Hey, just so you know ... this post is now about 13 years old. Please keep that in mind as it very well may contain broken links and/or outdated information.

I guess I didn’t write about the TiVo Slide remote when I first got it last October but after going without it for a few days recently I realized how much I like it.

The Slide is a combination infrared and Bluetooth remote that works with the TiVo Premiere, TiVo HD, and TiVo Series 3 (OLED) boxes. The remote is the same familiar peanut shape as TiVo’s previous remotes, but smaller and heavier. Its shorter length allows for easier operation without having to shift the remote up and down in your hand to switch between the navigation D-pad and number buttons (my daughter thinks it’s a “cute” baby TiVo remote). The back of the remote is textured so you can figure out which way is “up” by feel. It comes with a small Bluetooth USB dongle that you plug into the back of your TiVo and then pair it with the remote.

The primary feature of the Slide is the slide-out QWERTY keyboard, as shown in the photo. The keyboard makes it a snap to enter long strings of text when searching for shows, creating WishLists, etc. The fact that the remote uses Bluetooth also means it’s more responsive (read: faster!) than the IR remotes. This is great for me because I was able to stop using my slow (but functional) IR extender since my TiVo is in an enclosed media cabinet (no line of sight for infrared signals). The Slide is a learning remote, like the Glo remotes, so you can program it to control other components like your TV, receiver, etc. It obviously uses IR for that, not Bluetooth. The little LED on the top of the remote above the TiVo button flashes orange when sending IR and blue when sending Bluetooth.

If you don’t want to get a whole new remote but still would like easier text entry on your TiVo, try a wireless USB keyboard! There are quite a few shortcuts available for navigating the TiVo interface with a keyboard. Or, of course, there’s TiVo’s own iPad app (which currently works with the Premiere only).

So, why was I without my Slide for a few days? Let’s just say it took a few too many accidental drops on the tile floor and had to be replaced. 🙁