As chronicled in this space over the last year or so., the integration of web-based video content and the living room entertainment center is accelerating and expanding seemingly every week.
One the leaders of that pack is TiVo, the DVR company whose set top boxes are already in thousands, if not millions, of homes. With two new moves, TiVo is making even greater strides in the web/couch integration space.
First, the company has announced that it’s teaming with Blockbuster to bring the video rental giant’s Blockbuster OnDemand video-streaming service to its set top boxes. This is in addition to an earlier deal with Blockbuster’s ach enemy, Netflix. Expect to see the fruits of this deal in the second half of 2009.
Second, TiVo and Amazon are working together to bring the web retailer’s Video on Demand HD offering to TVs. Dates for rollout are less clear on that one.
What is clear, though, is that web/TV integration is continuing to grow and that the set top box is one key point of growth. Streaming music is joining video as a prominent content type in this space and I suspect we’re going to see that menu broaden sooner than later.
On InformationAppliance: TiVo Adds Blockbuster Downloads, Will Add Amazon | Digital Picture Frames wrote at April 1st, 2009 at 9:28 am
[...] Today on InformationAppliance.com: TiVo is building a deeper set of alliances to get web-based content to its set top box with two new deals. The first brings online video rentals from Blockbuster OnDemand later this year. The second, with Amazon’s Video on Demand service, is set for the indefinite future … read more [...]