TiVo Sued: A Taste of Their Own Medicine

[jacmyoung]

If MSFT actualy goes through with this. You could see MSFT lapping up the final death trawles of Tivo and buy it. ...

Interesting you mentioned a buyout. My take is no one wants to buy TiVo, not until TiVo gets knocked down low enough. To prepare for that, most recently TiVo just filed their 8K which updated one of their provisions related to change of control of corporation, in this amended provision it offers all TiVo’s presidents and vice presidents golden parachutes for exiting after a buyout, specifically guarantees their pays, stock options and bonuses, as if they have achieved the stated performance goals, even if the company fails to meet those goals.

Sounded to me the heads of TiVo are preparing for a crash, and to give up the legal fights because usually after a buyout and change of control, the company strategies change. Any big guy that might buy TiVo, will not likely use its patents to sue everyone, rather to defend itself from being sued by patent trolls. Just like when DirecTV bought ReplayTV, you did not see DirecTV using the ReplayTV patents to sue anyone after that, because the big guys don’t have to sue, they can stand on their own. But they want to prevent patent trolls from suing them.

The TiVo heads will be well taken care of after the buyout, but who will be left to hold the bag?

 

[jacmyoung]

What you know as soon as I commented about the buyout, I found this:

TMF: Re: Tivo modifies Change in Control Agreements / TiVo, Inc. (TIVO)

So I have little doubt that someone has offered to buy Tivo, but there is no guarantee that they will accept anything, or that anything will happen anytime soon. I suspect that E* has decided it might be cheaper to just buy the company than continue fighting it, and Tivo's execs want to make sure they get paid if E* tries a hostile takeover, or something like that.

Personally I have doubts Charlie decided to buy TiVo, but if true, given how we know Charlie is, TiVo's investors can count on themselves being screwed

The TiVo heads will of course be covered. Seems to me if the above speculation is true, TiVo has already decided they will lose the appeal. Because if TiVo believes it will win, there is no possible chance TiVo would even consider selling to Charlie, not when there is another $300M+ from DISH awarded by the court, not to mention TiVo has the "poison pill" to prevent takeover, besides Charlie does not even have the money to buy TiVo at the current value. Therefore the only possible reason is TiVo realized they would lose, of course if that happens, Charlie will actually be able to afford it

 

[stonecold]

Well, well, it's TiVo's turn to be defendant:

Microsoft Sues TiVo Over Two Video Content Patents (Update1) - Bloomberg.com

What's good for the goose . . . ? No one may ever know if Dish truly is infringing upon TiVo's patents, but we do know that the jury's logic and reasoning used to arrive at their conclusion have nothing to do with the disputed code or software and have everything to do with TiVo intentionally leaving a TiVo box at Echostar/Dish and never asking about it ever again (for being so protective of its patents, why oh why would they ever be so neglectful of their precious box full of patented technology? ) and the Dish 7000's failure--with software by Microsoft, followed by the successful 501.

Microsoft: You GO GIRL! Boo hoo, the little TiVo logo

Hmmm 71/7200 boxes are still the greatest boxes ever to come out of Ecshostar

 

[stonecold]

Are you putting money on that. Charlie is 1 L of a poker player and can drag this out till Tivo goes out of business.

Charlie is not a poker player. Charlie's game is blackjack, which is very common knowledge.

 

[RVD420]

Hmmm 71/7200 boxes are still the greatest boxes ever to come out of Ecshostar

I still have a 7100.

One of the best parts about them is you can throw in a new HDD, let it dialout and the new HDD works. Unlike all other Dish DVRs.

 

[mike123abc]

I bet if someone buys TiVo Dish will be able to reach a licensing agreement with them without trouble. Most companies are able to work out patent licensing deals without issue.

 

[jacmyoung]

I bet if someone buys TiVo Dish will be able to reach a licensing agreement with them without trouble. Most companies are able to work out patent licensing deals without issue.

