also hurt by the lack of image caching in the current software. Navigate
through one menu, then back, and the TiVo re-downloads the same image shown seconds earlier.
With only one processor core enabled and limited or no image caching in the current software, the HD
interface is sluggish. TiVo noticeably improved stability and performance with the 14.1c software
released in mid-April, but key parts of the HD interface still exhibit poor responsiveness. A notable
example is the My Shows menu, where the lack of title caching makes it painful to navigate among
several dozen recorded programs. Until TiVo enables the second processor core and/or implements
caching for poster images, many will prefer to use the “classic” interface.
The “classic” SD interface remains available and is more responsive than on earlier TiVos. When used
with the SD menus, the TiVo Premiere functions as a faster Series3 with some enhancements and
tweaks to improve usability, plus superior network performance and upgrade potential. The SD
interface is enabled under Settings -> Display -> Choose TiVo Menus (screenshot).
22
Multi-room viewing
The current implementation of multi-room viewing on the TiVo Premiere is just like that on the TiVo HD
and Series3, except it is much faster. Typical multi-room throughput on the TiVo Premiere is three to
five times that of the TiVo HD, reaching as high as 90Mbps.
At such high throughput, MRV on the Premiere works very well for unprotected content. Unfortunately,
the TiVo Premiere does nothing to address the issue of protected recordings, as it still relies on copies
which CableLabs’ expressly forbids on such content. CableLabs only permits streaming of protected
content and only with certain forms of encryption (ex: DTCP-IP).
Federal law requires that recordings from local channels be left unprotected, but also gives cable
providers free reign to protect what they want on cable channels. Some large providers, including TWC
and Brighthouse, now protect virtually all of the cable content on their systems, rendering it
incompatible with the current multi-room implementation on the TiVo Premiere.
If TiVo has any plans for multi-room streaming with DTCP-IP, as Moxi introduced last year, they aren’t
saying. Confronted on the issue, TiVo acknowledged the serious problem of copy protected content, but
would not say what they were doing to address it, or when customers might see a solution.
Multiroom Viewing
Throughput in Mbps between like TiVos - Higher is Better
Minimum Typical Maximum
68
TiVo Premiere 74
90
24
TiVo Series3 28
35
16
TiVo HD 20
27
Premiere tests run under Classic interface in 14.1c.
Maximum refers to throughput observed while recording two SD channels (TNT, TBS) on Verizon FiOS.
Typical refers to throughput while recording two lower-bitrate HD channels (AMCHD, CCHD). Minimum
refers to throughput while recording two high-bitrate HD sports channels (ESPNHD, ESPN2HD).
All DVRs were tested on the same 100Mbps ethernet network.
23
Download recorded files

One TiVo feature you won’t find on a cable or satellite DVR is the ability to directly download recorded
files over your wired or wireless home network. TiVo refers to this capability as “TiVoToGo.”
TiVo serves up the recorded files for unprotected content through a built-in https server. This server
and its file transfers run as a background process, so they do not interfere with the operation of the
DVR. With the TiVo Premiere, you can record two different HD channels, watch a previously recorded
HD program, and download a HD recording to your computer over wireless, all at the same time.
A common complaint about download capability on past TiVos related to its “speed” or throughput.
Network throughput on older TiVos was limited by CPU performance and system I/O, and further
reduced by the on-the-fly remuxing into MPG. Recordings on the TiVo are stored in a proprietary
transport stream format, and TiVo decided it was best to remux these transport streams into a PC-
compatible MPG. Remuxing of the transport stream into MPG format doesn’t affect quality, but it slows
the transfer considerably since it is done in real-time as a low-priority background process.
The TiVo Premiere significantly improves download throughput through the combination of the
improved processor, superior I/O, and the ability to download in MPEG-TS format. First seen on
Australian TiVos, downloading in transport stream format minimizes the on-the-fly processing needed
for the TiVo to send a recording to a computer. The result is significantly improved throughput.
Recorded File Downloads

