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- twinklyJesus, on 10/12/2007, -2/+8Two words ... Tivo Software... Can't be beat.
- DVRDude, on 10/12/2007, -9/+13This is the third or fourth Digg post on this...
Here's some earlier ones:
http://digg.com/technology/Tivo_wins_patent_suit
http://digg.com/technology/Tivo_Wins_Patent_Lawsuit_Against_Echostar,_Awarded_$73_Million - FishyJoe, on 10/12/2007, -1/+3Probably a good thing. Tivo's interface is better than most.
Tivo actually makes a decent product and isn't just hoarding patents. - inactive, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2In the article in mentions that most cable company's are using a "roll your own" brand of generic DVR. I had a real Tivo brand DVR when I was analog, then got the cable company's DVR (Scientific Atlantic) when I went HD. The generic DVR is a piece of crap! I hope this ruling gives Tivo the cash/royalties/market support to finally come out with a standalone HD DVR. They've been promising one for years. Hey Tivo if you're reading this, I will buy a Tivo HD they day you start selling them !!
- FishyJoe, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2I've had a tivo for years and it only deletes the oldest content in your queue. You can always flag programs that you don't want deleted.
It has NEVER prevented me from skipping commercials. - jayd31603, on 10/12/2007, -5/+6"At the center of the clash was a patent for a 'multimedia time warping system'—a patent so broad that many expect TiVo's victory to have reverberations throughout the DVR landscape."
I think the patent is too broad, regardless of the final verdict. - Misos, on 10/12/2007, -2/+3Increased prices drives consumers away, and makes services/products less appealing to potential customers.
This is another strong case aganst the protection of 'intellectual property rights,' ideas should not be restricted by laws, especially when such vague ones fall under the scope. Patent laws effectively do nothing more than create monopolies. Companies attempt to ride on the fact someone in their ranks had a good idea, rather than the manufacturing of a quality product at a good price. - Strahd, on 10/12/2007, -3/+4No big deal for Echostar. Even if they lose out in the end (after a long appeals process) they'll just raise rates for customers to pay any resulting settlement/fine.
- XTrek, on 10/12/2007, -5/+6The appeals will go on for years. I doubt anyone will actually win in the end!
- airjrdn, on 10/12/2007, -3/+4Because you can't. The others can't seem to capture Tivo's ease of use (ie; interface), and are troublesome to setup.
MediaPortal? Nope
MythTV? Nope
Media Center Edition (WinXP)? Nope
Snapstream? Nope
The list goes on, but the answer doesn't change. You can't build even a cheap PC w/a few hundred gig HD, hardware encoder/decoder card, etc. for the price of a rebated Tivo. Plus, it just works.
Add the hackability to it (extraction, Tivo-to-Tivo connectivity (even w/DTivos), CallerID capable (after hacks), etc. and you've got a winner. - kyote, on 10/12/2007, -2/+3except for the lawyers of course.
- krazikamikaze, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2Looks like wall street liked the news. Up over 20% in after hours.
http://finance.yahoo.com/q?s=TIVO - dexim, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2@ Doggpound
How would you like it if you spent a lot of time and money developing a product, then when you show it to a potential client, they turn around and come out with a copy of it? - zoltan, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2wow. 20% stock price increase... i always wondered how all the cable/sattelite companies got away with their own dvrs..
- twinklyJesus, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1@ jherek: No Tivo invented the software and process to constantly update every Tivo box on the planet with appropriate schedule info. Genius! No other PVR does what Tivo does, as well as they do it and for the price.
- absmith1, on 10/12/2007, -7/+7I was wondering how long it would take before TiVo could get some credit for pioneering and branding this feature that we all now take for granted. I for one am really glad to see them win this one. I can only hope that it will help give them a future, otherwise we're all doomed to the multiple lame "couldn't UI its way out of a paper bag" approach that the cable and sattelite companies will take without them.
- wilf_brim, on 10/12/2007, -3/+3True, but you don't pay $12 or more per month to use your Myth box, or WMC PC.
- macewan, on 10/12/2007, -3/+3and the lawyers snot nose kids, the ex-wifes of these lawyers and any bars located between their home and work
- CaptRR, on 10/12/2007, -3/+2So, I guess the question is how will this effect other, especially home brew, PVR's?
Is Tivo going to go to mythTV, Snapstream, or Microsoft and tell them to give them cash or face legal action? - Greenback, on 10/12/2007, -1/+0If this DISH DVR was EXACTLY like Tivo, I could see the decision going the way it did. Echostar's DVR does not have features like the "thumbs up". Tivo has a niche among users. The fact is that several companies have had DVR/PVRs that one could consider Tivo-esque. ReplayTV, for instance, has been on the market about as long as Tivo. Looks to me like Tivo just went after the company that has profited most from DVR technology. I disagree with the verdict, and know it will be appealed. Hopefully in an area with jurors who aren't so blatantly for plaintiffs in general.
