Tivo sanction request against Echostar uncovered: $1Billion

**MikeD-C05** · 07-14-2009 07:46 AM

Originally Posted by Bob Haller

E should of bought them years ago...... this was all easily avoidable

I agree. It would of made more sense to buy them and make the lawsuits go away. Then they could be receiving payments from stand alone Tivos and Directv with their new Tivos as well. The amount of time wasted on creating software work arounds , fighting lawsuits , appeals is all for nothing. In the end I predict that Echostar/Dish will end up having to license the software anyway, but at a much higher dollar amount per sub than DIRECTV . The $5.98 per dvr fee that DISH charges puts them at a disadvantage in competition with DIRECTV , who charges one dvr fee per account , regardless how many dvrs you have on your account. DISH would not have to charge this if it weren't for the Tivo lawsuit.

**rey_1178** · 07-14-2009 07:49 AM

Originally Posted by ramy

Whatever, go troll somewhere else.

**sampatterson** · 07-14-2009 07:50 AM

Finger to mouth, $1 BIlllllllllllion dollars. Tivo may be in the right legally, courts can decide that. I just don't like them. I don't like their UI, their slowness, their licensing for patents I don't believe they really invented, their logo.

**cybok0** · 07-14-2009 08:13 AM

Originally Posted by ramy

Whatever, go troll somewhere else.

**vampz26** · 07-14-2009 08:35 AM

Originally Posted by ramy

Whatever, go troll somewhere else.

Its as valid an opinion as anyone elses...

No trolling involved...

If you want to see trolling, I can point you in the right direction.

**vampz26** · 07-14-2009 08:36 AM

Originally Posted by MikeD-C05

Thanks!

**Voyager6** · 07-14-2009 08:50 AM

Tivo can ask for just about any amount for compensation of the contempt verdict. However, the real issue is whether the judge erred in his finding of contempt. I think his fatal mistake was his decision that even if the new software was non-infringing he still would find the DVR's to infringe. I think the Appeals Court will have something to say about this.

**jayn_j** · 07-14-2009 08:55 AM

Originally Posted by vampz26

Its as valid an opinion as anyone elses...

No trolling involved...

If you want to see trolling, I can point you in the right direction.

I disagree with your point, but this was not a troll post. People around here only want to hear opinions that agree with theirs.

$1B is a big number, but not as far out of line as you think. How much does it cost to keep a team of lawyers for ten years? How much is ten years worth of lost royalties worth? How about the damage to the business from circumventing the TIVO model and making the TIVO Product less competitive?

From where I sit, the problem lands squarely in Charlie's ego. We used to talk about him being a good poker player, but it is clear to me that in recent years, Charlie has forgotten how to recognize a losing hand and fold gracefully. And when you don't fold, you get hit with losing a really big pot.

**ncted** · 07-14-2009 08:57 AM

Software patents should be abolished. In the mean time, if Dish didn't want to play by the rules, they should have purchased a license or the company that holds the patents.

FWIW, I still prefer Tivos.

Ted

**mike123abc** · 07-14-2009 09:16 AM

This is why Echostar will not let this case end. If they were to stop now they would have to license TiVo software at whatever price TiVo names. There is no law that says TiVo has to license the patents to Echostar at a reasonable price. Until Echostar finds a way around this patent they will keep fighting at all costs.