MovieSwap -- interesting new Kickstarter

[Homerboy]

Basically these guys are taking "first sale doctrine" and "fair use" to the extreme and making a business out of it. I'm not intricately familiar with all the rules and regulations, but this could be an interesting one to watch, no matter how it ends up.

(I am not affiliated with this in ANY way... just was browsing through kickstarter today and stumbled on it)

https://www.kickstarter.com/project...join-us-to-freethemovies?ref=category_popular

What if you had an unlimited access to the LARGEST ONLINE MOVIE LIBRARY EVER? A community based library, where you could watch any movie online. A library where you could swap films with contributors all over the world and discover an infinite number of stories. This is the revolutionary idea behind MovieSwap.

To make such a dream come true, we worked on a collaborative and crowdsourced approach. Why? Because during the last 15 years, over 25 billion DVDs were sold worldwide. Those movies are now waiting for a second life and MovieSwap is the solution.

Today, we're all set... but definitely need your support to make it real. Are you ready to free the movies with us?

MovieSwap will be a subscription-based service... BUT all of the Kickstarter backers will be considered "founding members": they will be granted a 6 months exclusive full access to the early beta version available this summer... and then they will get FREE access to MovieSwap for LIFE.

MovieSwap will be available on PC, Mac, Android tablets and of course on TV thanks to our HDMI SwapStick.

 

[Kaido]

Sounds kinda like /r/SharePlex

 

[motsm]

I'm no expert, but I don't see how this is legal in the slightest.

 

[Kaido]

I'm no expert, but I don't see how this is legal in the slightest.

I think they're going for the angle of how libraries rent videos out for free. My local library has a huge stock of Bluray movies that you can check out at any time for free. Only this is digital. Guarantee you it's not going to fly legally long-term

 

[purbeast0]

I'm no expert, but I don't see how this is legal in the slightest.

yeah, there is no way i would want to run a business that could go up against the big guys like that. seems like a huge risk.

plus aren't a lot of blurays now protected with security in a way that you can't rip them without circumventing security that makes it illegal? (as dumb as i think that is)

i'd also never ever back any crowdfunding idea, just against the whole concept of it.

 

[Cal166]

yeah, there is no way i would want to run a business that could go up against the big guys like that. seems like a huge risk.

plus aren't a lot of blurays now protected with security in a way that you can't rip them without circumventing security that makes it illegal? (as dumb as i think that is)

i'd also never ever back any crowdfunding idea, just against the whole concept of it.

There's no mention of blurrays, the keyword is DVDs. Even with DVDs, there should be laws against ripping it...

 

[balloonshark]

From the Q&A.

Do you stream Blu-rays?

Not yet. MovieSwap only uses DVDs for now because Blu-Rays are too heavy to be streamed remotely.

 

[poofyhairguy]

Uh, a lot of us are already building the movie library we want ourselves one ripped disk and RAIDed HD at a time.

And DVD only? Ug. Might as well watch Netflix.

 

[motsm]

I think they're going for the angle of how libraries rent videos out for free. My local library has a huge stock of Bluray movies that you can check out at any time for free. Only this is digital. Guarantee you it's not going to fly legally long-term

I remembered this from a few years ago, and something tells me they will have their own article like it pretty soon.

http://www.wired.com/2011/10/streaming-movie-service-zediva-pays-hollywood-1-8m-shuts-down/

 

[Kaido]

I remembered this from a few years ago, and something tells me they will have their own article like it pretty soon.

http://www.wired.com/2011/10/streaming-movie-service-zediva-pays-hollywood-1-8m-shuts-down/

Yeah, it's not completely impossible, it's just not cheap to do as a paid service. Kaleidescape is one such example:

http://www.kaleidescape.com/

Another is Prima Cinema:

http://www.primacinema.com/

Back at launch in 2013, Prima Cinema cost $35k for the setup, plus $500 per movie ($600 for 3D), which was good for a 24-hour rental. It lets you watch movies that are still in theaters...provided you have seating for 25 people or less, use the fingerprint reader, have a static public IP address, and a background check to make sure you're not going to pirate the movies:

http://www.engadget.com/2013/09/27/prima-cinema-eyes-on/

The second-gen model coming out this year has support for 4K, HFR, and Dolby Atmos. Pretty awesome if you've got the bucks!

 

[Ns1]

if they're swapping physical disks I don't see a problem? if they're trying to do it digitally LOL, better get another kickstarter going for legal costs.

