Movie studios, TV networks and cable TV channels had argued that the service is more akin to video-on-demand, for which they negotiate licensing fees with cable providers.

They claimed a remote-storage DVR service amounts to an unauthorized rebroadcast of their programs. Cablevision argued its service was permissible because the control of the recording and playback was in the hands of the consumer.

Industry experts say the new technology could put digital recording service in nearly half of all American homes, about twice the current number.

“This is a tremendous victory,” said Tom Rutledge, Cablevision’s chief operating officer, in a statement. “At the same time, we are mindful of the potential implications for ad skipping and the concerns this has raised in the programming community.”

Rutledge said the technology could benefit programmers and advertisers, besides consumers. The cable operator has launched targeted, interactive advertising in half a million households and plans to double that number by year’s end in the New York metro area that it serves. TiVo’s DVR users already see ads when they pause or fast-forward shows.