Comments on: TiVo Wins Permanent Injunction Against EchoStar (And Cash)

By: riffer

riffer — Tue, 27 Feb 2007 02:34:20 +0000

Way to go Ratch!

The cesspool of moronic comments was deafening. Tivo, as you correctly point out, is the victim here. Echostar stole their technology after Tivo tried to license it to them. Tivo’s patent is valid, and so was their suit. The only thing invalid around here are the bashers’ brains.

By: Ratch

Ratch — Mon, 28 Aug 2006 20:45:01 +0000

None of you TiVo bashers read ANYTHING. What was the main patent was NOT the UI, it was the processor that (cheaply) can compress/decompress video. When it was invented back in the 1990s, it was WAY too expensive to use a computer to make a DVR (computers were $1500). The processor simplified it and knocked it down to a couple $100, subsidized by the service. Without that step (although the UI IS patented…see Apple’s $100 million to Creative for putting menus/songs side by side), the masses couldn’t afford a DVR.

Also, whoever talked about VCRs – you are an idiot. Sony had Beta and wouldn’t license it (like TiVo), so the competition came together and agreed on an open format (VCR) that they would all make instead, that was fundamentally different than Sony (and created out of fear). The thing is, at first they approached Sony and asked to license it (which it refused). TiVo is ready (dying, actually) to license but no one feels they have to.

It must be nice to spout theories without knowing facts.

By: Russ

Russ — Fri, 25 Aug 2006 04:16:27 +0000

This doesn’t have anything to do with hard disks or DVRs in the conventional sense. The particular technology that was patented has to do with the innovative and unique memory management and tagging techniques that TiVo devised to make it possibel to instantaneously skip commercials, watch the beginning of a recording while you’re still recording it, etc.

DirecTV paid a licensing fee to TiVo to use their technology and Dish chose not to. That’s one of the reasons Dish is generally cheaper – because they blatantly ripped off TiVo’s IP.

By: Jeff

Jeff — Wed, 23 Aug 2006 01:01:48 +0000

From my understanding Tivo won not because echostar copied technology, but because it was Tivo-like, meaning that it has many of the same features as Tivo. This doesn’t seem to make any sense. So the the first restaurant that offered drive-through service should have exclusivity of the idea, and if any other restaurant wanted drive-through service they would have to purchase a license agreement, or risk being sued. The idea of pausing live tv has been around before Tivo. In my opinion, only the technology should be protected. Someone please tell me how you can now make any DVR that improves the technology without first infringing on Tivo.

By: E. David Zotter

E. David Zotter — Sat, 19 Aug 2006 18:59:36 +0000

Does anyone know how long the temporary “stay” will last?

I’m under the impression from analysts that it likely won’t be longer than a few weeks.

By: Doggfather

Doggfather — Sat, 19 Aug 2006 17:47:51 +0000

This is out of control. A hard drive is a common multi purpose device as is ram, eeproms etc. You cant (or shouldnt be able to) patent the use of a basic product.
Tivo is a poor company with a clearly poor product that lost market share and are showing signs of desperation. Imagine putting a patent on using ram for satellite business or cable etc. Whats stopping someone from doing that!? Maybe mp3 playback should not be allowed on an ipod as it has a mini hd?!? Come on.. tivo.. you suck and your product sucks, stop being a bunch of babies and make way for better products!!! BEEP, CLICK, F#*K off~! And Bern, you give all Americans a bad name, don’t do that please. No wonder when Americans travel they aren’t liked by anyone you ignorant fool ;0

By: Mike Hunt

Mike Hunt — Sat, 19 Aug 2006 04:24:42 +0000

This decision has no teeth, as it restrains and enjoins (EchoStar) from “making, using, selling, or offering to sell in the UNTIED STATES” DVRs. Anyone mind telling me whose little world the Untied States are in?