Amazon to stream content through Roku box
Set-top launched with Netflix service
By Danny King -- Video Business, 1/5/2009
JAN. 5 | Amazon.com will make its digital movie and TV titles available for streaming directly to TV sets after reaching an agreement with set-top box maker Roku.
Amazon's 40,000 video-on-demand titles will be available to be streamed on the $99 Roku Digital Video Player, the same box that already streams Netflix content, in "early 2009," the companies said in a statement today. Amazon's sell-through streaming titles will be available the same day they're released on DVD.
Along with companies such as Netflix and Blockbuster, Amazon has been aggressive at trying to attract their customers to its digital delivery service. Last July, Amazon replaced its Unbox video-download service with a video-on-demand service that allows customers to stream TV and movie content in an effort to continue to build media revenue.
Amazon doesn't disclose sales from its digital titles.
The company also has an agreement with Sony in which owners of the TV maker's Bravia HDTV sets can buy a component allowing direct-to-TV downloads, and offers downloads through TiVo digital video recorders.
"Customers can now choose and watch their favorite new-release movie instantly and access all of their titles from their video library," said Roy Price, director of Amazon Video On Demand. "Amazon Video On Demand's large selection makes the Roku Player the perfect choice for hassle-free on demand movie and TV entertainment."
Last May, closely held Roku reached an agreement with Netflix, the largest U.S. movie-rental service via mail, to have Netflix's 12,000 digital titles available for streaming directly to TVs through Roku's set-top box. Within three weeks of its launch, the Roku Player was sold out and had to be backordered.
Netflix has since reached similar pacts with TiVo, Microsoft Xbox 360 videogame consoles and LG Electronics and Samsung Blu-ray Disc players. Netflix expects its streaming service to double the company's subscriber base within a decade.
Meanwhile, Blockbuster recently started selling a set-top box that plays digital downloads from Blockbuster.com directly on consumers' TV sets. The company integrated what had been known as its Movielink digital download service into Blockbuster's Web site in July, almost a year after Blockbuster bought the service from the five major studios for $6.6 million.
Amazon said in October that its third-quarter sales growth of media products, including books, DVDs, CDs and streaming content, from a year earlier slowed to 19% from 31% in the second quarter.
