DirecTV to Get With Times, Add On-Demand

(NEWSER) - Times are tough, and for cable and satellite TV companies, that means—more porn. Comcast is following DirecTV's lead and ramping up advertising for adult pay-per-view channels, reports Advertising Age. The spots will generally run on guy channels such as Spike TV and ESPN in the wee hours. Meanwhile, the cost of the porn offerings is coming down. More»

National service will roll out later

(NEWSER) - TiVo and Comcast have rolled out their promised joint service in the Boston area, with national distribution to follow. The service sends TiVo software to Comcast-provided digital video recorders in a first that TiVo hopes to repeat with other cable providers, USA Today reports. TiVo lost hundreds of thousands of customers when DirecTV turned to an in-house DVR. More»

At $3 a pop, 30-day movie loans will pit computer giant against cable, satellite

(NEWSER) - Apple is buttering up top movie studios as it prepares to launch a video-on-demand service to contend with cable and satellite companies. Apple plans to offer each movie as a 30-day rental for $2.99, and it's telling studios the term of lease means they won't take a hit on DVD sales. More»

Streaming service works well; selection could be better

(NEWSER) - Amazon’s new Video on Demand service works well, Walter Mossberg writes in the Wall Street Journal, although the selection of titles could be better. The service allows users to individually purchase movies and TV to stream, with most rentals lasting 24 hours. The videos are stored on an Amazon server, which nicely remembers where you were so you can resume viewing instantly. More»

Cable's compression of HD signals water down the product, connoisseurs say

(NEWSER) - TV enthusiasts are miffed that high-definition channels aren't looking as good as they should on expensive home-theater systems, the AP reports. Without much spare bandwidth, compressing the signal is cheaper for the cable companies than increasing capacity. "They have to figure out a way to deliver more HD content through their distribution networks," says a tech expert. More»