Download throughput from TiVo in Mbps - Higher is Better
42
TiVo Premiere (TS) 54
61
32
TiVo Premiere (MPG) 32
33
10
TiVo Series3 (MPG) 13
17
6
TiVo HD (MPG) 9
12
The current version of TiVo Desktop 2.8 does not support TS downloads, so anyone using that program
will only see the TiVo Premiere (MPG) rate noted above. For now, TS downloads are only possible
through the third-party kmttg program or the TiVo’s built-in https server. A video comparison of
download throughput on the Premiere and TiVo HD is found on this page at Youtube.
24
Assuming one uses kmttg or the TiVo’s built-in https server to download recorded files, they can expect
download times comparable to those below. Be aware that these results were obtained under the stock
14.1c software with the classic UI; results could change with future versions of the software.
Download time for one-hour recording

Time in Minutes - Lower is Better
TCM (SD) ABCHD CBSHD FOXHD FXHD NBCHD CCHD ESPNHD
4
10
13
TiVo Premiere (TS) 13
13
14
15
20
15
43
52
TiVo Series3 (MPG) 54
56
57
64
83
22
62
76
TiVo HD (MPG) 78
81
83
93
120
Preliminary tests show that download throughput is much more inconsistent under the new high-
definition interface, with frequent drop-offs of 20% to 30%.
The second of the Premiere’s two processor cores is temporarily disabled under the current TiVo
software for stability reasons. TiVo plans to re-enable the second core with a future software update,
but it is unknown what impact that will have on network throughput. If throughput is currently I/O
limited, rather than CPU limited, than enabling the second core may not do much to improve
throughput. On the other hand, if throughput is CPU limited – as appears to be the case when running
the HDUI—then enabling the second core could noticeably improve network throughput.
25
Computer video transfers, Amazon VOD

TiVo and third-parties offer free tools to transfer computer videos—as well as previously downloaded
recorded files—to the TiVo for playback. Videos can be viewed as they transfer, without delay, so long
as the rate of transfer exceeds the “bitrate” of the recorded file. For example, to watch a PC video or
recorded file with 15Mbps bitrate, the TiVo must sustain a transfer rate of > 15Mbps to avoid delays.
The Premiere dramatically improves the performance of video transfers from computer to TiVo.
MPEG-2 Video Transfers to TiVo

Push/Pull transfer throughput in Mbps - Higher is Better
35
TiVo Premiere 40
45
10
TiVo Series3 12
15
5
TiVo HD 7
9
The numbers shown above apply to both “pull” and “push” transfers of MPG video files and saved
recorded files from computer to TiVo. “Pull” transfers refer to videos requested from the COMPUTER
folder at the bottom of the TiVo’s recorded list. “Push” transfers refer to video files pushed from
computer to DVR using TiVo Desktop’s auto-transfer folders, or the web browser interface in pyTiVo.
With this level of performance, it is finally feasible to download and store recordings on remote storage
for playback, providing virtually limitless capacity. High-definition MPEG-2 recordings from antenna and
cable run a maximum of 19.4Mbps, meaning the Premiere can pull those recorded files back from a
computer or server at twice real-time. This permits viewing of those saved recordings without delay.
26
MPEG-4 Video Transfers to TiVo

Push transfer throughput in Mbps - Higher is Better
50
TiVo Premiere 58
63
13
TiVo Series3 15
15
12
TiVo HD 13
14
These numbers apply to MP4 video files “pushed” to the TiVo using TiVo Desktop’s auto-transfer folders,
or third-party programs like pyTiVo. It is not known whether the Premiere possesses the ability to “pull”
MPEG-4 files directly from the recorded list for transfer without real-time conversion into MPEG-2; if
that capability exists, no tools currently exist to take advantage of it.
PC video isn’t the only content that benefits from the improved transfer performance. Amazon VOD
programs download in far less time, provided you’ve got the bandwidth necessary to support it.
Amazon VOD
Download throughput on a 25Mbps FiOS connection - Higher is Better
25
TiVo Premiere 25
25
6
TiVo HD 9
11
27
Streaming performance
TiVo does not yet offer built-in support for streaming PC video playback. Enthusiast Kerry Griffin sought
to fill the void with his own streaming video application for the TiVo. Dubbed “Streambaby,” the free
Java applet allows HD TiVo owners to browse, play, and fast forward through virtually any kind of video
file stored on their computer, without waiting for any transfers. Compatible videos – such as MPG and
MP4 files—are available for streaming at full quality, while other video files are converted to MPEG-2.
With past TiVos, streaming throughput was so slow that users were forced to compromise on playback
quality. Most HD video files had to be recompressed on the fly – with quality loss—to fit within the
throughput limits of those boxes. With its superior throughput, the TiVo Premiere eliminates the need
to compromise quality during streaming playback of most videos.
The Streambaby application does have one key limitation—a 1.1GB streaming limit. It must pause for
several seconds and re-buffer after every 1.1GB streamed. As an example, users of the program will see
video pause with a “rebuffering” message three times during playback of a 4GB computer video file.
The TiVo Premiere does not eliminate the 1.1GB buffer limit in Streambaby. That limitation is specific to
Streambaby, and won’t be addressed until TiVo makes the appropriate documentation available.
Video Streaming
Typical HME streaming throughput in Mbps - Higher is Better
MPEG-4 MPEG-2
56
TiVo Premiere
40
15
TiVo Series3
12
13
TiVo HD
7
28
Network connectivity options

