Digital video recorder pioneer TiVo has revealed a broad strategy that will enable its subscribers to access broadband video on their television set. It reflects the growing interest in online video services and bridges the boundary between broadband and broadcast programming.
“For more than 10 years, people have talked about the TV and internet coming together,” said Tom Rogers, the president and chief executive of TiVo. “The dramatic expansion of video options is being driven by the amount of video now available via the power of broadband distribution.”
“Not a day goes by without an announcement about some studio, network, programmer, or internet company providing yet even more video content online,” he continued. “TiVo provides the only approach that brings it all, broadcast, cable, broadband, together into a seamless experience for the viewer. TiVo is the first to provide one holistic viewing experience where you’ll be able to find what you want, when you want it, no matter where it comes from.”
TiVo has unveiled a unified search interface, to be launched in 2007, that will seamlessly combine broadcast and broadband sources.
Subscribers of online service One True Media are also be able to share their home videos, by sending them directly to the television set rather than burning and mailing DVDs.
After uploading their home movies, users can edit their videos online and obtain a personal TiVo channel code which they can then distribute to TiVo subscribers. This will allow current and future videos on the virtual channel to be downloaded using a Season Pass.
“We are excited to work with TiVo to enable consumers to now create their own personal TV channels and enjoy their videos on the big screen in their living room,” said Mark Moore, the chief executive of One True Media.
Additional programming providers including CBS and Reuters will join the TiVoCast service, launched earlier in the year, which delivers broadband video directly to the television sets of TiVo subscribers.
“This represents a great opportunity for CBS to showcase its growing online content on the television platform,” said Quincy Smith, president of CBS Interactive.
The company has also teamed up with talent agency International Creative Management to provide programme recommendations from Hollywood actors and directors. Subscribers will be able to have their TiVo automatically record programmes recommended by these celebrity Guru Guides, created by the branded entertainment group of ICM and ‘hand selected by experts’.
After a difficult period, the pioneer of the digital video recorder is taking advantage of its latest broadband connected devices to bring online video to the television set within their well regarded user interface.