TiVo: Uh, please ignore that Amazon HD menu thing, we're just testing

We heard from TiVo's PR firm regarding that mysterious "Available in High Definition" menu pick discovered yesterday under Amazon's streaming Video on Demand service. The message says,

"The Amazon HD link pulled in screengrabs has already (or soon will be) removed. TiVo is continually testing different screen presentations and options for subscribers, but at this time we have nothing to announce, and don't expect to making an announcement on this subject in the near future."

If you accept the spin at face value (which we never do) then we shouldn't expect to see HD streaming of Amazon videos in the hours ahead. But for TiVo to admit that it tests its user interface in such a haphazard way on its production service offering really has us scratching our heads. We guess it's easier for TiVo to quell an irate customer services organization than to suffer the wrath of a business partner whose cards they just potentially revealed.

Update: We've been in contact with TiVo again. They further elaborated on the incident and we now believe this to be a genuine mistake and not a preview of what might come in the near term. If we told you why, we'd have to hire you.

[Kris120890 @ Dec 4th 2008 8:29AM]

Pretty hard to deny. That said it doesn't mean they are going to launch this.

[iEye @ Dec 4th 2008 8:29AM]

Ignore TiVo?

easier done than said.

[MohammadAG @ Dec 4th 2008 9:09AM]

I have a feeling this is going to be low ranked

[Kris @ Dec 4th 2008 9:12AM]

I see what you did there.

[inteller @ Dec 4th 2008 8:34AM]

you know, Microsoft should line up every subscription service on their dashboard. Think about it. You pay $50 a YEAR for a gold membership as opposed to the monthly fees for TiVo. But if you have netflix you get to stream for no extra cost. Amazon on demand would require peopel to still shell out monthly fees to tivo. but if you could get Amazon on demand with the xbox for no extra monthly fee that would be great.

[shamowfski @ Dec 4th 2008 8:47AM]

Yeah, free shit is the tops!

[Jake @ Dec 4th 2008 9:17AM]

*cough* Bullshit! *cough*

No chance this was an errant programmer accidentally "testing" a menu item across the live platform. None. And testing what, exactly, if they have no plans to roll out Amazon HD? Testing that they can put up a menu item that says "HD" just in case Amazon ever wants to do that? Riiiight. So they expect us to believe it played like this: "Hey, Jack, why don't you throw in some code into the test platform to test whether we can do something that we know with 100% certainty we can do at a moment's notice by employing a monkey with a keyboard and a copy of 'Linux for Dummies.' But be sure you don't flip switch and send it live in the next update."

I repeat: bullshit!

Note, too, what he didn't say: that Amazon won't be announcing this feature themselves.

[Kris120890 @ Dec 4th 2008 9:21AM]

See a doctor immediately. Coughing up bull shit indicates a real problem.

[aardWolf @ Dec 4th 2008 10:24AM]

It strikes me as odd that TiVo would test a service that way. I can't verify that screenshot myself, as I'm a beta tester (which means I don't know what is on a typical production TiVo box.) I can say that TiVo has a comprehensive beta program with many testers, and there's no reason they would need to just push something out to production boxes.

[iPhoney @ Dec 4th 2008 10:35AM]

amazon is skanky, it's like the walmart of the internet

[RobG @ Dec 4th 2008 11:08AM]

Something fishy is goin' on here. Yesterday I saw the HD option. Today I can't even get into the Download menu. My guess is that Netflix is about to be introduced.

[bandigolo @ Dec 4th 2008 11:48AM]

http://cache.gizmodo.com/assets/resources/2007/04/bullshit.jpg

[Kaveman @ Dec 4th 2008 1:10PM]

Yeah, downloads were broken for hours on Wednesday; best part was TiVo CS didn't even know and it took over 25 minutes of waffling to a rep before we (urm, that would be "me") figured it out after I suggested to the Rep that there may be a global problem as neither my Series 2 or Series 3 could download. 10 more minutes on hold and then "Yes, our download service is down for maintenance" (in the middle of the day!)

Can't wait for HD and NetFlix to both rear their heads!

[RobG @ Dec 4th 2008 2:32PM]

Update: Now, when I try to go into the Download menu, I get a "Scheduled Maintenance" notice.

[RobG @ Dec 4th 2008 3:40PM]

Update: System is back up. No Netflix. Oh well.

[Phillip @ Dec 4th 2008 7:24PM]

this reminds me of an old SNL bit there they recorded a bunch of crazy "Gerald ford is dead" messages just in case; maybe tivo just wants to be extra ready just in case.

[bklyn2ct @ Dec 5th 2008 7:25AM]

Fall update showed up with a new Video On Demand pick. Still no Amazon HD.

[SteveHC1 @ Dec 5th 2008 2:07PM]

Amazon downloading to TiVo units is DOWN. Both companies are aware of the problem and have kicked it up to their engineers etc. to fix and resolve ASAP.