TiVo is a bit of a household name when it comes to DVRs outside of your normal cable provider offerings. The company has been a go-to name for many years when people want the ability to record over-the-air broadcasts to watch later.
Well, TiVo announced its all-new BOLT OTA for Antenna today. This DVR is a 4K model that is built to work with HD antennas, so you can record the highest-quality over-the-air broadcasts, though TiVo still charges its monthly fee, so you won’t be getting off completely scot-free here.
The BOLT OTA is a premium 4K set-top box that will give users an on-screen user experience that will mimic what your normal cable provider generally offers.
TiVo considers the BOLT OTA an all-in-one home entertainment product that not only delivers a powerful DVR experience but also integrates many popular online streaming services. That means that you can record the football game on the same set-top box you watch Netflix on, simplifying your life.
TiVo is a great option for those wanting to cut cable but still keep normal DVR benefits with over-the-air broadcasting. The BOLT OTA is just the company’s latest foray into the field.
One major benefit to using TiVo over just watching content with a normal antenna is you get access to content just about anywhere. TiVo searches across live TV, recordings, and popular streaming service to deliver personalized recommendations for you. You will also be able to stream and download recorded shows to your phone or tablet for mobile viewing. There are also TiVo Minis that you can place around your home for a multi-room viewing solution.
You’ll still have a $6.99 per month, or $69.99 per year fee that TiVo will collect for the use of its service, but that’s just a fraction of the cost that many pay for cable or satellite television. This is one of the only downsides to TiVo. They provide a lower-cost alternative to cable, but still require a monthly fee even though you own the equipment outright.
The BOLT OTA itself will run you around $250 to purchase outright, so there is a bit of an initial buy-in cost in order to start using this over-the-air DVR. The TiVo BOLT OTA will be available starting tomorrow, September 28.
[9to5-press-release]
SAN JOSE, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–TiVo Corporation (NASDAQ: TiVo), a global leader in entertainment technology and audience insights, today introduced TiVo BOLT OTA™ for antenna, a premium, 4K Ultra High Definition (UHD) capable set-top box designed to work with HD antenna, equipped with an on-screen user experience that looks and feels like a high-end cable box. It’s a premium TV experience without the premium price.
TiVo BOLT OTA is an all-in-one home entertainment product that seamlessly combines the features of TiVo’s most powerful DVR with the most popular online streaming services. BOLT OTA works with almost any HD antenna and television, enabling consumers to freely watch or record local TV programming, national news, sports and entertainment in HD using an antenna (sold separately), but without the cost of renting equipment from a pay-TV provider. Consumers enjoy this powerful experience using a single, integrated device and with TiVo’s award-winning voice controlled remote.
“TiVo BOLT OTA is the perfect solution for a broad range of TV enthusiasts, including those considering cutting their cable TV subscription or those who might have cut the cord but are missing some programs that are only available via live TV,” said Ted Malone, vice president of consumer products and services, TiVo. “We’ve seen growing demand for our over-the-air products, and BOLT OTA is a major upgrade that will continue to keep TiVo at the forefront of the market.”
TiVo’s research team estimates that cord cutter intenders, people who are thinking about cutting the pay-TV cord for budgetary reasons, are estimated to represent 25 percent of the general pay-TV viewing population. BOLT OTA represents the ideal solution for these customers who are looking to save money but are concerned they may lose important programming or be stuck with complicated app solutions that are hard for everyone in the household to use.
Cord cutter regretters have already moved to using only internet TV services, including streaming apps, but are now rethinking their decision based on missing programming choices and inferior viewing experiences. BOLT OTA helps these customers regain a premium TV experience without needing to re-subscribe to a pay-TV service that charges them for channels they don’t want, or requires them to rent set-top boxes.
TiVo BOLT OTA allows consumers to record and watch free, over-the-air HD TV on their schedule. TiVo’s DVR includes four (4) tuners to avoid recording conflicts and stores up to 150 hours of HD programming, so viewers will never miss a moment of their favorite programs. They can use SkipMode® to skip entire commercial breaks on recorded programs with a single button press, and use voice commands to quickly find what they’re looking for with TiVo VOX Remote®. They can seamlessly search and discover quality shows, skip ads and gain access to the most relevant TV recommendations.
TiVo BOLT OTA combines OTT and OTA, giving consumers seamless access on one user interface to top streaming apps like Netflix, Amazon Prime Video and Hulu, as well as commercial free HDTV programming. TiVo will search across live TV, recordings and popular streaming services to deliver personalized results. Plus, they can stream and download shows to their mobile devices, watch their favorite content on-the-go, or schedule recordings almost anywhere with the free TiVo app or add a TiVo Mini for a multi-room, whole-home TV solution.
Availability & Pricing
The TiVo BOLT OTA costs $249.99 and has a monthly service fee of $6.99 or annual fee of $69.99. TiVo BOLT OTA will be available beginning September 28, 2018.
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