Vongo and Microsoft Team up to Bring Movie Downloads to Your TV

MovieNode has an interesting article on the progress toward bringing video that you download using your PC to your television. Microsoft and Starz Entertainment/Vongo are partnering on the initiative. Here is the marketing speak from the Starz press release:

Starz Entertainment announced that Vongo, the Internet-based subscription video download service, will be available to play on the television as result of a new relationship with Microsoft for Windows Vista and the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system.

Vongo has been selected as the premier “Movies” launch partner for Windows Vista. Under the terms of the agreement, consumers purchasing either Windows Vista Premium-based or Windows Vista Ultimate-based PCs will be able to easily download their favorite movies onto their PC or laptop using Vongo and then view the titles on any connected TV in the home. By developing a brand new Vongo user interface specifically for Windows Vista with Windows Media Center, Starz Entertainment is working in tandem with Microsoft to build upon the promise of last year’s launch of the Vongo service. Vongo has now enhanced the digital entertainment experience making people’s lives easier, more entertaining and better connected.

The new Windows Vista-enabled Vongo service will also take advantage of the Windows Media Center platform to allow users to stream movies and other content via Media Center extenders, such as Xbox 360 consoles, that are connected to the home network. The Xbox 360 will automatically check to see which Windows XP or Vista-based devices are registered on the network and ask the user whether they want to access content, such as their Vongo movies, from that PC. This is a simple and easy approach that solves past problems that required configuration and technical knowledge by the user. The launch of Windows Vista enables a new generation of users to enjoy the ultimate entertainment experience — whether it’s movies, music, games, or the latest TV shows.