The TiVo Premiere’s new HD interface requires a network connection. The network connection is used
to retrieve guide data, poster images, and other content from the TiVo’s Internet servers; it is also used
to search available content from Amazon, Blockbuster, Netflix, and other online sources.
The Premiere has a single 10/100Mbps ethernet port. It has no built-in wireless. For those customers
unable to run an ethernet cable directly to the Premiere, TiVo offers wireless adapters in 802.11g ($40)
and 802.11n ($90) versions. The 802.11g adapter plugs into one of the TiVo’s two USB ports, while the
802.11n adapter connects to the TiVo’s ethernet port and draws power with a separate AC adapter.
TiVo Network Solutions

Peak TiVo throughput with various network connections - Higher is Better
TiVo 802.11g adapter Powerline AV MoCA Ethernet
17
38
Multi-room
84
90
17
37
Recorded downloads (TS)
60
61
17
36
MP4 video xfers to TiVo
62
63
16
36
MPG video xfers to TiVo
44
45
All tests run on TiVo Premiere under Classic interface in 14.1c.
Tested throughput with TiVo’s 802.11g wireless adapter varied from 12Mbps to 17Mbps with a D-Link
DIR-655 router, depending on distance and location. As evident from the chart above, 802.11g wireless
is unable to take advantage of the improved network throughput on the TiVo Premiere.
Powerline networking with a pair of Netgear Powerline HD adapters yielded double the throughput of
the TiVo 802.11g wireless adapter, but only a fraction of the 200Mbps claimed by the product. File
transfers between two computers, networked with the same adapters, produced similar results.
29
Another alternative to wireless networking is Multimedia over Coax Alliance (MoCA). Popular among
A/V enthusiasts, MoCA creates a 150+Mbps network over the existing coax cable in one’s home. The
technology produced up to 84Mbps for transfers between TiVo Premieres,
or nearly five times the throughput of the 802.11g wireless adapter.
Each MoCA adapter has COAX IN, COAX OUT, and a 100Mbps ethernet
port. The coax from the wall connects to the COAX IN on the adapter; the
COAX OUT and ethernet ports connect to the TiVo Premiere. One can also
run ethernet from the MoCA adapter directly to a 100Mbps multi-port
switch to network additional devices. The same wire configuration is
repeated for each room with a TiVo Premiere, or where a high level of
throughput is desirable and a direct run of ethernet cable is not possible.
In homes with cable service, one additional MoCA adapter is required to

connect one’s Internet router (i.e. Internet connection) to the MoCA
network. Rather than running coax direct from the wall to the cable
modem, the coax runs to the COAX IN on the MoCA adapter and the COAX OUT connects to the cable
modem. An ethernet cable connects the cable modem to the WAN port on the user’s router; an
ethernet cable from the MoCA adapter connects to a LAN port on the router.
Coax from cable company

Office Bedroom
Coax to MoCA adapter Coax to MoCA adapter
Ethernet to Coax to TiVo

Coax to cable modem LAN port
on router Living room
Coax to MoCA adapter Ethernet to TiVo
Ethernet to
WAN port
on router
Ethernet to printer
Ethernet to 100Mbps switch
Wireless to laptop
Ethernet to PC
Coax to TiVo Ethernet to game console
Ethernet to TiVo
MoCA with cable service
30
In a home with Verizon FiOS, no additional MoCA adapter is required, as the Verizon-supplied Actiontec
MI-424WR and Westell 9100EM routers incorporate MoCA in their design.
Coax from FiOS ONT

