The US Second Circuit court of appeal has issued an interesting (and potentially important)decision regarding the legality of remote/hosted Digital Video Recorders (DVRs). Reversing a decision from the district court from 2007, the court ruled that Cablevision Systems Corp would not directly infringe the film and broadcasting industry’s rights under the Copyright Act by offering its RS-DVR system to consumers. The service is a network-based DVR system, called Remote Storage Digital Video Recorder, or RS-DVR, which would allow subscribers to store TV programs on the cable operator’s computer servers.

Eric Goldman looks at the implications of the Decision. My following of the case and the reading of Eric’s commentary lead me to think that this is likely to be appealed, and could eventually end up with the Supreme Court.