DISH Network spoke way too soon. After losing its umpteenth patent appeal against TiVo earlier this month, the satellite company loudly insisted that none of its current crop of digital video recorders violated TiVo's patents, and that all DISH DVRs in consumers' homes would stay functional.
Oops. Turns out that four DVR boxes from DISH do actually contain code that infringes against TiVo's patents.
People who already own one of the four models (VIP 721, 921, 942, and
Homezone 1022) can continue to use them, but DISH installers are no
longer allowed to install or activate these specific boxes. DISH sent
out notices to this effect.
Though DISH says it intends to continue fighting to get the ruling that
states the company has infringed TiVo's patent reversed, DISH doesn't
seem to be doing itself any favors in the PR battle. —Rachel Rosmarin