Office Bedroom
Coax to MoCA router Coax to MoCA adapter
Coax to TiVo
Living room
Coax to MoCA adapter Ethernet to TiVo
Wireless to laptop
Ethernet to 100Mbps switch
Ethernet to printer
Ethernet to PC
Coax to TiVo Ethernet to game console
Ethernet to TiVo
MoCA networking with Verizon FiOS
Multimedia over Coax Alliance (MoCA) adapters from Netgear and Actiontec are sold by Amazon.com
and other Internet resellers. Adapters typically cost $75 to $90 each, or $140-$180 in packs of two.
Verizon FiOS routers with built-in MoCA, like the Actiontec MI-424WR, also function as MoCA adapters;
when available for $20-40 on ebay, these represent an affordable alternative to retail MoCA kits.
The Actiontec MI-424WR has one coax input and no output, so a separate 1GHz or 2GHz splitter is
necessary if using that device in place of a retail MoCA adapter. The coax from the wall is connected to
the splitter, with one splitter output going to the Actiontec and the other to the TiVo or cable modem.
31
Enhanced video playback

The TiVo HD and TiVo Series3 decode MPEG-4 (H.264) video up to 25Mbps and MPEG-2 video up to
35Mbps. Higher bitrate videos and lower bitrate videos with peak bitrates significantly above those
levels exhibit stutter and/or pixelization during playback.
The new chip in TiVo Premiere adds the ability to decode and display video at much higher bitrates. The
Premiere can playback full 1080p MPEG-2 and MPEG-4 at up to 40Mbps, like that found on many Blu-ray
titles. Furthermore, the Premiere provides the throughput necessary to make that capability useful.
Even if a two-hour 40Mbps MPEG-4 video were playable on the TiVo HD, it would’ve taken six hours to
transfer. With the Premiere, the same video will transfer faster than real-time on a 100Mbps ethernet
network, so it is viewable as soon as the “push” transfer starts.
With the Premiere, it was possible to transfer and view the 30+Mbps Elephants Dream MPEG-2 video
without delay, once the TS file was saved as a MPG with Streamclip. It was also possible to “push”
40Mbps MPEG-4 Blu-ray trailers with 640Kbps Dolby Digital and view those videos as they transferred.
Below is a table with playback results for various MPEG-2 (MPG) and MPEG-4 (MP4) test videos. A
check mark indicates smooth playback without stutter, pixelization, or other glitches.
TiVo Premiere TiVo Series3

MPEG-2 @ 30Mbps, 35Mbps peak  
MPEG-2 @ 30Mbps, 40Mbps peak 
MPEG-4 @ 12Mbps, 25Mbps peak  
Prior to version 14.1, all of these videos played on the Premiere without glitches, regardless of whether
they were transferred to the TiVo’s hard drive or streamed with Streambaby. The 14.1 software broke
streaming playback of high-bitrate MPEG-4 video, so those videos no longer play glitch-free when
streamed with Streambaby. For now, the high-bitrate videos only play correctly if first transferred to
the Premiere’s hard drive using TiVo Desktop’s auto-transfer folders, pyTiVo, or Streambaby’s “push.”
Note the current version of the TiVo software does not support DTS, DTS-HD, or Dolby TrueHD. The
Broadcom chip in the Premiere cannot decode those formats, but it should be able to output those
bitstreams through HDMI 1.3 to an A/V receiver. The current version of the software is unable to do so.
32
Power consumption
The TiVo Premiere consumes 23 watts in standby and 26 watts while recording under the 14.1 software.
This represents a substantial reduction from the TiVo HD, Series3, and many older cable DVRs, and it
was sufficient to meet the ENERGY STAR tier1 specifications that took effect on January 1, 2009.
Power Consumption - Recording/Playback

Power Consumption in Watts - Lower is Better
U-Verse DVR 17
DirecTV HR23 23
Cisco RNG200 25
TiVo Premiere 26
Samsung SMT-H3270 30
Motorola DCX3400 31
Motorola DCH3416 31
Moxi MR-1500T3 32
Motorola QIP7216 35
TiVo HD 38
Motorola QIP6416 38
TiVo Series3 41
Motorola DCH6416 41
DirecTV HR20 41
Sony DHG-HDD250 42
DireTiVo HR10-250 42
Dish ViP722 59
Dish ViP622 59
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70
The Premiere does not meet the more stringent tier2 specifications that take effect on January 1, 2011.
There is no “grandfather” rule for ENERGY STAR certification, so all units manufactured after January 1,
2011 must meet the new standards if they are to carry the ENERGY STAR logo.
If TiVo intends to manufacture and sell the Premiere after January 1, then it will need to revise its
design, or find some solution to reduce total daily consumption in order to meet the new ENERGY STAR
requirements. The tier2 energy allowance for a product like the TiVo Premiere should work out to
roughly 160kWh/yr, or 18 watts average consumption if no sleep or idle mode is used.
33
Typical Monthly Operating Cost

