TiVo Stream 4K – Every Streaming App and Live TV on One Screen – 4K UHD, Dolby Vision HDR and Dolby Atmos Sound – Powered by Android TV – Plug-In Smart TV, One size

Update 2/16/2021Still going strong. No issues. Only had to reboot it once in over 4 months. I think some of the "buggyness" others have experienced may be due to a poor wifi connection. If this is going to be placed far from your WiFi router you may have issues with spinning circle a lot. Mine sits right next to my router.My only gripe still is that if I subscribe to YouTube TV it's not going to integrate into the native Tivo channel guide and the Tivo Channel guide does not allow you to create a favorite channels list. That's really the only two main drawbacks. But if I do switch from Sling to YouTube TV I'll put the Tivo on my bedroom TV and move my Chromecast with Google TV from the bedroom to my main TV.Original ReviewTivo Stream 4K, Roku Stick Plus vs Chromecast with Google TV - For the $50 and under price range, these are the three best to choose from and I tried them all.Tivo Stream 4K was my winner.1) It's Android TV O/S so can load all the Play Store apps and use Google Assistant voice commands.2) All apps I tried, Hulu, HBOMax, Sling, Netflix, etc, had 5.1 audio (that should have it) including Atmos on Netflix.3) Remote correctly powers on and off the receiver, TV, and device itself. The Info button on the remote was critical so I could see the current video and audio stream spec on Netflix in realtime and discovered I wasn't getting 4K. Needed to go into my Yamaha and do a firmware update and change the video settings in the Advanced Menu to get the receiver to support 4K 60hz instead of 30hz. Not sure what made the difference in getting Netflix to stream 4K, the firmware update or changing 4K video mode from 2 to 1.4) Live Channel Menu integrates Locast.org (free local TV via Internet), Sling, Pluto and Tivo channels. No YouTube TV of course but not using that. I'm actually using Stremium now as my Live Channel guide and Live Channel DVR. It's brilliant. I have Locast for all the major networks and Sling ($30) for mainly CNN and ESPN. The Stremium app for $5/month (or less annual), also possible on the Chromecast, may not be the best featured cloud DVR but for the price and the fact it can be my channel guide and DVR for Sling and Locast combined is really great. See ya later Comcast and hello $80/month savings without losing a single channel I like to watch.I'm sure there are drawbacks I've yet to discover but so far the Tivo Stream 4K is a total sleeper compared to the more talked about Roku devices or CCWGTV. Maybe people think Tivo brand is old tech on its way out or something? Not my experience with this particular Tivo device.On the CCWGTV, I liked the interface the best (especially if you use YouTube TV, which I don't) but it has been relegated to occasional use on my bedroom TV due to the following:1) No 5.1 on some apps like mainly Hulu without having to cast from mobile device which is ridiculous to have to do that. Also no 5.1 on any Live TV Streaming Services except if you sideload AT&T Now app.2) No ability to integrate other live channel services into the Live Channel Guide (not surprising as they want to steer you to YouTube TV)3) Very disappointing remote (but what can you expect for a $50 platform?) No "Info" button on remote. Wouldn't control power on my Yamaha RX-V781 even with CEC turned on for everything to name just a couple frustrations.Other minor gripes but those were the main 3 for me. If you don't mind paying $65+tax a month for your live TV via YouTube TV and you live in the Google Ecosystem, it's probably arguably the best choice for others as long as they are willing to wait for the kinks to be worked out in all the apps on the audio streaming formats.Roku Streaming Stick Plus very promising. Better remote than Chromecast with Google TV. Simpler menu/navigation system preferable to many users, BUT, HBOMax not in 5.1 digital surround audio currently, just 2-channel PCM. Deal breaker. It's also not an Android TV device so you can't install any Android TV app from the Play Store although it has all the main apps. Moving between Android TV devices is easier in the future so you can use your Google account across a larger variety of current and future devices and not have to start from scratch when you change devices. With Roku, you are now tied to their properietary O/S that they have done a good job designing to make it easy for an average user.Honorable mention: Amazon Fire Stick. If you live in the Amazon/Alexa Ecosystem of home devices this may be your preferred device. You can 'sideload' Android TV apps.

I am impressed with the smoothness of the interface and the speed of the overall app switching, remote response, and video feed. I recently cut the cord and discontinued use of my old Tivo cable box. I was planning to use the smart features of my Samsung TV to run all the apps I needed. And Samsung has a 'live TV app as well.' However, the speed of switching between apps is not great, and certain apps (Tablo) are buggy and may not work at all. We have a new top-end Roku box we bought for a different TV. However, IMO the app integrations and options for live TV built into the Roku are not as good as what the Tivo stick provides. I have had this Tivo stick for ~6 months for a small TV (even before I cut cable off), and I now realize it was the best option all along! For just $25 (currently)! So I am buying a second one. All the streaming apps I need work well, and the Tablo app also works nicely. And the remote is very solid.I doubt you will regret purchasing this device. Perhaps if you just really don't want to spend time figuring out the interface, you might prefer a Roku. The interface is more complicated than a Roku, but that is because there is a whole section set up to simulate 'live TV' that integrates some live TV feeds with Pluto and other free streaming channels. That is more reminiscent of the older Tivo experience.

The Tivo Stream 4K remote reverses the stupidity of “smart” streaming remotes and they are the only ones in the industry providing a remote that is fimilare, user friendly, and actually useful. With its dedicated number pad, guide button, power button, input button, live button, backtrack button, comfortably positioned volume and channel controls, it is 99% perfect. It's only defect being the malignant Netflix button which should be a blank programmable button that should allow you to open whatever app or service you want. That way you could open a real entertainment application like Plex or your cable provider's application. You can’t uninstall the Netflix app because of that button.This leads me to my next critique. I can tell Tivo is trying to make the best smart streaming device in the market. The device is lower powered enough that you can power it using the USB port on the back of your TV and I can tell that if Google’s Android TV UI would get out of the way, the first thing you’d see when powering up the device would be Tivo’s own live TV streaming service. I would appreciate that, however, because of Android TV, you have to stop by and say hello to google before you continue on with your day. Gone are the days when you can just turn on your TV and start watching TV.My last complaint is how much personal information this device needs in order to set it up. Address? Phone Number? Email? Why so much? For security? In order to provide relevant content for my location? Excuses! All This device should need is a ZIP code and that's it. It's a small box attached to the back of my TV. Why does it need to know where I leave and what my phone number is! Tivo wouldn’t need so much Account security if they didn’t collect so much information. Furthermore, on top of needing a Tivo account, you also need a Google account! Just to use this device for the first time! Its too much…So why am I giving this device 5 stars when it seems I have so much to complain about it? Because the Tivo Stream 4K remote really does carry this device on its back and the industry needs to stop producing plastic paper weights and go back to making real remote controls. And the Tivo software Google allows Tivo to program into the device really is nice (Even though Tivo forgot to intigrate channel numbers into their own TV guide so you could use the number pad to change the channel) plus the price point of 25 dollars is so good for what you get that it makes me put up with its shortcomings.