after
If only the response speed is faster, then TiVo Stream 4K will be a rock-solid Android TV streaming media device. It has the functions of an expensive streaming media device and remote control, but it is clear where TiVo is cutting corners to keep the price low.
TiVo Stream 4K is a kind of fresh air for a brand that mainly relies on you to spend hundreds of dollars a month on cable TV subscriptions.
This brand new full-featured streaming media device can play Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video and dozens of other services on the TV without you having to pay any extra fees beyond the subscription service itself. For this reason, compared to TiVo's long-standing DVR series, TiVo Stream 4K is closer to Roku and does a better job than you expect at the price.
Unfortunately, the downside here is that TiVo Stream 4K is a bit slower than some other streamers we’ve seen, especially when combined with
or
. However, if the lack of speed won't bother you, its wide range of streaming services and features may make up for the lack of zip.
The powerful feature of TiVo Stream 4K is a customized version of Android TV 10, which adds the first line of TiVo recommended content and the TiVo Stream application. The latter may be the defining function of TiVo Stream 4K. Although it does a great job of organizing content (one of the features of TiVo), the process of browsing applications, selecting programs and starting playback is slower than it needs. . Yes.
Nevertheless, given its
with
With playback function and low price tag, TiVo Stream 4K has proven itself as a reliable alternative to traditional products
, And convincing arguments about the future of the brand.
TiVo Stream 4K was first released on May 6, 2020 after being announced at the following locations
. As at launch, TiVo Stream 4K is priced at $50-with Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K, Chromecast with Google TV and
. At this price, there is no shortage of competition.
It has two competitors at this price: Chromecast and Google TV, which provide the best all-round experience, followed by Roku Streaming Stick + and Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K. TiVo Stream 4K is a bit slower than Chromecast with Google TV and does not have the powerful search engine of Roku Streaming Stick +, but it is a good Google-friendly alternative to Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K, which depends largely on you An Amazon Prime subscriber to unleash its full potential.
If you have ever watched a Chromecast, the appearance of TiVo Stream 4K will look familiar – it is a streaming dongle that hangs on the back of the TV and connects directly to the HDMI port.
The difference between Google's ice hockey and TiVo Stream 4K is the shape and beauty. Google designed a smooth, rounded appearance for Chromecast, while TiVo Stream 4K is big and blocky. In theory, it only occupies one HDMI port, but in reality, its large size makes it difficult to fit in a narrow space and a narrow cabinet.
In terms of power supply, TiVo packs a small power adapter into each box that connects to Stream 4K via a USB to microUSB cable. Instead of a power adapter, you can use the USB port on the TV to power the Stream 4K, but not every TV's USB port can output enough power, so you should not rely on this situation.
Inside the device, you will find an Amlogic S905y2 SOC, 2GB DDR4 memory and 8GB storage space. TiVo Stream 4K can use frequencies up to 802.11ac Wi-Fi 2.4GHz and 5GHz, but as we have discovered, this will become the bottleneck of the processor itself. Although these specifications can be used, they are not completely cutting-edge, but are related to the price you expect.
We believe that the true crown jewel of TiVo Stream is the included remote control, which feels like a miniature version of the full-size TiVo remote included with the DVR. This is a powerful advanced Bluetooth remote control with a built-in microphone for voice commands and shortcuts for Sling TV and Netflix. Since the entire system supports HDMI-CEC, the remote control feels great. Therefore, you can also use the TiVo Stream 4K remote control to control the TV (as long as it also supports HDMI-CEC). This is not a great boon, but it is a nice feature for those who already have too many remote controls around us.
Having a customized version of Android TV brings many advantages to TiVo Stream 4K. Chief among them is the well-organized interface, Chromecast support and Google Assistant. The latter can be summoned by pressing and holding the button on the remote control, which is definitely one of the main advantages of Android TV over Roku.
However, before seeing the main interface, you must go through a short setup process. If you don't have a TiVo account, you need to create a TiVo account and enter Wi-Fi information. You can complete this process by entering all the information manually-or, if you have an Android device, you can complete the process in a few seconds via the Google app on your phone.
