TiVo to Broaden Service to iPods, Play Station Portables

By JULIE TAMAKI, Special from the Los Angeles Times

TiVo Inc. is expected to announce today a service that allows its digital video recorders to save programs to iPods and PlayStation Portables, further untethering television from time and place.

The new offering builds on TiVo’s existing “TiVo to Go” feature that enables some subscribers to transfer shows to a laptop or PC via a home network. TiVo executives said the company is responding to a proliferation of portable devices.

It’s also fighting back against a proliferation of generic digital video recorders offered by cable and satellite companies. Although TiVo is recognized as the brand name for recorders that allow users to pause and rewind live television, most of the devices in use are not made by TiVo.

At the same time, studios and networks are making more of their programming available online, potentially undercutting TiVo’s ability to let users accumulate digital libraries of their favorite shows. For instance, ABC hits such as “Desperate Housewives” and “Lost” can be downloaded from Apple Computer Inc.’s iTunes Music Stores, and America Online plans to make a catalog of Time Warner Inc. shows available.