While TiVo’s Premiere DVR hardware line is moving past its prime, signs indicate new, higher-performance models are headed to store shelves this fall. TiVo first alluded to “several” new devices earlier this year when petitioning the FCC to waive an archaic analog tuner requirement. Beyond supporting digital cable via CableCARD, TiVo intends some of these new products to also tune digital over-the-air (OTA) broadcasts via antenna. Whereas only the existing two-tuner Premiere currently offers this feature, sources tell The Verge that OTA tuning will be supported by an upcoming four-tuner “Series 5” DVR. Further, via multiple sources, we’ve learned TiVo is prepping a beefy six-tuner DVR that can expand beyond the 2-terabyte storage limit, making for a capacious media hub ideally suited to feed a number of TiVo Mini extenders sprinkled around the home.

It’s likely no coincidence that a new TiVo remote control just passed through the FCC. This combo IR / RF clicker could replace the discontinued Slide it’s unclear whether it’ll carry over the built-in QWERTY keyboard, but it may feature audible alerts. A primary benefit of RF support is the ability to operate devices behind cabinets, something many would find useful. As the new remote goes goes by the model number “S5-S,” it’s easy to assume that it’s a reference to “Series 5,” which would make sense given the TiVo Premiere line’s “Series 4” designation.

An image of the new TiVo remote, taken from its FCC documentation, shows the classic “peanut” shape.

In terms of what else might ship with updated TiVo DVRs, we expect to see a significantly more modern and capable Broadcom processor than what’s found inside the TiVo Premiere. Faster silicon would theoretically give a next-gen TiVo the horsepower to directly integrate the functionality of the TiVo Stream without needing an external box (though it could ignore that fact and continue to require the box anyway). We’re also still waiting on a completed HD user interface some three and a half years after its introduction, so hopefully, its recent $490 million cash infusion funds a larger development staff.

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