They should just disable the functionality, and allow for end user installed modules. Publish and API for said modules and let the community write whatever modules are in demand.

"EchoStar originally lost a 2004 patent infringement lawsuit that accused the company of improperly using Tivo's DVR technology that lets users record live television while simultaneously watching another program."

I was recording live TV while watching another channel nearly a third of a century ago.

I don't generally watch TV anymore, so maybe I'm missing something ...

Someone's getting the sack for that one. Or depending on how they run the company, something more....permanent.

On a side note, can't wait to get Tivo* here in NZ at the end of the year. Yup, hooks up to Freeview and their HD broadcasts. Nice.

* Official stuff - none of this personally imported and hacked freetard nonsense.

...they could just license the patents.

But I guess that's too obvious.

Both cruel on echostar and it's customers.

why don't they just settle for a license fee?

They could just licence the patent like they should have done in the first place???

With PC TV cards having been around for a long time there must have been someone out there who did this before TIVO using their PC.

Either way the US patent system is laughable.

If they are unable to solve the problem without infringing the patent then either the patent is overbroad or obvious. If a problem can only be solved one way then that solution is obvious no matter how complex or convoluted it may be.

Are Tivo happy to screw over 4 million people and reduce the functionality in their boxes by insisting on a retrospective downgrade due to copyright? Yeah, thanks for that guys, very nice.

To ASDF, I'm sure TiVo has tried to have Dish Network lease the technology that change TV viewing forever. If not how did other cable providers get the technology and the famous logo on thier sets. Wake up a crook is still a crook even when they hide behind a dish a dish a dish. sounds like an echo to me.

Anyone who owns a TUTV box has already been through similar experience. TUTV were forced to issue a firmware update which disabled owners from being able to select "Favourite" channels. In this case TUTV made it quite clear that whilst owners owned the hardware they only licensed the software and that they were fre to make changes. It was covered in the EUL.

There is no reason for TIVO to grant a licence to any company. I work in the lighting industry and many products get patents to prevent their competitors from making interchangeable parts.