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Movie Industry: VPNs and Tor Pose a Threat to Legitimate Streaming Platforms

torrentfreak.com

31–40 of 62 posts

Re: Movie Industry: VPNs and Tor Pose a Threat to Legitimate Streaming Platforms

#31

Well hey, that's what happens when you turn streaming into cable . I had Netflix, Amazon, and Hulu subscriptions last year. Today, I have none of those, except for one or two video purchases I made on Amazon. Now I'm supposed to have Disney+, CBS All Access, HBO Max, Peacock, etc., and that list will probably grow. And we're at a low point in what we consider entertainment. It's bread and circuses up the wazoo. And n…

> Now I'm supposed to have Disney+, CBS All Access, HBO Max, Peacock, etc., and that list will probably grow

I honestly don't see why anyone needs more than maybe two streaming services. Do you really need to see everything? Even during the pandemic, two seems to be plenty for most families.

Imagine arguing that movies are too expensive now because you have to see a movie every day. The obvious solution is to prioritize what you view and watch fewer movies.

For most people the current approach is better: spending $20 or $30 a month instead of $80 -- and with much better choices available, and often without any ads.

Re: Movie Industry: VPNs and Tor Pose a Threat to Legitimate Streaming Platforms

#33

Well hey, that's what happens when you turn streaming into cable . I had Netflix, Amazon, and Hulu subscriptions last year. Today, I have none of those, except for one or two video purchases I made on Amazon. Now I'm supposed to have Disney+, CBS All Access, HBO Max, Peacock, etc., and that list will probably grow. And we're at a low point in what we consider entertainment. It's bread and circuses up the wazoo. And n…

> Now I'm supposed to have Disney+, CBS All Access, HBO Max, Peacock, etc., and that list will probably grow I honestly don't see why anyone needs more than maybe two streaming services. Do you really need to see everything ? Even during the pandemic, two seems to be plenty for most families. Imagine arguing that movies are too expensive now because you have to see a movie every day. The obvious solution is to priori…

If you want to be frugal, it also makes a lot of sense to stop and start your subscriptions depending on what show(s) you're actively watching that season. During Game of Thrones I needed only HBO. During The Handmaid's Tale I needed only Hulu. During Stranger Things only Netflix.

Re: Movie Industry: VPNs and Tor Pose a Threat to Legitimate Streaming Platforms

#34
Time for the Movie industry to move to the Patreon model. They have more than enough fans to support them. Why can't i watch a movie in the app of my convenience (e.g. Popcorn Time) and still be able to pay for it? Why is there no such "virtual ticket" option. I know they want to package their products in specific ways, but they demand that the entire internet infrastructure bends to match their favourite way and that's just insanely egocentric. Hollywood is not the center of the universe anymore.

Re: Movie Industry: VPNs and Tor Pose a Threat to Legitimate Streaming Platforms

#35

Movie industry: we're not going to give a bunch of people any way to pay us for our content. Also movie industry: why are so many people watching our content without paying us for it?

Hum... It's about VPN and TOR, not piracy, so no it's: Movie Industry: Those criminals are breaking the Law and paying us to watch our content in ways that we really do not want them to!

This is because foreign distribution for movies is usually sold to a 3rd party prior to release by studios. They get an upfront payment.

That's why US box office has always been the only metric that "Hollywood" cares about.

Much like the music industry, the need for the Hollywood-machine, which is effectively a bank that gives loans to make movies - just as record labels would give musicians a loan against future earnings to make an album.

The barrier to enter the world of video content creation has led to more independent films and the platform to restrict revenue from studio-funded productions are evaporating because they were so late and backwards in how they approached streaming.

Re: Movie Industry: VPNs and Tor Pose a Threat to Legitimate Streaming Platforms

#36

Industries that rely on TV are a cancer refusing to die. People here are forced by law to pay more than 200 EUR per year to the national TV broadcaster even when they don't own a TV. The reason? They still receive the signal, thus they could watch TV if they wanted. BS. /rant

Generally, I've heard very wonderful things about the Public Broadcasting Station here in the United States and would be happy if $200 per year of my taxes went to them.

