Netflix Watch Instantly coming to TiVo

TIVO AND NETFLIX ANNOUNCE PARTNERSHIP
TO INSTANTLY STREAM MOVIES AND TV EPISODES
FROM NETFLIX DIRECTLY TO THE TV THROUGH TIVO DVRs
TO INSTANTLY STREAM MOVIES AND TV EPISODES
FROM NETFLIX DIRECTLY TO THE TV THROUGH TIVO DVRs
Deal Provides Netflix with New Content Distribution Channel, Solidifies TiVo's Leading Position as One-Box Solution for Simple Navigation and Delivery
Of the Best Entertainment Content to the TV
Of the Best Entertainment Content to the TV
ALVISO, Calif. and LOS GATOS, Calif., October 30, 2008 - TiVo Inc. (NASDAQ: TIVO), the creator of and a leader in television services for digital video recorders (DVRs) and Netflix, Inc. (NASDAQ: NFLX), the world's largest online movie rental service, today announced that they are teaming up to provide Netflix and TiVo® Series3, TiVo HD, and TiVo HD XL subscribers with the ability to have thousands of movies and TV episodes instantly streamed from Netflix directly to their TVs.
The two companies said they are initiating a test of the new capability today in several thousand U.S. households and expect it to be broadly available in early December, in time for the holidays. The ability to instantly watch content from Netflix on the TV via TiVo DVRs will be offered at no additional charge to customers who subscribe to both services.
The agreement provides Netflix with an important new technology partner to instantly stream a growing library of more than 12,000 choices of movies and TV episodes directly from Netflix to the TV. It also solidifies TiVo's leading position for simple navigation and delivery of the best entertainment content to the TV.
"For Netflix and TiVo subscribers, this collaboration offers a fabulously easy way to enhance the enjoyment of watching movies in the comfort of their living rooms," said Reed Hastings, co-founder and CEO of Netflix. "Subscribers to Netflix and TiVo are avid movie watchers and this combination gives them immediate access to all of the great content available through TiVo and the thousands of additional choices available to be streamed instantly from Netflix."
"Joining forces with Netflix creates the ultimate video on demand service and solidifies TiVo's leading position as the one-box solution for aggregating, searching, and delivering the best content available anywhere right to the TV," said Tom Rogers, president and CEO of TiVo Inc. "Adding Netflix to our already vast library of content differentiates TiVo even further from any other offering in the market today."
Integrating the Netflix streaming functionality into the TiVo experience will result in quick and easy access to a growing list of movies and TV episodes that can be watched instantly at Netflix. Movies streamed from Netflix via specified TiVo DVRs is done through a wired or wireless broadband connection and a Netflix Queue-based user interface. Members visit the Netflix Web site to add movies and TV episodes to their individual instant Queues. Those choices will automatically be displayed on subscribers' TVs and available to watch instantly through the TiVo service. With the TiVo remote control, users will be able to browse their instant Queue, make selections right on the TV screen, and also have the ability to read synopses and rate movies. In addition, they will have the option of pausing, fast-forwarding, rewinding and re-starting whenever they wish.
For more information on how to have movies instantly streamed from Netflix via your TiVo DVR visit www.tivo.com/netflix.





















Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Victor @ Oct 30th 2008 12:22AM
I was just thinking about that TiVo and Netflix should do this earlier today, when I read the news about the XBox 360 and Netflix HD streaming.
Pip @ Oct 30th 2008 8:07AM
I think TiVo has been working with Netflix on doing this for YEARS now. There were rumor that went so far back, and now it's finally here. I'll probably resubscribe to Netflix when they have an unlimited streaming only subscription with HD at a discounted rate. $5/Mo sounds about right to me.
Bring it!
scyber @ Oct 30th 2008 12:29AM
Well I guess I won't be buying the roku box now. Saves me $99. While not directly stated, I assume that this will include HD streaming too. The CNET article today said that capability is being pushed to all streaming boxes and not just the 360.
Patrick @ Oct 30th 2008 12:51AM
the link from the press release doesn't work. www.tivo.com/netflix
am i the only one?
