Sony In Pact With TiVo

Sony Corp. of America has become the latest major media company to take an equity stake in digital home video recording company TiVo Inc. The companies also formed an alliance to manufacture Sony-branded TiVo machines known as personal video recorders and to create original content and interactive services for the system. Sony plans to use the service to promote and deliver Sony movies, music and TV programs and add interactive gaming elements that could include features like the play-along-at-home enhancements recently announced for ""Jeopardy!"" and ""Wheel Of Fortune"" using the WebTV Plus system. The deal between Sony and TiVo is reportedly nonexclusive. Sony, which also manufactures WebTV set-top boxes, plans to introduce its first TiVo products sometime next year. No pricing was announced.