TiVo users getting YouTubed

Oh goodie. Sometime "later this year," Tivo owners will be able to login to their YouTube accounts directly from their Series3 and TiVo HD devices. Using their fat, deceitful, meat sticks on the TiVo remote salvaged from the matrimonial wreckage, subscribers can search, browse, and watch enough content to realize just how badly they suck at Photoshop. Press release available after the break.

PRESS RELEASE: TiVo to Provide YouTube Videos Directly to the Television
ALVISO, Calif., March 12 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- TiVo Inc. (Nasdaq: TIVO), the creator of and a leader in television services for digital video recorders (DVRs), today announced an agreement with YouTube(TM) that will offer access to YouTube videos directly from the TV via a TiVo DVR. The service will be available later this year to broadband-connected subscribers with TiVo Series3(TM) DVRs, including the new TiVo HD.

Every day hundreds of millions of videos are viewed on YouTube and hundreds of thousands of videos are uploaded. Upon launch of the TiVo-YouTube service, TiVo users will be able to search, browse and watch these videos directly on their television sets through their broadband connected TiVo DVRs. The combination of having the YouTube experience with the convenience and familiarity of TiVo's intuitive user interface will provide TiVo subscribers with the ability to discover and enjoy the most shared and most discussed web videos in the world on their televisions. Importantly, users will be able to log into their YouTube accounts directly from their TiVo boxes and access their favorite YouTube channels and playlists.

"We're delighted to be working with the world's leading online video community so that TiVo subscribers can access YouTube's popular content on the TV via the TiVo DVR," said Tara Maitra, Vice President and GM of Content Services at TiVo Inc. "Being able to make available YouTube videos to the TiVo subscriber base using one device, one remote and one user interface is another major step in our commitment to combine all of your television and web video viewing options in one easy to use service."

[Magnulus @ Mar 12th 2008 9:18AM]

It is so freaky that the same day I find out about MyDamnChannel, it's revealed to me somewhere else that takes it for granted as some kind of internet common knowledge. Makes me feel so unspecial. *cries*

[Greg @ Mar 12th 2008 2:44PM]

Donny is the man.

[Boyo @ Mar 12th 2008 9:21AM]

I can't wait to Rick Roll http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eBGIQ7ZuuiU Tivo users

[Harlo @ Mar 12th 2008 9:53AM]

I'm afraid I have to give that three thumbs down.

[Big Sam @ Mar 12th 2008 11:28AM]

I wish I had more hands... so I could give it 4 thumbs down

[Christian Torkelson @ Mar 12th 2008 9:30AM]

"Using their fat, deceitful, meat sticks"

...

[dale_nx26 @ Mar 12th 2008 10:00PM]

my thoughts exactly

[PhatheadWRX @ Mar 12th 2008 9:31AM]

No love for S1/S2 TiVo owners :(

[Vince @ Mar 12th 2008 10:43AM]

Probably related to codec support or processor speed. I don't think the S2 has the power to decode MPEG4 stuff.

[MegaZone @ Mar 12th 2008 12:59PM]

The Series3 platform (the 'Series3' and TiVo HD) have hardware that can decode H.264 - the codec YouTube is using now. The Series2, being older, does not. Simple as that - the S2 can't decode YouTube video as it only does MPEG-2.

[Al @ Mar 12th 2008 1:43PM]

Yes yes, and h264 can't possibly be decoded in software!

[MegaZone @ Mar 12th 2008 2:03PM]

Al - not on the TiVo's CPU it can't. The first Series2 units have a 166MHz NEC MIPS CPU, later models went to a 242MHz Broadcom SoC, and the S2DT is a 266Mhz Broadcom SoC. And not all of the CPU power is available for video decoding, of course - just a fraction.

The TiVo has a weak CPU because it doesn't *need* a powerful, general purpose CPU - because it uses hardware for encoding and decoding. It is more cost effective to use dedicated hardware than a powerful CPU and software decoding.

[Chebwa @ Mar 12th 2008 5:06PM]

Dude. My TiVo DT model chokes up just trying to navigate big pictures on Amazon Unbox.

[Frankenstein Black @ Mar 12th 2008 9:31AM]

Well played Madam VP Maitra, Well played!

[chrisaroz @ Mar 12th 2008 9:37AM]

You said "Broadbanded Connected". My series 2 is broadband connected... Any link to the original release/article that may clarify?

[ScOObyDoo @ Mar 12th 2008 10:45AM]

Yeah, that press release is quite confusing...

"broadband-connected subscribers with TiVo Series3(TM) DVRs, including the new TiVo HD"

makes no sense at all. They make it sound like the Tivo HD is a series3 tivo...

[derspiess42 @ Mar 12th 2008 11:01AM]

The TivoHD is technically part of the Series3 Tivo line. It's just not commonly referred to as a Series3, so as not to confuse it with the original Series3.

[Pip @ Mar 12th 2008 11:02AM]

My HD Tivo that ran $299 said Series 3 on the box. There is also the Series 3 HD Tivo that costs $799 as well.