Assumes 4 hours of daily viewing and national average of $0.1054/kWh
U-Verse DVR $1.04

DirecTV HR23 $1.68
Cisco RNG200 $1.71
TiVo Premiere $1.97
Motorola DCX3400 $2.23
Samsung SMT-H3270 $2.28
Motorola DCH3416 $2.29
Moxi MR-1500T3 $2.43
Motorola QIP7216 $2.66
TiVo HD $2.69
TiVo Series3 $2.98
DirecTV HR20 $2.98
Sony DHG-HDD250 $3.06
DireTiVo HR10-250 $3.19
Dish ViP722 $4.16
Dish ViP622 $4.16
$0.00 $0.50 $1.00 $1.50 $2.00 $2.50 $3.00 $3.50 $4.00 $4.50
Typical Monthly Operating Cost in CA

Assumes 4 hours of daily viewing and California average of $0.1569kWh
U-Verse DVR $1.54

DirecTV HR23 $2.50
Cisco RNG200 $2.54
TiVo Premiere $2.94
Motorola DCX3400 $3.31
Samsung SMT-H3270 $3.39
Moxi MR-1500T3 $3.61
TiVo HD $4.01
TiVo Series3 $4.44
DirecTV HR20 $4.44
Sony DHG-HDD250 $4.56
DireTiVo HR10-250 $4.74
Dish ViP722 $6.19
Dish ViP622 $6.19
$0.00 $1.00 $2.00 $3.00 $4.00 $5.00 $6.00 $7.00
34
Competition
TiVo’s primary competition is cable company DVRs, but there are two other third-party solutions
available to consumers—the DTVPal DVR and Moxi. Each has its share of advantages and disadvantages.
The DTVPal DVR is the only alternative for a dual-tuner, over-the-air HDTV DVR. The $299 product does
not support cable or satellite; it only records locals from an off-air antenna. Like the TiVo, the DTVPal
DVR allows the user to watch one channel while they record another; it will record two different HD
shows while playing a third, previously recorded show. It supports trickplay functions such as pause,
instant replay, and rewind on live TV. It features a 250GB hard drive with 30 hours of HD capacity, but
does not support external storage expansion; it does not allow one to backup or offload recordings.
The DTVPal DVR does not require a subscription, but sacrifices functionality to hit the $299 price point.
It is based on a slower processor with less memory, so it cannot support a HD interface or more
advanced UI features. The product features a program guide, but has access to much more limited
program information. With less information—as little as 48 hours worth—it relies on single and
repeating manual timers (ex: every Monday @ 9pm) to record. The timers record the same timeslot
every week, regardless of what is showing. There is no option to record new episodes and ignore
repeats; the record schedule does not adjust if programs change their day, time, or duration.
As a low-cost, subscription-free product, the DTVPal DVR receives little in the way of support or
software updates to address known issues. The most notable issue with the current F208 software is
the inability to correctly handle Daylight Savings Time (DST). All record timers are off by one hour after
every DST change, forcing the user to delete and re-create their recordings twice a year. Despite the
limitations, many still regard the DTVPal DVR as an excellent value and worthwhile upgrade from DVDRs.
The Moxi is the only non-TiVo cable DVR still available for end-user purchase; it is sold in dual and triple
tuner versions for $499 and $599, respectively. This product does not support satellite or off-air signals
from an antenna; out of the box, it only supports unencrypted (Clear QAM) and encrypted digital
channels on cable. Like TiVo, Moxi uses comprehensive guide data from Tribune to support name-based
recording, with the ability to record only new episodes and ignore repeats. Moxi includes a lifetime
subscription for the guide data as part of the purchase price, so there are no extra fees.
The triple-tuner Moxi can simultaneously record three different HD or SD shows, one more than the
TiVo Premiere. It features a 90 minute live TV buffer per tuner, three times that of TiVo. Moxi also
provides superior media support with an integrated DLNA client; that client allows users to access
compatible audio, video, and picture files on DLNA-compliant network storage (NAS), CE devices, and
Windows7 PCs without the need for extra software; the company bundles a license to the more capable
PlayOn software, which allows users to access Hulu, MLB.tv, and other content from the DVR.
Moxi far surpasses TiVo in multi-room capability. Recorded programs on all DVRs are integrated into a