 

[motsm]

if they're swapping physical disks I don't see a problem? if they're trying to do it digitally LOL, better get another kickstarter going for legal costs.

All of the disks are streamed from their warehouse through VLC.

 

[Sonikku]

Nobody cares about DVD's any more. Shrinking market by the day.

 

[Ns1]

All of the disks are streamed from their warehouse through VLC.

yeah good luck with that.

 

[JSt0rm]

Uh, a lot of us are already building the movie library we want ourselves one ripped disk and RAIDed HD at a time.

And DVD only? Ug. Might as well watch Netflix.

But this way you dont need to buy all of those movies. Oh you probably dont anyhow. :wub:

 

[KeithP]

Even with DVDs, there should be laws against ripping it...

From that video, I don't think they are ripping the disc. It sounds to me what they are essentially creating is a streaming jukebox for video where what is streamed is actually read from the disc each time.

In other words, if they have 10 copies of Pulp Fiction in their system, they could only have 10 Pulp Fiction streams going at one time. Such a system would also be their best shot at keeping it legal.

-KeithP

 

[Homerboy]

But this way you dont need to buy all of those movies. Oh you probably dont anyhow. :wub:

Are you seriously going to start this argument AGAIN?

 

[JSt0rm]

From that video, I don't think they are ripping the disc. It sounds to me what they are essentially creating is a streaming jukebox for video where what is streamed is actually read from the disc each time.

In other words, if they have 10 copies of Pulp Fiction in their system, they could only have 10 Pulp Fiction streams going at one time. Such a system would also be their best shot at keeping it legal.

-KeithP

They are gonna get rekt in court. Unless it ends up being 30 people then nobody will care probably.

 

[poofyhairguy]

But this way you dont need to buy all of those movies.

If not buying the movies was the goal there are easier ways to achieve that goal I am pretty sure. I think the goal here is to try and build a sharing economy around a community of movie fans.

I am not saying I am not interested in if it will work, but the problem is even if it does the lifespan will be limited because DVD as a format is dying. I wouldn't put my time/money into that solution.

 

[JSt0rm]

Are you seriously going to start this argument AGAIN?

If everyone bought their movies we wouldnt have a problem. Clearly there is a issue and you are trying to tell me there isnt. You probably pirate more then anyone here with this attitude.

"free the movies" lmao. You guys think piracy is a religion or something and you are being persecuted.

 

[Homerboy]

If everyone bought their movies we wouldnt have a problem. Clearly there is a issue and you are trying to tell me there isnt. You probably pirate more then anyone here with this attitude.

"free the movies" lmao. You guys think piracy is a religion or something and you are being persecuted.

But you judge people guilty (as you just did to me here and to poofyhairguy earlier) right out of the gate. You think EVERYONE that has ripped movies movies from DVD/BR is downloading them from a torrent or something.

 

[JSt0rm]

I think everyone who is ripping is skating a fine line. Some are buying used content ripping it and selling it off again. Some are ripping blurays sent via netflix. I would say the number of people who are buying blurays new ripping them and keeping the bluray are a slim minority.

 

[poofyhairguy]

Clearly there is a issue and you are trying to tell me there isnt.

Sure piracy is an issue, but not every thread is about piracy.

You guys think piracy is a religion or something and you are being persecuted.

If you think this place is such a den of pirates why do you hang around? That is what doesn't make sense to me.

I think everyone who is ripping is skating a fine line. Some are buying used content ripping it and selling it off again. Some are ripping blurays sent via netflix. I would say the number of people who are buying blurays new ripping them and keeping the bluray are a slim minority.

I would say you are wrong. I think most of the people who pay to use AnyDVD and then take the time to rip disks probably own and keep the disks. Anyone who just wants a free copy of a movie can download it off some torrent for way less hassle. Ripping disks is a pain in the ass.

Your "ripping off Netflix discs" theory is like my dad trying to understand Steam game distribution. Like some sort of generational gap.

 

[JSt0rm]

ripping netflix disks is the fastest and cheapest way for people to grow a big library. lol if you think people dont do it.

 

[Homerboy]

I think everyone who is ripping is skating a fine line. Some are buying used content ripping it and selling it off again. Some are ripping blurays sent via netflix. I would say the number of people who are buying blurays new ripping them and keeping the bluray are a slim minority.

You avoid the point again -- you are continuously ASSUMING that EVERYONE is a pirate. You cast judgment ignorantly.