Wow… how kick-ass would this be?! Other than the obvious movie licensing quagmire, they’d have to figure out the technology behind it. Series2 units only handle MPEG2, though the new Series3 also supports AVC. If Amazon movie downloads were to be offered on the S2, they’d have to change both the video format and DRM mechanism. Perhaps TiVo’s partnership with BrightCove (which they’re using to deliver NY Times content) provides some of the answers.
Business Week writes: Seattle-based Internet retailer Amazon, which recently launched a digital video downloading service aimed at taking on Apple’s Computer Inc.’s iTunes service, is talking with TiVo about a deal that “could be a key step toward bridging the gap between the home computer and the television set,” the New York Post reported Friday, citing two sources familiar with the discussions.
These sorts of things always sound like a good idea up front – especially if Amazon would let you download the movies directly to your TiVo. But it sounds more like you would have to download a movie using Unbox and then transfer it to the TiVo. I tried Unbox out and wasn’t impressed with the quality, selection, or overall experience when I hooked my laptop up to my HDTV. Neither was anyone else.
I don’t think this will go anywhere (sorry, Zatz). I’ll take a Netflix set-top instead, or a Mac iTV.
I can?t imagine this going anywhere either, but the idea sure is appealing. Honestly, I don?t care if it?s Netflix, Amazon, Apple, or if TiVo goes it alone ? but I would really like to see TiVo movie downloads of some sort. By the time iTV hits, I assume Apple will have lined up all the major studios and will be poised to kill the competition? the clock is ticking. Until then, I guess I?m stuck with Moviebeam (or my laptop) for spontanious movie rentals.
Cable and Sat companies already allow folks to pull down PPV movies to thier proprietary PVR devices, and it’s pretty well executed – just need to up the content offerings more. No, your new Series 3 TiVo’s with the cable card can’t do that, but this kludge will serve such a narrow market seg, it’ll never get off the ground.
Is this from the same new york post that wrote Howard Stern is leaving Sirius to go to old fashioned radio? I wouldn’t put stock in anything they write.