[KCrosbie]

TiVo wins battle against Dish Network for patent infringement

A federal appeals court upheld a ruling that found the companies were violating TiVo’s digital video recorder patent. DISH and EchoStar said they made enough changes, but the courts again disagreed.

The debate over DVR patents goes all the way back to 2004, when TiVo first accused DISH of stealing technology that first allowed viewers to record a show and play it back at the same time.

In a note today, analyst Tony Wibile of Janney Montgomery Scott predicted that this victory should give TiVo a real lift in similar battles with Verizon, AT&T and Microsoft.

So what does this mean for DISH customers who have the company’s DVR service? Nothing yet. Customers were allowed to continue using the service while DISH’s appeal was pending. That ruling remains in effect as the satellite provider asks the court to reconsider its decision.

TiVo could be in for a big windfall as a result of today’s decision. The DVR pioneer says it’s owed $300 million in damages and fines. DISH already paid TiVo $100 million after a previous ruling.

I own two TiVos myself with lifetime subscriptions and love the interactive menus. Looks like Dish is going to have to pay up like DirecTV did a year or so ago. I'm sure they'll try to stall as long as possible. I think they can appeal to the supreme court although the chances are very slim for it to be overturned. TiVo has the patent through 2018.

Looks like TiVo is about to launch their next model: The TiVo Premiere

I can't see much of a difference from the Series 3 model except how the menus look.

[Railroader]

The new remote is awesome. Too bad it uses a dongle and they didn't include bluetooth inside the unit.

[ort888]

There is an iPhone app that lets you enter text right into the TiVo. It only works with Series 3 TiVos, but it's awesome.

DVR Remote. It's $3.

The new TiVo Premiere is a little underwhelming. That cool remote doesn't even come with it. You have to buy it separately.

[Oneota]

I'm still waiting for them to launch their new DirecTiVo receiver. Any day now, folks...any day... *taps foot impatiently*

[olePigeon]

I have a feeling Comcast and AT&T are next up on their lawsuit plate. Good on TiVo. My only hope is that AT&T will be forced to license TiVo, then I'll have a DVR that actually works.

[ort888]

TiVo needs to be less like Apple and more like Microsoft...

They should license their tech out to any company that wants it... and cheaply.

They are losing subscribers every year because it's so much cheaper and easier to just get a DVR through your cable/satellite provider. Well, that and TiVo doesn't even work with satellite providers.

[Oneota]

Originally Posted by ort888 

TiVo needs to be less like Apple and more like Microsoft...

They should license their tech out to any company that wants it... and cheaply.

They are losing subscribers every year because it's so much cheaper and easier to just get a DVR through your cable/satellite provider. Well, that and TiVo doesn't even work with satellite providers.

They're coming out with a new HD DirecTiVo soon -- sometime in the next 2-3 months, I'm guessing.

[ort888]

Does DirecTV provide that or do you have to mess with two different companies?

And hasn't this been coming for years?

[zerostar]

Originally Posted by Oneota 

They're coming out with a new HD DirecTiVo soon -- sometime in the next 2-3 months, I'm guessing.

2-3 Months? They have been saying that for 2 years now.. Believe me I get 3 or 4 HD channels right now because I'm waiting for my HD DirecTiVo

Originally Posted by ort888 

Does DirecTV provide that or do you have to mess with two different companies?

You get it thru DirecTV

Originally Posted by ort888 

And hasn't this been coming for years?

Yes, several.

[-Q-]

Originally Posted by ort888 

TiVo needs to be less like Apple and more like Microsoft...

They should license their tech out to any company that wants it... and cheaply.

At one point in time, they had partnered with Comcast: Comcast Brings TiVo to Boston-Area Subscribers - 2008-01-22 09:34:00 | Multichannel News

But that was over 2 years ago and I haven't really heard any other news about that, or an expansion to other markets. I wonder if it was just too difficult to get the Tivo software working on a variety of hardware and they just gave up until the new Flash-based interface they just announced? The above article also discusses a potential partnership with Comcast for a Tru2way box but who knows what will come of that?

TiVo does appear to be flailing but it's arguably a very difficult market to compete in as a third-party hardware provider not making devices to spec for the cable/satellite companies.

[Oneota]

Originally Posted by zerostar 

Yes, several.

That might be overstating it a bit. If memory serves, their renewed partnership was announced in Sept. of 2008, and pretty much everyone expected it would be out in late 2009 (around one year later). It then got a delay until Spring 2010, which is within the next 2-3 months. I wouldn't be surprised if the delay was so that they could base it on the Series 4 hardware instead of the Series 3.

[ort888]

I love my TiVo... absolutely love it...

But they really are a goofball company. They have been losing truckloads of money year after year since they hit the scene, and they seem to be very slow in upgrading their product line. They keep adding all this garbage that no one really wants, like smart searches and really poorly implemented and slow web features. They have barely touched the core OS in the 7ish years I've owned one. While I do think that it achieves a very "Apple-like" simplicity and elegance while also being very robust, I do think it's important to keep moving forward.

I haven't had a lot of time to really check out the new features of this TiVo Premiere, but reading over a few write-ups and overviews has left me feeling pretty cold about it. Seems like too little, too late.

[-Q-]

Originally Posted by ort888

I haven't had a lot of time to really check out the new features of this TiVo Premiere, but reading over a few write-ups and overviews has left me feeling pretty cold about it. Seems like too little, too late.

I felt the same. Other than the larger hard drives in the S4 boxes, I didn't really see anything amazing about them. Some interesting potential if they do, in fact, release an SDK and you can download third-party applications for the TiVo (love that the Mac Mini I have set up as a HTPC with Plex can do this) but will the content providers allow you to stream MLB.com or Hulu or Vudu, for example?

[ort888]

But you can very easily expand the storage of a series 3 TiVo by adding an external drive. I have so much space on my HD TiVo it's borderline ridiculous. I think I can tape something like 120 hours of HD... and I only have the 500 gig add-on.

[-Q-]

Very true. More of a personal preference for internal storage over the external options due to the set-up of the entertainment center.

[KCrosbie]

If I recall, a few years ago TiVo did have a relationship with DirecTV.

I wish services like ATT U-Verse use cable cards to stick in the TiVo like cable companies. I am forced to stay with Comcast with my HD Series 3 TiVo. I keep getting calls from AT&T and they ask what it would take to get me as a customer and I always say for them to make their services compatable with my TiVo.

BTW, lifetime subscription is the way to go. Much cheaper in the long run. They're running a deal to upgrade your TiVo to a premiere TiVo and get a lifetime subscription for it for $200.

[subego]

Originally Posted by KCrosbie 

They're running a deal to upgrade your TiVo to a premiere TiVo and get a lifetime subscription for it for $200.

Oooh. Glad I saw this. Thanks!