Amazon Streaming / Amazon Prime

We continue to hope, pray, but mostly wait. They haven't really said a peep yet.

 

At least they have Netflix. And netflix accounts for twenty times the Internet download bandwidth than Amazon.

 

Little comfort to those who watch shows on amazon.

 

Advertisements

I recently opened a support ticket with both Amazon and TiVo regarding this question, and the answer that I got back from both sides was along the lines of "we're always looking to improve services and offer additional support. Be sure to watch for our future press releases!"

I'd suggest that anyone & everyone who is interested in this functionality should consider opening a ticket and/or submitting a 'feature request' for it. Perhaps more demand might move it up on the priority list. Or not.

TiVo feature request form:
http://advisors.tivo.com/wix5/p2272893819.aspx

TiVo support ticket submission:
http://support.tivo.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/1279

Amazon streaming support:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/digital-video

-Joe

 

I don't get it. Why two of my most used platforms - TiVo and Apple TV dont have have Prime Streaming. I'm hoping now that Airplay is enabled for Amzon Prime Streaming on iOS devices that an Amazon Prime Apple TV app is not too far away.

 

The response I got from Amazon:

 

Sounds like Amazon is experiencing the same issue that many of us encounter when dealing with TiVo support.

 

Sent Amazon's response to TiVo and got this back:

 

They would never release that info here before any official announcement.

 

The only comment I've seen TiVo make on that was that they can't comment on that.

 

The last survey TiVo sent out to me seemed to focus on extra features and touched on streaming video, I kept driving home the need for for Amazon Prime streaming every opportunity the survey gave me.

 

I have a new (less than two weeks old) TiVo Roamio and it has Amazon working on it. I was asked to provide my amazon account ID, amazon password, then had to read an email sent to me, then register the Roamio as one of my devices and finally required to create a 5 digit pin to authorize charges. That all worked.

I am an Amazon Prime member so I expected all videos to be free. I found out there are two categories of videos on Amazon. Some are eligible for Prime and those are free while others are non-Prime and cost to download. I was looking to download some CBS TV shows and it wanted $2.99 each for the HD versions.

I picked a free video and it was downloaded into the Roamio and appeared on the list with all the other videos that I had recorded from live TV. I did not try to stream (watch it while it was downloading) but I was able to watch the video and it used the normal buttons (pause, play, jump forward etc) that I have when watching other recorded videos. It was not like Netflix that has me use a slightly different user interface.

The search engine does find videos available from Amazon. They get put on the to-do list and get downloaded. They showed up by the next morning so I don't know exactly how soon/fast they got downloaded. I do get asked to pay for the non-Prime shows and enter that 5 digit PIN code. I assume these costs will be charged by amazon to the credit card I have on file. I am cheap, so I haven't tried purchasing a video yet.

 

Amazon videos are supported for download but Prime instant streaming isn't yet. No word from Amazon if they will update their app or not.

 

The lack of Prime instant streaming is becoming even more of an annoyance as Amazon expands their original content such as Alphas and Betas, I had to hookup and use my PS3 to view Alphas, it would have been so much more convenient just to use the Roamio.

 

I would be happy with a simple update.... especially when compared to Netflix.

 

After being a Tivo early adopter with a series 1 many years ago followed by a DirecTV model, I departed the fold by cutting the cord and using an HTPC. I rejoined the Tivo community this past weekend with a new Roamio Basic. As a cord-cutter, the biggest issue I have with my new Roamio is the lack of Amazon Prime.

Over the past several weeks, Amazon Prime has been winning an increasing share of eyeball time in our house. It's effectively free since we were paying for Prime before it included videos and it makes a great complement to the Netflix DVD plan (which has a much different movie selection than streaming plans do). The combination of Netflix DVD plus Amazon Prime has been delivering an acceptable content selection.

It's especially frustrating that Amazon Prime doesn't work on the Roamio because it works so well on the much cheaper Roku I bought years ago. It's puzzling to me that Tivo could release the Roamio with such a step backward relative to one of their major competitors. Do I now need to buy another Roku to sit beside the Tivo just for Amazon Prime?

I'll try submitting a feature request or support request as others have suggested, but I wanted to voice my concerns here, too, on the off chance that Tivo monitors this forum.

Thanks for listening,
B

 

So what makes streaming better than downloading?

 

It's the only way that Amazon serves Prime videos. (?)