Networks Lose Bid to Dismiss ReplayTV Suit

Television networks and studios lost a bid to dismiss a suit by consumers who say the media companies might try to stop their use of Sonicblue Inc.’s ReplayTV recording device.

In June, five ReplayTV users sued the media companies, claiming that they had been accused of piracy and would be harmed if the studios succeeded in blocking features that let viewers share video over the Internet and skip TV commercials.

The media companies in October sued Sonicblue, claiming the device violates copyright law. A federal judge in Los Angeles on Thursday issued an order allowing the ReplayTV owners to join that lawsuit.

In seeking to dismiss the suit, the media firms said they don’t plan to sue individual users and have no way of knowing the identity of the 5,000 owners of ReplayTV 4000 models.