Yahoo and TiVo announced a deal that will connect Yahoo's vast online service to TiVo's set-top boxes, which, in addition to recording television programs, have a largely unused capability to connect to the Internet.
The deal will allow TiVo, which has been struggling to differentiate its service from generic video recorders offered by cable and satellite companies, to offer a range of content and services linked to the Internet. Conversely, Yahoo is working to move its services from personal computers to other devices, including mobile phones and - by way of devices like TiVo - the television set.
David Katz, Yahoo's vice president for entertainment and sports programming, described the deal as a first step as Yahoo explores TiVo's technology. "Our core business today exists on the computer because that's where the majority of our users are," Mr. Katz said. "Our goal is to provide our users on any platform with whatever content they are most interested in."
TiVo's current digital recorder is capable of viewing programming from the Internet. Indeed, it recently did a test that allowed its users to download movies offered by the Independent Film Channel. "There is more video content that is coming down the broadband pipes," said Tom Rogers, TiVo's chief executive, referring to high-speed connections. He argued that TiVo's technology could be important in helping providers that put programs on the Internet to gain a wider audience.
The deal will allow TiVo, which has been struggling to differentiate its service from generic video recorders offered by cable and satellite companies, to offer a range of content and services linked to the Internet. Conversely, Yahoo is working to move its services from personal computers to other devices, including mobile phones and - by way of devices like TiVo - the television set.
David Katz, Yahoo's vice president for entertainment and sports programming, described the deal as a first step as Yahoo explores TiVo's technology. "Our core business today exists on the computer because that's where the majority of our users are," Mr. Katz said. "Our goal is to provide our users on any platform with whatever content they are most interested in."
TiVo's current digital recorder is capable of viewing programming from the Internet. Indeed, it recently did a test that allowed its users to download movies offered by the Independent Film Channel. "There is more video content that is coming down the broadband pipes," said Tom Rogers, TiVo's chief executive, referring to high-speed connections. He argued that TiVo's technology could be important in helping providers that put programs on the Internet to gain a wider audience.