ReplayTV Users’ Lawsuit Is Dismissed

A coalition of television networks and studios persuaded a judge to dismiss a lawsuit by TV viewers who fear that the media companies might try to stop their use of ReplayTV Inc.’s digital video recorder.

The media companies sued Sonicblue Inc. in 2001, claiming that the device that lets viewers share video over the Internet and skip TV commercials violated copyright law.

Two years later, Sonicblue filed for bankruptcy protection and sold Santa Clara, Calif.-based ReplayTV to D&M; Holdings Inc. of Japan for $36.2 million.

D&M;’s new ReplayTV model doesn’t include the disputed features, and the media companies dropped their suit. But a group of ReplayTV owners sued to ensure that they could continue using the device.

U.S. District Judge Florence-Marie Cooper in Los Angeles dismissed the case Friday.

Companies sued by the ReplayTV users included General Electric Co.’s NBC network; Walt Disney Co.’s Disney Enterprises and ABC network; Fox Entertainment Group Inc.’s Twentieth Century Fox Film Corp. and Fox Broadcasting Co.; Time Warner Inc.’s Turner Broadcasting System Inc., Time Warner Entertainment, Warner Bros., New Line Cinema, Home Box Office and the WB TV network; and Sony Corp.’s Columbia Pictures and Columbia TriStar Television.