TiVo awarded $200m in damages in EchoStar case, consumers not awarded end to the Echostar case
By Nilay Patel 
posted Sep 6th 2009 5:43AM
posted Sep 6th 2009 5:43AM
Okay, so it's not the cool billion dollars in damages we'd heard TiVo was asking for, but $200 million ain't chump change if you're broke, you know? That's the amount in contempt damages TiVo will get if EchoStar loses its upcoming appeal in the endless time warp patent case, bringing the total amount of money on the table to nearly $400 million. As usual, that means virtually nothing for the average Dish or TiVo customer, but at least the lawyers involved can all buy new Audis for the winter now.
What the hell is this soap-opera about?!
One company that didn't invent anything took existing technology and software and put it all in one little box. Then another company did the same thing. Now the first company is suing the second company.
Tivo isn't a product development company anymore, they're a patent holding company?
Come on Tivo, as soon as somebody negotiates a license for Hulu on an Android phone with Tegra + HDMI jack, you're done. Maybe not right away, but eventually. Stream/download on demand makes "time warp" recording pointless. You've got maybe five years before your patent is worthless.
Engadget, of course it means something for the average consumer: the continued viability and development of TiVo, which benefits TiVo consumers.
Why are you so snarky nowadays? It's infecting many of your posts. It's not as precious as you perhaps think.
Agreed 100%.
Why do you assume this about how much the lawyers will make? Lawyers are providing a service. If the client stopped asking for it, lawyers would move on.
Yes, plus lawyers are usually paid hourly, not on a contingency fee basis.
I used to be a lawyer, you know -- I think I'm allowed to make the jokes! :)
F*****g lawyers and their new Audis.
Oh dear, aren't EchoStar the new owners of Sling?
Does this have any implications for Sling?
Comically, I am customer of both TiVo and Dish.
Double drama ftw.
Now perhaps TIVO can spend some money on fixing a few of their annoying software and hardware issues.
OK, I will bite, since Tivo doesn't produce hardware, what hardware issues do you want them to fix?
EchoStar does own SlingMedia, yes. Have they done much with it? No.
A new receiver is about to come out (922k) that has a SlingPlayer integrated into it, and a "touch remote." The remote is pretty hard on the eyes, however. And it's going to cause a lot of problems.
I work for Dish, that would be how I know this :)
Btw, they keeps us in the dark about most of the TiVo/EchoStar thing.
I'm sure the court case is not water cooler talk, as it is in any other company locked in a lawsuit. In any case, Echostar and Dish aren't a single entity anymore, so I can imagine why you guys are out of the loop.
Also, it's the 922, not "922k" - any "dish employee" should know. And it's still in development, so do you mind waiting before passing judgment on it?
As far as that comment about not doing much with sling media, these things take time...
Great, Tivo got a ton of cash. Now maybe these assholes can actually replace my unit and give me one that works? I'm on my fourth one and it still doesn't work, but they will want me to pay for a brand new one again because they don't warranty the refurbs. Tivo sucks.