Tivo wins digital damages

DIGITAL RECORDING pioneer Tivo has won its patent infringement case against satellite broadcaster EchoStar Communications.

A Texan court awarded the company $73 million in damages and interest after deciding that Echostar's digital recording technology was a lot like Tivo's.

Echostar has complained the that the patent applied is "overly broad", while Tivo reckons the decision will help it earn revenue from this and 86 other patents it claims to hold.

Despite being first to market with a new-fangled digital TV recording device, Tivo has struggled in recent years. The company posted a loss of $79.8 million last year, so the $73 mill will no doubt come in handy. µ