Tivo Edge or Roku Ultra w/ the New SlingTv Interface?

If you're considering Sling, then you should also take a look at the other streaming cable TV services, which also offer cloud DVR: Hulu with Live TV, DirecTV Stream, Fubo TV, and YouTube TV. Each of them has their strengths and weaknesses. Be aware that Sling TV typically does not offer local stations carrying ABC, NBC, CBS, Fox, etc. while the other ones I listed do. Also be aware that YouTube TV doesn't presently have a dedicated Roku app, so you have to access that service through a menu listing in the regular YouTube app on Roku.

As far as getting a Harmony remote to control a TiVo and your Roku, you could, but the TiVo remote is a big part of that device's appeal. Also keep in mind that the TiVo Edge runs the new TiVo user interface (known as "TiVo Experience 4" or "Hydra"), which you may not like as well as the older version that shipped on the TiVo Roamio, Premiere and older DVRs.

Ultimately, though, it just comes down to how much you love TiVo and want to stick with it versus trying other options. (Keep in mind that none of the streaming cable TV services I listed above have a contract, you just pay month-to-month.) Only you know which channels you care about and what the cost would be for cable plus TiVo versus a streaming cable TV service you might choose instead. You just have to do your research, figure out the costs, and decide what's right for you. This website might help:

Suppose... you could design your perfect TV service

I would recommend option 2 with the following caveats:

1) Rather than the Edge, look instead for a Roamio Pro or Plus either refurbished or in good used condition. You can generally find them on eBay or elsewhere for between $200 and $300 including All In (Product Lifetime) Service.

2) Bear in mind that the TiVo DVR's future usability is threatened by the phasing out of CableCARD support and that, although Logitech is continuing customer support for now, they have halted production of the Harmony remotes. I would still highly recommend both products (and use them myself), but you should know that at some point you might be forced to find another alternative.

NashGuy said:

As far as getting a Harmony remote to control a TiVo and your Roku, you could, but the TiVo remote is a big part of that device's appeal.

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You are correct as attested to by numerous comments on this forum. However, if your system consists of more than a TiVo and a display (and particularly when relying on an AVR) you will usually need a programmable universal remote in order to avoid having to juggle multiple remotes or rely on very limited functionality. My TiVo remotes sit on a shelf gathering dust along with a dozen other OEM remotes, whereas my Logitech Harmony Elite and Companion are invaluable assets in controlling every aspect of my two A/V setups. Not only do these two replace the aforementioned dozen (or more) remotes, but they greatly simplify operation by performing multiple tasks with a single button press.

chiguy50 said:

You are correct as attested to by numerous comments on this forum. However, if your system consists of more than a TiVo and a display (and particularly when relying on an AVR) you will usually need a programmable universal remote in order to avoid having to juggle multiple remotes or rely on very limited functionality. My TiVo remotes sit on a shelf gathering dust along with a dozen other OEM remotes, whereas my Logitech Harmony Elite and Companion are invaluable assets in controlling every aspect of my two A/V setups. Not only do these two replace the aforementioned dozen (or more) remotes, but they greatly simplify operation by performing multiple tasks with a single button press.

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Yeah, I had a Logitech Harmony remote that was my daily driver for a few years but I've passed it on to others since I now watch everything (except the very, very occasional Bluray disc) via my Apple TV 4K. IMO, if you only use two devices, such as a TiVo and a streaming device, and assuming that both devices as well as your TV (and AV receiver if you use one) all support HDMI-CEC, you may be just as well off using the two remotes that came with those two devices. Because of HDMI-CEC, you should just be able to click either remote and have the TV's input automatically switch to that device. Don't get me wrong, the Harmony is nifty but, as I say, there's also something to be said for the TiVo remote and, for that matter, most remotes that are designed for the specific device they come with. But OTOH, if you have an elaborate set-up (as you apparently do) with several devices, then replacing all those original remotes with a single universal remote like the Harmony is much more appealing.

You are generally correct as far as the average viewer is concerned.

However, on the one hand, HDMI-CEC is notoriously quirky; it can work fine for months or years and then suddenly go sideways. And it will often either fail to accommodate desired actions or, conversely, execute actions the user did not want to occur given that it provides very little, if any, room for customization. I read countless posts on-line from new AVR owners who are dealing with issues that are almost certainly due to CEC wonkiness. When it works (and those odds are diminished when the controlled devices are not from the same manufacturer), it can be a boon for anyone who is looking for a simple, convenient method of control that does not require any user intervention. I myself have used it on a system with just a display and a soundbar (from the same manufacturer) and it generally worked for me.

On the other hand, any one of the better Logitech Harmony remotes (or similar advanced programmable remote) not only offers a wealth of practically unlimited configuration options, but it also adds the convenience of user-designed macros that can reach into the deepest settings of multiple devices to create a series of very specific configurations for a given context, each one accessible with the push of a single button on the one universal remote. That can include not just A/V gear but also home automation devices such as lighting, curtains, etc. And these same functions are available on the Harmony app, allowing control via cell phone or tablet.