Judge to EchoStar: Disable your DVRs

[Ioman]

http://news.com.com/Judge+to+EchoStar+Disable+your+DVRs/2100-1030_3-6107123.html?tag=nefd.top

judge has ordered EchoStar Communications to disable the digital video recorders used by several million subscribers to its Dish Network satellite TV service because they infringe on patents held by TiVo.

Thursday's ruling from U.S. District Judge David Folsom in Marshall, Texas, demands that within 30 days, EchoStar must basically render useless all but 192,708 of the DVR units it has deployed.

The decision comes four months after a jury ruled that EchoStar should pay TiVo $73.9 million because it willfully infringed TiVo patents that allow the digital storage of TV programming.

[Ioman]

Also posted in our news: http://news.digitaltrends.com/article11129.html

[dang]

That's messed up. So are they going to disable my PVR remotely? I paid $ for that, so are they going to refund my money??

[Ioman]

TiVo is moving fast tonight. Here is what the Dish Network Site says about the ruling:

“We are pleased that this morning, the Federal Circuit Court of Appeals in Washington, D.C. temporarily blocked an injunction issued by a Texas Court, while it considers a longer-term stay of that injunction.

As a result of the stay EchoStar can continue to sell, and provide to consumers, all of its digital video recorder models. We continue to believe the Texas decision was wrong, and should be reversed on appeal. We also continue to work on modifications to our new DVRs, and to our DVRs in the field, intended to avoid future alleged infringement.”

And here is the TiVo site:

"After several years of expensive litigation, in April 2006, EchoStar's DVR products were found by a jury to be infringing one of TiVo's patents. TiVo is pleased that a federal court has recognized that TiVo's business will be irreparably harmed if EchoStar were allowed to continue to infringe TiVo's patent. Any shutdown of DVR functionality for existing DISH Network customers is entirely and directly due to EchoStar's infringement of TiVo's patent rights. It is unfortunate that DISH Network's actions have put its customers in the awkward position of potentially having DVR functionality disabled but DISH Network customers who want to ensure uninterrupted DVR service can get DVR products and services from TiVo and its partners."

Looks like TiVo is using this as a means to generate new customers - as any good business would.

My guess is that DISH will pay a fine and new licensing, but that we will continue to keep our DVR's. The impact is really too big IMO.