This past weekend the DVR in my house started to make an odd and intermittent buzzing noise. Suffice it to say it needs to go back to my cable operator. As I recall, the last time I had a DVR problem, a technician was sent to my house to bring a new box.

Having to deal with a truck roll every few years for a customer with one DVR doesn't seem like a smart proposition for a carrier. There just isn't enough profit margin to justify this cost.

The good news for Cablevision the company providing service in my area is that an appeals court just ruled that network DVR I just like CPE DVR but with a very long cord.

Media companies fought and won a court case which blocked Cablevision from providing such service and in April of last year Cablevision decided to appeal. It seems DVR usage will now spread rapidly as the cost to provide such service will likely drop.

As this happens, television advertising is at great risk since more people will skip commercials.

The hidden winner here is online advertising and other advertising that is measurable. If this ruling holds, expect a rapid decrease in the importance of TV to advertisers and expect content providers and networks to push web video to customers and advertisers for at least on the web they can potentially control the ads that are shown.

This ruling is also a win for me as my next DVR will likely be in the cloud which means no CPE noise (hopefully  ). I just better subscribe quickly before the ruling gets overturned by the Supreme Court.