July 10, 2007
Starting today, TiVo owners will be able to order movies and TV shows directly from Amazon.com by using their remote. Unfortunately, no HD programming is available.
Previously, customers using the download service known as “Unbox” had to order the programs on a computer using Amazon.com, and the shows would then be sent via a high-speed Internet connection to the TiVo Digital Video Recorder so the viewer could watch it on TV.
The Associated Press reported this morning that TiVo and Amazon are now making thousands of movies and shows available on TiVo’s DVR menu, bypassing the computer. The TiVo owner can search through Amazon’s inventory on screen and order a film or TV show there.
High-def programming, however, is not part of the selection programs. Amazon says at its web site that the movies and TV shows are of “DVD quality.” Additionally, the download service is only available for owners of TiVo Series2 DVR or Series3 HD DVR, both of which have a Broadband connection.
TiVo and Amazon may be holding off on adding a HD feature because of the bandwidth required to store and download high-def programs. Microsoft rents high-def movies on its XBox 360 Live Marketplace, but users have complained of long download times. (The programs are downloaded via the XBox 360 game console.) Amazon’s Unbox service costs anywhere from $1.99 to $3.99 for rentals.
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