Have you ever missed a TV show and wished that there were an easy, legal way watch it? Okay, maybe the legal part didn't cross your mind, but I'm sure the easy part did.
Loading up your Bitorrent client and downloading a show can sometimes be a labor of love. And by labor, I mean finding a tracker that's still seeded well and then waiting for the entire file to download before you can start watching the video. Your cable provider might offer ondemand services, but the offerings are limited and sometimes expensive. That's where online video services like iTunes and Amazon Unbox come to the rescue. Sort of.
Right now we're in the wild, wild west stage of internet video delivery. Much like the radio boom of the early twentieth century, everyone and their Uncle are starting videocasts (aka. Podcasts) or offering up video download services. You can never have too many video shows about how to do a video show. I'm subscribed to about 12 of them right now. One of the latest additions to this crowded internet video field is Amazon Unbox.
For the most part, internet video is limited to display on your computer. I don't know about you, but watching a television show on my computer monitor is like going to church. I sit on an uncomfortable seat, have to fight off massive back spasms, and am overcome by waves of fatigue. Call me crazy, but sitting on my couch watching a big screen HDTV is a touch more desirable. Enter TiVo.
TiVo and Amazon Unbox have found the perfect partnership. TiVo, losing ground to cable company DVRs with ondemand, can offer subscribers a vast library of video. And Amazon Unbox unshackles their videos from the desktop computer. But is it a win, win?
Linking your Amazon Unbox account and your TiVo box does require jumping through some hoops. My mother could run through the set up procedure, but she might end up with "sweaty pits." Not to get into too much detail, but "sweaty pits" is what she calls anxiety inducing computer maintenance. Sweaty pits aside, once you link your two accounts ordering a movie is a simple task. The first method is to go to the Amazon Unbox website and browse the movie selection. Find something you'd like to rent or buy and click the appropriate button. Within fifteen minutes your TiVo will start downloading the video.
The second method involves using your TiVo to browse or search for available videos. While it's nice that you can order movies and television shows straight from your TiVo, the interface isn't user friendly. Each screen is limited to a handful of titles, which makes browsing feel slow and awkward. I'd recommend sticking with the Amazon website for ordering videos.
My biggest gripe with services like iTunes and Amazon Unbox is that they don't offer HD video. The current quality of the Amazon videos is excellent. I'd equate the quality to somewhere between standard broadcast and DVD. It's not perfect, but it's adequate for those last minute "I have to watch an episode of Huckleberry Hound" moments. And don't tell me you've never had one of those moments. I seem to have them every other day.
