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Kodi: Open source TV app inspires full-blown copyright panic in the UK

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Re: Kodi: Open source TV app inspires full-blown copyright panic in the UK

#31

Post by paol »

kobeya wrote: post #25
hunta2097 wrote: post #17

These stories are incredibly incendiary, fueled by Murdoch's News UK Group. Whilst I think you would be an idiot to run unknown software on your home network (even if it means you get free TV) there have been no prosecutions against individual users yet. Sky's sport and movie subscriber base are obviously taking a hit from people moving to pirated content. That is why you are seeing hyperbolic stories about 10 years…

"Run unknown software"? Kodi is open source and community written.

The gp's issue (and the law's) is with the add-ons used to access pirated content sources, not with Kodi.

Re: Kodi: Open source TV app inspires full-blown copyright panic in the UK

#32

Post by ekimekim »

LordKano wrote: post #11

The future of these pirate TV devices is so uncertain that I don't understand why people are willing to pay so much for them. I recently saw something called an ISTV that was selling for around $400. I can't imagine investing that kind of money in a product that can be shutdown in under a year.

Perhaps I'm misunderstanding how these work, but how could an external force stop them from working? Aren't they just a pretty GUI on top of long-standing content sources like bittorrent networks?

Re: Kodi: Open source TV app inspires full-blown copyright panic in the UK

#33

Post by phkahler »

juliangoldsmith wrote: post #20
phkahler wrote: post #18

>> Pubs are a favoured target of FACT. Subscriptions allowing them to screen live sports are expensive, making Kodi boxes attractive. Is this the situation in the US too? I wonder why pubs have shitty cableTV with downgraded picture when they could just get an antenna and have awesome HD. Is it not OK to publicly show that which is broadcast? That seems absurd.

Just using an antenna, you would only be able to get a few games, mostly from local teams. People want to see games from all over, which local TV stations don't generally offer.

Sure, but I've seen plenty of businesses that have cable and just show the local news. I can understand a big place wanting to have a variety of sports content, but even those that don't tend to have cable.

Re: Kodi: Open source TV app inspires full-blown copyright panic in the UK

#34

Post by praneshp »

ParkerK wrote: post #28
hunta2097 wrote: post #17

These stories are incredibly incendiary, fueled by Murdoch's News UK Group. Whilst I think you would be an idiot to run unknown software on your home network (even if it means you get free TV) there have been no prosecutions against individual users yet. Sky's sport and movie subscriber base are obviously taking a hit from people moving to pirated content. That is why you are seeing hyperbolic stories about 10 years…

>Whilst I think you would be an idiot to run unknown software on your home network Kodi is very well known and respected, it's the new/rebranded version of XBMC (XBox Media Center) - it's been around for quite some time

Asking because I don't know, is it well known outside of tech circles?

I've read about (and seen) Rpis sold as "attach this thing to your TV to watch football". So I wonder if people buy it for that or because they respect XMBC

Re: Kodi: Open source TV app inspires full-blown copyright panic in the UK

#35

Post by kodithrow »

maccard wrote: post #22
kodithrow wrote: post #2

I watch pirated TV using Kodi on my Amazon Fire TV in the USA. There are some free Kodi add-ons for on-demand TV (i.e., free Netflix clones), but I use Kodi as a replacement for live sports. For $13/month, I get hundreds of live channels. AMA.

Curious why you pay for it? If you're openly admitting to pirating it, why not just pirate it for free? it's not like the licence owners are getting any of your $13/month.

I'm paying for better quality streams, not because I think the license holders get a cut of the profits.

If there was a similar legal IPTV service that got the license holders paid, I would choose that (even at a higher price point). My current alternative is Comcast which I have had nightmarish experiences with.

It looks like this is an industry that is finally maturing (with Sling TV and others) so it might be different next year.

