MUMBAI: TiVo will soon offer RealNetworks` Rhapsody online music service, further positioning TiVo`s namesake digital video recorder as the Internet hub for the home. The deal with RealNetworks, which owns and operates Rhapsody in a partnership with MTV Networks, adds to TiVo`s growing list of online partners, which include Amazon and Yahoo. TiVo subscribers can get access to Amazon`s Unbox service for movies and TV shows, and Yahoo`s photo service.

In the latest deal, says a report, subscribers to TiVo`s broadband-connected DVR can access Rhapsody`s catalog of 4 million songs, using the hardware`s remote control. The service enables streaming of songs and Internet radio stations, but does not allow users to share music files with other devices in the home, or download them to a mobile player. For TiVo, the deal gives it one more online service as the company tries to differentiate its DVR from competitors by positioning it as an Internet gateway for the home. For RealNetworks, the deal helps to get its service into the living room, considered the prime entertainment location in most households. As part of its fight to survive against bigger companies, TiVo has been aggressive in protecting its intellectual property. The company sued and won in U.S. District Court a patent infringement suit against EchoStar. A Texas jury in April 2006 awarded TiVo $73 million in damages. The case is under appeal.