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Echostar invests in CinemaNow: HD VOD soon?
Late yesterday, online movie service CinemaNow announced it had raised US$ 20 million in financing, including a large amount from satellite company Echostar Communications, which operates Dish Network. Joining LionsGate and other investors with a seat on the board of directors, it's a safe bet that CinemaNow and Dish could announce some cross-licensing or cross-promotional deals in the future. Up for speculation, however, is whether this could add CinemaNow's high-definition video-on-demand for the satellite provider. Echostar has been aggresively adding HD content and channels to its lineup in recent months, and this could be another step towards defending against DirecTV and cable providers in maintaining its strong lead in the HD area.Do you think Dish will be offering even more HD because of this strategic investment, or do you think DirecTV and cable will still end up on top?
TiVo to EchoStar: stop making DVRs!
Emboldened by its recent court victory in a long-running patent battle with EchoStar, TiVo has now taken the volume up a notch, and filed for an injunction to stop EchoStar from making or selling DVRs. However, EchoStar has fought back, insisting that recent USPTO rulings overturning some TiVo patents could render TiVo's victory short-lived. And, of course, EchoStar is requesting that the original ruling, which awarded TiVo about $74 million, be stayed until the USPTO finishes digging through TiVo's records. One thing's certain: this isn't ending any time soon, so if you want to keep up, be sure to program your TiVo box to catch the latest news (or program your EchoStar box, if that's what you've got, and hope that its time-shifting functions don't suddenly disappear via a court-mandated firmware flash).
Cox Communications mulling partnership with TiVo?
It's been over a year since we launched the TiVo Deathwatch, and not only is the company still alive and kicking, a new survey being conducted by Cox Communications may indicate that TiVo is about to enter into a partnership with the nation's third largest cable company. Thomas Hawk reports that users on on the TiVo Community Forum are buzzing about a questionnaire that was sent to Cox Enterprises customers who currently subscribe to one or more of the company's other services, but get their TV via satellite. Among a slew of questions about DVRs in general and TiVo specifically, is one which reads in part, "If Cox were to offer digital cable service with a TiVo branded DVR for about the same price as you are currently paying for satellite service each month, how likely would you be to switch from satellite TV to Cox cable that featured this TiVo branded DVR service?" Take this for what you will, but these questions would seem to indicate that the two companies are, at the very least, involved in backroom talks of some sort, and possibly even in the planning stages of building co-branded equipment. Combined with TiVo's recent courtroom victory over EchoStar, their current partnership with Comcast, and a surprising renewal of their service contract with DirecTV, a deal with Cox may be just the ammo we need to put the Deathwatch down for good.
EchoStar to go for round 2 with TiVo
If you though TiVo and EchoStar were judged, settled, and ready to go their separate ways, think again. The $74 million windfall TiVo just got from their patent infringement suit against EchoStar is about to get all RIM / NTP on us. EchoStar filed a request late last year with the USPTO to reexamine TiVo's famous 1998 TiVo-secret-sauce patent (otherwise known as patent #6233389 for a "multimedia time warping system") -- almost two years into the case, not before -- and apparently they're now pressuring the judge presiding to stay judgment until word comes back from the patent office. Being that TiVo won the trial by jury and the judge has yet to hand down the final verdict, EchoStar can continue pressuring to stay the case until the patent has been reviewed, and accepted or rejected as novel / un-novel, then undoubtedly re-petitioned continuously by one party or the other until the system breaks down and someone -- like the judge -- gives up on the process. Will TiVo's judge be as harsh and unforgiving as James Spencer was with RIM in their battle with NTP? That's yet to be seen, but in a release on the judgment, EchoStar called the jury's verdict "the first step in a very long process" and expressed their belief that "the decision will be reversed either through post-trial motions or on appeal." In other words this has the makings of yet another patent-suit fiasco, and frankly we'd like none of it.[Thanks, Ryan]
TiVo and DirecTV make nice -- sort of
A new agreement between TiVo and DirecTV has the two companies on quasi-friendly terms, with TiVo promising three more years of service to DirecTV TiVos, and both companies promising not to mess each other over with patent rights. This comes on the tail of TiVo's suit against Echostar for patent infringement, so we can't help but thinking DirecTV decided to keep their TiVo enabled customers hooked up to monthly TiVo service, which was set to expire in about a year, in exchange for a bit of patent-related grace when it comes to their own DVRs. Can't you just feel the love?[Via Zatz Not Funny]
The Clicker: TiVo and Echostar, the battle begins
Every week Stephen Speicher contributes The Clicker, an opinion column on entertainment and technology:The zephyr that oft times blows lightly over the plains of Texas carries with it these days a passenger. On that wind rides the subtle smell of desperation. Taking flight in the Federal District Court of the east-Texas town, Marshall, and emanating from TiVo, co-creator of the Digital Video Recorder market, is that unmistakable scent of fear, of panic, that comes when a company has reached the point in its lifecycle where the "Patent Infringement" lawsuit seems like the only way to save the company.As you read this, a five-man and five-woman jury is digesting testimony and preparing to deliver a verdict that could either deal another, perhaps deadly, blow to the floundering company, or on the flip-side could give the company a much-needed cash infusion.Not in dispute is the fact that TiVo is and has been, from its birth in that downtown San Jose mid-rise, a money-loser. While TiVo has managed to gain mindshare, secure a place in the English lexicon, and to help revolutionize how people watch TV, what TiVo hasn't done is make money. In fact, over the course of its 9-year existence, TiVo has lost well over half of a billion dollars.Jury members will instead be asked to determine the cause of this loss. Is it, as TiVo contends, in part due to Echostar's patent infringement, or is it, as Echostar argues, due to TiVo's mismanagement?
