Downloading Movies

[tgpo]

I don't want to know if you do this or not, I just want to know what your views are on the subject, that's it. If this turns into a warez topic, it will be locked and we will sick Will Hay on you! So beware.


Drives Prices Up For Everyone & Is Illegal, and Wrong & I Like To Buy My Movies


Multiple answers :P

[kas187]

Always buy my movies, and their not too bad in price, average DVD £13 with student discount from HMV, lol.

kas

[Gazorgan]

I can't see how watching a grainy CAM shot of Matrix Redux compares to Stadium seats and THX sound? Or X2? Or Hulk? I've seen all 3 in theaters and PC, and there's absolutely no comparison, theater is worth the $$$.

Now I can remember the days when 'movies' were 220 MB ASF files , in 2 parts. Sigh...talk about bad quality. All pre-DVD, VHS capture to VCD was the king. Then DivX/ASF.....ugh....and now it's SVCD/DivX/XviD. Keeps changing, but I haven't seen many DVD ISO's out there .... yet.

However.....When the greedy studios bugger themselves for pure gread and $$$, well, screw them. I am, of course, referring to to 'screeners'. Studios make it a practice to send out tapes, and now DVD's of there movies to critics and 'important' people to preview. This is normal, as it's hard for critics to get to theaters all the time. But, when it's purely for greed and an accademy nomination, it usually backfires. I'm refering to certain releases made last year in november/december that mad their way onto the Internet 3 weeks before the theatrical release, in a 4 disk SVCD conversion of a DVD screener(premo quality I might add).

I would think releasing DVD screeners wouldn't be a bright idea. Obviously they aren't tracking who has the disks and what they do with them very well. Heck, a good SVHS screener can produce excellant (albeit just 2 channel audio) results.

Now I know a camera n a theater is wrong. But what about the re-transmission of a 'free' work for no profit? Big grey-fuzzy picture there.

[vandakeg]

If I ever download a movie... it's only b/c I would be too embarassed to buy or rent it (ie, Crossroads)... so I guess I am actually helping the movie industry, by watching a movie that I otherwise would never see.

[AarontheRipper]

I have to admit that I probably would download movies off the net if I weren't such a stickler for quality. With the net, you spend a couple of hours downloading something, only to find that either a) it doesn't work, or b) the quality sucks. I'll stick to DVD's, thanks.

[LanceSteel]

Everyone here likes movies. I mean we're on a site devoted to capturing, encoding and burning movies. What I don't get are people who can't wait for a movie to come out on dvd and then rip that to a DVD-R/+R. I'm with AarontheRipper on this one... DIVX quality is just terrible nor do I have the time to download a 500MB+ movie. Honestly, is a movie that cool that people can't wait to get it on DVD? Are they actually happy watching it in some other lower quality (crappy) format? Now I'm not flaming anyone nor do I want to start a war. I'm curious as to why people download movies.

[Jukka]

@AarontheRipper - spend a couple of hours downloading? you obviously haven't p2p'ed lately, even with a broadband connection it can still take you over 24 hours to d/l, only to find quality is crap or it is some dodgy porn movie thats been falsely labelled. DVD is the way for me, its cheaper than cinema (me+wife = £12 to get in, £5 for food, £10 for babysitter, price of DVD = £15-20 + I can watch it whenever I like and have a beer at the same time).

D/l - yeah its wrong. Does it push prices up? Probably, but maybe the film studios should look at the cost of making them film to see where all the expense is coming from, e.g. $20m for the main actor, etc! Its the old chicken / egg syndrome, they had it on vinyl, tape, & computer games - they say the prices have to be high to make up for lost revenue from pirating, users say they only pirate because the stuff costs so much.

[cplevel42]

Ha ha, I knew that no one on this site would say it was OK to download movies. What a shocker indeed!

