Petition Thread to E*: Resolve the Tivo Situation or Else We're Gone

BobMurdoch

Playing XBoxOne SeriesX/Supporter
Original poster
Supporting Founder
Sep 12, 2003
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Brielle, NJ
Open post to Charlie Ergen:

I've been watching the E* vs. Tivo situation for several years now. Regardless of the facts that you are arguing, the courts seem to be siding with Tivo in their patent dispute (and I agree the Patent Office is making a huge mistake here).

Whether it is based on facts or speculation, the new HD for Life plan seems to be a way to get subscribers to padlock their ankles to E* for two years of commitment. A few are speculating that a shutdown of E*'s DVRs may be imminent, and this is a way to reduce your potential subscriber losses.

Mr. Ergen, I've been a subscriber of E*'s since May 2000, and a DVR user since the Microsoft based Dishplayer. I am NEVER going back to a world where DVRs don't exist for me. Up until now I have been avoiding jumping to Verizon's Fios, which has a less compressed picture, better VOD offerings (including free access to PayTv content for services that I would subscribe to), always on HD RSNs, and more local channels. The SINGLE reason that I have not left is that your DVRs are better and more robust than theirs.

If you allow that single advantage to be eliminated, then I will be gone within days of any shutoff. I will not gamble that you will resolve the situation in a few days or weeks, I will simply make the switch. I am simply not returning to a world where I have to rush home to watch a show that I like. I understand that you are a world class poker player, and that you have no problem pushing your chips "all in" to get the best deal possible for your company, but realize that I will not allow myself to become collateral damage in your war with Tivo.

I currently spend more than $200 a month on your service. Paying Tivo's ransom demands will rub all of our fur in the wrong direction, but there comes a time when a pragmatic solution is less damaging than driving for all out victory.


If a shutdown is NOT imminent, and we are all overreacting, then keep fighting as you see fit. I just wanted to make sure that you did not underestimate how much the DVR has become a necessity and not assume that it was an extravagance that we could live without.

I will NOT sign on for any more commitments until the DVR issue is resolved one way or the other with a permanent solution that removes the legal Sword of Damocles that is hanging over all of the DVR subscribers' heads..

At the very least, I would ask that you give us notice to any planned shutdowns so that we would have time to migrate our saved recordings to other media. I have two years worth of saved recordings and I will be REALLY mad if I get NO notice before a shutoff locks me out.

Bob Murdoch



To my fellow SatGuys, I invite any of you who feel that you would leave if the DVRs went dark to post so here. Hopefully Scott G. can point Mr. Ergen's attention to this thread to remind him that there is a breaking point for our patience.
 
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I do not see how you can expect Dish to resolve the situation until there is a court decision. The only thing Dish can do at this time to resolve the situation is agree to pay TiVo a monthly fee for all their DVRs. Why would Dish commit to this when the courts have not finished. Dish might end up owing nothing beyond the original judgment.

I am sure they have pretty good numbers as to how many subscribers would bolt if DVRs were dropped.
 
That may be the case, but the court HAS ruled numerous times that E* is infringing, we are talking about numerous stays of execution, and Scott has hinted at June 4th as some sort of doomsday date.

I had no notice when they caved and yanked all my distant networks. I want to make sure we don't have a repeat performance here when I can lose 2 years worth of archived recordings (I'm saving 24 and Lost for the summer rerun season).
 
Scott, tell us about the June 4th date. I've heard it referred to as well. Is that going to be D-Day (as in Dvr-shutoff Day)? Should I have waited to get the 922?

Does anybody know for sure if the 922 is free and clear of all the infringement suggestions or is it in the "maybe only colorably different" category with the rest of the VIP series?
 
psychotrope said:
Scott, tell us about the June 4th date. I've heard it referred to as well. Is that going to be D-Day (as in Dvr-shutoff Day)? Should I have waited to get the 922??

I know of nothing between DISH and TiVo for June 4th.

The date I have been talking about is June 3rd which is the start of the Free HD for life promotion.
 
OK, I'm going to stop playing Chicken Little then. If any of Charlie's minions are listening however, PLEASE advise him that killing the DVRs would be like striking a match and throwing it at a powderkeg.
 
I will certainly consider leaving dish, the only satellite provider I've ever used (since mid-90s), if my dvr is disabled. Mediacom has minimal HD here and I'm not in Uverse or Fios territory, so D* would be my only option. I wouldn't like it, but I will consider it.
 
I will be asking for a credit of all prior DVR charges since 2006 for rendering all of my recordings inaccessbile . Then I will cancel dish upon the answer and or settlement.
 
Has E stock price been impacted?

Wouldnt it be something if Charlie announces in the midst of this a sales agreement with D, pending regulatory approval:)

E would plead they cant survive without DVRs, and frankly I dont think they can
 
I will leave Dish if THE DVR FUNCTION STOPS WORKING!!

Even if you are in a contract agreement with Dish you can leave why because Dish would have broken the contract agreement if the DVR function stops working. If dish makes one honors the contract I know of an attorney who will bring a class action suit, think the daughter of SF past mayor.
 
The DVR function is not going to stop working. Enough already with the doom and gloom. It is not going to happen. No way Charlie will let it happen. Period. Charlie Ergen might be lots of things, but he is NOT stupid.

Lets stop scaring people with something that is not going to happen.
 
RockyMtnHigh is correct.

Charlie even told me before face to face that if he had to write a check he would.

I must admit that I am disapointed that there was no mention of Tivo at Team Summit this week, and that I got nervous when Charlie basically said on the earnings call that he would shut the DVR's off if ordered to.

We have to remember that Charlie is in a huge game of poker at the moment, we must remember that no one plays poker then the man.

Yes I would LOVE to see him settle, but in this lawsuit what if he is right.
 
It's too late. Some of us, even among the most loyal Dish subs, have begun to look elsewhere "just in case."

Now, I love my two ViP722 units. But it appears I can get more for less (a LOT less) from Fios. I'm looking in to it. No doubt others are too, and at least some of us will leave as a result. Regardless of what happens with the DVRs. Between impending price increases (however you want to style them) and this DVR business, we really must wonder just how much extra each month our ViPs are worth.

And Scott - nice reassurance, but you've posted earlier how now you're "not so sure" about this.
 
It's too late. Some of us, even among the most loyal Dish subs, have begun to look elsewhere "just in case."
I dont blame you. My wife had me looking at DIRECTV again... just in case.

This part of this issue I do blame Charlie on, as we are left dangling like puppets on a sting out here.

I think we are all waiting for the next move now.
 
I dont blame you. My wife had me looking at DIRECTV again... just in case.

This part of this issue I do blame Charlie on, as we are left dangling like puppets on a sting out here.

I think we are all waiting for the next move now.

You are so right. Charlie is taken the TIVO case personally. He should treat it as a business and work with TIVO. I think it may be to late now.
 

Well, I cancelled Dish

922 = 942????

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