Echostar will embed Sling on its set-top box
Monday, June 8th, 2009
Dish Network will offer the first set-top box embedded with Sling technology. Sling enabled users to have their home television sets send to them on laptops or mobile smartphones. “We believe the next big thing in the industry is a consumer being able to take video content with him wherever he is,” said Michael Hawkey, vice president of sales and marketing for Douglas County-based EchoStar
This announcement has violated TiVo’s digital recorder patent, said a federal judge. Dish must disable DVR functions in set-top box with TiVo-like DVR functions, including Sling technology. Dish and Echostar had a temporary stay of the order which allows them to continue the rollout of the new set top box, but there is no chance to overturn the ruling, according to analysts.