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Tell HN: I probably spend more on piracy than if I just paid for content

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Re: Tell HN: I probably spend more on piracy than if I just paid for content

#381

Post by ben174 »

philistine wrote: post #103

What you’re describing is data hoarding. I pirate a ton too, but you know what I do with a movie or TV show after I’ve watched it? I delete it. Poof, gone. But it’s still in the most important dataset I have. My memory. To help with the metadata of my own memory, I write down a list of the films I’ve seen. I only keep the movies I really love and want to rewatch (Robocop). That TV show I just finished that was great…

You are exactly me. Right down to (Robocop). But I still haven't figured out how to hit that delete button. As much as I know I need to. I'm sitting on 30TB now of stuff I'll never ever ever watch again. But I just can't delete it.

Re: Tell HN: I probably spend more on piracy than if I just paid for content

#383

Post by jjav »

georgeecollins wrote: post #227
philistine wrote: post #103

What you’re describing is data hoarding. I pirate a ton too, but you know what I do with a movie or TV show after I’ve watched it? I delete it. Poof, gone. But it’s still in the most important dataset I have. My memory. To help with the metadata of my own memory, I write down a list of the films I’ve seen. I only keep the movies I really love and want to rewatch (Robocop). That TV show I just finished that was great…

I don't pirate, I pay for content, but I like to own a digital copy of music content. So I buy MP3s rather than subscribe to a service. It's probably strange-- and maybe dumb-- but I feel like in the long run I never know what will happen to a service in terms of how it may change in price or quality. If I own a CD or an MP3, I know I have what I want. It may not be rational. I know some people think I am crazy.

> It may not be rational. I know some people think I am crazy.

It's entirely rational. The availability of music/video on streaming services is very ephemeral.

If you really like something, buy a copy and store it locally.

Re: Tell HN: I probably spend more on piracy than if I just paid for content

#384

Post by jjav »

lobocinza wrote: post #237
georgeecollins wrote: post #227

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't pirate, I pay for content, but I like to own a digital copy of music content. So I buy MP3s rather than subscribe to a service. It's probably strange-- and maybe dumb-- but I feel like in the long run I never know what will happen to a service in terms of how it may change in price or quality. If I own a CD or an MP3, I know I have what I want. It may not be rational. I know some people think I am crazy.

It makes sense but on practical terms it's expensive and uncovenient to buy MP3s.

> It makes sense but on practical terms it's expensive and uncovenient to buy MP3s.

I don't identify with this comment at all! How is it expensive and inconvenient?

I prefer to buyt the CD and rip it if possible, as then I have built-in backup. But if not, I'll buy the MP3 online, from amazon usually. Very easy.

Re: Tell HN: I probably spend more on piracy than if I just paid for content

#385

Post by ShowalkKama »

NikolaNovak wrote: post #194
gaspard234 wrote: post #178

Earlier quoted context omitted.

My NAS has a torrent downloading software and an app for my Samsung TV. I just visit my local network web address, add the torrent in the NAS dashboard, and am able to play it from the TV within a few minutes. Most content is great, occasionally there are audio issues or missing subtitles.

Right, but there are I think a few assumptions there: 1. You need to set up NAS and downloading software - that is not as trivial or common as HN audience assumes :) 2. You need a reliable and safe source of torrents. They may be paid or invite only, or may be super scammy and unrealiable and mine crypto etc etc 3. How safe do you feel in your jurisdiction/location at running plain torrents. Here you get notices and…

2) as long as you are not looking for exotic stuff you can just use public trackers or semi-private ones (they require an account but usually you do not have to keep a ratio, do not need an invite and they do not require you to sell your soul to the devil).

If you want to go down this route (and you use *arr) prowlarr is a must have to avoid wasting time copying configs between the *arr.

Re: Tell HN: I probably spend more on piracy than if I just paid for content

#386

Post by paranoidrobot »

pmoriarty wrote: post #263
paranoidrobot wrote: post #14

When Netflix first launched, it was great - they had a massive catalogue of older/pre-existing content, and were making a bunch of their own new, original content that likely wouldn't have been made elsewhere. Their UX was also pretty great - and made finding interesting content easy. They made it dead-easy to sign up, there was no pushy retention teams or hoops to jump through if you wanted to cancel. That's why I p…

"When Netflix first launched, it was great - they had a massive catalogue of older/pre-existing content, and were making a bunch of their own new, original content that likely wouldn't have been made elsewhere." The movie selection on NetFlix's DVD service[1] is still fantastic. The movie selection on their streaming service[2] is absolutely atrocious. Not sure what accounts for the discrepancy. [1] - https://dvd.net…

The DVD service wasn't available outside the US, as far as I understand.

