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ReZourceman

Mainstream Piracy

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I download a lot of TV shows. I'm very impatient and things can take time to reach here - and sometimes they're only on channels that would be extremely expensive to subscribe just to watch a couple of shows.

 

I do, however, pay for Netflix (and sometimes Amazon Prime, but I've never watched anything for it) and I have a Cineworld card for watching a lot of current films.

 

One thing I really dislike about buying digital videos is that they haven't caught up to music. You're still often locked to a single service (i.e. you can't download a DRM-free copy).

 

I haven't pirated a game in a very long time. Same for music due to Google Music (well...I occasionally pirate video game music that is extremely difficult to buy)

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I am as a clean as a man called David, and I'm sticking to that.

 

The lack of informed practice on the part of pirates does somewhat intrigue me though - I've known of a few people who have set things up for their family etc who don't truly understand the implications of what they're doing. I guess it's a plausible deniability, but I do still think it somewhat foolish. Ignorance of the law will never be any defence - even if they won't catch up with you soon you have to still wonder and be wary of what might still come; especially if you consider cases from the good ol' days of piracy*.

 

*Of which I'm familiar with on a purely theoretical basis of research.

 

I used to be a lot worse than I am these days. I tend to put that down to ease of access now. I dont need to pirate a game because Steam has made it easy for me to purchase it and play. Same kind of thing with most other media. I dont have to download comics anymore because I can just buy them on Comixology.

 

I've got a few family members who use Kodi themselves but I've never really felt the urge myself. I'm happy enough with Netflix/Amazon Prime.

 

Tbh the majority of my media comes these days either from Freeview, Netflix, Youtube, iPlayer, 4od etc - or something along that ilk that works with Chromecast. I don't see as much opportunity for potential piracy as there possibly once was because some of the current streaming services provide such excellent content and ease of service in conjunction with all our megabroadband connections that you just wouldn't, in theory, be all that arsed with pirating stuff as much.

Edited by Rummy

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Tbh the majority of my media comes these days either from Freeview, Netflix, Youtube, iPlayer, 4od etc - or something along that ilk that works with Chromecast. I don't see as much opportunity for potential piracy as there possibly once was because some of the current streaming services provide such excellent content and ease of service in conjunction with all our megabroadband connections that you just wouldn't, in theory, be all that arsed with pirating stuff as much.

 

You lost me at megabroadband, I'm still on a 2.5 meg connection :(

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I pirate the shit out of TV and films.

 

Games I don't but then if it was as simple as downloading a film then I probably would do that as well.

 

I do try and go to the cinema to see the films I actually care about but other stuff I have no issues with just illegally downloading. I probably should feel bad about it but I really don't care.

 

Moral quandary - Cineworld do an unlimited card for £17 a month; if you were paying that price would you feel more justified in engaging in an act of film piracy - knowing you could have gone and seen the same film in the cinema without cost as part of your subscription?

 

Question isn't just to you mind Eddage, tis one for everyone - just your post made me think about the questions.

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Moral quandary - Cineworld do an unlimited card for £17 a month; if you were paying that price would you feel more justified in engaging in an act of film piracy - knowing you could have gone and seen the same film in the cinema without cost as part of your subscription?

 

Question isn't just to you mind Eddage, tis one for everyone - just your post made me think about the questions.

 

I tend to wonder the same thing when it comes to streaming TV from the US as im still paying the Sky, Netflix and Amazon Prime subscriptions regardless.

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You lost me at megabroadband, I'm still on a 2.5 meg connection :(

 

Jeeeez I live in rural ireland and I manage to get 20... :blank:

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Good thread!

 

Moral quandary - Cineworld do an unlimited card for £17 a month; if you were paying that price would you feel more justified in engaging in an act of film piracy - knowing you could have gone and seen the same film in the cinema without cost as part of your subscription?

 

Question isn't just to you mind Eddage, tis one for everyone - just your post made me think about the questions.

 

I don't have an unlimited card but, kind of simialrly, we go to the cinema once or twice a week and see pretty much every movie we're interested in.. anything we don't get a chance to see I'll try and get on Netflix or Prime - if they're not there I feel like I 'do my bit' more than most for the movie industry and have no guilt in pirating stuff I've missed.

 

I think the problem with streaming services is that they've made everything else seem so pricey by comparison - 15 quid for a blu ray looks mental next to £7 for a month of unlimited HD movies and tv. Similar to @Ashley 's point about buying TV shows.

 

The other major annoyance I have is how much more things still cost to watch in HD. It should surely be standard practice by now, given how trash DVDs / SD look on a big-ish TV.

 

I'll frequently overpay on things from small groups that I want to support (patreon-ize podcasts, buy indie games day one, buy books, etc) and not feel the guilt for torrenting Edge of Tomorrow, or dodgey-streaming every football match ever. Enough money in that industry without me pitching in..

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Jeeeez I live in rural ireland and I manage to get 20... :blank:

 

My parents live in the middle of the UK and get 0.5mb on a good day.

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Moral quandary - Cineworld do an unlimited card for £17 a month; if you were paying that price would you feel more justified in engaging in an act of film piracy - knowing you could have gone and seen the same film in the cinema without cost as part of your subscription?

 

Question isn't just to you mind Eddage, tis one for everyone - just your post made me think about the questions.

 

No, because by going to the cinema, you're also helping viewing numbers and I imagine the cinemas also distribute the unlimited fee to the films you actually watch.

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I used to download loads of things but these days it's so easy, and I can afford to, pay for various streaming services. I have Amazon Prime, Netflix, Spotify and I pay for the occasional Sky Sports pass on NowTV.

 

THe only stuff I stream or download is football that isn't easily accessible (3pm kick offs) on normal TV. Rather than download a film I'll just pay £2-3 to Amazon to stream it from them. It's so much easier, convenient and a better experience.

 

However, if I was strapped for cash you can be damn sure I'd be downloading it all.

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"After his first court appearance in September, Mr Thompson told the Northern Echo: "These boxes are available from all over the place, not just me, but it's the downloading of software to watch channels that is apparently causing the problem."

 

"If I am found guilty and the court rules that I am breaking the law selling these boxes, I want to know what that means for people buying and selling mobile phones or laptops because the software is available for all of them.""

 

This guy is an idiot. He's selling the boxes with software pre-installed. He could have chosen to sell it without the software but didn't. If he sold them without the software it would be fine.

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"After his first court appearance in September, Mr Thompson told the Northern Echo: "These boxes are available from all over the place, not just me, but it's the downloading of software to watch channels that is apparently causing the problem."

 

"If I am found guilty and the court rules that I am breaking the law selling these boxes, I want to know what that means for people buying and selling mobile phones or laptops because the software is available for all of them.""

 

This guy is an idiot. He's selling the boxes with software pre-installed. He could have chosen to sell it without the software but didn't. If he sold them without the software it would be fine.

 

I took a quick read of it last night and thought exactly the same. Selling them with the pirating software pre-installed is the deciding factor, how he thinks that doesn't make him guilty baffles all common sense.

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