TiVo, which single-handedly created and led the digital video recorder (DVR) market, just rolled out a big new edition for their broadband-connected subscribers.  TiVo has partnered with Amazon.com to offer HD movie and television downloads via Amazon Video on Demand.

The new service will be offered to all Series3, TiVo HD, or TiVo HD XL customers with a broadband connection.  New HD movies will be offered in rental format for $3.99 - $4.99 (older rentals will be $2.99).  While Blockbuster and other physical retailers are starting to build up their Blu-Ray disc offerings, this seems likely to be among the cheapest means of finding HD videos customers want.

Television episodes, on the other hand, will be offered for purchase for $2.99. 

With both services, Amazon is going head-to-head with Apple's iTunes.  Both services have roughly equivalent pricing for both rentals and downloads -- Amazon appears to have a slight edge in number of older titles.  Apple, however, has a contract with ABC, which Amazon does not.

Regardless, with an entry into most TiVo sets, Amazon gains a unique advantage over its competitor.  Cheers Tara Maitra, general manager and vice president of content services and advertising sales at TiVo Inc., "Consumers are seeking affordable entertainment alternatives to an expensive trip to the movies. With HD downloads for movies and TV shows, TiVo and Amazon can transform any night into a memorable movie experience, all for a fraction of the cost of the theater. 

“Consumers are seeking affordable entertainment alternatives to an expensive trip to the movies. With HD downloads for movies and TV shows, TiVo and Amazon can transform any night into a memorable movie experience, all for a fraction of the cost of the theater," Maitra continued.

TiVo Search will now offer HD results from Amazon along with broadcast and cable programs.  Users can follow this link to activate their TiVo for the service.  Your TiVo should be updated after registration.  For more info on the new service, Amazon encourages customers to visit TiVo's related page.