Amazon.com and TiVo have joined forces to enable the transfer of downloaded Web videos to home TV screens.
The companies will allow TiVo owners who shop on Amazon's digital download store — Amazon Unbox — to send films and TV shows to their broadband-connected TiVo DVRs. Users will have full control functionality, with the ability to pause and fast-forward through the online content just as they do with a regular TV program.
The partnership gives Amazon an advantage over other download services like the iTunes Store, CinemaNow and a new service from Wal-Mart, the "New York Times" reported. Moving video files purchased on those sites from the PC to the TV set is more difficult, often requiring users to have a home network.
TiVo and Amazon have already begun testing the new service and plan to make it available more widely in the coming weeks to the 1.5 million owners of broadband-connected TiVos.
To activate the service, TiVo owners must register their machines on Amazon's site. With each purchase or rental, they will have the option to send a digital copy of the movie or show to their TiVos, in addition to downloading it to their PCs.
