Cablevision cleared to develop new RS-DVR

The U.S. Supreme Court today paved the way for Cablevision to begin offering a new next-generation digital video recorder and DVR service later this year, after a legal challenge from Hollywood movie studios and TV content holders was rejected.

Critics of the new Cablevision service said the remote-storage DVR violates federal copyright laws, though the U.S. Supreme Court rejected the argument.  Originally announced in 2006, the Remote Storage Digital Video Recorder, (RS-DVR) was met with enthusiasm from TV viewers looking to DVR content without the need for a pricey DVR unit in addition to a monthly subscription for the service. 

It’s unsure why the Supreme Court rejected the appeal from copyright holders, and isn’t required to issue a public statement as to its decisions.

Cablevision says the ability to keep DVR content on a central server — instead of an individual home DVR — will help offer DVR services for a lower price, though has obviously drawn the ire of copyright holders.

NBC, CBS, Disney, ABC, News Corp., Twentieth Century Fox, and others banded together to plead with the U.S. federal government to reject Cablevision’s request to begin offering the new service before the end of the year.

Now that Cablevision is allowed to offer its RS-DVR system, Comcast, Time Warner Cable, and several other digital TV providers are expected to begin offering similar services.  I haven’t used DVR in my own home yet, but would be interested in using the Comcast RS-DVR service whenever the company begins to offer the service.