Panasonic is abandoning its own TV platform and introducing no fewer than three alternative operating systems in its 2024 TV line-up, one of which is TiVo OS. Here it is.
After our first look at TiVo OS in our report from November 2023, which also included key details about the technology and future plans, we finally had a chance to see one of the actual TV models coming to the consumer market.
It is from Panasonic, which is a surprise since Xperi, the company behind TiVo (and DTS), had only announced Sharp and Vestel as launch partners.
Panasonic W60A with TiVo OS. Photo: FlatpanelsHD
The TV we saw in action was the Panasonic W60A (also known as W63A and W68A), but TiVo will also be available in the low-end Panasonic S45A and S40A ranges with HD resolution. The W60A is by no means a premium TV either. It features a standard 60Hz LCD panel with 4K resolution and no local dimming. It will be available in 43 to 65 inches in Europe later this summer.
Panasonic W60A TiVo Smart TV – specifications
FlatpanelsHDWhat is TiVo OS?
The picture quality was not great. Neither were the speakers, design or remote control. But TiVo has some promising features. The company refers to it as "content-first", meaning that the home screen aggregates content from supported streaming services.
As you will see in the video below, the title pages show you on which streaming services the specific content is available. You can hide streaming services that you do not subscribe to. You can also just open the apps if you prefer.
If this sounds a lot like Google TV to you, well, you are right. However, TiVo turns things on their head by suggesting specific titles and giving you multiple ways to watch them. Likewise, TiVo's own voice search engine has been optimized for movies and series and will not surface irrelevant YouTube content as on Google TV.
However, there are limitations. Some apps are missing, including Apple TV+, and you do not get information on available video and audio formats. Dolby Vision and Atmos are not really relevant for the entry-level W60A, but if TiVo expands to more premium TVs in the coming years, these are some of the challenges it will have to solve.
Panasonic's TiVo TV in action
Rather than explain the whole concept, here is a recording of the video introduction that FlatpanelsHD received in Düsseldorf, Germany, which is why TiVo is suggesting German streaming services.
In the video, you get an introduction to the TiVo user interface, the title pages, the Watchlist, the voice search feature, and more.
