US appellate court upholds order blocking DirecTV ads

The seesaw match between DirecTV and Time Warner (parent company of AOL, which owns Engadget) over those blasted "superior HD" spots has reached another milestone, as a US appeals court has "upheld a lower court's decision that prohibits the satellite television operator from airing advertisements that claim superior service in markets where Time Warner Cable operates." Notably, the Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit did, however, "set aside part of the lower court's order, saying the way it had been worded could be construed to prohibit the unfavorable comparison of even Time Warner Cable's analog programming." Ah well, it's not like those ads were exceedingly enthralling to begin with, right?

[DD0 @ Aug 10th 2007 12:56AM]

This country and it's telcos are so fucking pathetic. Directv's quality is far superior to Time Warner. Time Warner has to be on the lowest end of every aspect of the services they offer.

[Nicholas @ Aug 10th 2007 5:50AM]

That may be true in some cases, but the TimeWarner RoadRunner I am using now completely p0wns the Armstrong cable internet that my girlfriend used to have. Firsthand proof they are not at the bottom of everything.

[DD0 @ Aug 10th 2007 10:04AM]

Clearly you've never used internet overseas. Or even FiOS, which is totally half assed.

[Nicholas @ Aug 10th 2007 10:45AM]

As we are talking about Time Warner's service in AMERICA, you're point is invalid.

But you're right about one thing: I've never used overseas Internet service.

[DD0 @ Aug 10th 2007 10:56AM]

We are? Every service provider is way behind in this country due to these reasons. They don't compete with each other and as you can see they sue and stop something that is actually true that would create competition from happening.

Just like if you try to get FiOS in a TWC area, they will tell you they don't offer service because they don't want to compete. It's pathetic.

[Derek @ Aug 10th 2007 1:05AM]

Wow, controlling ads now? What is this, fuckin China or something???

[m @ Aug 10th 2007 1:08AM]

What, you didn't think we have a right to free speech or something, did you?

[Derek @ Aug 10th 2007 1:27AM]

Thought we had a little more than this.... ;)

[Brendan @ Aug 10th 2007 1:10AM]

Can't beat Daisy Duke, Doc, or Ripley? Next step, litigation.

[Priya @ Aug 10th 2007 1:35AM]

what aol owns Engadet? Wtf?

[Garst @ Aug 11th 2007 12:32AM]

No, Time Warner owns Engadget. It wouldn't make much sense if AOL owns Engadget when AOL is owned by Time Warner.

[Priya @ Aug 12th 2007 1:45PM]

I hate Time Warner

[Korsakow @ Aug 10th 2007 2:44AM]

Huh? I thought Apple owns Engadget ;-)

[Kyle Simmons @ Aug 10th 2007 3:09AM]

Lol yeah me too! (Quick note, you know, engadget coverage share isnt quite *cough* equal to current electronics market share...)

But seriously... AOL owns Engadget? WTF? Really? Can we get maybe a "About us" how we got started article?

[joeyslaptop @ Aug 10th 2007 3:07AM]

My MacBook Pro is better than your DELL. Oops... I'm sorry - was that out-loud? It's a sad day when a company isn't allowed to say they possess a superior product than a company providing out-dated and inferior service to people.

"If it had been me", :P I would have probably pushed the issue of Time Warner trying to enforce a television-service monopoly. Actively pursuing an effort to keep people from learning about more advanced and superior products available to them just seems wrong. Add to that the fact that Time Warner Cable also already has the ability to control cable prices "also home-entertainment prices in general, and you've got yourself the next Microsoft!

PS I do have to admit that I do love Engadget (check it daily) - regardless of its totally lame and intrusive parents.

[stuart @ Aug 10th 2007 3:38AM]

Have yo not noticed the 10 million links down the side and at the bottom.
Of course this is a corporate site.

Controlled and edited...

Lets see them ever dare run a negative AOL story.....

[Tom @ Aug 10th 2007 7:33AM]

Wasn't diresvt TV the company who was up until just recently selling 'sorta kinda almost hd' as HDTV? I'm glad I don't have Time Warner, but c'mon thats low.

[F @ Aug 10th 2007 8:21AM]

Time Warner has its own share of misleading ads. Has anyone else noticed how some recent Time Warner commercials mention their advanced "fiber" network? It seems to me that they are preparing for their next round of major competition, FIOS from Verizon.

[Pedro @ Aug 10th 2007 8:26AM]

That is probably because you don't have "bright house" local branch of time warner here... which sucks. They can't even get the analog cable to work right!

[LegendZ28 @ Aug 10th 2007 9:11AM]

All I know is that stupid Time Warner refuses to offer an NFL package, similar to Direct TV and it's starting to piss me off. They woun't even carry the NFL Network unless they can charge a premium price for it, which no other carrier does apparently, which will now force me to miss several games over the season unless I go to my girlfriend's house to watch. If not for the fact that my building doesn't allow the mounting of sat dishes, I would have switched to DirectTV a long time ago.

And their broadband is way over priced, sorry. It's completely crazy that the price hasn't come down over the years, just because they have a monopoly on cable internet.

