Walt Disney Studios Comes To TiVo Downloads Via CinemaNow

Posted on Wednesday, May 28, 2008 by MegaZone

TiVo continues to add content partners as they continue to transform the TiVo from a DVR into a general content portal. Joining the existing TiVoCast, TiVo Web Video, and Amazon Unbox content, and the previously announced Jaman and YouTube features, is CinemaNow. While the press release (below) really stressed the fact that Walt Disney Studios content is part of the deal, I did ask and had confirmed that the deal includes other content from CinemaNow and not just Disney.

Unfortunately, rentals are subject to the same 24 hour viewing window as Unbox. This is just the industry standard, and until the studios relax their requirements we’re stuck with it. Even 48 hours would be a nice improvement. But this is a nice but of news:

The companies will offer the movies for a 24-hour rental period in standard definition, with many also available in high definition.

We could really use more high definition content downloads. This will be a nice addition to TiVo’s content sources, and we’ve already had a hint at HD content coming to Unbox and it sounds like the Jaman content will be HD.

I hope we continue to see content sources added to TiVo, perhaps Netflix or Blockbuster’s Movielink will be next. Variety and competition are both good things.

The press release:
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Last Day To Redeem TiVo Rewards Points

Posted on Wednesday, May 28, 2008 by MegaZone

A friendly reminder, today is the last day to redeem your TiVo Rewards points. You have until 11:59PM Eastern to redeem your points, after that they’re forfeit. So don’t forget to use them, or you’ll lose them.

And if you have points left and really don’t have anything you want to redeem them for, may I make a humble suggestion? Redeem them and send the items to me. No, not for me, I have plenty of TiVo swag, but I can put together kind of ‘TiVo Gift Packs’ to give away through the site. I already have a couple of the TiVo duffel bags and some random TiVo items, and I used the last dregs of my points for a few random items last night. I should have enough random TiVo stuff for one ‘gift bag’, but could always use more. I’ll use the items for giveaways through the site, maybe at local gatherings, etc. So if you’re just going to let your points expire, you might consider putting them toward the cause.

My shipping info is below if you’re interested.
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Monsoon Multimedia Announces HAVA Client For Symbian S60

Posted on Wednesday, May 28, 2008 by MegaZone

Monsoon Multimedia continues to add to their client suite for their HAVA placeshifting boxes. They currently officially support Microsoft Windows on PCs, while clients for Windows Mobile (Pro & Smartphone) and Nokia’s Internet Tablet Maemo Linux-based OS are in beta. A client for the Symbian S60 platform has been announced with an availability in 3Q08, according to a press release posted at jkOnTheRun. By way of comparison, Sling Media has released SlingPlayer for Windows and Mac OS, and SlingPlayer Mobile for Palm OS, Windows Mobile (Pro & Smartphone), and Symbian S60, while SPM for Symbian UIQ is in beta now, Blackberry is in development for release later this year, and the iPhone SDK is being evaluated.

Picked up from Zatz Not Funny.

Disclaimer: I am currently employed by Sling Media, for whom HAVA is the leading competitor.

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DVRupgrade’s Top Ten Reasons To Buy A High-Def TiVo

Posted on Wednesday, May 28, 2008 by MegaZone

DVRupgrade posted their “Top Ten Reasons To Buy a TiVo Series3 or TiVo HD DVR“, and that got me thinking about what I’d put on my list. I agree with most of their list, but not all of it. For example, I’m not a big user of TiVoToGo, in fact I hardly ever use it. While I do regularly transfer video to my TiVo, I prefer Slingbox over TiVoToGo for accessing my content remotely. Likewise I use my Slingbox for remote scheduling and really never use the web for that. And, being a single guy who lives alone, KidZone is of no use to me. Conversely, I use the various Internet features so much and value them so highly that I probably would’ve listed things like TiVoCast, TiVo Web Video, HME applications, etc, separately instead of as one entry. And since they’re talking about the Series3 and TiVo HD in particular, I’d've mentioned the HD content.

How about you? How would your top ten list compare to theirs?

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Chicago Area TiVo Subscribers To Receive Critic’s Recommendations

Posted on Tuesday, May 27, 2008 by MegaZone

The New York Times is reporting a new deal between TiVo and The Chicago Tribune, which is expected to be announced tomorrow. Under the deal, the approximately 100,000 TiVo subscribers in the Chicago area will be able to sign up to receive program recommendations from Tribune TV critic Maureen Ryan, which their TiVo’s could automatically record. In addition, Ryan will record special videos summarizing her picks twice a month which will be delivered to the TiVo subscribers who sign up for the service.

To me this sounds like a combination of a Guru Guide, for the recommendations, and a special TiVoCast channel for her videos. Which is a new way to use the existing platforms.

TiVo CEO Tom Rogers said that TiVo is in talks for similar partnerships in other areas. And it sounds like there is some revenue sharing with The Tribune in this deal:

The more immediate benefit may come from Chicago-area consumers who choose to subscribe to TiVo after seeing the newspaper’s advertisements of the service. The Tribune will receive a share of the new subscriber revenue.

Since TiVo’s quarterly call is tomorrow, we’ll probably hear about this then.

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