single list, and the Moxi will stream copy protected content and recordings-in-progress to two separate
DVRs or “Moxi Mate” extenders at the same time. “Moxi Mate” extenders (sold separately) placed
throughout the home can tune live channels using the DVR’s tuners, without the need for additional
35
CableCards. Later this year, company plans to further expand multi-room capability with the ability to
schedule, manage, and delete recordings from each extender.
Moxi isn’t for everyone. Some find the interface cumbersome to use, with more clicks required to
perform common functions. It can’t record channels from an off-air antenna, and it has no built-in
support for analog channels; it requires a $150 dongle to record one analog channel. The recorded list
isn’t sortable by date, and search results aren’t sortable by popularity; recordings and search results are
only sortable by name. Moxi lacks the ability to create single and repeating manual recordings to record
at a specific date and time; it also lacks more advanced recording and search features, including the
ability to create custom series recordings. Moxi users can’t download or offload recordings from the
DVR, and there is no integrated support for Internet video content from Netflix or Amazon.
A feature comparison of the DTVPal DVR, Moxi, TiVo Premiere, and DirecTV DVR is attached. This is not
a comprehensive feature breakdown; it only lists and compares those features that differ between the
four products. Refer to the AVS Forum sticky for a full feature comparison.
36
PRICING DTVPal DVR TiVo Premiere Moxi DirecTV HR23
$300
Price online $300 $600 $100
$500 for 1TB XL
DVR subscription fee None $12.99/mo or $129/yr - $7/mo
One-time payment to eliminate fees? - $300-$400 Included -
$600-$700
Total upfront cost to use without fees $300 $600 -
$800-900 for 1TB XL
Discounts available for existing owners 20-25% off DVR, fees
SOURCES SUPPORTED
Antenna   (Sold separately)
Analog cable  (Sold separately)
Digital cable  
DirecTV 
Dish Network
RECORD CAPACITY
46 HD hours
Recording capacity (built-in) 30 HD hours 75 HD hours 100 HD hours
156 HD hours for 1TB XL
External drive interface eSATA eSATA eSATA
Plug-and-play external drive expansion My DVR Expander 1TB Any drive, up to 6TB Any drive, up to 2TB
190 HD hours
Maximum capacity with external drive 375 HD hours (2TB) 400 HD hours (2TB)
300 HD hours for 1TB XL
Integrates internal and external drives   (Replaces internal drive)
RECORD FEATURES
Record X channels simultaneously 2 2 3 2
Record scheduling method VCR-like timers Name-based Name-based Name-based
Record new episodes and ignore repeats   
Single/repeating manual record option   
Auto-record future programs matching a
 
saved search (ex: all new Yankees games)
Record programs it thinks you will like 
Restrict series recordings to a timeslot  
Pad or extend sequential recordings from

same channel without clipping
Keep only the last X episodes of a show   
Eliminates conflicts when programs overlap

by <5 minutes by clipping lowest priority
Series manager to prioritize what is recorded
  
when 3+ programs conflict
Adjusts schedule automatically when
  
programs change their day/time/length
Programs missed due to conflicts
  
automatically record the next time they air
Keeps recorded history to prevent same
  
program from recording twice
Record antenna & cable simultaneously  (With add-on tuner)
Set default settings for all new recordings   
(Must recreate all record
Correctly handles daylight savings time   
timers on DVR after DST)
LIVE TV FEATURES DTVPal DVR TiVo Premiere Moxi DirecTV HR23
Number of tuners with live TV buffers 1 2 3 2
60 minutes 60 minutes 270+ minutes 90 – 180 minutes
Buffer time for pause, replay on live TV
(One tuner only) (30 minutes per tuner) (90+ minutes per tuner) (90 minutes per tuner)
Swap between multiple tuners without
 (Loses position) 
losing buffer or pause position
DVR UI FEATURES
High-definition user interface  
Number of programs on recorded list 6 9 10 6
Recordings shown with name and date (Name only)   
Recorded list sorted by name or date (Date only)  (Name only) 
Multiple episodes of same program grouped
  
