Spicollidriver1

Well I had the link from msnbc.com, but have lost it, but if you do a search it should be easy to find. The jist of it is that tivo users will be allowed to download any title from netflixs library for a limited amount of time. It sounds like a lot is going on for tivo lately with this and the case they won allowing users to transfer files to other users (still ealry stages as far as legitimate software).

kevin75

if true that sounds pretty cool. as long as i can get OAR versions.

DAC

http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=stor...netflix_tivo_4

Deftones

wow. hopefully those with subscriptions with both, won't have to pay anything extra. this is fucking fantastic news.

Seeker

interesting.

Supermallet

This would only work if you didn't have to pay extra for the movies, otherwise it would just be like pay-per-view, but with long download times.

Also, you most likely won't get any special features.

ClarkKentKY

I love this idea! Can't wait to see what they come up with.

Deftones

Well, if you don't have both services, you should pay extra. However, if you have both services, you shouldn't have to pay a dime.

Supermallet

Hmm, agreed.

Big Worms

Sounds interesting. But the problem I see is that the download will take a long time. Even with a fast cable modem connection it could easily take hours.

I guess we will have to wait and see.

neiname

It could take hours, but if I could download the 3 movies I wanted overnight it would still be a helluva lot faster than Netflix normally is.

whotony

what about picture quality.
cant be as good as dvd.

Morf

Sounds like a good deal for both TiVo and Netflix, but it is not a service that I find too appealing. Especially with my series 1 TiVo that connects via phone line.

shaggybrown

A movie in DivX format would probably be about 500 - 800 MB. You could probably begin watching it 10 minutes after you order it - if it allows streaming.

Roto

If they went that small the picture quality would be noticably worse than DVD, and only stereo sound.

shaggybrown

I don't know how much of that is true.

According to DivX.com (and I know they would be biased):
"With DivX® video technology, you can compress a VHS tape down to one-hundredth of its original size or a DVD to one-tenth of its size. DivX video compression is so efficient you can fit the entire contents of a DVD on a regular data CD with no perceivable loss in quality"

Also, Stand alone Tivo Series 2 machines do not output Digital sound. The best you can get with them is Dolby Pro-Logic II, which is pretty good in and of itself.

ClarkKentKY

I don't mind the download time, i imagine most people who deal with Netflix aren't going to mind it either. Waiting 6 hours to buffer a movie is much better than waiting 3-5 business days for it to be mailed to you.

My concern is selection. I would want to use this to watch TV shows on demand that are available on DVD. Babylon 5, Firefly, 24, Six Feet Under. That's my current interest in Netflix (which i haven't used yet) But i'm pretty sure something like this isn't feasible due to copyrights and whatnot. It'll probably just end up being movies that are available on pay-per-view anyway.

Deftones

Yep. That's oneof my main reasons for Netflix as well. Catching up on all the old TV I missed or want to watch again.

Michael T Hudson

I wonder if us with Directv are out of this deal. If so that sucks.

fujishig

about the DirecTIVOs... probably. One of the reasons TIVO's stock was failing was because much of their customer base was due to the DirecTV connection, and the rumor was that DirecTV was trying to create their own DVR to replace their TIVO contract once it was up. This merger (or even the hints of one a couple of days ago) helped both Netflix and TIVO stock.

Sounds like a cool idea, but the major caveat would be the studios releasing their movies to be downloaded like that without stricter copyright protection than current laws allow. I haven't read the article linked above, so they may have addressed this. Also, it seems like a huge undertaking... it's not like either of the businesses have experience encoding and digitally distributing movies. Still, if it helps TIVO compete (and I still have no idea why no cable company is willing to partner with them, instead of coming up with their own technology), I'm all for it.

Strafe

Just this weekend I was bitching about why, in this day and age, can't I see whatever movie I want on demand? This sounds like the perfect solution to that but I see so many problems with it...

1) TiVo is not capable of producing high resolution or Dolby Digital sound
2) I can't see the MPAA going along with this
3) I can't see Comcast or other ISPs allowing this kind of traffic on their networks

If this does happen in an unadulterated form, this may be as big a revolution as TiVo itself was. I can even imagine movie piracy going down because people who copy/download movies wont think they have to collect all the movies they think they may ever want to see (even if they never watch them) just so they have them available when they do want to watch them - Yes, I do speak from experience Having the Netflix library available on demand solves that issue.

Big Worms

Exactly!

Strafe

If they implement the Netflix queue idea, the next movie in your queue could be pre-downloaded but you will only have access to it once you delete something on your machine. Instant access! As long as you dont change things around in your queue at the last minute.