TiVo to offer Web-based video playback on TVs

updated 2:12 p.m. ET Jan. 7, 2008

LAS VEGAS - TiVo Inc. said Monday its subscribers will soon be able to select video from the Web for playback on televisions through its digital video recording service, building on its strategy to extend its DVR beyond regular TV.

The new feature, announced at the International Consumer Electronics Show, will let users apply "Season Pass" recording to video content available on Real Simple Syndication, or RSS, feeds. Such Web-based videos could range from network nightly newscasts to more niche videos culled from blogs or independent Internet sites, such as DiggNation or Ask A Ninja.

Users would need to use TiVo's software on PCs for the feature, though TiVo said it will provide a guide within its TV-based menu system to record select Web video sources as well.

The Web video recording capability will be available in March with a new version of the TiVo desktop software, which will cost $24.95 for new users. It will be a free upgrade for users who have already bought the program.

TiVo is among many electronics companies striving to bridge Internet-based content with TVs and make their products a hub for all kinds of digital entertainment. Many consumers, however, are wary of the complexities of hooking up their TVs to a computer network. Internet video also usually isn't easy on the eyes when displayed on a big screen.

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