No matter which way you get the basic setting information, the last step is to start the personalization process by choosing your favorite TV shows and movies. You will see two at a time, and your choice will eventually change the type of content you see on the TiVo Stream app and homepage.
Speaking of the TiVo Stream application, it is likely to be your hub for finding new movies and shows. It will extract all the latest content from each service you are currently subscribed to and the services you have not subscribed to, and show you what you think you like. It’s important to note that in order for it to play, any icon you click must first load the appropriate service and then start playing the video-as we mentioned, this will take a while.
In other words, if you don't need or don't need TiVo's advice, you can certainly use streaming services directly. So far, TiVo Stream 4K supports Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Vudu, Youtube,
,
. Almost every major streaming service is here, accounting for-except
.
Anything not found in the TiVo Stream 4K app can be cast through the Chrome web browser, thanks to its Chromecast built-in feature, which is a huge victory for Android and PC users. Other features related to Android are the built-in Google Assistant, which can be synchronized with your Google account. It's not as powerful as you used to see on your cell phone or cell phone
, But it has most of the same functions.
First let's rule out the worst part: TiVo Stream 4K is not fast. In fact, it usually takes a second or two to jump between menus-it may not sound like much, but when you check whether there is content to watch in each streaming service, this does increase. Although we usually think that fast Internet (100+ Mbps) tiles on Netflix, such as content on the TiVo Stream app, may still take a few seconds to fill.
The good news is that when you finally crawl through the menu to find content, it will look good. We spent a lot of time on TiVo Stream 4K, watching Dolby Vision content on Netflix, and watching HD TV live on Sling TV.
In most cases, HD content looks good on Sling TVs: there are some pixelated and jagged edges, which are both a defect of the player and a malfunction of the TV, and the guide does sometimes take a second or two to fill in the information.
On the other hand, the Dolby Vision content of TiVo Stream 4K looks particularly good, only the player reduces the resolution by one or two times in the middle. Compared with the Netflix app built into the TV, the colors seem to be slightly softer, but not enough to confuse people.
However, something disturbing is the audio problem we encountered when testing TiVo Stream 4K. Normally, when exiting sleep mode, TiVo Stream 4K will not play sound through the connected sound bar. If we switch to the built-in Netflix App on the TV, we will hear good sound, but switch back to Stream 4K, there will be no volume. The only solution we can find is to restart the TV and sound bar, and restart the HDMI CEC handshake, which is probably a mistake behind the scenes.
The silver lining of the TiVo Stream audio situation is that it supports direct Dolby Atmos to Dolby Atmos sound bars such as Viol Elevate. We were able to demonstrate Dolby Vision and One Planet in Atmos to family and friends, and everyone was impressed with Dolby Atmos' immersive spatial audio.
TiVo Stream 4K is one of the few devices that can truly implement the recommendations in just five minutes. Completing a personal preference test during the setup process can almost guarantee that TiVo will find something new for you to watch.
Currently, there are many cheap Dolby Vision streaming media devices (see: Chromecast with Google TV), but TiVo Stream 4K is a reliable alternative to existing products. Dolby Vision content looks exceptional on the device, and Atmos will impress friends and family.
Sling TV on TiVo Stream 4K is the closest one-to-one cable replacement product we haven't seen yet. Although the guide interface is slow to load, it looks exactly the same as the guide menu you see when watching the cable, so it is very intuitive.
It has no problem playing content, but TiVo Stream 4K is not meant to display it in search results within a reasonable time. The menu usually takes a second or two to load, which makes the whole process of finding what to watch is more cumbersome than usual.
If you are still shaking your HD TV, it does not make sense to pay more for TiVo Stream 4K. There are many cheaper options for you to choose from, such as
, Then you can use the same streaming application for half the money.
We have definitely emphasized the enthusiasm of Android TV and its TiVo implementation, but, as we all know, Android TV still has loopholes (see: HDMI audio issues). Although we have not encountered many glitches in the process of using TiVo Stream 4K, we have definitely used it on Android TV in the past, and we also know many people, so it is worth mentioning.
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