OK, here is the deal. Downloaded DVIX or XVIDs were never meant to replace store bought DVDs. The people who do this, usually only download movies that they were NOT going to buy in the 1st place. Sometimes someone will download a movie that they thought was going to be "so so", or really don't know, but they end up thinking it's great, so they go buy the DVD. Score for the movie industry. I don't know anyone who is saying " well I downloaded it, so now I won't buy it" Anyone who does this, doesn't have the money to buy the DVD in 1st place so no big loss for the movie industry. I'm sure some low lives do this, but it not common in my neck of the woods.

As for the quality issue, some of these DVIX and XVIDs are of pretty good quality. The ones that are split up into StarwarsCD1.avi and StarwarsCD2.avi are usually very good, but still, nothing compares to the retail DVDs with the extras.

As far as time goes, I don't know anyone who sits around waiting for a movie to download. That would be wacked. The people who do this, and I know them, are ALWAYS downloading in the background. When they go out, the computer is ON and downloading. When they go to work, the computer is ON and downloading. These guys are on broadband connections and they download 10 to 20 movies a week if not more. When they feel that they need a reboot, they restart, defrag and start the whole process over again.

For the record, the guys who I know that do this buy more store bought DVDs than any other people I know. So this theory about taking money from the studios is just plain propaganda

[Admiral Falcon]

With CDs, it was "I don't want to pay $18 for only one good song." What'll it be for movies? "I don't want to pay $18 for only one good scene."

I'm sorry, but US$6 for a movie ticket and $18 for an average DVD is a friggin' BARGAIN considering the quality of a studio-mastered DVD with surround, deleted scenes, outtakes, etc. Most of the people downloading bootleg movies probably do so because it's free, and they don't care about quality or extras or anything. All they know is that it's free. It's because of people like them that stores refuse to allow refunds on any digital media product. So what if you disagree with the EULA on that software, so what if by law you have the right to a refund? The pirates have screwed us out of consumer rights.

As for overpaid lead actors, it's only the big-name stars who make that much. Most actors in Hollywood aren't nearly as wealthy. They probably make a decent amount of money, but not enough to retire on. Stage actors get it even worse, they're lucky to see $40k a year.

Movies are expensive; Matrix:Reloaded alone had over a $400 million dollar budget. There are movies that haven't MADE that much in ticket sales.

If you aren't willing to pay, then do without. Movies and music are not necessities like food; stealing food to feed your family may be justified, stealing music beause you don't want to pay $18 for it is not.

[tgpo]

THe price of a ticket at our local Regal is $7.75, plus we have to watch 5-6 commercials at the beginning of the movie. And the MPAA can't figure out why DVD sales are skyrocketing and movie grosses diminishing?? I'd rather save my time/money and buy the movie. That way I can watch it whenever I want.

I personally have never wanted to see a movie so much that I just had to dl it in the time between the theater and DVD. If I like it so much, then the time it takes for it to come to DVD will make me like it so much more then I finially get to see it again. Perhaps I'll see scenes I had forgotten about.

[sterno]

Is it illegal? Usually. Is it wrong? Not always. In a lot of areas independent, foreign, or old movies are simply not available to rent or buy, and even when something shows at an art-house theater you can't always fit it to your schedule. Around here most of the movies I can rent are either a series of explosions and fights glued together with a paper-thin plot or stupid juvenile humor like Jay and Silent Bob (who weren't even funny the FIRST time I saw them). More than once I've found that some classic movie or an older drama was only available as a worn-out VHS tape that had worse quality than the broadcast TV in the rural area where I grew up (50+ miles away from the stations).

I seriously doubt that it increases prices, that claim probably belongs in the same category as the music industry's claims of huge losses to file sharing at the same time they report record earnings. Current common DVD prices ($20-$30) are a little high, but if I walk in to Best Buy today I can see a lot more $10-15 DVDs than I did a couple years ago. They're comparable to VHS prices a few years back, and the prices will probably continue to drop. I wouldn't be surprised if they really lose as much money to rental stores as they do to downloaded bootlegs.

I will say that I absolutely hate going to the theater. $6-$10 for a ticket, I get to watch 10 minutes of commercials before the movie, a candy bar or coke costs 5 times what it should (and you're not allowed to bring your own), and then I have to listen to somebody's kid whine in the middle of the movie. So unless I'm doing it as a social thing (I go with a friend now and then), I just wait for the rental and pay $4 to watch in the convenience of my own home. Plus I can get drunk while watching a DVD.

