What's your opinion of downloading TV series?

[Locut0s]

Years ago I used to download all kinds of pirated software, even ran a small IRC based FTP server for a few months. It was mainly an adolescent phase I went through with computers, it was cool to have all those apps and games. After a while though I got tired with it, not like I used even 10% of the stuff I downloaded. Looking at my computer now I think I still have 1 or 2 pirated apps but the VAST majority of what I use now is all freeware or legit software I have purchased. The only possible exception to the rule now is that I regularly download TV episodes via bittorrent. I have entire seasons of many TV series now and regularly download more. You could claim that it's similar to recording TV onto VCR but it's not quite the same as here it's being distributed and the ads, which are the main source of revenue, are being cut out. Some of these are also ripped from the DVD which you would otherwise purchase.

In your opinion do you lump this into the same category as piracy?

 

[onlyCOpunk]

No. It's like having a friend record the tv show and give it to you because you missed it since you were at your childs dance recital.

 

[rh71]

I think it's just as illegal but it's small-time... not many care since it's so readily available via their mothership "dot-com" websites anyway. I still grab them since I don't like watching via browser and want to avoid 15-sec commercials.

 

[Cabages]

I download episodes of stuff I cant find on Hulu.

Thats about it.

 

[JasonSix78]

I enjoy not having to watch commercials or pay $10 dollars extra a month for a DVR.

 

[Colt45]

It won't keep me awake at night, that's for sure.

 

[Locut0s]

Originally posted by: Cabages
I download episodes of stuff I cant find on Hulu.

Thats about it.

No Hulu here in Canada Also the episodes that I download are often HDTV caps, at least for recent episodes. Or DVD rips for old syndicated TV series or those off the air entirely. So the quality is better than hulu.

 

[Ksyder]

I have no DVR so I love getting shows from the net via bit torrent. I'm just not too certain if the content providers are coming after people for getting tv shows or not. Obviously it is happening with music, a girl i know actually got served with a subpoena the other day for sharing shit on kazaa or something, she's trying to fight it I think. They want $3-4000 from her I believe. Other than the worry of something like that happening, tv series from the net is great. its definitely the future of tv watching to a certain degree, at least for me, considering how easy it is these days to watch mpeg-4 video on your t.v.

 

[TridenT]

I'm curious what the legal implications of it all are.

I have never heard of people getting screwed by downloading TV shows over bit torrent, lol.

Also... Who cares? It's on youtube, hulu, whatever other video sites out there. Everything is quite available and I am sure hundreds of thousands do it.

Bob Loblaw.

 

[gorcorps]

It depends... is it a new episode and isn't available on DVD yet? If it's been released on DVD then it's the same as any other piracy in my eyes. If it's NOT able to be purchased then it's not really stealing is it? There's no way I CAN pay for it (yet) so there's no way I can steal it.

Regardless of how I feel, in the eyes of the law it's all illegal. I got scolded by comcast in the past for downloading an episode of House.

 

[Locut0s]

Originally posted by: gorcorps
It depends... is it a new episode and isn't available on DVD yet? If it's been released on DVD then it's the same as any other piracy in my eyes. If it's NOT able to be purchased then it's not really stealing is it? There's no way I CAN pay for it (yet) so there's no way I can steal it.

Regardless of how I feel, in the eyes of the law it's all illegal. I got scolded by comcast in the past for downloading an episode of House.

For downloading an episode of House, really? I'm surprised because even in the case of all out piracy the companies usually don't look into what you are downloading/uploading they are mad that you are using too much of their bandwidth. Most broadband internet companies know that a not insignificant number of their clients are using their bandwidth for illegal purposes but they usually turn a blind eye to it, they really don't want to know so long as you pay. Where they get angry is when you start to go overboard and download more than your allotted cap or use too much bandwidth during prime time hours.

 

[gorcorps]

Originally posted by: Locut0s

Originally posted by: gorcorps
It depends... is it a new episode and isn't available on DVD yet? If it's been released on DVD then it's the same as any other piracy in my eyes. If it's NOT able to be purchased then it's not really stealing is it? There's no way I CAN pay for it (yet) so there's no way I can steal it.

Regardless of how I feel, in the eyes of the law it's all illegal. I got scolded by comcast in the past for downloading an episode of House.

