Time Warner's AOL and Warner Brothers units will be offering a major ad-supported internet service - In2TV - that will showcase full episodes of some 100 old television shows free, online, starting early in 2006, with more than 4,800 episodes available the first year, writes the New York Times. AOL will distribute the service on its AOL.com portal; an enhanced version will use peer-to-peer technology to distribute video. To avoid cannibalizing potential DVD sales, continuous access to all the episodes in a series will not be offered.

The In2TV programs will have 1-2 minutes of commercials for each half-hour episode, compared with the usual eight minutes for standard broadcasts. Users won't be able to skip through the advertising.

When Warner negotiates with cable networks to syndicate programs, the price will be higher if the network wants it kept off the internet, said Eric Frankel, president of Warner Brothers' domestic cable distribution division.

For AOL, the deal is part of its video push to attract visitors to AOL.com. It already offers some video news and sports programs from CBS News, ABC and CNN.

AOL is also introducing optional technology for those who want to watch the shows on larger screens. That service, called AOL Hi-Q, will require special software; viewers would have to participate in a special file-sharing network that AOL would control and which uses file-sharing technology from Kontiki, provider of a similar system to the BBC.