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TiVo now offering Music Choice content to subscribers
Those looking for a bit more functionality from TiVoCast can fix their attention on the latest addition, which allows broadband-enabled boxes to access a wide variety of Music Choice videos and original programming. In an effort to further differentiate its DVRs from the standard fare doled out by cable companies, TiVo is providing its customers with access to Music Choice's "catalog of several thousand music videos," and it's noted that the number of selections is expected to "grow significantly in the coming weeks." The service, which is available immediately, will be offered up gratis to subscribers, and Dave Zatz has already had a chance to sit down (albeit briefly) with the new offering and give it a spin. For more details on his take along with an assortment of photos, be sure to check out the via link below.[Via ZatzNotFunny]
TiVo just doesn't understand HD
With the Series3 update to 8.1 we got pretty excited about the new features, and yeah Recently Deleted and WPA support is great, but that isn't all 8.1 has to offer. One of the other new features is TiVoCast which brings Internet content to your HDTV. The only problem is that like many other features on the Series3 like suggestions, there isn't a High-Def version to go with the High-Def TiVo. While we understand the difficulties that HD videos pose on hardware and the Internet, other companies seem to make it happen, not to mention most Internet content like Rockeboom isn't in HD anyways, but it is widescreen and evidently watching widescreen content on your widescreen TV is too much to ask for TiVo to provide via TiVoCast. Sure we could use the stretch to get rid of both the letter box and pillar bars, we expect more from every bodies favorite DVR company, but should we? This actually adds to the list of non HD features on your ultra expensive HD DVR. First there were no HD photos and still aren't for Mac fans, then no HD suggestions and now no HD Guru guides or TiVoCasts.
TiVo adds PC-based video downloads, TiVo-to-TiVoCasting, CBS content
After years of keeping us waiting with hollow promises and a bunk Netflix partnership, TiVo's finally rolling out video downloads. Kind of. It's actually just DRM-free web video downloads, a la video podcasts and user generated content (think: YouTube) which can be imported from the TiVo Desktop software -- which still costs $25 for the Plus upgrade codec pack (although this added functionality will be free, presumably for those customers). We don't know yet if TiVo Desktop will help aggregate said content, or why you'd want to spend so much time putting web content on your TiVo, but whatev. Also, TiVo will be adding a video sharing "channel" for other pals who also have TiVos, automatically sending video to boxes on their own TiVoCast network. (Details are still hazy here to -- does this include TV shows? We think not.) TiVo is also enabling CBS video downloads from CBS.com, CBSnews.com, and CBS SportsLine content, although we don't yet know if it's limited only to clips or if we're talking full eps of Survivor. Oh, and just in case the vague source article goes down, we grabbed a screen from the site that borked the embargoed release. More to come![Via ZatzNotFunny]
TiVo takes home an Emmy
In what could be seen as something of an ironic move, the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences has just awarded TiVo -- the same company that's made life more difficult for networks, cable companies, and industry-supporting advertisers -- a 2006 Emmy award for "outstanding achievement in enhanced television programming." Services like TiVo KidZone and TiVoCast helped the DVR king beat out such offerings as AOL's Music on Demand, CNN Enhanced, and DirecTV's Interactive Sports, with the official statuette being awarded on August 19th at the Creative Arts Awards Ceremony being held in L.A.'s Shrine Auditorium. Congratulations, TiVo, you've certainly had a big week: first you launched your Audience Research and Measurement division, then you formed a sweet marketing agreement with BellSouth, and now you've been honored for all your hard work with a shiny Emmy -- but don't go resting on your laurels quite yet, as it looks like there may still be dark clouds just over the horizon.[Via Zatz Not Funny]
Select subscribers getting TiVoCast web-based programming
Following last month's deal with web video publisher Brightcove, TiVo has announced another round of partnerships that will bring various on-demand video clips to broadband-equipped Series 2 owners, with a new service called TiVoCast. The company has been making moves in this direction for some time now, but this is the first time we're being offered content that we'd actually bother watching, including NBA and WNBA highlights, New York Times-produced video (featuring David Pogue's often-humorous reviews), advice from CNET, and a dose of hip hop culture from H2O, along with male- and female-targeted programming from Heavy.com and iVillage, respectively. The new content -- accessible from the "Showcases" screen when it begins appearing next month -- will not be available to everyone, however, as USA Today is reporting that neither DirecTV subscribers nor Comcast customers will have access to any of these value-added TiVoCast downloads.
