Jason Unger
03-26-07, 10:05 AM
Network DVR Service Blocked in Court
Major cable TV service provider Cablevision had its network DVR service opposed by nearly all of the major broadcasters when it announced plans to roll-out the service in parts of New York last year, causing the company to delay the launch until the controversy was resolved in court.
The U.S. District Court has ruled, siding with the Hollywood studios and broadcast networks, reports Reuters.
http://www.cepro.com/asset/7562.jpg (http://www.cepro.com/news/editorial/18057.html)
New York-based Cablevision had hoped a network-based DVR system, called Remote Storage DVR or RS-DVR, would have done away with the need for the installation of hundreds of thousands of digital set-top boxes in subscribers' homes.
This could have saved Cablevision significant administration and maintenance costs. It already has installed more than 500,000 set-top boxes in homes in its area.
Judge Denny Chin agreed with the studios, who argued that Cablevision would essentially be "copying" content and streaming it to customers, breaking copyright agreements. "The RS-DVR is clearly a service, and I hold that in providing this service, it is Cablevision that does the copying," said the judge in his ruling.
Cablevision argued that the network service is no different than stand-alone TiVos or DVRs in individual user's homes.
For more on the network DVR decision, including explanations of A/V copyright and Fair Use, check out
http://www.cepro.com/news/editorial/18057.html
Major cable TV service provider Cablevision had its network DVR service opposed by nearly all of the major broadcasters when it announced plans to roll-out the service in parts of New York last year, causing the company to delay the launch until the controversy was resolved in court.
The U.S. District Court has ruled, siding with the Hollywood studios and broadcast networks, reports Reuters.
http://www.cepro.com/asset/7562.jpg (http://www.cepro.com/news/editorial/18057.html)
New York-based Cablevision had hoped a network-based DVR system, called Remote Storage DVR or RS-DVR, would have done away with the need for the installation of hundreds of thousands of digital set-top boxes in subscribers' homes.
This could have saved Cablevision significant administration and maintenance costs. It already has installed more than 500,000 set-top boxes in homes in its area.
Judge Denny Chin agreed with the studios, who argued that Cablevision would essentially be "copying" content and streaming it to customers, breaking copyright agreements. "The RS-DVR is clearly a service, and I hold that in providing this service, it is Cablevision that does the copying," said the judge in his ruling.
Cablevision argued that the network service is no different than stand-alone TiVos or DVRs in individual user's homes.
For more on the network DVR decision, including explanations of A/V copyright and Fair Use, check out
http://www.cepro.com/news/editorial/18057.html