LAS VEGAS - Everyone knows that streaming television is thriving But you may not know that traditional cable and satellite subscriptions are still very large as well As the streaming market grows, more and more people are getting into cord cutting for the first time, and TiVo thinks a familiar brand might be able to help

To that end, TiVo has announced the TiVo Stream 4K ($50 at launch, $70 thereafter, due out in April 2020): an HDMI dongle with an interface that brings together all the content from various different streaming platforms

I saw a live demo of the TiVo Stream 4K at CES 2020 On the one hand, TiVo's comprehensive interface is very similar to existing services on other platforms, such as Apple's TV app, Android TV's algorithm-driven home screen, and Roku's extensive and comprehensive search However, TiVo Stream 4K puts personalization first in a way that no other streaming device can touch (at the moment, anyway)

With new gadgets and an expanded selection of free special channels known as "TiVo Plus," TiVo hopes to make streaming more accessible to newcomers On the other hand, this technology is not necessarily something that veteran streamers will have to buy into

First, let's talk about the streaming player itself: the TiVo Stream 4K is, as its name suggests, a 4K streaming device that connects to an HDMI port via a flexible cord This small black rectangle looks not unlike a small PS4 with the TiVo logo stamped on the front It has an Ethernet port on the bottom, but can also connect to a network via Wi-Fi

Powering it up takes you to a standard Android TV home screen, but TiVo representatives do not expect new users to spend most of their time here Instead, there is a TiVo-specific app that acts as a gateway to the most popular streaming services on the market: Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime, HBO Now, Vudu, CBS All Access, Sling TV, and more

Like Apple TV and Android TV, the TiVo app shows users content from a variety of sources However, unlike other services, the TiVo app also offers powerful personalization options When the app is first launched, it asks which services the user is interested in (or, theoretically, subscribed to) After that, it will only recommend content from that app until you change your settings In other words, if you only subscribe to Netflix, TiVo will not guide you to HBO content

Still, Apple TV and Android TV can do that, at least to some extent The bigger innovation is that before you select a show to watch, TiVo runs a series of A/B tests to narrow down the shows you'll enjoy When you launch the app for the first time, TiVo asks you to choose between two shows: "The Flash" and "The Masked Diva," for example, or "Hell's Kitchen" and "Black Mirror TiVo representatives explained that even if a user only answered five of these questions, the algorithm would have a much, much better idea of what content the user would want to see

The TiVo representative also explained that one of the biggest pains for new cord cutters is losing live TV Users can scroll through the live programming guide and set the DVR protocol Initially, Sling TV will be the only live content provider available, but this may change in the future

At the very least, the remote appears to be optimized for traditional cable setups, with a full numeric keypad The peripheral resembles a traditional TiVo remote control, but has been reduced to a size more common in streaming gadgets; all navigation buttons are still present, including a circular TiVo button that can go directly into the TiVo app The numeric buttons, however, take up most of the device's space

For now, these buttons do not do much However, in the future, if TiVo ever integrates cable or satellite content directly into the app, they will help users navigate directly to channels Time will tell, but for now, the remote control looks rather crowded and inefficient compared to what competitors are offering

TiVo's last announcement at CES 2020 was the expansion of its TiVo Plus program This service consists of a variety of specialty live channels, including Food 52, MMA Junkie, and TMZ TiVo Plus covers a variety of genres, including news, sports, and children's programming, but most of it seems like a step up from YouTube Internet videos, and are not usually something you would make the time to watch

Pushing premium content to the forefront is not necessarily what TiVo Plus is all about; TiVo Plus is more of a "turn on the TV and see what's on" proposition, suitable for brief viewing or filling a room with background noise while doing other tasks It is suitable for filling the room with background noise while watching for short periods of time or doing other work And when combined with Sling TV, TiVo Plus would be the perfect way to easily bring new cord-cutters into the on-demand-centric streaming world

At CES 2020, TiVo revealed that TiVo Plus will get 23 new channels, including Cheddar, Sportswire, and Mr Bean & friends This brings the total number of TiVo Plus channels to 49 Not all of the content is necessarily top-notch, but there is plenty to watch without paying extra

After using it for a while, TiVo's new hardware and app both seem solid The dongle isn't too expensive, and content should look and sound pretty sharp, as it offers Dolby Vision HDR and Dolby Atmos in addition to 4K resolution The app has a clean, easy-to-navigate interface, with solid personalization options

On the other hand, it doesn't look radically different from what other platforms already offer And if you already have a decent smart TV or streaming device, the TiVo app is unlikely to offer you anything you don't already know how to do

Still, for new users who want to ease into the streaming world rather than jump in with both feet, the TiVo Stream 4K and app have some potential; Tom's Guide will have a more comprehensive review of this device when it becomes available later this year Tom's Guide will provide a more comprehensive review of the device when it becomes available later this year

Be sure to visit our CES 2020 hub for the latest news and hands-on impressions from Las Vegas