New York — Unsealed California federal court records revealed Tuesday that the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision against Aereo does not outlaw features in Dish Network’s Hopper DVR allowing streaming TV programming to Internet-connected devices.
The ruling, issued by a federal district court judge Jan. 12, came out of the long-running case by Fox against Dish’s PrimeTime AnyTime, AutoHop and Sling DVR features that give users the ability to record prime-time programming while bypassing ads on playback.
Responding to the decision, Dish issued a statement Tuesday afternoon: “This decision is the sixth in a string of victories in federal courts on both coasts for the American consumer related to our Hopper Whole-Home DVR platform. We are proud to have stood by their side in this important fight over fundamental rights of consumer choice and control,” said R. Stanton Dodge, Dish executive VP and general counsel.
“Dish is pleased that the court has again sided with consumers by issuing a summary judgment decision upholding their rights under U.S. copyright law to use Slingbox technology and the AutoHop, PrimeTime Anytime and Transfers features of the Hopper Whole-Home HD DVR,” Dodge said. “Consumers are the winners today, as the court sided with them on the key copyright issues in this case. This decision has far reaching significance, because it is the first to apply the Supreme Court’s opinion in Aereo to other technology. We will continue to vigorously defend consumers’ rights to choice and control over their viewing experience.”
