TiVo Offers More Than TV

TiVo lovers have more to love about the friendly digital video recording set-top boxes that have changed the way we watch TV. The DVR maker has announced several new services that will be available by the end of the year and early next year, including the ability to download broadband video onto TiVos for later viewing.

TiVo's broadband service will only work with videos that are not copy-protected, as the AP reports, which leaves out videos purchased from online stores such as Apple's iTunes and Movielink. TiVo, which is working on offering more movie content in the future, will be up against Apple's set-top box, iTV, which will wirelessly send iTunes-purchased movies and other content from the computer to the TV when it becomes available early next year.

That's probably why TiVo announced a bundle of services, including:

• Celebrity "guru guides" with movie and TV show recommendations by Hollywood actors and directors.

•  Home movies sent directly to friends and family members' TVs—if they also have TiVos. TiVo has partnered with One True Media to allow TiVo owners to set up private channels to send home videos directly to other TiVo subscribers' TV sets.

• A better "unified search" tool that allows you to search across broadcast, broadband, and cable content for programming. Available next year.

• A partnership with CBS to provide CBS news and sports via TivoCast.

The services will require an upgrade to TiVo's Desktop software, which will be free for existing TiVo users and $24.95 for new users.

Does this make you a stronger TiVo fan, or do you think a lack of programming is not really an issue?

Related on Yahoo! Tech:

Apple Aims for Heart of the Family Room
Putting TiVo's Home Media Option to Work
Video Editing + Sharing Made Easy