Check out our review of the TiVo Roamio DVR.
Detailed on the official TiVo site, the digital video recorder manufacturer announced the launch of the Roamio line of DVR set-top boxes. Replacing the TiVo Premiere line of DVR boxes, the Roamio lineup starts with a four-tuner set-top box that offers up to 75 hours of high definition recording on a 500GB hard drive. The base model will allow users to record four shows at once and includes built-in Wi-Fi to access a subscriber’s home network. All Roamio devices are compatible with the TiVo Stream, a device that allows users to access recorded shows on an Apple iPad or iPhone.
In addition to the base $199 Roamio, cable subscribers can step up to the $399 Roamio Plus to record six high definition programs at once on a 1TB hard drive. Unfortunately, cord cutters won’t be able to take advantage of this model since the set-top box requires digital cable and doesn’t come with a HD antenna input.
However, the Roamio Plus comes with a built-in TiVo Stream, thus eliminating the need for an additional $130 expense. Beyond the Roamio Plus, TiVo is also offering a $599 Roamio Pro that comes with 3TB of storage allowing 450 hours of high definition recording as well as all features included in the Roamio Plus.
Interestingly, both the Roamio Plus and Roamio Pro come with a feature called Remote Finder. After tapping the front of the set-top box, the TiVo remote will start playing a song allowing the user to hone in on the location within the living room. All devices in the Roamio lineup are compatible with the $99 TiVo Mini, a small set-top box that allows users to connect to the main DVR in the living room to watch recorded shows.
If you aren’t already using a set-top box like the Roku 3 or a video game console to watch streaming video content, the Roamio line also includes applications for Netflix, Hulu Plus, YouTube, Spotify, Pandora, Amazon Instant Video as well as other services. Identical to all previous TiVo models, users are required to pay $14.99 per month for TiVo service or a flat fee of $499 for lifetime service.