DISH HD locals in MPEG-4 arrive in Kansas City
Echostar continues the DISH Network rollout of high-def locals by adding ABC, CBS, Fox, and NBC in HD to Kansas City. Over twenty-two counties fall within the limits of the new offering, which we weren't expecting since DIRECTV is "it" in the continuing game of HD Locals Tag. Looks like Echostar is aggressively pursuing their year-end goal to provide over 50% of the US households with high-definition locals. Thanks for the tip, Dave!
DISH rolls HD locals to seven more cities
DISH Network was apparently 'it" in the game of "HD locals tag", so today was their turn. The second largest satellite provider lit up the locals in seven areas today and we've got them for you in alphabetical order for no good reason whatsoever. Albuquerque, Atlanta, Boston, Minneapolis, Philadelphia, Salt Lake City and Washington, D.C. join the high-def local ranks previously occupied by only New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Denver and Nashville. The HDBeat labs are in the Philly area and sure enough, when we checked our local availability, we saw those magical two letters, "H" and "D". We're still opting for free OTA here in the labs, but the rest of you big spenders can have your HD locals delivered from space at a price of $5.99 a month. Oh, DIRECTV: you're it![via HDTV Magazine]
Echostar X satellite launch delayed
First the bad news: no word on why nor on when the Echostar X launch will resume, but it was halted yesterday. Now for the geeky good news: there's more info on the launch than there are pixels in a 1080p display. If you're interested in how they get those blasted satellites up in a relatively stationary orbit, you can read to your heart's content over at the Sea Launch Mission page. The entire mission is carried live via a web cam feed so when they get things going again, you can watch the launch; sorry but there's no HD feed available. 10...9...8....Read [thanks Dave!]
Echostar X satellite launches this week
DIRECTV, do you hear those footsteps behind you? That's the sound of DISH Network starting to pick up steam in the MPEG-4 and HDTV race. Echostar's newest satellite, named Echostar X, lifts off courtesy of Lockheed-Martin on Wednesday of this week. These satellite names leave a bit to be desired, but we weren't asked our opinions; Echostar: we'd be happy to run an HDBeat contest to name your next one.The new A2100 sat will work at 110-degrees and west, showering consumers with more DTV and HDTV goodness, no doubt part of DISH's plan to expand high-def local availability. It generally takes a few weeks to get the new sats up in their geo-synchronous orbit, so don't start looking for new channels this week.
DISH Network HD lineup expands
We heard it was coming; perhaps it already arrived and we missed it? DISH has their expanded HD packages on their site today. Rumor had it that February 1st was the day and well looky here: today's the day! The new packages have an Olympic theme as in DishHD Bronze, Silver, Gold and Platinum. Ok, there's no platinum medal in the Olympics but we think there should be. Prices range from $49 a month to $99 a month and these packages bundle the HD programming with the non-HD programming. Locals are still extra and are available in high-def based on your location. The $99 package includes all of the DISH HD channels along with 180 other channels and all four premium movie packages; not a bad deal. With 23 HD channels in the Bronze package and 25 in the Platinum, DISH is making quite an HD statement to their "friends" over at DIRECTV! Who's upgrading?
Dish HDTV details coming in clearer
When we last left "As the Dish Turns," the leading man (played by Charlie Ergen) was reciting his lines about local HD channels and MPEG-4 transitions. In today's episode, the swashbuckling leader provides some additional lines details on what we can expect. A total of seven markets will have high-def locals by the February 1st episode, all of which will use MPEG-4 compression. By the end of the season year, Charlie will have 50 "angels"; that is: 50 local markets will have high-def availability.If you're not interested in purchasing new equipment, have no fear, Charlie is here! Leasing options for the new MPEG-4 receivers will be available. The ViP 221 lease is expected to cost just $49.99, while the ViP 622 can be borrowed for $299. Stay tuned for Charlie's first full-length feature film, "I lost 12Mbps around my waist and you can too!"
MPEG 4 moves quietly at Dish
Sometimes the best HDTV news doesn't come from scanning RSS feeds or attending the latest trade shows; sometimes the best HDTV news comes from passing conversations. We've mentioned the DIRECTV MPEG-4 strategies a time or two, but we've been quiet on the Dish Network front. Imagine my surprise when I bumped into my friend Paul at work and he mentioned his new Dish HDTV receiver sporting an MPEG-4 logo.I figured he got the non-DVR model 811 since I knew he was thinking of using WMCE for his high-def recordings. Nope, Paul has the VIP-211 model. Huh? How did we miss that? A quick bunch of research indicates a 411 model with MPEG-4 support also (shown above). The units don't appear on Dish Network's site yet and there's no news that they're transmitting MPEG-4 signals yet, but it's clear that there's compression afoot; more deets to follow!