Re: Kodi: Open source TV app inspires full-blown copyright panic in the UK

#36

Post by madaxe_again »

retrac98 wrote: post #8
joaodlf wrote: post #5

I moved to the UK a few years ago, I'm still really surprised with the state of TV here. Between this and things like "TV licence" - It's just an embarrassment really.

Yes, TV here is shit, but the TV licence is completely optional if you're not the applicable content, you can opt-out online: http://www.tvlicensing.co.uk/check-if-you-need-one/topics/te...

Not that that does anything other than tell them you exist.

I'm working on renovating a property currently, have been for a year and a bit. It's uninhabited. There's no TV, no internet connection; just drills and saws. There isn't even running water.

I notified them that the property was unoccupied in response to their first letter, 18 months ago.

They said that they didn't believe me, and an enforcement officer would be over. One came while I was away and left a "I'll be back with bailiffs" note, and about six months ago, I had them show up on my doorstep with police in tow. The cops seemed highly bemused to have been dragged to a property which didn't even have windows at the time, never mind a bloody television. They left, he said not a problem, no more letters.

Since then I've collected about 15 more "we know you have a television!" letters from the doorstep there, and yet another note from a different visiting enforcement officer.

Based on this and a previous similar experience a decade ago, I can't help but conclude that they spend every penny they collect on arse-about-tit enforcement.

Whole system is daft.

Re: Kodi: Open source TV app inspires full-blown copyright panic in the UK

#37

Post by hunta2097 »

bumblebeard wrote: post #29
moopling wrote: post #24

Earlier quoted context omitted.

the kodi addons I've seen tend to connect to websites which host the content and display ads. Given that these don't involve seeding does that mean that the viewers aren't violating copyright, only the hosts?

That's my understanding of how the law works in the US. In the UK though it sounds like you're breaking the law if you watch the stream as well.

That's how things used to be in the UK.

UK copyright law was aimed at counterfeiters (seedy Joe who sells knock-off T-Shirts, CDs and tapes down the local pub).

Now with the Digital Economy amendments, we have an extremely vague mention of "violating copyright".

Are you violating copyright when consuming, or just when distributing? The act does not say.

I expect there will be a few test cases to work this out but in the meantime, the press is having a field-day by promoting the worst case scenario for even minor infractions.

Re: Kodi: Open source TV app inspires full-blown copyright panic in the UK

#38

Post by LordKano »

ekimekim wrote: post #32
LordKano wrote: post #11

The future of these pirate TV devices is so uncertain that I don't understand why people are willing to pay so much for them. I recently saw something called an ISTV that was selling for around $400. I can't imagine investing that kind of money in a product that can be shutdown in under a year.

Perhaps I'm misunderstanding how these work, but how could an external force stop them from working? Aren't they just a pretty GUI on top of long-standing content sources like bittorrent networks?

I'm referring to the company who made and provides updates for the device. They can be shut down and the users won't get automatic updates that point them to new stream sources.

Re: Kodi: Open source TV app inspires full-blown copyright panic in the UK

#39

Post by talldan »

LordKano wrote: post #11

The future of these pirate TV devices is so uncertain that I don't understand why people are willing to pay so much for them. I recently saw something called an ISTV that was selling for around $400. I can't imagine investing that kind of money in a product that can be shutdown in under a year.

They're around £40 on Amazon (one-off cost), so not very expensive.

I avoid piracy, and I'm personally spending way more than that on a monthly basis for multiple legal services that provide less content.

I have acquaintances who have the Kodi box, and they work impressively well, so I can see why they're very compelling.

Re: Kodi: Open source TV app inspires full-blown copyright panic in the UK

#40

Post by jasonkostempski »

retrac98 wrote: post #7

Give consumers a legal service that's better than the illegal alternative.

They can't. They've already proven they can't do good UX even under a paid service so the only thing left to compete on is price and reliability and then they're competing against free and voluntarily hosted distributed redundancy. There's no value that can be added to that (other than removing the risk of criminal punishment).
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