TiVo BOLT could be the death of commercials, or the death of the entire television industry as we know it perhaps. The TV add-on can totally detect commercials and block them on television show replays.
The latest edition of TiVo is an unconventional entertainment tool. Classifying itself as a unified entertainment system, the device brings together the user's favorite TV shows, movies and music in a way that's simple, speedy and personal.
"Our goal is to deliver sophisticated, modern devices that will continue to breathe new life into this brand," Ira Bahr, the company's chief marketing officer, wrote in an online forum. "This, as well as the updated branding, is also a nod to a new and refreshed direction for the consumer part of our company."
The TV recording feature connects with the user's cable service or HD antenna to record up to four shows simultaneously. The device automatically detects the start and end of the commercial break and can block the part.
The gadget also delivers the same experience for streaming apps such as Yahoo Screen, Spotify, Pandora, iHeart Radio, Plex and Spotify.
The viewer may browse through the flicks in a click to find the array of seasons of every available episode. By pressing a green button, the user may block commercials.
But commercials are the lifeblood of the entertainment industry, so TiVo is facing complaints from a number of establishments in several places.
According to TiVo Vice President Jim Denney, TiVo does not change the underlying content of the material from the television show.
"We're not auto-eliminating commercials. The user does it. We're giving users a tool to get through their content more quickly," Jim Denney said in an interview.
Movies and TV series may be played 30 percent faster with TiVo's quick recording feature. The device has a built-in software for adjusting pitches to make them sound natural. With faster playback and commercial skips, it will be possible to finish a one hour show in 30 minutes.
The advancement also contains support for video in Ultra HD, or 4K, resolution.
The TiVo BOLT is priced at $300 and is packed with one-year free service, which provides programming data and other information necessary to maximize the device. The service fee is $15 a month on the second year.