Not for TiVo IP. DISH does not infringe the TiVo IP anymore. Whoever buys TiVo will not likely to continue the litigation, only TiVo does it because TiVo has no other options, they can't survive the DVR business because they have no content, the only way was to sue to force a license agreement. So far it has not worked on DISH.

Cross-licensing, maybe.

 

[whatchel1]

Looks like the Tivo fan boy has gone back to his Directv side now. Guess he got tired of being proved he didn't know what the F he was talking about.

 

[jacmyoung]

Looks like the Tivo fan boy has gone back to his Directv side now. Guess he got tired of being proved he didn't know what the F he was talking about.

What good would that do? Even DirecTV is giving TiVo the finger it seems.

 

[riffjim4069]

It's amazing how people will bend, fold, spindle and mutilate facts to conform with their agenda. Anyway, it's time to reform the patent systems since it is getting increasingly difficult to develop original software and processes that doesn't wind up being litigated. Does anyone remember the VHS recorder? At this point-in-time consumers should have dozens of DVR models to choose from at the local Best Buy, prices should be in the $100-$200 range, and guides should be integrated and/or delivered free-of-charge by the provider as a "service" to the subscriber.

Heck, all Cable and DBS providers have some sort of guide channel...our lawmakers needs to step-up to the plate and move this issue along. Cable and Satellite customers should be able to purchase their own set-top-boxes, connect them to their provider of choice, and not have to pay Bullsh!t DVR fees and such...just a nominal $3-$4 connection fee per device to cover administrative expenses. This nonsense of paying Tivo or Dish Network monthly DVR fees is assinine. We pay the service provider $$$ each month for a lot of crap we don't even watch, and then we get charged fees for each and every DVR we use. Heck, why are we even paying Cable of DBS to be inundated with commercials. As much as I like FiOS TV, I am almost to the point of going back to OTA only...and supplementing our viewing with IPTV services and Netflix (PS3).

Tivo, Dish Network, Moxi, DirecTV and Cable can all "hug my balls" if they think I am going to just blindly fork-over my dollars for ever increasing DVR service fees for hardware I purchased. Sorry to rant...but compared to my Sony HD DVR with subscription free built-in TVGuide On Screen the aforementioned providers and their DVR service fees can, once again, "hug my balls."

As an afterthought...it would appear that more than half of our DVR fees are going to pay for litigation. Go figure!

 

[Bob Haller]

Reportedly D is releasing a NEW tivo receiver.........

Does E still support the 7100 / 7200?

I sold mine to canada and got BIG bucks right before they shut down the hackers. But was under the impression E took them all out of service like they did with the 721...

The 721 had great potential but for ME it was a bug ridden disaster Replaced 7 or 8, for really terrible software

 

[jacmyoung]

It's amazing how people will bend, fold, spindle and mutilate facts to conform with their agenda.

Make a statement but says nothing to back it up?

As an afterthought...it would appear that more than half of our DVR fees are going to pay for litigation. Go figure!

I guess you can pretty much blame TiVo for higher DVR fees across the board. Since when you are also against TiVo?

 

[jacmyoung]

Reportedly D is releasing a NEW tivo receiver.........

Good luck with that. Even the TiVo fanboys have stopped anticipating it. The anticipation thread on the other site seems dead recently.

 

[riffjim4069]

Make a statement but says nothing to back it up?

My statement is a fact based on my expert opinion and needs no further clarification...and you can quote me on that. Plus, I have no desire to target any particular individuals since they are entitled to their opinions.

I guess you can pretty much blame TiVo for higher DVR fees across the board. Since when you are also against TiVo?

I never was a big fan of Tivo and have always stated their business tactics (litigation) were only slightly less offensive than E*. I really like our TivoHD and we really loved our ViP622s, but that doesn't mean I care for the way these companies conduct business. It's like taking sides between Hitler and Stalin during WWII.