[MegaZone @ Mar 12th 2008 1:01PM]

The TiVo HD *is* technically part of the Series3 family. The original box in the family didn't have a specific name and everyone just called it the 'Series3'. The TiVo HD is another box in that family, but it was branded 'TiVo HD'. BOTH are technically Series3 platform units.

You will need a broadband connected original S3 or TiVo HD to access YouTube. They have H.264 decoding hardware - older S2 units do not.

[OJDIDIT @ Mar 12th 2008 9:50AM]

This is excellent news. More viewers for all episodes of Chilly S - The Chronicles.

[wrabbit @ Mar 12th 2008 9:51AM]

Wait, wait. So are you saying that I'll be able to watch the 320x240 clips of pimply teenagers telling me about their angst, people washing down mentos with coke, and not to mention dogs on skateboards, and all that in glorious HD on my 52 inch LCD screen... my dream has finally come true!

[Lars @ Mar 12th 2008 2:52PM]

Why all the youtube hate? There's a lot of great stuff on there, and I much prefer to sit on my couch and view it rather than hunch over a computer. In fact the most use I get out of my Wii is viewing youtube.

If all you're seeing on youtube is pimply teenagers, that just shows what type of content you're searching for.

[Boyo @ Mar 12th 2008 9:56AM]

Silly wrabbit, youtube's for kids!

[Adam @ Mar 12th 2008 10:03AM]

Wow. I need read headlines more closely. All I saw was Photoshop running on a TiVO :)

[Bufsabre @ Mar 12th 2008 10:05AM]

you suck at photoshop

[Adam @ Mar 12th 2008 10:07AM]

Yea I realized that's what it was after I thought about it for a second.

[james @ Mar 12th 2008 10:06AM]

Cool. YouTube is really the only site I surf with my PS3.

[JC @ Mar 12th 2008 10:07AM]

I take offense. My fat meat stick has never told a lie.

[Kizorblade @ Mar 12th 2008 10:08AM]

Oh god not more people!

Leave Britney alone!

[Jake @ Mar 12th 2008 10:48AM]

"Using their fat, deceitful, meat sticks on the TiVo remote salvaged from the matrimonial wreckage, subscribers can search, browse, and watch enough content to realize just how badly they suck at Photoshop."

I know all those words, but that post makes no sense.

[Brad @ Mar 12th 2008 12:14PM]

Apparently one of the new Engadget writers thinks complete gibberish is funny. To that I say:

Keep your Zune wad inside your seersucker, Paco!

[Tim @ Mar 12th 2008 12:26PM]

good, i'm glad i wasn't the only one. for a few minutes I thought I was missing out on some engadget joke...

[Thomas Ricker @ Mar 12th 2008 1:00PM]

Wipe your heinies and try to follow this one:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=MWn0lxRNqos&feature=PlayList&p=0C58CB1E28566630&index=2

Thomas

[Jake @ Mar 12th 2008 1:10PM]

Tommy:

No need to go and cranky about it, Tommy. I figured it was some you're-so-deep-in-YouTube joke I just didn't get. But I also saw it as a great opportunity to bust out a vintage Simpsons joke.

So let's do a hand-count: who didn't get what? ;-)

[Thomas Ricker @ Mar 12th 2008 1:19PM]

@Jake,

duuuude, it would help the conversation tremendously if you would click the link that I pasted. Wasn't being cranky, was quoting the video with a smile. I love you man.

Thomas

[Jake @ Mar 12th 2008 1:29PM]

@Thomas:

Thanks, I already found the series earlier today after I posted. I COULD have asked The Oracle (google) first, but I could hardly pass up the chance at a good Simpsons gag -- particularly one that is appropriate so infrequently.

And yes, I do suck at photoshop.

[AlphaTeam @ Mar 12th 2008 10:57AM]

Now we just need DirecTV to start using Tivos again.

[Eric @ Mar 12th 2008 11:15AM]

Good, another thing to do while waiting for Time-Warner to get their stupid cable cards working right with my TiVO HD.

[mike @ Mar 12th 2008 11:23AM]

"Using their fat, deceitful, meat sticks on the TiVo remote salvaged from the matrimonial wreckage"

WTF?? Thomas did you recently go through a divorce or something?

[Aaron @ Mar 12th 2008 12:24PM]

Wow, guys, go to youtube and search for "You suck at photoshop" and you'll understand why this post is not strangely written, but rather quite hilarious. Welcome to the internets.

[illig @ Mar 12th 2008 12:27PM]

Any news on pornotube on Tivo?

Oh, and what does Photoshop have anything to do with this?

[Michael @ Mar 12th 2008 1:03PM]

YAY! More crappy picture quality to waste our time with!

[Tanner @ Mar 12th 2008 1:21PM]

DONNIE!

[obiwan @ Mar 12th 2008 8:56PM]

How long before Viacom and friends sue TiVo?