And, incidentally, you can sometimes download DVD-R disc images. But downloading 4GB of anything isn't that practical.

[Nitemare]

I voted "It's Fine, It Doesn't Hurt Me"

I only know of two people who have actually dowloaded movies. One guy spent 4 months dowloading a divx of "Song of the South" with his dial-up connection and P2P software. Song of the South is not for sale in the US, so how was this stealing? This guy would have gladly shelled out $20-$30 for a DVD but it is banned in the USA. Yes, he got the movie for free ... no, Disney did not lose one dollar in this case.

Another guy had broadband and downloaded a "now showing" film. He suspected that the film might not be as good as the previews made it out to be and he was right. Again, he was NOT going to pay to see this in theaters. If anything, Blockbuster missed out on his $4.00 but I'm sure they've made that up in late fees from him.

In general I feel it is wrong. I don't do it and I don't recommend that others do it either. For those that do... so what?

Personally, I prefer the drive-in theater. (Yes, there is still ONE in my area but it's struggling). I can smoke, and I can bring my own snacks and drinks as long as I have no glass containers. Alas, alcohol is prohibited and there is only 1 bathroom. There is no THX surround sound but I don't really care about that. It's cool to tune in the stereo sound on my car's AM radio.

The smoking (if you smoke) and snacks alone make it worth the trip but then you add in that they always have a double-feature for $5.00 and I can't understand why more people aren't doing this? (Now showing: Finding Nemo and Pirates of the Carribean)... okay... maybe I can... but last week it was "Charlies Angels" and "The Hulk" ... ummm... never mind....

[Faustus]

Sorry I'll take a DVD over a horrible quality downloaded file anyway. BUT I really don't care what others do. AS LONG AS THEY OBEY THE FORUM RULES!

[pbhalerao]

I like to buy movies. All in all, I think it is worth spending $10-$18, rather than spend time on dowload, encode, author and burn, not to mention the cost of internet time for downloading and my own time spent on the building the disk.

But then I buy movies that I really like and where I am sure that I will be watching over and over again.

[cplevel42]

Not too many people want to touch this topic. I can see why though.

[energy80s]

I buy some movies, I copy some movies and I download some movies. Same with music. No problem with my conscience!!

[HAGGARD]

I do something like this:

1. Download the movie...

2. Watch it...

3a. If I like it, I'll Buy it (for my collection!!!)
3b. If I don't like it, what the heck, delete it!!!

4. Don't have ANY regrets that I downloaded and viewed a movie I didn't like!!!

5. Wondering why movie-industrie is spending so much effort to prevent illegal copying, It only cost them more money!!!

'HAG

p.s. Does anyone know where I can find "The Shawshank Redemption"???

[Will Hay]

IIf this turns into a warez topic, it will be locked and we will sick Will Hay on you! So beware.

Yeah, I'm feeling a little queasy
Where did this reputation come from, I'm hurt

You missed an option;

They're undoubtedly shite quality, so why bother?

Will Hay, nice chap

[Will Hay]

p.s. Does anyone know where I can find "The Shawshank Redemption"???

It would be a crime, in more ways than one, to watch that in anything other than superior quality.
Buy it, but it now.
If I remember correctly, it cost me under £6 from www.play.com
Will Hay, family man

[Will Hay]

BUT I really don't care what others do. AS LONG AS THEY OBEY THE FORUM RULES!

My God, you are a mass-produced product of the moderator club, aren't you?
Will Hay, friendly

[Will Hay]

I don't want to know if you do this or not, I just want to know what your views are on the subject, that's it.

