TiVo BOLT's SkipMode feature rolling out to Roamio DVRs

Video streaming might be all the fad these days, but majority of TV viewers still get their content via traditional means, like broadcast and cable. Sadly, not everybody has the luxury to watch their favorite shows right then and there. DVRs have long existed to remedy that, but, unfortunately, they do record everything. They are, however, getting smarter, at least after the fact. TiVo's SkipMode feature, for example, lets you get to the content your really want and skip the ones that you don't, which is a nice way of calling "ads".

It would be nice if DVRs just didn't record those commercials in the first place, but technology and software has yet to catch up with our desires. For now, we'll have to settle with being able to skip those commercials at a single press of a button. No more holding fast forward and see a comical timelapse-like show.

TiVo introduced SkipMode when it launched the rather odd looking BOLT in September last year. It says that it has been one of the most popular features of the DVR. Those that have perfectly working TiVO Roamio's, however, were starting to feel left out. Due to popular demand, or at least desire, TiVo is bringing that feature to the entire line of Roamios. Just one press of a button and you are seemingly teleported to the future, at least a few seconds into the future. That said, TiVo makes a note that SkipMode isn't available for all shows, though it does claim at least 80% of the most popular shows on the top 20 networks are.

The software update also brings more content sources for the DVRs, both BOLT and Roamio, like HBO Go, Hulu, and even the WWE Network.

SOURCE: TiVo