HBO is testing a new Broadband On Demand service on Time Warner Cable in Wisconsin right now, allowing current HBO subscribers to download any of its movies or shows whenever they want. It includes pretty slick features like season passes that start downloading new episodes of selected show 5 minutes after they air.
There are catches, of course. You can’t watch the videos on portable devices, nor can you burn them for viewing on your TV. The videos automatically expire after a few weeks, and you need to be connected to Time Warner Broadband to both watch and download the episodes. But hey, if you’re already paying for HBO, it’s a pretty sweet free bonus. If you live in Wisconsin, that is.