We’re keeping this news in rumour land for now, but there is visual evidence out there that this beta test is indeed happening. Our tipster David over at Zatz Not Funny vouches for the accuracy of his sources (who also supplied the pictures).

Other things of note: The current library is (unsurprisingly) pretty limited, but at the very least we do get our man Tony Stark here. We also don’t know if this functionality is coming soon to other devices, like that plucky Roku box I’ve had my eye on, but it would also be unsurprising if this feature was scaled out. [Zatz Not Funny]

Also of note, according to some promotional materials from Roku, YouTube could be the next service to be supported. (You can see the logo in this story’s lead image.)

I know, it’s tough to top Netflix streaming with pay movies and clips of people’s cats. But it’s good to see so many different platforms (hardware and digital) intermingling at last. [Roku Forums via Zatz Not Funny]

One TiVo user spotted this “Available in High Definition” option in their Amazon Video on Demand menu system. Clicking on the option did nothing, but it’s probably pretty safe to assume that TiVo didn’t add the choice for aesthetic reasons alone—though the company does enjoy their endless word list UI so maybe we’re reading to much into it after all. [Twitter via Engadget]

Massachusetts, Wyoming, and Washington are gearing up for their bills, just to name a few. It’s actually kinda surprising it took this long for the taxes to start piling on. Most of the initial considerations about squashing a nascent market are nearly moot this point, in any case, with the digital market booming. I mean, when 30 percent of music revenues in the U.S. are digital, and the biggest music retailer in the world deals exclusively in digital content, you know the tax collector is going to be slinking close behind.

The one thing that might save us from being taxed is geography. States can only tax businesses that have a physical presence within their borders. Congress could change the law (and they probably will at some point), but in an election year, it’s unlikely (one reason to be glad the circus is in town until November). It’ll be interesting to see how this plays out–digital taxes seem like an inevitability, however. CNet points to NY as a bastion of tax-free sanity, but they’re trying to squeeze Amazon right now, so it seems like a safe bet the money they could bring from taxing downloads will look pretty damn tangible. [Cnet]

Amazon sees this as a way to not only bypass set-top boxes and go directly for the TVs (even though Bravia Video Link is currently a US$300 add-on) via platforms like Tru2way; the NYTimes also speculates on a move to get the whole Amazon store inside your TV, which makes a lot of sense, even though customers capable of setting up a VoD system directly on their TV are probably just fine with making orders on their laptop–while sitting on the couch. QVC killer! [NYTimes]

Silicon Valley Insider thinks that Unbox support is unlikely on account of its status as a direct competitor to Netflix streaming, but TiVo supports it so I wouldn’t rule it out completely, plus a US$99 provider-agnostic box would fill a conspicuously empty gap in the market, and my heart. [Forbes via Silicon Valley Insider]

1. Some of Cinemanow’s content will be available in HD. (Unbox will soon be offering HD as well.)
2. TiVo is clearly not opposed to offering more VOD partners. (C’mon Netflix!!!)

A man can dream, can’t he? Also of note, TiVo has confirmed that YouTube support will be coming this summer. Here’s the full press release:

TIVO TO OFFER MOVIE RENTALS FROM THE WALT DISNEY STUDIOS ON DEMAND

TiVo now offers movies from all major studios directly to the television set

ALVISO, CA – May 28, 2008 – TiVo Inc. (NASDAQ: TIVO), the creator of and a leader in television services for digital video recorders (DVRs), today announced that TiVo subscribers will soon be able to download movies from The Walt Disney Studios to their broadband connected TiVo® DVRs directly from the TV.

Titles will be available to rent through an agreement with Disney-ABC and CinemaNow, a digital entertainment provider of high-quality Hollywood movies and TV shows across multiple platforms, and the latest partner to join TiVo’s broadband efforts. The companies will offer the movies for a 24-hour rental period in standard definition, with many also available in high definition.

“We are very excited to be working with Disney and CinemaNow. Adding Disney movies really delivers on TiVo’s promise to offer the best television entertainment experience with unlimited content choices that are easy to navigate across broadcast, cable, and broadband using one device, one remote, and one user interface,” said Tara Maitra, Vice President and GM of Content Services at TiVo Inc.

“TiVo has always delivered a superior experience,” said Dan Cohen, executive vice president of pay television and interactive media, Disney-ABC Domestic Television. “We’re pleased that their subscribers will be able to enjoy our extensive catalog of new releases and classic library titles.”

The service is available to all broadband-connected TiVo Series2™ and Series3™ subscribers later this year. TiVo offers more than 30,000 titles through Amazon Unbox, Music Choice and more than 50 other content providers. The company recently announced that TiVo subscribers will be able to access YouTube videos directly on the TV via the TiVo DVR this summer.