Starting today, TiVo owners will be able to directly download movies via Amazon to their TiVo Series 2 and 3, using the remote control, according to the Associated Press on Tuesday. Previously users had to download movies, via UnBox, to their PCs.

Now, however, the new system allows the customer to bypass the computer and select from thousands of movies, characterized as "DVD quality." Movies in HD format are not available. Only the TiVo series 2 and 3 have the Ethernet connection required for broadband.

"TiVo and Amazon may be holding off on adding a HD feature because of the bandwidth required to store and download high-def programs. Microsoft rents high-def movies on its XBox 360 Live Marketplace, but users have complained of long download times," reported Phillip Swann of TVPredictions.com.

The other issue raised is that Comcast, Verizon and others have competing movie services that they would prefer customers use, but they also offer Internet broadband access. They could be tempted, in the future, to interfere with this new Amazon/TiVo service in some fashion. They could also lobby for Internet non-neutrality that would favor their own offerings.

Whether Apple is abstaining from HD offerings because of the long download times, which has irritated Xbox customers, or whether Hollywood is preserving that content to promote Blu-ray and HD DVD sales, or whether Hollywood is holding Apple at arms length wary of their dominance in music, or some combination, is not yet clear. One thing is certain, however, Apple and PC customers will grow weary of paying for non-HD movies in this age of HD.