The reason they can rent-out DVD titles from anyone, is because of the First-Sale doctrine[1] in the US. Basically, once they buy the DVD, they can do with it what they want. It's the same law that lets libraries operate.

With streaming, they need permission of the copyright holders. Who, at first, were all "Who gives a shit about streaming, it doesn't make any money and the quality is shit". Once Netflix proved out how to do it right - then all the studios realised there was money to be made by doing their own platform (even if you do a shitty job of it)

[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First-sale_doctrine

Re: Tell HN: I probably spend more on piracy than if I just paid for content

#387

Post by ncmncm »

pirate-Loo6uoDu wrote: post #133
BatteryMountain wrote: post #9

Piracy and data-hoarding are two different hobbies. One cost next to nothing, the cost of the other one you are quite familiar with.. Jokes aside, would you consider deleting your entire collection and then also cancel subscriptions and possibly give away or sell any tech equipment you do not use for work? And then find something else to do with the newly-freed time? Can you do it for 6 or 12 months? If not, why not?…

While I appreciate the concern, I've got a fair bit of free time, and to be clear I'm not actually worried about the financial cost. I'm living well within my means. Tomorrow I'm going to build a chicken coop. The setup I've got doesn't require very much active maintenance, aside from yelling at my father to tag things better. I'm sure I could just go to sketchy pirate streaming sites (putlocker and the like) if I wa…

It is mystifying to me that people cannot understand the simple meaning of the article: Paid programming provides bad service for the money, enough so that you get a better experience via back channels. If the publishers want your business, they will need to provide service better than you can cobble up yourself.

I object to the term "pirating" here. Piracy involves depriving people of life and property. You are not doing anything like that. Bootlegging might be a tolerably apt term. Bootlegging is just bypassing onerous restrictions and taxes, with an admixture of freeloading.

My wife pays for various channels, but I torrent the same content because the experience is radically better. Am I pirating? I don't think I am even bootlegging.

The main thing keeping me from doing it more (I hardly ever do anymore) is that I just don't have time to watch things. I have taken to running what little I do grab at 1.5x to 2x so I can spare the time. Now, not running that fast seems intolerably glacial.

All that said, hoarding is a common symptom of depression. Treating depression is a very, very good idea.

Re: Tell HN: I probably spend more on piracy than if I just paid for content

#388

Post by strken »

hotpotamus wrote: post #100
strken wrote: post #63

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Nobody lets me pay for content. They're all tying themselves in contractual knots trying to find the most lucrative deal, and meanwhile it's impossible to just buy a movie or a TV show without shipping a physical disc. I go to e.g. the South Park website, and I'm greeted by an error message saying they're "working hard to resolve [their] pre-existing contractual obligations," which is the same message they've shown f…

When I see all the justifications I wonder who are they for? If you feel the need to justify it to semi-anonymous people on the internet, then you're probably trying to justify it to yourself which means you think what you're doing is wrong.

I don't have to justify myself to you and do not intend to. I don't actually pirate anything, regardless.

My intent is that someone somewhere reads this and decides to let me buy their damn content. It's not a justification, it's an appeal. Put your album on bandcamp. Put your game on itch/gog/your own website/humble bundle, preferable without intrusive DRM. I have no idea where you'd put a movie or TV show, but there's probably some place.

Please.

Re: Tell HN: I probably spend more on piracy than if I just paid for content

#389

Post by brokenmachine »

philistine wrote: post #103

What you’re describing is data hoarding. I pirate a ton too, but you know what I do with a movie or TV show after I’ve watched it? I delete it. Poof, gone. But it’s still in the most important dataset I have. My memory. To help with the metadata of my own memory, I write down a list of the films I’ve seen. I only keep the movies I really love and want to rewatch (Robocop). That TV show I just finished that was great…

>I only keep the movies I really love and want to rewatch (Robocop).

I absolutely love that Robocop is the specific movie that you felt needed to be mentioned. :)

Re: Tell HN: I probably spend more on piracy than if I just paid for content

#390

Post by [deleted] »

bityard wrote: post #267
300bps wrote: post #132

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I rewatch things all the time. If I’m doing side work at night and just want something on the background I’ll put on a movie or show that I’ve seen before. Beyond that, hard drives are cheap! I have a single 18 TB disk in my main computer that runs Plex. It lets me and my kids watch content from anywhere with an Internet connection. 18 TB hard drives are about $300.

> Beyond that, hard drives are cheap! I have a single 18 TB disk Fair warning: It is very dangerous to make statements like this in a public forum like this. You run the risk of someone spotting it and making a seemingly-innocent reply along the lines of, "Oh, you should at LEAST have TWO disks set up as a mirror so you don't lose all your movies when (not if, but when) the disk dies." And then someone else will say,…

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