Tivo links with Rhapsody for music streaming

Alviso (CA) - Tivo has added a new partnership in its quest to offer an all-in-one media box, allowing users to stream music directly from their DVR box.

Tivo announced today that it has struck a deal with Real Networks to allow an embedded Rhapsody program to be accessible directly through the compay’s digital video recorder service.

The deal with Rhapsody, which offers more than four million licensed music tracks, is a first for Tivo as it allows users to find and listen to tunes without needing to be connected to a PC.

Tivo already has the ability to stream music, though it requires a somewhat confusing syncing process with a computer that must be turned on an be in sharing mode. The user interface is also less than ideal.

The new service will require a monthly Rhapsody subscription, which runs around $13 per month. That would be on top of the regular Tivo charge of the same rate.

It is the latest push from Tivo to appeal to customers who are largely losing interest in third-party DVRs. Cable and satellite companies, which lease their own digital recorders for just a few bucks a month, are winning the market by a large margin.

Tivo will roll out the new feature to subscribers who express interest in it, allowing them to try it free for 30 days.