[dethl @ Aug 10th 2007 9:27AM]

Time Warner can't offer the NFL Sunday Ticket because its locked into DirecTV for some set number of years. Sorry :(

[Michael @ Aug 10th 2007 10:55AM]

Legend, actually their broadband AND their digital services are WAY THE F**K overpriced!

Hope that clears it up...

[johngaltx @ Aug 10th 2007 4:13PM]

FCC regulations generally prohibit building owners from blocking the installation of small dishes such as DirecTV and DISH.
Look it up on the FCC site and show it to your landlord.
http://www.fcc.gov/mb/facts/otard.html

[dethl @ Aug 10th 2007 9:23AM]

DirecTV just started launching the new satellites for their HD content and not everyone is going to get it just yet. DirecTV has been overhyping their HD ability long before this. I worked as a CSR for ClientLogic (now Sitel) as a DTV rep in summer 2006 and we were forced to hype the shit out of a $9.99/month package that gave customers access to around 8 HD channels. Massive ripoff.

[dethl @ Aug 10th 2007 9:47AM]

I'll add a good note to my rant - DTV picture quality is amazing, even for analog TV. Then again this holds true for both DTV and Dishnet. Too much compression on the Cable TV analog bands now - quality has gone down the crapper and I've seen too many picture artifacts - especially with Comcast Digital Cable out here in Gaithersburg, Maryland.

[Leandro Almeida @ Aug 10th 2007 9:49AM]

AOL wons engadgets? THIS IS BAD NEWS!!!! I hate big company s now in days. they are evil. Aguafina from pepsy and dasani water from coca stupid cola are all TAP WATER!!!!!! with fluoride and lead added!!!!!!!!!! don't drink that cap.

[Michael @ Aug 10th 2007 10:52AM]

Leandro, usually I drink the bottle, not the cap. Thanks for the advice though...

[Jim @ Aug 10th 2007 11:07AM]

Now it all makes sense!!!!! AOL has a deal with Apple. Hurray, the truth is finally out on why a bad word is never said about an apple product on engadget!

[Jarrett Kaufman @ Aug 10th 2007 12:15PM]

Wow, guess I'm the only one who swears by Time Warner. In my area their service is fantastic, and I've made it a rule that I won't consider living somewhere that doesn't have their service. Internet's great (although I'd switch to FiOS if available), television quality's great, and equipment and service are fantastic. I can trade in boxes at a center a block from my home within minutes, and in-home service calls are FREE and on-time. And they go above and beyond, replacing all of the cabling, giving out free cables (I need only go into the office and ASK for an HDMI cable and they'll hand me one at no charge). I do think DirecTV's advertisements are deceptive and I agree with Time Warner's suit.

[modenadude @ Aug 10th 2007 1:50PM]

I'm with you man, I'm all Time Warner. I've never had a problem, I've dealt with the other guys, my family and friends have dealt with the other guys, and Time Warner is the most superior. I'm sticking with them, unless of course Google comes out or teams up with some service ;)

haha

[Adam @ Aug 10th 2007 5:01PM]

I used to have Time Warner, now I have Comcast. I'd choose TW anyday.

[scott @ Aug 10th 2007 1:55PM]

Has DirecTV decided to 1) make up with TiVo? 2) actually offer REAL 1080i HDTV? I use TWC now, I hate it because its pixelated and usually broken. The HD however looks great and that is pretty much all I watch.

[Jarrett Kaufman @ Aug 10th 2007 5:21PM]

In my area we used to have both, and I never met a happy Comcast customer. I also had to deal with their awful service for clients of mine. One client needed internet on two computers, so Comcast charged them $10 a month extra for a second IP address and gave then a network HUB. I had tried to set up printer sharing and couldn't figure out for the life of me why their computers couldn't see each other. That's how I figured it out. While I could have configured it to work through that, it would have left them vulnerable, plus they were paying too much. Had them buy a $30 router and drop the extra IP address.

Anyway, Time Warner bought out Comcast in this area recently, as well as Adelphia, and I'm happy. Lowers my odds that I'll have to deal with them anytime soon.

[yeahright @ Aug 10th 2007 8:17PM]

Doesn't matter, Dish Network Kills both of them when it comes to content. I have the 622 with a off air antenna running through it as well. I get about 40 high def channels(including nfl network) and many more coming on the 15th! (tlc,discovery,mtv owned channel, science channel, animal planet, golf channel) that will bring dish networks national hd lineup to 39 channels not counting any over the air broadcasts you can run right through your box and into your program guide! Every one else is way behind.

[Johnny Appleseed @ Aug 10th 2007 8:22PM]

Darn. Engadget is owned by AOL. AOL is the other evil, like at&tingular.

At least Engadget seems to have a lot of freedom though, from its parent company.

[Casey @ Aug 11th 2007 3:54AM]

Time Warner sux and so does AOL. I love reading engadget, but it is one of the biggest sins i commit each day. Let me add that I have this opinion because of their policies (Especially how they make it hard to cancel AOL) and I have used Time Warner cable first hand....ugh. The picture is terrible for one, they tried to overcharge my grandmother and I was the one who caught it. They like to force people to stay using them and then cheat elderly people out of their money. My grandmother doesnt have a job, her husband died (RIP Bruce Budde), she would rather spend that money on food and more important things. I love Engadget, I just wish it werent owned by some of the biggest criminals.