After a struggle, Cablevision recently got legal clearance for its "TiVo in the clouds" -- a virtual DVR system that sits on its back-end servers, not your cable box.

So when's it coming out? "Early next year," Cablevision COO Tom Rutledge said this week at Merrill Lynch's fall media conference. "We have advised all the copyright holders that we are going to do it. We'll be doing a real consumer trial in the relatively near future."

What does this mean for Cablevision subscribers? Anyone with a digital cable tuner box will be able to record and play back shows -- no hard drive required.

If priced right, that could be an added bonus that should help the company compete with Verizon's (VZ) FiOS TV service, its main rival. It'll also save the company about $100 per customer vs. outfitting subscribers with expensive set-top boxes with built-in DVRs, Rutledge said.

See Also:
AT&T Upgrades DVR To Compete With Cable: Now You Can Watch In Any Room
Big Win For Cable: Judge OKs Tivo-In-The-Clouds
Cable Broadband Growth Beats Telcos 3-To-1 In Q2