Site rip vs. torrents/p2p/etc.

[Supreme2k]

I've always wondered about people trying to get shows or any protected content from web sites (especially lately) having such a struggle.

Why don't people simply get torrents or go to the thousands of sites with direct downloads or the "quickly file storage" links? They are basically trying to circumvent protective measures which you cannot really argue are a right.

A common argument is that I buy a DVD, and I should be able to convert it to view on my PC, iPod, etc., so I have to circumvent the protective measures. For the most part, I agree with that reasoning (basically Fair Use?). That argument cannot be applied to television shows and the like. If NBC shows a program for free (paid by ad bucks), it is ludicrous to argue that they somehow owe you unlimited viewing and that circumventing the protection is justified.

So how about it, site rippers? If you're going to rip-off anyway, take the easy way out.

But most of all, can we stop with the million ******* "how do I download from youtube/NBC/Hulu" questions?

[guns1inger]

People never take the easy way out. The number of recent posts where people have obviously downloaded 720p encoded Blurays as MKV files, then have problems converting these down to DVD so they can watch them, shows they don't really think these things through. The amount of time they take dicking about, when it is easier to just go and buy the damn DVD in the first place. You don't want to pay full price ? Get an ex-rental at the video library.

[rallynavvie]

Netflix.

I was having a discussion about piracy with a friend of mine who scoffed at my $20/mo Netflix account. He said I could save the $20 a month and just download anything I wanted via torrents. We both have FiOS, he just has a faster speed package. I used to have the same package but lowered it when I realized I never (or very rarely) used that much bandwidth. I asked what he needed the extra bandwidth for and he answered for gaming and torrents. We both play the same games so we removed gaming as a reason for bandwidth as I never peaked while gaming. So he pays $30 more per month for his added bandwidth to accommodate his method of obtaining movies. I can obtain all the BRD/DVD I want and loads of streaming movies (which come out quite nice with my bandwidth) for less and without any of the legal worry. And I have more reliable access to hard-to-find films which may only have a few seeds in the torrent community. Sure there are times when a certain film has a bit of a wait but for the monthly savings I could probably go buy it.

One month later that friend opened a Netflix account. I haven't asked if he downgraded his FiOS package yet or not.

[lordsmurf]

If NBC shows a program for free (paid by ad bucks), it is ludicrous to argue that they somehow owe you unlimited viewing and that circumventing the protection is justified.
So how about it, site rippers? If you're going to rip-off anyway, take the easy way out.
But most of all, can we stop with the million ******* "how do I download from youtube/NBC/Hulu" questions?

I don't know about this.

People want to watch TV on a TV, not a computer. Unless you have the knowledge/money/equipment, hooking a computer into a TV is a pain in the ass. They lock all the Hulu/CBS/Fox/etc to streams, then iTunes locks to the computer too. An XVID download is quick to download, quick to burn, and easy to enjoy.

I'd gladly pay $1 for episodes in XVID/Divx AVI format (MPEG-4 Part whatever-it-is).

TV needs to stop fighting the system like RIAA+MP3. I'm not really a big music fan, but I buy several songs per month from Amazon. A decade ago, I was on Napster like most others. (However, in my defense, I mostly went after public domain OTRs!)

Movies are at Redbox, ma+pa shop, plus Netflix. I'm good for those, too. I don't see the point in downloading, given the available, quality, legal, affordable options.

[rallynavvie]

People want to watch TV on a TV, not a computer. Unless you have the knowledge/money/equipment, hooking a computer into a TV is a pain in the ass.

I don't think so. I may be pretty knowledgeable when it comes to computers but I've had some less tech-savvy friends set up HTPCs after some simple guidance from me. Nothing hands-on, just telling them what to look for in a computer to support TV and what sites to find information. I have three HTPCs here and two more up at the lake. In fact every TV in every house I have is an HTPC.

[lordsmurf]

I've seen recent market research on it. HTPCs are not common.

[SatStorm]

Occasionally, I have to rip a site to get an anime series that is licensed on the USA. Any anime licensed on the USA, kill the fansubs instantly and so the torrents / etc.
And the new fad is to stream anime, not to release on DVD. Those same sites also, prohibits the non Americans to watch them. So I have to use proxies to get access. Imagine, that once I had to pay for a fake USA IP to do it!
Beyond Anime and old movies / series (which you can find anywhere on TV for free and store on a recorder), I don't watch something new nowadays. Maybe I'm not stupid enough, who knows...

[rallynavvie]

Those same sites also, prohibits the non Americans to watch them. So I have to use proxies to get access. Imagine, that once I had to pay for a fake USA IP to do it!

It's the new method of region control and it's pretty interesting. I trade proxies with a friend of mine in the UK so that I can watch BBC and ITV while he watches Hulu and some other American streaming sites. It was a simple VPN setup between our networks to support it.

[Supreme2k]

I'm not talking about region control, which I think is a horrible idea anyway (just release the content worldwide). I'm talking about the "hot" topic lately of ripping (off) from a site that you can already view freely.

Instead going about all of this protection circumvention, which even some of the stream ripper programs abide, just go the easy route of torrents or whatever and leave VH out of your illicit activity.

And while you're at it, stop coming here at the crack of dawn on Tuesday whining about the trouble you are having ripping a disc. Save yourself and us the hassle and get that too. If you own the disc, no harm-no foul. If you don't, then you wouldn't (or at least shouldn't) be posting here anyway.

I don't condone piracy for whatever reason, but it's a very slippery slope on site ripping. There are many things that are so specific that VH is your only option to get help, but ripping discs and streams could be much more easily accomplished on Google (and not tread that gray area that may hurt this site).

[lordsmurf]

And while you're at it, stop coming here at the crack of dawn on Tuesday whining about the trouble you are having ripping a disc. Save yourself and us the hassle and get that too. If you own the disc, no harm-no foul. If you don't, then you wouldn't (or at least shouldn't) be posting here anyway..

I've grown tired of this in recent years. You'll notice I almost never login on Tuesday anymore.

[rallynavvie]

I've grown tired of this in recent years. You'll notice I almost never login on Tuesday anymore.

Can Baldrick or one of the mods pull hit counts from each day and see if we truly see spikes after big movie releases? I like quantifiable validation

[creamyhorror]

What happens on Tuesday? Some sort of disc release?

[Tearren]

What happens on Tuesday? Some sort of disc release?

'

In the US, generally, it is the day of the week when new movies are released on DVD / Blueray.

[creamyhorror]

I see...interesting that there's a specific day for that.