• by Gavin O'Malley  @mp_gavin, January 6, 2011

Boxee on Thursday announced a key partnership with CBS, which will soon allow the Web-to-TV service to sell TV episodes through its software platform. Announced at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, the partnership represents the first content deal between Boxee and a major television network.

The deal represents a huge boost for Boxee in its efforts to differentiate itself from rivals like Hulu trying to bridge the gap between television and the Web.

"It's a major step for us, working with the biggest network in the U.S.," Boxee said on Thursday. "We hope it's the beginning of more deals with more major content providers both here in the U.S. and abroad."

In the pursuit of additional digital revenue, CBS already allows television episodes to be purchased through Apple's iTunes store. The partnership creates "new revenue opportunities for both sides," Boxee CEO Avner Ronen said on Thursday. "We are excited about the opportunity."

Boxee recently announced new device partners, including Iomega, which is building a Boxee-based NAS, and ViewSonic which is building a Boxee-based HDTV. "But these devices also need access to content, which is why we are excited to announce that we have a new partnership with CBS," Ronen said.

Per the deal, Boxee users will be able to purchase full episodes from CBS beginning later this year. As part of the deal, users will have the ability to purchase CBS television shows both current, like the new "Hawaii Five-O," and old like "MacGyver."

Meanwhile, Boxee said it has spent the past few months working on Boxee for iPad, but it is not quite ready for a public launch. The service will eventually let users access videos from their "Watch Later" list, as well as from their "Feed" via Facebook or Twitter.

Boxee's core platform, which launched only last year, allows users to access streaming media on their TV sets with a cable connection from a PC to the television. Last year, Boxee announced a partnership with CBS' TV.com to offer users content from shows including "Family Guy," "Heroes" and "NCIS." Other content partners include indie video hub blip.tv and entertainment site IGN, to name a few.