Sneak peek at TiVo's movie download service

No clue when they might be introducing this, or how it fits into their deal with Netflix, but apparently TiVo was showing off a beta version of their new movie downloading service at a recent TiVo Community Gathering in Las Vegas.

[Via PVRBlog]

[Jay @ Dec 19th 2005 12:16AM]

I think it's going to be like Comcasts OnDemand where you can rent movies on your DVR but with an added Netflix zest by maybe alowing you to keep them for as long as you want. Personally I think this is going to be the most practical way to do it, they would just bundle the extra cost into your subscription. Unlike other online movie rentals like MovieLink this will be more acsessable

[Anton @ Dec 19th 2005 12:16AM]

I would like to know about the implications for those who bought a one time life time subscription to TiVO?
We do not have a monthly charge for our TiVO. So in order to take advantage of this offer we would have to incur yet another bill.
However we are already subscribing to NetFlix. By the way NetFlix rocks.
As an aside, I think that this could turn or put those already on the cusp of being agoraphobic yet another reason not to leave their dwellings.

[pspimp @ Dec 19th 2005 12:16AM]

The biggest mistake Tivo can make is making changes that alienate their base.
If they try screwing with people who have lifetime subs it is gonna get ugly.
I love Tivo, but it ain't perfect and I can see myself dumping it if they make too many changes.

[cwoody @ Dec 19th 2005 12:16AM]

TiVo's been showing screenshots like that since 2004 or even earlier.

I would hardly call it a 'beta'. It's a concept that they've been playing with for years.

I don't think it's any closer to happening than it was a year ago. It's on their slate of things for the future... but with no where close to a timeframe yet.

[Jeff @ Dec 19th 2005 12:16AM]

"I love Tivo, but it ain't perfect and I can see myself dumping it if they make too many changes."

I just dumped mine this week. Both too many and too few changes. The changes they did make were not changes I wanted - buggy software updates, slowing performance, pop-up ads when fast-forwarding (admittedly only once, but once was enough to convince me they have no qualms about screwing their customers). Meanwhile, the picture quality never improved, I had no way to get HD, and TiVoToGo was just completely useless due to the speed and DRM issues...

I'd like to try their movie download service when they offer it but I won't sign up again just for that. They just pissed me off one too many times and meanwhile, other services surpassed them at their core business (my cable company's DVR works better than my TiVo did at the end, it has two tuners, it doesn't recompress the picture, and it gives me HD).

[Jonathan N. @ Dec 19th 2005 12:16AM]

Yah know. I've wanted to get a Tivo for a while but it would be a serious PITA to run another line down from my DTV setup on the roof. Adding video on demand....I would deal with that PITA.