into folders with episode names and dates
Play entire folder of recordings, back-to-back  
Single-click delete with undelete folder 
Record schedule shows names and dates of
  
all upcoming programs
History shows why programs didn't record (Limited)   
PROGRAM INFORMATION
Up to 8 days
Days of information 14 days 14 days 14 days
In these markets
Program titles    
On most locals
Program descriptions   
In these markets
Program poster images 
Detailed program descriptions, actors, and
  
original airdate, new or repeat
Information on ClearQAM channels (Requires CableCard) 
TVGOS Tribune Media Tribune Media Tribune Media
Source of program information
PSIP as backup via TiVo servers via Moxi servers via DirecTV servers
Method of guide data delivery Antenna Internet Internet Satellite
GUIDE / EPG FEATURES

Amount of information shown per screen 180 minutes 90 minutes 180 minutes 90 minutes
Customizable favorites list  (Based on usage)
Permanently delete individual channels   
Picture and sound while browsing guide   
View guide without interrupting playback   
Record indicators for scheduled programs   
Conflict management to choose what
  
programs record when multiple conflict
Antenna and cable channels in a single guide  
Navigate guide 90+ minutes at a time   
SEARCH FEATURES
Input text with keyboard, keyboard remote 
Search results sorted by name/popularity (Name only)  (Name only) (Name only)
Search program titles and descriptions    
Search actors, directors, categories, year   
Search multiple fields with AND/OR/NOT  
Save searches for later use  
Record future matches of a saved search  
Search available Internet VOD titles on

Netflix, Amazon, and Blockbuster
REMOTE SCHEDULING DTVPal DVR TiVo Premiere Moxi DirecTV HR23
Remote scheduling via web and mobile   
Real-time, remote conflict management 
Edit or delete scheduled recordings online  
View list of recorded programs and
  
upcoming / scheduled recordings online
MULTI-ROOM VIEWING
Transfers Streams Streams
Multi-room implementation -
to other DVRs to DVRs or extenders to DVRs or STBs
Send recordings to X rooms simultaneously 1 2 1
Recorded programs on multiple DVRs are
 
seamlessly integrated into a single list
Recordings-in-progress supported  
Copy-protected (CCI=0x02) content supported  
Pause in one room and resume in another   
FF/REW through recordings without delay  
Non-DVR set-tops can view recordings  
Non-DVR set-tops can schedule, manage,

and delete recordings on DVRs
Tuner-less extenders can view EPG and live

TV using networked DVR tuners
Extra fee for using multi-room $3/mo
OFFLOAD RECORDINGS
Download recorded files from local channels

and cable channels without copy protection
Computer software to automatically

download favorite series after they record
View and edit recorded files on computer 
Burn recorded files to Blu-ray disk or DVD 
Transfer recordings to mobile device 
Transfer edited or archived HD and SD

recorded files from computer back to DVR
Format of recorded files MPG or TS
13-15 min for TS
Est. download time of 1-hour HD recording
22-25 min for MPG
INTERNET CONNECTIVITY
Wired network connection 100Mbps 100Mbps 100Mbps 100Mbps
Wireless network connection (Sold separately) (Sold separately) (Sold separately) (Sold separately)
Uses NTP server to ensure accurate clock   (Uses satellite)
Download software updates over Internet    (Uses satellite)
On-screen weather, stock ticker, sport scores 
Amazon VOD with "TV Passes" 
Blockbuster VOD 
Hulu streaming (Requires PC software)
Netflix SD/HD streaming  (Requires PC software)
RSS video feeds / podcasts 
Youtube  (Requires PC software)
PC MEDIA DTVPAL DVR TiVo Premiere Moxi DirecTV HR23
DLNA client to access content on Win7 PCs
 
