Comcast and TiVo Reach Agreement, End 4-Year Patent Fight

I wonder what changed and if this means VOD is coming back. Maybe Tivo will join Roku and Samsung as official third party devices.

 

Maybe Comcast agreed to extend CableCard support for some period certain as part of the agreement?

 

That would be nice. And if so, they should say, look, this is what we are doing in 10 years time, so get ready for it.

 

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My prediction is that one thing will come of this and only one thing, Xperi will make money that comes from Comcast.
I expect no other results or actions.

 

Yeah it means Xperi gets paid.

 

I think my cable bill will go up.

 

Maybe an IP channel Tivo is in the future.

 

Hopefully Peacock app will arrive soon to Tivo

 

I wouldn't count on Peacock or any other new app to arrive "soon", or at all, on a TiVo DVR. Are there any providers creating apps for TiVo these days?

 

For native apps for the classic TiVo DVR(*), the answer is, and will likely continue to essentially be, no (there is insufficient number(s) of customers to make the ROI positive). There are some apps available via the vewd integration app, but they are not really TiVo native (just web apps).

(*) For the TiVo Stream, since it is an Android TV box, the answer is sure, lots of providers are creating apps for Android TV that TiVo Stream can take advantage of. And since the TiVo MSO specific box can (optionally) run Android TV those cable companies that use those boxes can also get apps too.

 

"We" will never know the details of the licensing deal, but it seems likely that neither Xperi nor Comcast got everything they wanted. But a constant revenue stream (even if lower than Rivo/TiVo initially wanted) is likely appealing to Xperi vs. years of future litigation given the mixed results of such litigation. It likely would even be required if they have any plans to spin-out certain divisions (ongoing litigation tends to impact the valuation of the spin-out).

The presso referred only to past IP licensing fee disputes, so nothing new should be expected (although there will always be those that need to believe).

 

Possibly not for this reason (your cable bill will go up, as it always, eventually, goes up), as Comcast should have been (logically) been preparing to pay for future resolution of the litigation and shown as part of their financial reporting requirements (typically under something like the contingent liabilities sections). Now that the number is known, the payment can be made, and that (particular) liability can be removed.

 

This should be added to “death and taxes”.

 

Well, you can always quit cable, in which case the bill will no longer go up...

 

Part of the deal is Comcast has to add TiVo Guide data ads.

 

I happen to be trying to get a new promotion from Comcast and they are telling me CableCards aren’t eligible, despite the promotion being the same one I’m on now, so it sounds like nothing will change at Comcast.

 

I can't help but wonder if Comcast saw the writing on the wall when they realized they will be losing their FCC lapdog Ajit Pai.

 

Since the issues had nothing to do with the FCC (they were not a party to any of the litigation, and never offered any amicus briefs), I doubt who is going to be the next FCC chairman had much to do with the decision to settle. The removal of the TiVo litigation team, replacing it with Xperi's own team (who apparently wanted to do a deal) would appear to be the important factor in the timing of a settlement.