RealNetworks Settles Lawsuit with Streambox

Streaming media heavyweight RealNetworks (http://www.real.com) today announced it has ended its nine-month legal battle with digital media rival Streambox ( http://www.streambox.com).

Under terms of the settlement, Streambox has agreed to only develop future products that will operate in conjunction with RealNetworks' copy protection features. Specifically, Streambox will modify its Streambox Ripper software to stop transforming RealMedia streams into alternative formats as well as modifying its Streambox VCR to respect the copyrights of the RealSystem video player.

In addition, Streambox has also agreed to stop distributing the Streambox Ferret program, while altered the search function of RealNetworks' RealPlayer to allow people to search on its own engine as opposed to other search engines.

Streambox will also pay RealNetworks an undisclosed sum of money. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

"We are pleased to be working with RealNetworks to put this behind us, and to bring the creative energies of our software developers together with the leading company in digital media distribution," said Bob Hildeman, CEO of Streambox, in a statement.

The companies also announced that RealNetworks will provide Streambox with a license to its developmental kit, which Streambox can use to create future versions of Streambox products that will respect RealNetworks' copy protection technology.

The lawsuit filed, originally filed in December 1999, alleged that Streambox violated the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA), which bars companies from distributing technology that can bypass copyright protection measures.