For downloading an episode of House, really? I'm surprised because even in the case of all out piracy the companies usually don't look into what you are downloading/uploading they are mad that you are using too much of their bandwidth. Most broadband internet companies know that a not insignificant number of their clients are using their bandwidth for illegal purposes but they usually turn a blind eye to it, they really don't want to know so long as you pay. Where they get angry is when you start to go overboard and download more than your allotted cap or use too much bandwidth during prime time hours.

And this was long before the cap was even thought of. I can't remember what tracker I used but it was a public one, and I guess somebody in that mix of seeders what reporting people. All they did was say to stop and delete the files, but it was still odd to have a complaint over a single episode when there are full seasons being offered and downloaded.

 

[Ksyder]

Originally posted by: TridenTBoy3555
I'm curious what the legal implications of it all are.

I have never heard of people getting screwed by downloading TV shows over bit torrent, lol.

Also... Who cares? It's on youtube, hulu, whatever other video sites out there. Everything is quite available and I am sure hundreds of thousands do it.

Bob Loblaw.

you know they want to basically scare people by distributing lawsuits out to as many people as its feasible to. its purely a way to see the piracy numbers drop due to people being scared of getting sued. clearly the less people that are pirating, then more people are paying for it. obviously the industry was blindsided by the broadband age and they don't know how else to monetize the new distribution system.

 

[gorcorps]

Originally posted by: Ksyder

Originally posted by: TridenTBoy3555
I'm curious what the legal implications of it all are.

I have never heard of people getting screwed by downloading TV shows over bit torrent, lol.

Also... Who cares? It's on youtube, hulu, whatever other video sites out there. Everything is quite available and I am sure hundreds of thousands do it.

Bob Loblaw.

you know they want to basically scare people by distributing lawsuits out to as many people as its feasible to. its purely a way to see the piracy numbers drop due to people being scared of getting sued. clearly the less people that are pirating, then more people are paying for it. obviously the industry was blindsided by the broadband age and they don't know how else to monetize the new distribution system.

I'm wondering how much these lawsuit figures are inflated. I still don't know personally anybody that was hit with a fine or anything, and all I hear is how they're nailing everybody these days. I don't know of a single person, so in my mind it all seems to be a giant scare tactic. I'm sure some have gotten charges pressed, but not nearly as many as reported.

 

[mugs]

Originally posted by: TridenTBoy3555
I'm curious what the legal implications of it all are.

Definitely illegal.

I have never heard of people getting screwed by downloading TV shows over bit torrent, lol.

No, but they may notify your ISP, and then your ISP will give you a slap on the wrist. Then you post about it on Anandtech, and everyone gets up in arms about your ISP sending you a letter.

Also... Who cares? It's on youtube, hulu, whatever other video sites out there. Everything is quite available and I am sure hundreds of thousands do it.

Bob Loblaw.

I read his law blog daily.

 

[Red Squirrel]

I personally don't see what's wrong with it. Whether it airs live on TV, or is recorded and watched later, it's all the same imo.

 

[Balt]

Originally posted by: Locut0s

Originally posted by: gorcorps
It depends... is it a new episode and isn't available on DVD yet? If it's been released on DVD then it's the same as any other piracy in my eyes. If it's NOT able to be purchased then it's not really stealing is it? There's no way I CAN pay for it (yet) so there's no way I can steal it.

Regardless of how I feel, in the eyes of the law it's all illegal. I got scolded by comcast in the past for downloading an episode of House.

For downloading an episode of House, really? I'm surprised because even in the case of all out piracy the companies usually don't look into what you are downloading/uploading they are mad that you are using too much of their bandwidth. Most broadband internet companies know that a not insignificant number of their clients are using their bandwidth for illegal purposes but they usually turn a blind eye to it, they really don't want to know so long as you pay. Where they get angry is when you start to go overboard and download more than your allotted cap or use too much bandwidth during prime time hours.

What probably happened is that Comcast received a notice or complaint from whichever company has the property rights to the show in question. The watchdogs only know the IPs of the people trading the files so they have to bitch to the ISPs who can match it to a customer.

 

[Leros]

I have cable service and DVR service. I pay $70 a month for this. My crappy Time Warner cable box has a terrible habit of not starting and ending shows at the right time. I feel that its morally ok for me to download shows which I would be able to DVR. I'm going to fast forward through the commercials on my DVR anyway.