Murdoch Owned Echostar in Breach - Sky

Rapture TV · 04-02-2008, 14:28

Echostar has been found in breach of Tivo Intelectual Property rights.

A final ruling has found the Murdoch controlled company has breach a patient owned by Tivo for PVR's.

This could lead to a case against BSkyB and NDS as NDS is the supplier of technology to Echostar in the US. NDS supplies PVR technology to both Dish TV and BSkyB.

This case goes back many years. Tivo has been awarded $94 million for damages and interest.

Jarrak · 04-02-2008, 15:48

Yes it's been back and forth for years with claims and counter claims.
When did Newscorp sell off DirecTV and buy Dish (Echostar) ?

As for direct action against BSB that is extremely doubtful given that any patent infringement would be down to NDS who supply commercial solutions so that would be another few years of law suites before anything definite could be done and taken further every DVR in the world that isn't TIVO would be under threat.

It's almost as bad as when BT tried to patent hyperlinks

RichardRees · 04-02-2008, 15:49

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rapture TV

Echostar has been found in breach of Tivo Intelectual Property rights.

A final ruling has found the Murdoch controlled company has breach a patient owned by Tivo for PVR's.

This could lead to a case against BSkyB and NDS as NDS is the supplier of technology to Echostar in the US. NDS supplies PVR technology to both Dish TV and BSkyB.

This case goes back many years. Tivo has been awarded $94 million for damages and interest.

You are confusing Echostar and DirecTV. It is the latter which News Corp has owned (but is in the process of selling a controlling stake), and which uses NDS. It also has a contract with TIVO.

Rapture TV · 04-02-2008, 21:36

Quote:

Originally Posted by RichardRees

You are confusing Echostar and DirecTV. It is the latter which News Corp has owned (but is in the process of selling a controlling stake), and which uses NDS. It also has a contract with TIVO.

I believe you are right. The Murdoch attempt at a complete take over of Echostar failed. However there was some sort of deal between News Corp/NDS and Echostar after a lawsuit from Echostar against NDS for Viewing card piracy.

Echostar has a tie up with NDS technology and is linked to the PVR patent issue.

Direct TV also launched a legal claim against NDS for piracy against their Viewing cards. NDS settled these cases out of court.

The following story was published by Australian Financial Review:

Breaking the pay-TV code-breakers

Apr 15

Neil Chenoweth

The real drama unfolded unnoticed on this happiest of days, half a world away. It was March 27, 1999, and in Australia all eyes in the media were focused on the Murdoch family property Cavan, near Canberra, where as rain fell steadily, Lachlan Murdoch married Sarah O'Hare.

With Rupert and Anna Murdoch in the last throes of an acrimonious divorce, most attention was on the awkward family groupings.

Admin edit: Do not post full text copies of text to which you do not own the copyright on these forums. An excerpt and a short link is acceptable.

KianD · 04-02-2008, 22:36

Dave - you're very much wrong on this one

Dish Network have nowt to do with NDS, News Corp, etc - at all. They use their own satellites, make their own boxes and use Nagra encryption, etc.

An attempted merger died in 2003 and News Corp have bought a firm called Primestar - not Echostar. This might be where the confusion is coming from.

RichardRees · 04-02-2008, 22:37

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rapture TV

I believe you are right. The Murdoch attempt at a complete take over of Echostar failed. However there was some sort of deal between News Corp/NDS and Echostar after a lawsuit from Echostar against NDS for Viewing card piracy.

Echostar has a tie up with NDS technology and is linked to the PVR patent issue.

I don't think that is right, and the legal action is still outstanding between Echostar and NDS, slated for court this month.

The courts verdict on the TIVO / Echostar issue can be read here

Rapture TV · 04-02-2008, 23:02

Quote:

Originally Posted by RichardRees

I don't think that is right, and the legal action is still outstanding between Echostar and NDS, slated for court this month.

The courts verdict on the TIVO / Echostar issue can be read here

I agree I have mixed up the 2 lawsuits with Direct TV and Echostar and the failed take over of Echostar. NDS did get involved in pushing out Tivo for the NDS + boxes for Direct TV. I believe recently Tivo won back that business and have now won the patent claim against Echostar.

Its a dirty business this world of PVR's and Conditional Access.

Thanks for the link to the ruling.

04-02-2008, 14:28	#1
Rapture TV Forum Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Scotland Services: Sky Digital Posts: 1,192	Murdoch Owned Echostar in Breach Echostar has been found in breach of Tivo Intelectual Property rights. A final ruling has found the Murdoch controlled company has breach a patient owned by Tivo for PVR's. This could lead to a case against BSkyB and NDS as NDS is the supplier of technology to Echostar in the US. NDS supplies PVR technology to both Dish TV and BSkyB. This case goes back many years. Tivo has been awarded $94 million for damages and interest.

04-02-2008, 15:48	#2
Jarrak Forum Member Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Ilkeston Services: SKY+ HD, Freesat via PC, Philips DTR 1500 & Humax 9200 Freeview, SKY Max Posts: 17,435	Yes it's been back and forth for years with claims and counter claims. When did Newscorp sell off DirecTV and buy Dish (Echostar) ? As for direct action against BSB that is extremely doubtful given that any patent infringement would be down to NDS who supply commercial solutions so that would be another few years of law suites before anything definite could be done and taken further every DVR in the world that isn't TIVO would be under threat. It's almost as bad as when BT tried to patent hyperlinks

04-02-2008, 22:36	#5
KianD Forum Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Dublin Services: Irish DTT & DAB, motorised 1M, Technomate + other decoders, Sky+ Posts: 4,735	Dave - you're very much wrong on this one Dish Network have nowt to do with NDS, News Corp, etc - at all. They use their own satellites, make their own boxes and use Nagra encryption, etc. An attempted merger died in 2003 and News Corp have bought a firm called Primestar - not Echostar. This might be where the confusion is coming from.