- FishyJoe, on 10/12/2007, -2/+1Time is money and it takes time to build your own pvr. And if you hit any snags with software or hardware, it can be a real pain in the ass. Making a pvr might be fun for a computer hobbyist, but for most people it's just not worth the effort.
- sluggo916, on 10/12/2007, -3/+2Tivo's patent is too broad. By definition a VCR is a "multimedia time warping system." (I also have to admit that most narcotics are also a "multimedia time warping system." When did Tivo bring their device out? I'm sure I had my first ATI All-in-Wonder card before then and was doing what they claim to have invented. No one thought to try and re-patent what people had been doing for over 20 years (recording TV shows).
Tivo's product isn't even all that great. It's pretty. But Echostar and Replay both do a better job of either being easier to use, or more feature rich for those of us that take the time to get to know it. - loftx, on 10/12/2007, -3/+2Surely a patent this broad is invalidaded by prior art - What about the VCR?
- trod13, on 10/12/2007, -2/+1INcreased rates? Crap, maybe its time i changed to something else.
- datagod, on 10/12/2007, -4/+2Why buy/rent PVR's when you can build them yourself for half the price?
- jherek, on 10/12/2007, -3/+1For patent protection, it's irrelevant whether TiVo's product is better: TiVo did not invent PVRs, nor did they invent much of anything. TiVo got where they are today because they were the first out the gate as soon as cheap CPUs and cheap disk drives made PVRs possible; the first mover advantage shouldn't also be rewarded with patents.
- DVRDude, on 10/12/2007, -6/+4Echostar says in their release: "Among other things, we believe the patent - as interpreted in this case - is overly broad given the technology in existence when TiVo filed its patent. We believe the decision will be reversed either through post-trial motions or on appeal."
- jherek, on 10/12/2007, -2/+0"The others can't seem to capture Tivo's ease of use (ie; interface), and are troublesome to setup"
Maybe you like TiVo's interface, but other people like other interfaces. Personally, I find Google Video to be near ideal as an interface to digital video. The point is: it would be really bad if TiVo were allowed to monopolize this market for the next decade, because we need many more interfaces to PVRs than TiVo can provide. - Lewie, on 10/12/2007, -6/+4Which means this story will pop up at least 10 more times in the future.
- DVRDude, on 10/12/2007, -6/+4TiVo said in their release: "TiVo intends to seek a permanent injunction against EchoStar’s DVR products. We will also continue to vigorously defend our intellectual property for the benefit of our licensees and shareholders."
- jtown, on 10/12/2007, -3/+1So does this mean Tivo will ditch their absurd, new pricing scam? (I love my Tivo but there's no way I'd get a new box with those ridiculous rates.)
- snapcase, on 10/12/2007, -5/+2Would still rather just make a MythTV box.
- Doggpound, on 10/12/2007, -5/+2Patent's destroying competition again isn't it grand
- legendxx, on 10/12/2007, -5/+1i work at echostar.. and yes I am also confident we will prevail ;p
Oh and for those of you who dont know..
Dish Network == EchoStar - sofa0ne, on 10/12/2007, -7/+2Are we supposed to cheer when a company that helps violate copyright laws (when it's convenient to the owner of said device...) wins a copyright battle?
I don't know what I am supposed to think.
Even as a designer I can see the importance of copyright but at the same time I think intellectual property is theft...yay for my hypocritical thought process and moral theory... - trvr, on 10/12/2007, -6/+1not really related to the article, but I might be able to help you. goto Tools>Options>Advanced tab>General "sub"tab" and there should be a "begin finding when i begin typing" checkbox, uncheck it. Not sure if that is your problem though...
- inactive, on 10/12/2007, -6/+1Ah, beautiful, that did it... odd though... I'd stored my defaults to load after every update...
Oh well, thanks. - inactive, on 10/12/2007, -7/+1//OT\
Has anyone else who's updated to Firefox build 1.5.0.2 had problems with buggy type [interpreting normal typing as a page search?] - datagod, on 10/12/2007, -7/+1Last time I checked, only TIVO boxes try to delete previously deleted content AND try to prevent you from skipping commercials.
- DVRDude, on 10/12/2007, -11/+3I posted some updates on my site, including TiVo's and Echostar's responses to the verdict. Funny how they both claim victory: http://www.zatznotfunny.com/2006-04/tivo-sends-echostar-packing/
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