Re: Movie Industry: VPNs and Tor Pose a Threat to Legitimate Streaming Platforms

#37

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Now I'm supposed to have Disney+, CBS All Access, HBO Max, Peacock, etc., and that list will probably grow I honestly don't see why anyone needs more than maybe two streaming services. Do you really need to see everything ? Even during the pandemic, two seems to be plenty for most families. Imagine arguing that movies are too expensive now because you have to see a movie every day. The obvious solution is to priori…

If you want to be frugal, it also makes a lot of sense to stop and start your subscriptions depending on what show(s) you're actively watching that season. During Game of Thrones I needed only HBO. During The Handmaid's Tale I needed only Hulu. During Stranger Things only Netflix.

The next headline would be: "Stopping and Starting Subscriptions Pose a Threat to Legitimate Streaming Platforms"

Well, more like "Dear subscriber, for your convenience and security, you can now activate your subscription in 3-month packages. Don't thanks us, at EvilCast, we're always thinking of you".

Re: Movie Industry: VPNs and Tor Pose a Threat to Legitimate Streaming Platforms

#38

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"A la carte" was proposed for a long time as "here's what's wrong with cable" and overall it's definitely better now. I pay less for a few services, and can switch them in and out, than I did for cable. But people got unrealistic expectations of total price from the first few years of Netflix and Hulu prices + library. That stuff was always gonna get more expensive as the market moved to streaming.

Thank you! I've been saying this for years. I will admit that the request for a la carte assumed channel theming along the lines of cable, which isn't materializing in streaming. If I want just high quality sci-fi, which streaming service do I subscribe to? If I want feel good family movies? Etc. But it was always going to be a dozen streaming services. Anybody who thought otherwise was either delusional or didn't un…

It's mind boggling to hear people compare cable and satellite TV to media via the internet.

We once had to sign contracts, and have people come into your house and install things, and then pay rental for their cable boxes or whatnot and had to watch shows based on the schedule they were broadcast.

Now, we can click a few buttons and stream exactly what we want, when we want, and unless you are watching too much media, it is surely cheaper than cable/satellite in years past. And you can purchase a subscription and cancel a subscription within seconds, as opposed to calling the cable company and waiting on hold and dealing with retention departments.

Re: Movie Industry: VPNs and Tor Pose a Threat to Legitimate Streaming Platforms

#39

Well hey, that's what happens when you turn streaming into cable . I had Netflix, Amazon, and Hulu subscriptions last year. Today, I have none of those, except for one or two video purchases I made on Amazon. Now I'm supposed to have Disney+, CBS All Access, HBO Max, Peacock, etc., and that list will probably grow. And we're at a low point in what we consider entertainment. It's bread and circuses up the wazoo. And n…

I agree it sucks, but isn't this pretty much what "everyone" was asking for? A few years ago it felt like every week there was some refrain of

> Look, I don't want to pay $120 for 900 channels I never watch. Just let me pay for them a la carte.

This reminds me of those plots where the devil grants wishes in sneaky terrible ways that are not at all what the asker intended.

Re: Movie Industry: VPNs and Tor Pose a Threat to Legitimate Streaming Platforms

#40

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If you want to be frugal, it also makes a lot of sense to stop and start your subscriptions depending on what show(s) you're actively watching that season. During Game of Thrones I needed only HBO. During The Handmaid's Tale I needed only Hulu. During Stranger Things only Netflix.

The next headline would be: "Stopping and Starting Subscriptions Pose a Threat to Legitimate Streaming Platforms" Well, more like "Dear subscriber, for your convenience and security, you can now activate your subscription in 3-month packages. Don't thanks us, at EvilCast, we're always thinking of you".

This one is easier for them to fix with loyalty-based pricing and/or activation fees.
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