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The judgment is in and TiVo has been declared the winner by the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. This has been hailed as a potential game winning victory. So why is Dish Network celebrating its so called loss in this long and drawn out battle?
There are a few simple reasons that have led Dish Network to begin declaring a roundabout victory in the fight with TiVo that has been ongoing for the past six years. The first of these is that by losing the court battle, Dish may find itself with the opportunity to bid on being an exclusive provider of DVR technology through a contract with TiVo.
As the Internet continues to make its way into our lives, it’s only natural that Google is also making inroads into your living room as well.
According to the Wall Street Journal, Google Inc. is working on a project with Dish Network regarding the operation of a set top box. Just what the set top box would actually do remains a mystery, nevertheless the secret project is underway and the public may never see it.
Google has stated that the project may be “discontinued at any time.”
Since the box project is housed at Google and not Dish Network, assumptions have been made that the –hopefully– Internet-ready device would pick up WI-FI signals and run on Google’s operating system Android. Combined with a version of their browser Chrome, the box would allow users search functionality for shows through the use of a keyboard.
Perhaps one of the most sought after technologies available to television viewers today has also become one of the most contentious pieces as well. DVR technology was developed by a small company named TiVo back in 1999. When it was first attempting to market its new design TiVo took a prototype to Dish Network.
The story goes that Dish actually kept the prototype and integrated that technology into a DVR system of its own. This technology which allows television users to both store and retrieve videos in a digital format has since become wildly popular. It has become so popular in fact that many people equate the name of the company, TiVo, with the equipment itself. People will ask if another is going to “TiVo” a show.
As I wrote earlier this week, TiVo was set to give a press conference on their new features. Well, people are raving about it. The result was the infamous “how did I ever watch TV without this?” CEO Tom Rodgers said that the new top-box is not only a new cable box, but is also a movie box, web box, and music box. TiVo Premiere is ingeniously set up after months of tweaking, allowing users to access “millions of pieces of content” in an organized and user-friendly fashion.
Unimpressed by the appeal put forth by Dish Network and EchoStar, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit upheld the previous ruling of a lower court which awarded TiVo $300 million or more. The previous ruling had found that the satellite operator was in contempt of a previous order which had demanded that all DVRs that infringed on an important patent held by TiVo be disabled.
EchoStar Communications was taken to court on the grounds of patent infringement by TiVo back in 2004. As of August 2006 Dish found itself having been ordered to disable all of its DVR equipment that violates the TiVo patent.
The patent in question concerned TiVo’s “Time Warp” technology which lies at the heart of its DVR capabilities. Dish Network continued to hold out on disabling its DVRs and by June 2009 found itself in contempt of court. This led to the award of another $103 million and interest to TiVo. Once again, by September 2009 Dish and EchoStar were ordered to pay even more fines to cover additional damages as well as sanctions for the contempt charge. With this new amount the total was now in excess of $300 million.
TiVo is set to release its next generation of set-top boxes and it will now include web search results along with the normal television listings. The new feature to the interface will allow subscribers to locate programs on websites such as Google, YouTube, and Amazon, as well as Netflix and Wible. The results would be displayed with broadcast, cable TV and pay-per-view listings.
The time has come when just having a Tivo or DVR is not enough. Now, consumers are flocking to purchase the Tivo HD DVR. The HD DVR offers more features than a regular Tivo or DVR does, including the ability to record in high definition. While keeping the standard features of a Tivo, it also expands on those features creating a more comprehensive product.
Pre-Approve Shows and Channels for Kids
The Tivo HD DVR has incorporated KidZone. With KidZone, parents …
When it initially came out onto the scene, TiVo!
transformed the way people watched television. Now, years later, it has managed to get even better with age by expanding its services. The Tivo DVR now offers more than ever before by using state of the art technology.
Record Television Shows
It is like a VCR, only better. The Tivo DVR records television shows so you can play them back at a later time. By recording a …
I just saw this deal over on Slick Deals this morning and had to post it. Today Woot.com has a DirecTV TiVo DVR remote control for just $0.99 (limit 3) + $5 flat S/H. Although these have a DirecTV logo on them, they will work with any regular TiVo series 1-3 DVR. So for those of you that misplaced your Tivo remote and don’t feel like going on an adventure to find it, heres your oppertunity to get a brand new one for next to nothing!
Update: …
