Amazon.com and TiVo testing movie downloads direct to television sets

Amazon.com and TiVo testing movie downloads direct to television sets

Amazon.com Inc. and TiVo Inc. have said that they are now testing a new service that would enable users watch videos rented or bought over the Internet directly on televisions.

This collaborative test service has been launched just days after retailing giant Wal-Mart entered the video downloading service.

With this Wal-Mart has become the first major retailer to make available movies for download through the internet.

This news helped TiVo at the stock market as its shares climbed 5.5 percent to $5.78. Amazon too gained 3 percent at the exchange.

TiVo Chief Executive Tom Rogers spoke on this new development: “It’s one thing for viewers to be looking at YouTube content online, but when it comes to full-length television and movies, for most people, it’s not television until it’s really on the TV.”

Citigroup analyst Tony Wible had this to say about this collaborative service test launch: “We would remind investors that while the partnership with Amazon helps overcome some of the technical limitations for downloading, we still have legal and economic issues that may limit content availability and prevent downloads in the near term from becoming mainstream.”