# DISH, TVB and CCTV File Lawsuit to Combat Massive Piracy via "h.TV" Set-Top Box



## James Long (Apr 17, 2003)

*DISH, TVB and CCTV File Lawsuit to Combat Massive Piracy via "h.TV" Set-Top Box*

ENGLEWOOD, Colo., NORWALK, Calif. & LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- DISH, TVB (USA) and CCTV have filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York to halt illegal streaming of content via the "h.TV" device. TVB is the largest producer of Cantonese-language TV programming in the world and CCTV is the largest television broadcaster in mainland China. DISH owns exclusive rights to retransmit TVB and CCTV channels and programs via satellite in the United States, as well as exclusive rights to retransmit TVB content Over the Top (OTT) in the U.S.

In the filing, DISH, TVB and CCTV state that HTV International Limited (HTVI) has set up a pirate broadcasting network that brazenly captures entire channels of TVB and CCTV television programming and streams that programming over the internet to users of the h.TV device in the U.S., 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

"The h.TV Retransmission Service accomplishes this massive piracy in part through a peer-to-peer network--like Napster, Grokster, and BitTorrent, but designed to stream video content rather than to download media files," the plaintiffs state in the complaint. "Through this peer-to-peer network, some h.TV users not only receive unauthorized streams of CCTV and TVB programming in the United States, but also simultaneously retransmit that programming to other h.TV users in the United States."

Consumers are paying as much as $300 for an h.TV device and accessing a variety of "apps" that enable users to access, view and share infringing streams of television programming. Many of these apps unlawfully retransmit TVB and CCTV programming.

"Not only are consumers being scammed when they buy the h.TV device, which relies on content obtained illegally, they are being exploited to help facilitate this scheme through a peer-to-peer network that retransmits unauthorized programming from one user to another," said Samuel Tsang, vice president, operations for TVB USA. "We work with providers like DISH to offer our content legally to consumers and won't stand for pirates who seek to profit from our content without our authorization."

"HTVI has built its entire business around blatant copyright infringement, brazenly advertising and promoting the capability of the h.TV device to provide users with infringing streams of CCTV and TVB television programming," the plaintiffs state in the complaint.

DISH, TVB and CCTV are represented in the lawsuit by the law firm of Davis Wright Tremaine LLP.

A copy of the complaint is attached.


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## P Smith (Jul 25, 2002)

instead of spending $,$$$,$$$ for greedy lawyers, why not start own Internet streaming service and MAKE money ?! Are they idi^%$ nor have no vision of current technologies ?


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## Mark Holtz (Mar 23, 2002)

TVB8 and TVB Drama are $5 each on Dish Network. CCTV is part of Dish's "Great Wall package" at $15 per month. And contractual agreements may include exclusivity clauses and/or streaming rights (or lack thereof).


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## James Long (Apr 17, 2003)

P Smith said:


> instead of spending $,$$$,$$$ for greedy lawyers, why not start own Internet streaming service and MAKE money ?! Are they idi^%$ nor have no vision of current technologies ?


DISH does sell Internet streaming ... through their new SlingTV product as well as through their older streaming service for international channels. They (and their content providers) are seeking to protect their streaming business from people who are not paying for retransmission.


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## phrelin (Jan 18, 2007)

P Smith said:


> instead of spending $,$$$,$$$ for greedy lawyers, why not start own Internet streaming service and MAKE money ?! Are they idi^%$ nor have no vision of current technologies ?





James Long said:


> DISH does sell Internet streaming ... through their new SlingTV product as well as through their older streaming service for international channels. They (and their content providers) are seeking to protect their streaming business from people who are not paying for retransmission.


I would guess that "h.TV" folks thought they might fly under the radar for awhile and that indeed Dish just wouldn't bother because of legal costs. They obviously didn't research Charlie Ergen very well as he'd spend a bundle to get a little because it's the principle of the thing, not the value, that is really important.


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## P Smith (Jul 25, 2002)

I don't know his "principles", but he is a bull for sure !


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## James Long (Apr 17, 2003)

In this case he has the backing of the owners of the content being stolen.
This isn't all "Charlie".


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## Wilf (Oct 15, 2008)

The internet is a porous "thing."


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## phrelin (Jan 18, 2007)

James Long said:


> In this case he has the backing of the owners of the content being stolen.
> This isn't all "Charlie".


True, but Charlie brings the "attitude" needed for a legal fight.


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## James Long (Apr 17, 2003)

phrelin said:


> True, but Charlie brings the "attitude" needed for a legal fight.


Something other than roll over and play dead?


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