Patrick @ Oct 30th 2008 12:54AM
and by the way, i'll get a netflix subscription when tivo gets hd streaming. i'm definitely enjoying my tivo hd otherwise.
IseWise @ Oct 30th 2008 12:52AM
Weren't Ben and Steve just talking about how Tivo should do this in podcast 108?
RockinOscar @ Oct 30th 2008 12:54AM
lol yeah...
UnnDunn @ Oct 30th 2008 12:53AM
Is there anything out there Netflix WON'T stream to?
UnnDunn @ Oct 30th 2008 1:00AM
One of the key things not being talked about is this: wherever Netflix goes, Microsoft follows with Windows Media and its DRM platform. Microsoft is quietly setting about taking control of the digital distribution market.
They've been trying for years and years to crack this space, and they're finally on the verge of succeeding.
Patrick @ Oct 30th 2008 1:05AM
yup. according to zatznotfunny's article on this:
"However, the new functionality is expected to be delivered to Series 3 and TiVo HD units quite soon - before the holidays. Why no Series 2 support you ask? The S2 chipset isn’t capable of handling the VC-1 encoded Netflix video, which also happens to be protected by Microsoft DRM."
MegaZone @ Oct 30th 2008 2:21AM
Patrick, but that doesn't have anything to do with the DRM, it is the codec. The TiVo Series2 can only decode MPEG-2, which is too 'bulky' for streaming services. The TiVo Series3, TiVo HD, and TiVo HD XL have hardware which can also support H.264 and VC-1. H.264 is used for the YouTube streaming support. It isn't clear if Netflix will use H.264 or VC-1, but they're using VC-1 on the PC and Mac.
Patrick @ Oct 30th 2008 12:00PM
MegaZone- this part actually does have a lot to do with drm- "which also happens to be protected by Microsoft DRM." that was the part that related to the other poster's comment on microsoft. i just left in the whole quote which was originally intended to inform readers why the series 2 won't be capable of streaming netflix. i definitely realize that vc-1 is a codec and not drm. thanks, though.
Leonardo DiCrapio @ Oct 30th 2008 5:49AM
My second Series 3, which hooked up to a 27" Sony WEGA CRT (SDTV) no longer looks quite so stupid. I already do transfer from S3 to S3, which is very nice (especially with my new N router extender which seems to be giving me better G speed with my Tivo adapters versus my still-in-place Verizon FiOS Actiontec G router which was in G-mode only -- not B/G).
AlbanyHDTV @ Oct 30th 2008 8:38AM
Excellent news. This was on my wishlist.
...now if I can just get a Tuning Adapter from TWC....
eric f. @ Oct 30th 2008 11:25AM
I'm very happy about this for my series 3, but at the same time, somwhat annoyed as a Mac user. I've been waiting forever for Netflix streaming to come to something I own now it's coming to three things at once (Mac,360,Tivo).
I wish they would have stepped them out slowly so I could have been enjoying the streaming for the past year.
Of course I will enjoy it now.
The Aggie CEO @ Oct 30th 2008 12:36PM
hmmmmmmm....
more and more things are becoming capable of doing this......
I would think the PS3 would be capable to do it by next spring.....
chumley @ Oct 30th 2008 1:28PM
That would be nice, but I have my doubts. Sony tends to want to do everything their own way, and they probably view Netflix as a competitor to their own VOD services.
Ryan @ Oct 30th 2008 5:09PM
You can now with the PlayOn beta:
http://www.themediamall.com/playon
I have been using it for about a week and it works great. Make sure you upgrade to Firmware 2.50 if you haven't already.
TK101 @ Oct 30th 2008 12:41PM
When this goes day-and-date with DVD for new releases, and offers HD, I'll be happy. I'd prefer to keep my money and not have to buy an Apple TV or other device, so that would be great. I have a Mac Mini that I use as a test HTPC, but it can't get HD movies from the iTunes store, only Apple TV can. STUPID.
I don't have a BD player yet, and I'm on the fence until I can see who will bring me day-and-date downloadable goodness in HD.
TK