and network storage without extra software
DLNA server to stream content on DVR to
(Limited) (Limited)
other DTCP-IP compliant devices
Native DIVX support (Up to 480p)
Native MPEG-4 AVC and VC-1 support   
Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital Plus, DTS, and
(Dolby Digital only) (Dolby Digital only)  (Dolby Digital only)
DTS-HD output via HDMI to A/V receiver
Transfer PC videos to DVR for viewing 
Stream PC videos to DVR for viewing (Third-party software)  
Play music stored on computer   
View pictures stored on computer   
HARDWARE
Tuners 2 ATSC 2 ATSC/QAM/NTSC 3 QAM 2 QPSK/DVBS2
System chip STMicro STi7109 Broadcom BCM7413 Broadcom BCM7400 Broadcom BCM7401
Processor capability Single-core, 266MHz Dual-core, 400MHz Dual-core, 350MHz Single-core, 300MHz
System memory 160MB DDR 512MB DDR2 512MB DDR2 256MB DDR
Hard drive 250GB 320GB, 1TB on XL 500GB 500GB
Power consumption 22W 26W 32W 22W
Multi-stream CableCard slot  
CONNECTIONS
HDMI v1.1 v1.3 v1.3 v1.1
Component / S-Video / Composite /-/ /-/ // //
Maximum native output resolution 1080i 1080p24 1080p24 1080p24
Native mode to output all video as is,
  
without conversion to another format
Downconverts HD video to SD over s-video (Only when HD output is
(Composite only) (Composite only) 
and composite connections for older TVs disabled in settings)
All SD/HD outputs active simultaneously   
Anamorphic 16:9 through SD connections  
Coax pass-through output for TV tuner 
WARRANTY
Parts warranty 90 days One year One year One year
TiVo.com
Sears.com
Extended warranty available? 2 years for $30
2 years for $45
3 years for $40
Cost to repair after warranty expires $300 $150 $75 + parts cost $75 + parts cost
Free for three years
Transfer lifetime to a replacement DVR N/A N/A N/A
$199 after three years
Direct any comments or questions regarding this document to ilovehdtv at verizon dot net.

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Fowler (bkdtv), 4/20/10

Shown with name sort; click here for date sort.

The contents of the box are as follows:

CableCard 512MB RAM 8MB Flash ROM

TiVo Premiere TiVo HD TiVo Series3 TiVo Series2

Memory 512MB DDR2-800 256MB DDR400 256MB DDR400 32MB DDR266

TiVo Premiere TiVo HD TiVo Series3

TiVo Premiere TiVo HD TiVo Series3

Hardware: Under the hood

There are no warranty seals to break.

1 Broadcom BCM7413 System chip

Storage capacity, capacity expansion

High-definition interface, introduction

High-definition interface, new UI features

Click any image for high-resolution version.

Other software enhancements

 Trick play enhancements: Jump to beginning/end and skip-to-tick on live TV

 USB keyboard support; support for upcoming keyboard remote

 Improved handling of delete notifications; increase in default “keep until” period

 Support for full 1080p24 output

 Simplified video output selections, auto-detection of supported formats

 New channel logos in recorded list

 Increased menu timeout

User interface performance

Minimum Typical Maximum

Premiere tests run under Classic interface in 14.1c.

All DVRs were tested on the same 100Mbps ethernet network.

Download recorded files

Recorded File Downloads

Minimum Typical Maximum

Premiere tests run under Classic interface in 14.1c.

Download time for one-hour recording

TCM (SD) ABCHD CBSHD FOXHD FXHD NBCHD CCHD ESPNHD

Premiere tests run under Classic interface in 14.1c.

Computer video transfers, Amazon VOD

MPEG-2 Video Transfers to TiVo

Minimum Typical Maximum

Premiere tests run under Classic interface in 14.1c.

MPEG-4 Video Transfers to TiVo

Minimum Typical Maximum

Premiere tests run under Classic interface in 14.1c.

Minimum Typical Maximum

Premiere tests run under Classic interface in 14.1c.

Premiere tests run under Classic interface in 14.1c.

Network connectivity options

TiVo Network Solutions

TiVo 802.11g adapter Powerline AV MoCA Ethernet

All tests run on TiVo Premiere under Classic interface in 14.1c.

In homes with cable service, one additional MoCA adapter is required to

Coax from cable company

Coax to MoCA adapter Coax to MoCA adapter

Ethernet to Coax to TiVo

Ethernet to 100Mbps switch

MoCA with cable service

Coax from FiOS ONT

Coax to MoCA router Coax to MoCA adapter

Ethernet to 100Mbps switch

MoCA networking with Verizon FiOS

Enhanced video playback

TiVo Premiere TiVo Series3

Power Consumption - Recording/Playback

Typical Monthly Operating Cost

U-Verse DVR $1.04