Move over, Roku? TiVo is joining the smart TV party in the US

TiVo, the company that pioneered the DVR market, is returning to America in a new way.

The company announced today that it’s teaming up with Sharp to offer TiVo-powered TVs in the US as soon as next month. TiVo will join Roku, Tizen, webOS, Google TV, and a host of other smart TV operating systems. 

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The exact specs and prices weren’t revealed, but TiVo did say that it would be a “beautiful ultra high definition and high dynamic range” QLED screen with Dolby Atmos and 3 HDMI ports. The press release mentions only a 55-inch size.

TiVo TVs have been available in Europe since last year. The company has partnerships with eight brands there, it says, and offers its operating system in more than 33 brands. For now, it seems that Sharp is the only American partner.

While people are fiercely loyal to their mobile phone operating systems, it’s different with televisions. Instead of two main options, there are plenty to choose from. Unless this new TiVo/Sharp TV has high-end specs or a budget-friendly price, it’s hard to see what would separate it from the pack. 

Most TV operating systems look identical no matter what brand TV it’s on. TiVo took a different approach in Europe, however, giving the manufacturer control over what apps are on the set and where they appear. 

Like its competitors, TiVo’s platform will aggregate content from various streaming services, linear TV channels, and sports content, displaying shows, movies, and live events in a single user interface.  According to the company’s press release, a standout feature is the advanced search and recommendation capabilities that enable TiVo TVs to consistently present you with content you like. 

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According to TiVo, the OS also offers natural voice navigation that lets you easily search for and access desired content – but it didn’t say whether its American TVs would support that feature.

We’ll likely learn more about the TV at this week’s CES, set for Jan. 7 to 10.