Under an agreement announced by the two companies Wednesday, Vubiquity will integrate its authenticated streaming service, AnyVU, into TiVo's broadband-connected DVR set-tops that are sold to cable operators and then leased out to cable customers.

As a result, the deal, while it does not cover the TiVo boxes sold at the retail level, will end up blanketing most of the TiVo set-tops now in circulation.

Notably, the deal will enable TiVo to offer ViewNow, a subscription movie package from Vubiquity that features more than 2,000 on-demand movie titles, to its customers. Vubiquity already delivers the ViewNow multi-screen service to consumers through other set-tops, as well as through tablets, PCs, smartphones and other IP-connected devices.

At the same time, the integration pact will enable Vubiquity's ViewNow to target its multi-screen VoD offering to TiVo's cable partners, which include such large MSOs as Charter Communications, Cable One, Suddenlink Communications, Mediacom Communications, RCN Corp. and GCI in the U.S., as well as Virgin Media in the U.K.

The two companies did not say when that might start happening.

Vubiquity said ViewNow, which it delivers in MPEG-2, MPEG-4 and adaptive bit-rate formats, is now available in more than 10 million U.S. homes. ViewNow's lineup of distributors reportedly includes Verizon FiOS, Redbox Instant by Verizon and AT&T U-verse.

Vubiquity, which was formerly known as Avail-TVN, launched ViewNow back in December. The company offers the multi-screen VoD service as either a branded or white-label package.

Vubiquity and TiVo plan to demonstrate the integrated AnyVU streaming service on TiVo set-top boxes at the upcoming Cable Show in Washington, D.C.

— Alan Breznick, Cable/Video Practice Leader, Light Reading