TiVo, the DVR specialist, has confirmed the US retail availability of TiVo Mini, an all-purpose companion device that allows TiVo users to access apps and extend the viewing of live TV, recorded and streaming content, as well as on-demand programming, to rooms throughout their homes without an additional TiVo DVR.

TiVo Mini is not a DVR, but extends the value of a TiVo four-tuner DVR, the TiVo Premiere 4 or the TiVo Premiere XL4, using one of the DVR’s tuners to enable the control and access of content on a TV in another room of the house. TiVo Mini features a much smaller footprint than a DVR and users can access the same intuitive TiVo user interface. They will be able to control their main TiVo DVR by scheduling recordings and WishList searches, among other activities. Users can also start a show in the living room and finish it on a TiVo Mini in another room.

“The TiVo Mini answers the demand for a simplified whole-home viewing experience and a more cost-effective solution than putting another DVR or cable set-top box in another room,” said Jim Denney, GM and VP of Product Marketing for TiVo Inc. “With so many viewing options in a compact form factor, TiVo Mini makes it easier to get more value from your existing home entertainment set up by further enabling you to watch what you want, where you want it.”

Measuring six-inches long and just over an inch wide, TiVo Mini’s minimalist design streamlines the entertainment center in additional rooms of the home and offers access to integrated apps, including YouTube, Hulu Plus, Pandora, and Spotify, with more apps planned.

In addition to TV, movies, and music, the TiVo Mini will include a gaming component. Users can access and play a variety of games, including Quizzmaster, Black Jack and Wordsmith. Through Google Picasa and Photobucket integrations on the TiVo Mini, users can also access their photos on TV screens throughout the home.

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