Everything you need to know about Aereo, the Supreme Court and the future of TV

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[Commentary] Depending on the outcome of the Aereo case, the battle could either solidify TV networks' grip over their content or throw the doors open to a future where consumers will be able to get traditional, over-the-air programming over the Internet instead.

Either way, the case promises to have huge implications for the way we watch TV. So here's a quick primer to get up to speed.

  • What is Aereo? Based in New York City, Aereo uses tiny antennas to grab TV signals out of the air. Those antennas feed the broadcast programming to a DVR, which then plays the programming back to you on your PC, tablet or phone on demand. The technology is cloud-based, meaning it works a lot like Dropbox or Google Drive: The TV shows are stored online, then served to you over the Internet.
  • Why is it so controversial? At issue is whether Aereo should have to pay money to TV broadcasters for their content. Right now, Aereo pays nothing -- it gets the TV signals for free just as you or I might with our own televisions. But unlike us, Aereo gets to make money off of relaying those transmissions over the Web. Broadcasters have challenged Aereo on that around the country, accusing it in court of stealing their work and infringing their copyright. They'd much prefer Aereo do what cable companies do, which is to pay "retransmission" fees for the right to carry broadcast content on cable.
  • What's really at stake here? If Aereo is allowed to avoid paying retransmission fees, and more people start watching TV on Aereo instead of their cable subscriptions, that's money the broadcasters are losing out on.
  • Suppose Aereo wins at the Supreme Court. Then what? Aereo would still need to prove that it's a viable business. With more and more people turning to Internet video, the commercial odds appear to be in its favor. That could change, however, if the broadcasters themselves start getting into Internet-enabled, or "over-the-top" TV.

Everything you need to know about Aereo, the Supreme Court and the future of TV