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Is it legal to copy TV shows and give them to your friends?

F

FrugalGuy

Senior member
I was wondering if it's legal to d/l TV shows from the internet, copy them to a cd, and just give them to your friends. I'm not selling them or making a profit so I thought it would be legal as long as it's not sporting events (eg. MLB, NBA, NFL who say not to reproduce their stuff).
 
It is only illegal to reshow them for monetary gain. I am sure that the advertisers of certain shows would love for you to tape them and give them to your friends so they can see their ads too ( yeah I know we all just fast forward over them but thats the idea anyway). Just like you can't charge admisson to have people come over and watch a fight, but you can invite them to come over for free.

 
Originally posted by: Toasthead
It is only illegal to reshow them for monetary gain. I am sure that the advertisers of certain shows would love for you to tape them and give them to your friends so they can see their ads too ( yeah I know we all just fast forward over them but thats the idea anyway). Just like you can't charge admisson to have people come over and watch a fight, but you can invite them to come over for free.
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Wrong. It is illegal to reproduce and share these.
Bill
 
Originally posted by: bsobel
Originally posted by: Toasthead
It is only illegal to reshow them for monetary gain. I am sure that the advertisers of certain shows would love for you to tape them and give them to your friends so they can see their ads too ( yeah I know we all just fast forward over them but thats the idea anyway). Just like you can't charge admisson to have people come over and watch a fight, but you can invite them to come over for free.
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Wrong. It is illegal to reproduce and share these.
Bill
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It's illegal to drive 5mph over the speed limit.
 
I heard that if you do this X months AFTER the show is off syndication, then it's allowed. Otherwise, it's not.

BTW, most (if not all) eps for download from the internet do not have ads in them.
 
I have about 10 DVD+Rs of backed up tv shows and I let friends borrow them all the time. If it's wrong, then I don't wanna be right.


BTW, the Simpsons has got to be one of the hardest series to complete.
 
This was settled with a court case involving Sony when VCR's were in their infancy and Betamax was king. The fair use laws allow you to record shows for personal use and to give (no payment of any sort) a tape to your friends. However, that only covers it if you record it from a broadcast, I don't know how the law stands on downloading them.

ZV
 
Originally posted by: Zenmervolt
This was settled with a court case involving Sony when VCR's were in their infancy and Betamax was king. The fair use laws allow you to record shows for personal use and to give (no payment of any sort) a tape to your friends. However, that only covers it if you record it from a broadcast, I don't know how the law stands on downloading them.
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What the Sony case showed is that Sony would not be accountable for illicit uses of the device.
Bill


 
You can share with your friends but you can not make a profit. It must be done in your own private residence. You can not show it at any public venue such as a classroom, meeting hall, etc.
 
Originally posted by: WinkOsmosis
You may be allowed under fair use laws.
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You may copy for your own use. You may not distribute copies to others.
Originally posted by: kleinesarschloch
how dare you people take away hard earned money from those poor, hard-working tv execs. won't anyone think of the children?
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Yeah, and the actors busting their asses to get a break to make it to the top, and the crews employed by the production companies, and all of their families supported by their work.

< sacrasm > Screw 'em all! I want to rip off a bunch of shows to satisfy my self-indulgent lardass greed! < /sacrasm > If that's really what you believe, the translation of your name from German suits you. kleinesarschloch = small asshole. :disgust:
 
the translation of your name from German suits you. kleinesarschloch = small asshole
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so THATS what it means... thanks for telling me.
rolleye.gif
 
Originally posted by: neovan
on a side note: anybody have quantum leap episodes that I could borrow?
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Quantum Leap, one of the best shows that was on television, still great in reruns
 
Originally posted by: bsobel
It's illegal to drive 5mph over the speed limit.
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Your correct. The poster asked if it was illegal. It is. What was your point?
Bill
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In fact, it is NOT illegal, much as taping songs off the radio is NOT illegal. There is a royalty fee in each and every cassette and video tape sold to "compensate" for the copying for HOME USE. IT is illegal to tape something and then charge admission to view it.
 
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