TiVo and Blockbuster partnership goes live

There's still no formal press release, but the TiVo/Blockbuster Online $30 bundle looks to be quite the done deal. TiVo leaked as much about a month ago, but now Blockbuster has a promotional page up, and TiVo has launched a page about the service and reactivated the item in their shopping cart. The bundle saves you about 8 bucks a month off of what the two services would cost separately, and includes the "3 at a time" Blockbuster rental service, but there doesn't seem to be much else going on here.

[Via Zatz Not Funny]

[oly va ha @ May 15th 2006 8:29PM]

well...first post...
i think thats pretty cool...but if these 2 companies want to combine their services...atleast coem up with something else that makes it cool to get the service

[TJ @ May 15th 2006 8:34PM]

Wow i thought for a minute there that I would be able to download movies whenever I wanted to watch them but no... this is just a lame "partnership" where you get a discount. :|

[ty @ May 15th 2006 8:41PM]

The fact that they are co-marketing can only lead to better things OMHO. i have no loyalty to netflix if bbi/tivo offer me downloads. even if only some of the movies are offered at first for download it would be nice to have that option when picking your movie titles. also be nice if you could choose titles via your tivo also

[Petey Boi @ May 15th 2006 9:07PM]

Booooooooo! I thought the same thing TJ.

[mr black @ May 15th 2006 9:15PM]

i'm all for this partnership. i hate blockbuster but after getting screwed by netflix i can only hope this buries them.

http://www.betanews.com/article/Netflix_Settles_Class_Action_Lawsuit/1130951636

[Mischa Lockton @ May 15th 2006 9:23PM]

So let's see- this saves you $8, but a Dish DVR is about $8 less per month, works in two rooms, and is only one box vs. two.

I have hated blockbuster after getting screwed multiple times. Netflix on the other hand is a joy.

Blockbuster features use non new release coupons, and the logistics and site design are not handled as flawlessly.

This is about as handy as the new tivo "feature" that lets you search for awesome new advertisements. Talk about ignoring your roots.

[jb @ May 15th 2006 9:38PM]

I pay $12 for 2 at a time blockbuster & $13 for tivo = $25 a month. So for $5 more a month I can get one more from blockbuster & get one bill?
anybody saving money here?

[Markcus @ May 15th 2006 9:55PM]

I want to be able to download the movies directly to my Tivo, not get them in the mail. Why is this so difficult?

[mark smith @ May 16th 2006 12:25AM]

#7- I wondered that, too, but apparently, this is the deal where they lease/rent you the actual tivo hardware.

[John Doe @ May 16th 2006 2:17AM]

Mischa,

bullshit. You get 2 new release rentals per month. If you are going to spread FUD get it right.

Markcus,

Little thing called bandwidth. It doesn't grow on trees and unless you are using crap res like iTMS its expensive and takes a while to download. Never mind getting the DRM correct and getting licensing, etc, yada, yada, yada.

[Tom @ May 16th 2006 3:16AM]

#10 - John Doe - I think you are wrong on this one. BBOnline's service was 2 Coupons per month, which has changed to 4 movie rental coupons per month (one per week)> Old subscribers had an option and new subscribers had to take the 4 coupon deal, I believe.

[finishdish @ May 16th 2006 8:05AM]

Playing back downloaded DVD content from a Tivo would mean excluding 5.1 sound and (most likely) anamorphic video. Those are the two primary reasons I prefer DVD over VHS (aka Tivo download).

For older TV shows, Tivo download would be fine, but newer content seems more suited to DVD.

[DEE BARRIS @ May 26th 2006 10:00AM]

Our Christmas gift was a 1-yr subscription to rental movies: It ended up being 2 months of rotten service after which our account dropped through the cracks and they couldn't find us; no reimbursement for the balance of subscription perios.