Two of the biggest names in the adult film industry have just signed a deal that could put rivals in a world of hurt. The "worldwide exclusive agreement" will seemingly enable Digital Playground content to be offered via Hustler TV's HD video-on-demand portal, and considering that a number of DP's films have already been shot entirely in high-def, there's a decent library of footage ready to get down. Reportedly, Hustler TV is already in 45 million homes in the US and can be seen in 50 countries worldwide, though the release didn't state when viewers could look forward to catching Pirates or Island Fever 3 at the press of a button.

While DirecTV On Demand surfaced for select HR21 owners way back in February, the satcaster has finally pulled the service from beta to release it nationwide. Starting today, subscribers with a DirecTV Plus HD DVR or R22 DVR receiver will have access to over 4,000 SD and HD titles whenever they choose, and yes, everything will be delivered gratis. Additionally, the service will offer up customized programmer home pages, internet remote scheduling and an expanded array of pay-per-view titles. Of course, we couldn't close this out without asking for some feedback, so be sure to put the screws to DOD when you get home and let us know how things turn out.

Disney already made crystal clear that it was planning on dishing out a few films of its own via the internet this summer, but a recently inked pact between it and ReelTime will give Disney fans one more outlet for viewing content. In the agreement, it's noted that ReelTime Rentals will "provide popular video on demand rentals as they become available from The Walt Disney Studios, including new and classic titles from Walt Disney Pictures, Disney-Pixar, Touchstone Pictures, Hollywood Pictures and Miramax Films." And judging by that screen capture above, we'd say ReelTime isn't wasting any time putting its newfound partnership to good use.

Outside of the Planet Green HD addition, Cablevision subscribers haven't had a whole lot to applaud over recently. For fans of Golf / Versus, however, we reckon you all can stop moping around and point your remote to an all new video-on-demand outlet. Starting this week, the carrier will begin offering its iO TV digital cable customers free access to VOD content from Versus and Golf Channel, but sadly, none of it will be shown in high-definition. Maybe one day...

We've already seen Cox bring HDTV to The Donald's Las Vegas Hotel & Tower, but now cross town street rival Wynn is about to get its own dash of HD upgrades. Cox Business/Hospitality Network will be providing wired and wireless internet to Encore at Wynn Las Vegas, and furthermore, it'll be stringing free-to-guest programming in both SD and HD flavors to both the Encore and Wynn proper. Patrons will notice revised navigation menus rendered in high-definition, and the HD VOD platform will enable them to get instantly gratified when returning from a long night at the tables. Specific stations aren't listed, but CB/HN promises that guests will be treated to "a wide variety of HD and digital channels and on demand Hollywood blockbusters in HD." Your move, Luxor.

Last month you let us know in the comments how you felt about the MPAA's latest effort to close the analog hole -- by removing the FCC's ban on selectable output control (SOC), giving them the ability to remotely disable the analog output on your cable box -- now try telling someone who can actually do something about it. The FCC has opened the petition to public comment until June 25, and replies to comments by July 7. Currently, the MPAA is arguing that allowing SOC will actually hasten the digital transition, once it feels comfortable offering early release flicks on HD video-on-demand, people will have more incentive to upgrade their TV sets. Of course, owners of older HDTVs without HDMI connections or anyone else who'd rather use analog outs would be left in the dark, and Ars Technica notes the EFF and Home Recording Rights Coalition have already spoken out against the plan. Give the MPAA's proposal a read then let the FCC know which side of the line you fall on before it's too late.

[Via Ars Technica]

Read - MPAA proposal (warning: PDF link)
Read - FCC Electronic Comment File Submission (The docket number for field #1 ("proceeding") is 08-82.)

Kids these days -- understanding way more than their parents do about all this newfangled technology. Shortly after hearing that millennials were entirely more savvy about emerging TV technologies than the older crowd, a new study commissioned by Motorola has found that this same demographic (ages 16 to 27) is starved for video-on-demand. Beyond that, the 1,000 person study discovered that 62% had "influence over which HDTV set and programming package to buy," while 70% felt that "their expectations and demands are far greater than their parents' for rich media experiences." The report also found some pretty interesting figures dealing with transferring media from DVRs to portable devices (among other things), so be sure and dig into the read link below if you're a sucker for stats.

Not letting Comcast steal all the VOD news at The Cable Show, Verizon announced it's added high definition video on-demand content from ON Networks. The free HD VOD content includes all the shows you may have seen on TVTonic or AppleTV, like Backpack Picnic, Golf Tips with Joe Beck and Proper Ollie. FiOS subscribers can look forward to 1,000 HD VOD titles each month by year-end, according to Verizon, it already offers access to more than 10,000 on-demand titles with 70% available for free. All those shows should be available right now, so feel free to grab the remote and take a look.

