Frequently Asked Questions

How is Amazon Instant Video on TiVo different than other options for watching digital videos on my TV?
Unlike most digital video-to-TV services, Amazon Instant Video on TiVo is not an extender. Your TiVo box communicates directly with the Amazon Instant Video service through the Internet, so your videos get downloaded directly to your TiVo box, where you already watch your favorite movies and TV shows.

Which TiVo boxes can play videos from Amazon Instant Video?
Any broadband-connected TiVo Series2^TM, Series3^TM, or HD, HD XL, Premiere, and Premiere XL boxes can download and play Amazon Instant Videos. Sorry, this service is not available for DIRECTV TiVo subscribers, TiVo Series1^TM owners, or TiVo subscribers who use a telephone phone line to access the service.

See the TiVo Getting Started Guide to learn how to connect your TiVo box to your home network.

Verify that your TiVo user account preferences are set to "Enable for Video Downloads" at the TiVo.com Manage My Account Page.

Need a TiVo box or a TiVo wireless adapter? Visit our TiVo store.

At this time, Prime instant videos are only available for streaming and cannot be viewed on a TiVo box.

How do I register all of my TiVo boxes with Amazon Instant Video?

To register a TiVo box with Amazon, you just need to link your Amazon account with your TiVo account. Once your accounts are linked together, all of the TiVo boxes registered in your TiVo account will be automatically registered with Amazon Instant Video. If you buy or upgrade to a new TiVo in the future, simply update your registration with TiVo and your new box will be added as a download location for Amazon Instant Video. If you have a device linked, you can also unlink your Amazon and TiVo accounts if needed.

How does the quality of Amazon Instant Videos compare to the quality of shows recorded by my TiVo box?
Amazon Instant Videos watched on a TiVo box are of equal or better quality than videos recorded at the Best Quality setting on a TiVo Series2 box.

See all Amazon Instant Videos available for download to your TiVo box

Where can I find my downloaded videos on my TiVo box?
Your downloaded Amazon Instant Videos appear in your Now Playing List with the rest of your TiVo content, just where you would expect them to be!

If I delete my Amazon Instant Videos from my TiVo box are they gone forever?
Amazon Instant Video stores your purchased videos in Your Video Library for re-download - so your videos don't have to take up all the space on your TiVo box. (Due to licensing restrictions certain new release movies are unavailable for re-download for an unspecified period of time starting 90 days after their release date. While these movies can be viewed as often as you like during this window, they cannot be re-downloaded.)

How long does it take to download an Amazon Instant Video to my TiVo box?
TiVo HD, HD XL, Series3^TM, Premiere and Premiere XL boxes now support Progressive Download. If you have one of these boxes, movies and TV shows will be ready to start watching within about 10 minutes of ordering (subject to Internet connection and home networking speeds of course.)

For Series2^TM boxes, downloading must complete before you watch your video. Download times vary depending on your actual Internet connection speed, the speed of your home networking hardware, and the length of the video. With a fast broadband connection (5Mbits/sec) a movie can download in about an hour, while a 1-hour TV episode can download in about 30 minutes. On a slower braodband connection (less than 1Mbit/sec), a movie can take up to 5 hours.

Fortunately the Amazon Instant Video RemoteLoad feature allows you to order videos online from Amazon.com and download to another location you've registered, such as your TiVo box. With this feature you can, for example, order a video while you're at work and it will be ready to watch when you get home.

Can I use TiVo Home Media features with my Amazon Instant Videos?
Due to copyright owner requirements, rental videos can only be downloaded to one location. The TiVoToGo and Multi-Room Viewing features have been disabled for rentals. For movies and TV shows you own rather than rent, the TiVo Home Media features are active and you can download your videos to 2 locations (TiVo boxes or Windows PCs) from Your Video Library on Amazon.com and from Amazon Instant Video product detail pages.

If I watch a video online, can I still download it to my TiVo?
In addition to watching your videos instantly online, your purchased videos from Amazon Instant Video can be downloaded on up to 2 PCs or TiVo boxes and transferred to 2 portable devices at any one time. Rental videos can only be watched in one location- either online or downloaded to one PC or TiVo box.

Still have questions? Visit Amazon Instant Video on TiVo Customer Support.