AfterDawn: News

Netflix and TiVo partner up for movie streaming

Netflix and TiVo have announced a long anticipated partnership today meaning that Netflix subscribers will be able to stream movies through TiVo's set-top boxes.

The deal is the latest in a string of moves that has positioned Netflix to become one of the leaders in digital offerings through media hubs. Netflix currently has over 13,000 movies, televisions, and concerts available through their "Watch Instantly" streaming service.



TiVo will begin testing the service today and will make it widely available by Christmas. There will be no extra charge as long as you have a Netflix subscription that costs over $8.99 USD.

“For us this is very much aimed at new customers,” said Tom Rogers, chief executive of TiVo. “There are nine million Netflix subscribers out there who are movie lovers and who want something that really adds juice to their overall television experience.”

“That was a great testament to the over-optimism of technologists like me,” added Reed Hastings, Netflix’s chief executive.

Written by: Andre Yoskowitz @ 30 Oct 2008 23:03

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• 4 comments

• o0cynix0o

  This honestly seems like a good idea. Wonder if it will reach dish tv. That would be nice.

  31.10.2008 01:02 #1

• duke8888

  Sorry dish users no chance as Tivo sued Dish and won on their patent on the DVR service dish is pushing and claiming via Frank Calanedo thats its better then Tivo when Dish stole Tivos software. Also no ON Demand services for Dish. I am a beta tester for Tivo for the past year and a half and some very things are coming soon. Get Tivo if you like movies, the internet and plain old TV.

  31.10.2008 14:43 #2

• Mr-Movies

  I'm glad I only bought (1) HR21 Pro’s instead of (3) since they suck and I’ll be able to get a new DirecTV Tivo next summer. This is great new and I’m a Netflix subscriber so one more means of getting and sharing videos in my house hold. I haven’t checked into this lately does anyone know what the resolution will be? Hopefully 1080p MPEG4 and not a low res overly compressed format.
  
  Pretty sad that they won’t do this for Dish a dumb marketing decision I’d say regardless of the previous law suite.

  31.10.2008 17:27 #3

• duke8888

  Here is more details on Netflix and Tivo:
  
  Online DVD rental pioneer Netflix and digital video recording pioneer TiVo Oct. 30 began to beta-test delivering movie and episodic television streams directly to the TV.
  
  The tests, conducted in several thousand U.S. households, allow Netflix and TiVo Series 3, HD and HD XL subscribers free access to more 12,000 programming streams. A nationwide rollout of the program is slated for early December.
  
  The TiVo agreement marks the fifth streaming deal (of 100 planned) Los Gatos, Calif.-based Netflix has struck with device manufacturers. Others include Samsung and LG Blu-ray players, Microsoft’s Xbox 360 and the proprietary set-top box manufactured by Roku.
  
  Online reports said Xbox 360 Nov. 19 will begin offering the first Netflix streams available in high-definition.
  
  Additionally, the online DVD rental pioneer last week announced it will begin using new software that for the first time will let Mac users stream movies on their computers.
  
  TiVo, which has attempted to reinvent itself as a streaming player to combat competition from third-party DVRs, previously inked deals with YouTube, Amazon, CBS and ABC.
  
  Streaming selections are done through a Netflix queue-based user interface, which is automatically displayed on the TV via the TiVo service.
  
  Navigation of Netflix titles via a TiVo control is the primary concern of independent analyst Richard Doherty with The Envisioneering Group, an avid fan of the Roku set-top box.
  
  He said TiVo navigation is not compatible with the Netflix queues used on PCs, Roku and LG devices. In addition, to accommodate the processing power required to stream Netflix titles, Doherty said Roku and LG incorporated a proprietary MXP chip made by Intel.
  
  “TiVo may also have to use some kind of progressive download to allow their processor to convert the data,” Doherty said. “We are cautiously optimistic.”
  
  TiVo spokesperson Krista Wierzbicki said the navigational issue had required replacing the standard TiVo fast-forward, instant replay and rewind features with appropriate Netflix tools. She said processor requirements were no different than what TiVo faced with streaming YouTube videos.
  
  Netflix spokesperson Steve Swasey said the software required to stream titles via TiVo was identical to the other devices.
  
  Stacey Widlitz, analyst with Pali Research in New York, said increased distribution channels for Netflix streams could not ignore the requirement of a subscription, which she said is under pressure in the current economic slowdown compared to a la carte DVD rentals.
  
  “A subscription fee seems like an easy cost for consumers to eliminate in tough times,” Widlitz said in a note.

  31.10.2008 18:43 #4