in particular , the issue focuses on whether aereo 's service violates broadcasters ' exclusive rights to transmit works to the public .
yet the inner workings of aereo should change your mind .
since it will be months before the supremes get around to issuing their opinion on this case , let ’s bide our time with some highlights from today ’s arguments … of phonograph records and coaxial cable … at the core of the broadcasters ’ case is whether or not aereo ’s system — which uses arrays of antennae to pick up over - the - air tv signals and send them to paying users — legally constitutes analysis in the digital age , perhaps only someone as old as justice stephen g. breyer ( or older ) would fret about what might happen to a store that sells “ phonograph records .
 
” it is doubtful , in the extreme , whether there are any of those anymore , but no matter : breyer and other justices searched on tuesday for ways to demonstrate that they want to be careful about what they do about today ’s modes of entertainment .
like most scotus transcripts , it actually makes for an amusing and thoughtful read , while showing that these hearings are much more about a group of people debating the issue instead of some camera - ready lawyer making a made - for - tv speech that knocks the justices ’ socks off .
david frederick , center , outside counsel with aereo inc. , speaks to the media with chief executive chet kanojia , left , and general counsel brenda cotter after the supreme court heard arguments in the broadcasters ' copyright - infringement lawsuit against aereo .
you can read the whole transcript in this pdf .
and the justices struggled to get past a simplistic view of the technology involved .