Okay.
Until I was utterly sick of how crap the quality was, I'd download the ones I was planning to buy.
I'm a massive movie fan, I collect and collect and collect and man do I get my money's worth.
I can watch a movie over and over and over (but not every other week, obviously).
I downloaded a few and decided I wasn't doing myself justice, so I stopped and plus, they took far too long to come down, even with adsl (500k).
What I don't do is spend full price on a dvd.
I have hundreds in my collection I pay around between £6 to £8 for each one, mostly old ones.
There are exceptions (Blackadder box set, Phoenix Nights, Bo Selecta) but I would buy plenty more if they were far cheaper.
Will Hay, happy go-lucky

[Faustus]

My God, you are a mass-produced product of the moderator club, aren't you?

Not really, just lazy. Less people causing problems =s less work we have to do. If I'm gonna have to close down a topic it can at least be for something original right?

[HAGGARD]

Will hay,

I ment the DVD!!! Downloaded this movie and I WANT to have IT!!!!
(DivX is crap quality)

Thanks for the link.

'HAG

[FT Shark]

I don't personaly do it because the quality of downloaded movies suck. I won't go any direction but DVD.

[tgpo]

You missed an option;

They're undoubtedly shite quality, so why bother?

Will Hay, nice chap

Actually I had a similar option, but I removed it because the option would then be admitting to downloading movies, and I wanted to keep the poll in the opinion catagory, and not the how do you feel about your downloads.

[Will Hay]

You missed an option;

They're undoubtedly shite quality, so why bother?

Will Hay, nice chap

Actually I had a similar option, but I removed it because the option would then be admitting to downloading movies, and I wanted to keep the poll in the opinion catagory, and not the how do you feel about your downloads.

Without trying to emphasise my clear grasp of both the English langauage and teenage enforced grammer...
....the word undoubtedly is a major factor here I believe.
The word undoubtedly infers an assumption of the quality of these movies, and doesn't indicate an admittance to downloading.
Do as you please, just a suggestion (I would have selected)
Will
"Girlfriend in a comma I know, I know, it's serious".

[Gazorgan]

Just because a studio overpays $400 million to make a movie, don't make me pay more $$$ for some other movie. Charlies Angles 2 cost $186 million and to date has grossed under 90 million. DVD sales won't see it to $120 million, don't penalize the rest of us by bumping up generic costs from $17.95 to $19.95!!!!

To be brutally honest, downloaded movies make me go to the theaters a lot more often than I used to. Media mogels take heed: A crappy cam of a good movie is likely to make me go out and see it in THX stadium seeting a lot more than a DVD Screener of a bad movie. Now take this the next step and let me d/l a medium res version in plain stereo, I'll pay for it.

And having said that, check out this link on d/l Disney movies:

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,92804,00.html

Very interesting. It's WMV, but encrypted. The'manager' program handles the encryption and handoff to WMP9. Needless to say there are problems with this system (broadband only, 24 hour viewing only). I haven't bothered to see if the files are truly encrypted, just header tricked, or just DRM. In keeping with M$ theory, you will get medium res and medium audio quality, somewhere between 1 disk DivX and DVD. Currently it's DVD only movies, but if this works (that is not hacked out of existnace), then I expect it to be like PPV on cable, between the movie release and DVD release. Eventually you may see it released on the Internet at the same time as the theater, and eventually replacing theaters.

I own a lot of DVD's. I back them all up, because my kids trash 4-5 CDR's a month (I've backed up Monsters INC so often, I keep the image on my computer). CDR's are still cheaper than DVDR's for backups that my kids use, give me 6 months and I'll jump ship to DVDR.

[snowmoon]

I don't pirate... not becuase of some higher calling, but because I con't stand inferior encodings.

For the most part it's not worth the time, money, effort necessary to sift though all the newsgroups/p2p spyware/popup hell webpages to find decent quality rips of audio or movies.

If I want it I'll just order it from a discount place and it shows up in a couple of days.

[indolikaa]

I only download TGPO Productions, Inc. material.

As for my personal feelings on the subject, downloading copyrighted material is wrong. I am a copyright holder and I've experienced firsthand what piracy feels like.

[Tranceaddict]

i ALWAYS download high quality divx, and convert with tmpge to dvd format.... **** going to movie theaters with screaming brats, and cell phones ringing