Comcast continues to push on Project Infinity, claiming the most HD content available anywhere, anytime. While it's channel count is dwarfed by DirecTV's, it's fighting back with video on-demand, with more than 500 HD "choices" available. Showtime and Starz have added 4x as much HD content this month, while MoviePlex and Encore doubled up on their offerings. A Comcast-commissioned study (unsurprisingly) deduced that 79 percent of people who like movies want to watch them on their schedule, along with 63 percent of people who watch TV shows. Adding MGM HD and Fuse HD won't hurt that "choices" count at all while Variety has the lowdown on MGM's price, with a 50-cents per customer rate, whenever it is available, it'll definitely be something customer's have to pay extra for. Look forward to new kinds of promotions as well, following up on an American Gangster VOD tie in last month where subscribers rented the Denzel Washington flick, and got all three Godfather movies, plus Goodfellas and Scarface. Halfway to the promised 1,000 HD VOD movies this year, but will that matter against satellite's higher channel count?

Read - Comcast Hits 500 HD Choices Providing Consumers with the Most HD Content Available Anywhere, Anytime
Read - MGM net high on Comcast

Not even half a year after Verizon strung its FiOS TV service to Oregon, those very subscribers are now getting access to HD VOD. The carrier has been on quite the roll of late, dishing out HD VOD to a slew of other states just a month prior, but this marks the first time Beaver State residents can yell "me too!" For starters, you can look forward to seeing content from CBS, Discovery Channel, Music Choice, HDNet and Ovation TV, and if Verizon has its way, it'll be offering up 1,000 HD VOD titles per month by the close of 2008.

Hope you like your movies served fresh on-demand, as Viacom, Paramount, Lionsgate and MGM have just announced plans for a new "premium" channel launching fall 2009. Other than having access to Paramount and Paramount Vintage titles released to theaters on or after January 1, 2008, and MGM, United Artist and Lionsgate flicks released after January 1, 2009, the service plans a "robust" VOD component. According to Variety, the big loser here is Showtime, which loses access to several theaters it's depended on for content, and also faces competition for shows like Weeds and Dexter. We're sure no premium movie channel would launch in this day and age without an HD offering, so tell your provider to keep a slot open for this latest addition.

Verizon's on quite the roll in the Empire State, and it's not stopping with filing an application to bring FiOS TV to all of New York City. Oh no, it's also bringing HD VOD to every single New Yorker with FiOS TV already, starting right now. On top of that, the carrier's trumpeting its plans to offer up "more than 1,000 high-definition video-on-demand titles each month by the end of the year." Go on, celebrate any way you wish -- before long, everything you watch via the new portal will be dictated by junior, anyway.

Another month, another handful of HD VOD updates from Comcast. This go 'round, the carrier's looking to help you vent your tax day frustrations by offering up a suite of anti-establishment, gangster-themed flicks in brilliant high-definition. Most notably, American Gangster and The Godfather trilogy will be available to subscribers in HD, and just in case the aforementioned titles are a bit too dark for your tastes, you can also tune into MTV's Real World: Season 20 premier a week prior to it airing on MTV. Sure, we would've preferred a price cut for the month to help cope, but we 'spose this will have to do.

[Image courtesy of Universal / Entertainment Wallpaper]

Just over a month after we saw Verizon ink an exclusive deal to offer VOD viewing of a certain program, along comes its arch rival (one of the many, actually) pulling a similar stunt. Announced this week, AT&T will be the lone home for catching "exclusive episodes and behind-the-scenes footage of US Olympic Team hopefuls as they train for and compete in various sports." Rightfully dubbed AT&T Team USA On Demand, the new category of VOD content will "showcase episodes of USA Gymnastics Behind the Team," which will reportedly cover American athletes as they gear up for the summer games in Beijing. Unfortunately, we don't see this being available in high-definition, but it's surely a perk for U-verse subscribers who happen to be Olympic junkies on the side.

If you'll recall, Comcast went out of its way to enhance the infrastructure and add a number of new HD channels to much of the Northeast late last year, and now it's finally time for South Florida to experience the same. Reportedly, a "major upgrade" is currently underway on Comcast's South Florida cable system, and we're told that said changes will provide a platform for DOCSIS 3.0 -- set to roll out in 2009 -- which will enable 100Mbps download speeds. Furthermore, subscribers throughout Miami-Dade, Broward and Monroe Counties can look forward to a new slate of HD VOD choices to go along with six new HD channels: Food Network HD (414), USA Network HD (420), History Channel HD (422), Discovery Channel HD (424), Animal Planet HD (426) and Sci-Fi HD (427). Best of all, those newcomers are only part of the "phase one" HD expansion plan -- go on, let those imaginations run wild.