Sonic Solutions incorporating software into devices to help facilitate Blockbuster On Demand movies

Blockbuster Inc.’s goal to provide its multi-channel brand of movie access took another step.

Sonic Solutions is incorporating software into a variety of third-party consumer electronics devices to help facilitate Blockbuster On Demand movies.

Novato, Calif.-based Sonic’s Roxio CinemaNow software, which enables distribution of digital video content, is being included in TiVo digital video recorders, Samsung high-definition televisions, home theater systems, Blu-ray Disc players and select Motorola mobile phones.

Dallas-based Blockbuster and Sonic earlier this year announced a strategic alliance aimed at furthering their brands in the CE industry. Sonic acquired Web-based movie download pioneer CinemaNow last November for $3 million in cash.

“We will continue to work together to form relationships with more top-tier device manufacturers and expand our reach to more home and mobile electronics,” Blockbuster CEO Jim Keyes said in a statement.

Indeed, the No. 1 DVD rental chain yesterday said it had entered into a pact with cable operators Suddenlink, Mediacom and Avail-TVN to broaden the appeal of each company’s video-on-demand service via in-store kiosks and in-store promotions. The deal would also re-brand select VOD services under the Blockbuster label, in addition to educating cable subscribers looking for a movie not available on VOD about locating a it at Blockbuster by-mail, kiosk, in-store or electronically.

In July, Sonic said it had developed a Yahoo widget for its Roxio CinemaNow movie service, allowing those with Internet-connected HDTVs to rent and buy movies.

Separately, social network site Facebook agreed to shutter a controversial marketing program that tracked consumer habits and resulted in a lawsuit filed against it and other companies that used the software, including Blockbuster.

Specific to Blockbuster, litigants complained that movie rental selections were made public on Facebook without their consent. via homemediamagazine

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