Netflix streaming videos on tap for TiVo

The movies-by-mail giant is on a roll. Just this week, we learned that Netflix "Watch Instantly" videos are finally set for Mac and Linux, while streaming HD video is coming to the Xbox 360 next month. And now, Netflix says video streaming will be ready for TiVo users come December.

In a press release (via Zatz Not Funny), Netflix and TiVo announced that Series3, TiVo HD, and TiVo HD XL boxes with broadband connections will be compatible with Netflix's streaming video service (sorry, Series2 owners), and that testing will soon be underway in "several thousand U.S. households." The rollout should be complete by December, the companies said.

That means come year's end, millions of TiVo and Xbox 360 users—not to mention those with the $99 Roku Netflix player, or the LG and Samsung Blu-ray/Netflix decks—will have streaming Netflix videos in their living rooms.

Neither Apple nor Vudu have released figures on how many of their respective set-top boxes are installed in U.S. households, but I'm willing to guess that come December, Netflix will have leapfrogged both of them.

More than 12,000 movies and TV episodes are available via Netflix's streaming service, and they're all free for Netflix subscribers.

So, will TiVo users be getting HD Netflix streams? No word just yet, although I'd hope so, given that the Xbox 360 will apparently have about 300 HD-quality streaming Netflix titles once the revamped Dashboard goes live on November 19.

Of course, TiVo users already have access to thousands of movie rentals via Amazon's On Demand (formerly Unbox) service, as well as Jaman.com's catalog of indie titles—so now with the Netflix deal, TiVo users will have an embarrassment of streaming-video riches.

OK, TiVo users, what do you think—ready to start streaming Netflix movies? For those of you who'd been on the fence about TiVo, will the Netflix announcement clinch the deal?

Related:
Netflix Lands on TiVo! [Zatz Not Funny]