Since you like examples, here are two of my earliests posts on the subject (I'm sure there are dozens more):

http://www.satelliteguys.us/live-in...nounces-new-pricing-structure.html#post507791
http://www.satelliteguys.us/general...hey-ergen-show-us-love-tivo-2.html#post523020

 

[jacmyoung]

My statement is a fact based on my expert opinion and needs no further clarification...

Wrong, your above statement is your opinion, contains no facts. Before you claim to be an expert, first know what is an opinion, what is a fact.

I have no desire to target any particular individuals since they are entitled to their opinions.

Everyone is entitled to his/her opinion. But if you don't know what are facts, what are opinions, you get no respect.

I never was a big fan of Tivo and have always stated their business tactics (litigation) were only slightly less offensive than E*.

Another bad sentence. Comparing TiVo's litigation tactics to E*'s what? E*'s litigation tactics? If someone beats you up, and you try to defend yourself by beating him back, what do you think if I tell you I do not like the way he beats you, but I do not like the way you beat him back even more?

I really like our TivoHD and we really loved our ViP622s, but that doesn't mean I care for the way these companies conduct business. It's like taking sides between Hitler and Stalin during WWII.

Another wrong comparison. If you are talking about just the war itself, we had already taken the side of Stalin, against Hitler, because Stalin did not start the war, Hitler did. You are trying to confuse people about Stalin as a communist dictator, not Stalin as someone who helped us to win WWII. Learn your history which side we were on, before making a fool of yourself.

Since you like examples, here are two of my earliests posts on the subject (I'm sure there are dozens more):

http://www.satelliteguys.us/live-in...nounces-new-pricing-structure.html#post507791
http://www.satelliteguys.us/general...hey-ergen-show-us-love-tivo-2.html#post523020

I have done enough already to demonstrate your statements deserve no respect, and I am not going to waste my time.

 

[whatchel1]

L yeah

Wrong, your above statement is your opinion, contains no facts. Before you claim to be an expert, first know what is an opinion, what is a fact.



Everyone is entitled to his/her opinion. But if you don't know what are facts, what are opinions, you get no respect.



Another bad sentence. Comparing TiVo's litigation tactics to E*'s what? E*'s litigation tactics? If someone beats you up, and you try to defend yourself by beating him back, what do you think if I tell you I do not like the way he beats you, but I do not like the way you beat him back even more?



Another wrong comparison. If you are talking about just the war itself, we had already taken the side of Stalin, against Hitler, because Stalin did not start the war, Hitler did. You are trying to confuse people about Stalin as a communist dictator, not Stalin as someone who helped us to win WWII. Learn your history which side we were on, before making a fool of yourself.



I have done enough already to demonstrate your statements deserve no respect, and I am not going to waste my time.

:up:up:up:up:up 1 for each statement.

 

[Bob Haller]

A old friend a REAL TIVO SUPPORTER NOW hates them.

Since his lifetime service hD tivo is a bug ridden mess, and tivo customer service is rude. These are his statements on the issue. been a issue for nearly a year if I recall clearly

Wierdly he called me the other day asking about getting E and I reported the fee issue.

He has 3 tivo boxes and said 34 bucks for 2 extra receivers and 6 buck dvr fee is way too much. 40 bucks ouch.

he was primed to be a new E sub. Fees made him POOF GONE!!!

 

[RVD420]

Reportedly D is releasing a NEW tivo receiver.........

Does E still support the 7100 / 7200?

I sold mine to canada and got BIG bucks right before they shut down the hackers. But was under the impression E took them all out of service like they did with the 721...

The 721 had great potential but for ME it was a bug ridden disaster Replaced 7 or 8, for really terrible software

I still have my 7100 subbed.

 

[Bob Haller]

I still have my 7100 subbed.

geez I thought they were all replaced.

are there still active 721s?

 

[Curtis0620]

Looks like the Tivo fan boy has gone back to his Directv side now. Guess he got tired of being proved he didn't know what the F he was talking about.

Just tired of arguing with people who can't see past Charlie's back-side.