TiVo Deal Will Bring YouTube to Your TV
Time-shifter broadens "media extender" functionality
By Glen Dickson -- Broadcasting & Cable, 3/17/2008
TiVo inked a deal with Google's YouTube unit that will allow TiVo customers with broadband-connected units to directly access YouTube videos from their living-room TV sets.
The service, which will be available later this year, will allow TiVo users to search, browse and watch the thousands of new videos that are uploaded to YouTube each day. TiVo users will also be able to log into their YouTube accounts directly from their TiVo boxes and access their favorite YouTube channels and playlists.
The YouTube deal is just another example of how Alviso, Calif.-based TiVo is broadening the functionality of its hardware units to serve as "media extenders," which can facilitate the viewing of Internet video as well as providing traditional DVR functions.
During TiVo's earnings call last week, CEO Tom Rogers said the broadband connection in late-model TiVo boxes could be an increasingly important delivery channel for content creators in the future. Rogers said TiVo broadband-enabled customers currently have access to 20,000 titles from Amazon.com and content from more than 40 TiVoCast content partners.
Partnering with YouTube, the most popular video Website, is important as TiVo pursues this market, particularly since the Apple TV media-extender device already has a deal with YouTube.
