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Too Many Video Streaming Choices May Drive Users Back To Piracy

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Re: Too Many Video Streaming Choices May Drive Users Back To Piracy

#461

Post by CivilianZero »

zzzcpan wrote: post #454
CivilianZero wrote: post #449

I really have to ask: Is everyone in the comments apart of an organized troll? Because I feel like I’ve lost my mind reading most of these comments. It seems like everyone here thinks torrenting is as easy and simple as using streaming services actually is, and that streaming is as complicated as torrenting actually is. I used to torrent stuff all the time. Constantly. I have several HDs laying around filled with tor…

> It seems like everyone here thinks torrenting is as easy and simple as using streaming services actually is, and that streaming is as complicated as torrenting actually is. Would be weird if people here didn't find torrenting easy and simple. And depending where you get your torrents from, it could be significantly easier than streaming.

I don't think that follows. I'm technically savvy and am fully capable of torrenting files, but the amount of effort I have to exert to get it done problem free (and the amount I have in the past) means it is not easy or simple. Just because you have the ability to perform an action, even if you find it easy to do, does not mean it is intrinsically easy or simple.

And it definitely is never easier than opening an app on your smart tv/console/etc and clicking play.

Re: Too Many Video Streaming Choices May Drive Users Back To Piracy

#462

Post by partialrecall »

scarface74 wrote: post #441
partialrecall wrote: post #426

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Virtually anything you pirate these days will be supported on virtually anything you might want to watch movies on these days. The obscure edge-cases are things that HN users might be aware of, but simply aren't a practical concern in practice. DLNA is generally the case where you might run into issues, but a transcoding DLNA server solves that problem. Not to mention it greatly simplifies other matters. If you drop…

Virtually anything you pirate these days will be supported on virtually anything you might want to watch movies on these days. Roku is the most popular streaming device and it only supports H.264 for attached storage and its very picky on what it will support. The obscure edge-cases are things that HN users might be aware of, but simply aren't a practical concern in practice. DLNA is generally the case where you migh…

You don't have to implement every possible solution all at once; you pick one that works for you. If you prefer Plex, use Plex. If you prefer keeping everything on a thumb drive or your phone's SD card, do that instead. With non-DRM media you have the option to implement whatever solution you find preferable, not the obligation to implement those that you don't prefer.

And if my family can do it, I am quite sure your family can too. I think the attitude you're demonstrating here exemplifies a problem with the industry in general these days; giving non-technical people too little credit.

None of this stuff is complicated, but when a technical person such as yourself tells a non-technical person that they're incapable of wrapping their mind around something, it becomes a self-fullfilling prophecy as they're now scared of even trying. And without trying, neither of you will ever learn what their true capabilities are.

Re: Too Many Video Streaming Choices May Drive Users Back To Piracy

#463

Post by hansthehorse »

kerkeslager wrote: post #360
an_opabinia wrote: post #211

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> People who had cut the cord... As long as you don't care about the zeitgeist... That's not really what it's about. You have no idea how utterly janky Plex and torrenting is. People on Hacker News find IT stimulating, so their experience is basically moot. It's like trying to predict trends based on a nerd's hot take of the iPod. It has always been about enforcement. Seen in this lens, the hassle of pirating movies…

> You have no idea how utterly janky Plex and torrenting is. Compare these experiences: 1. Search Netflix. Discover it's not there. 2. Search Amazon. Discover they have it, but it's not available for free as part of your subscription. 3. Search Hulu. Leave Hulu, because it's not there. 4. Finally go back to Amazon and rent the movie, not sure why you're paying for Prime if you still have to pay on top of that for hal…

Or just go to JustWatch and let it tell you what your stream / rent / buy options are.

Re: Too Many Video Streaming Choices May Drive Users Back To Piracy

#464

Post by TeMPOraL »

scarface74 wrote: post #446
TeMPOraL wrote: post #443

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yes, and I keep telling you that mainstream movie piracy nowadays isn't torrents but streaming websites operated by pirates, that look and work similarly to YouTube or Netflix, except all the videos are pirated.

Is this what you call “working similarly”? https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=21005204

No. What I call "working similarly" is the following:

- I type "fili.cc" in my Firefox on Android

- I don't like anything currently in suggestions, so I tap on the search box, type in "Avengers", and press Search

- I tap the first result, as it is the movie I'm looking for

- On the move page, I tap on one of the players listed

- A video box loads, I press its Play button, then Full Screen button, and watch the movie

It's literally one tap more than Netflix; since this is a site curating pirated streaming sources, I have to pick one of the "players" (each representing a movie source with a bundled JS player).

fili.cc is one of many of such sites; different people I know have their own favorites.

Re: Too Many Video Streaming Choices May Drive Users Back To Piracy

#465

Post by TeMPOraL »

scarface74 wrote: post #146
viraptor wrote: post #75

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That sounds terribly complicated. You know you can google "watch ... online free" and get a streamable version in the first two pages of results, right?

And I just did that for Avengers on my iPad. The first result takes me to: - 5Movies4Free -- which then redirects me - mobilevpn.download -- and then when I click on "Install and Register Now". It redirects me to -"app.appsflyer.com" which then - redirects me to the app store - and then it just hangs Is that really the user experience that people want as opposed to just paying $8 a month and they can stream movies to…

You're doing it wrong. See my counterpoint elsewhere: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=21008979.

Re: Too Many Video Streaming Choices May Drive Users Back To Piracy

#467

Post by scarface74 »

TeMPOraL wrote: post #464
scarface74 wrote: post #446

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Is this what you call “working similarly”? https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=21005204

No. What I call "working similarly" is the following: - I type "fili.cc" in my Firefox on Android - I don't like anything currently in suggestions, so I tap on the search box, type in "Avengers", and press Search - I tap the first result, as it is the movie I'm looking for - On the move page, I tap on one of the players listed - A video box loads, I press its Play button, then Full Screen button, and watch the movie…

And I get a blank screen on ios -- you know the platform that close to half the US mobile phone population in the US use and way more than half of middle and upper income households use.

So do none of the "people you know" use iOS devices?

Re: Too Many Video Streaming Choices May Drive Users Back To Piracy

#468

Post by kjaftaedi »

fragmede wrote: post #427
fhennig wrote: post #330

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I recently rented a movie on amazon, and then I didn't have the option to get english subtitles, only subtitles in my native language. I wonder why that is, and I'm assuming it is because of some cumbersome contractual relations. On a DVD I'm pretty certain I could have gotten English subtitles. So now I'm paying, but I still get sub-par content? I ended up using a plugin to add the subtitles back in, but that plugin…

Go to a different country, and Netflix offers a different set of subtitles for a given title. Why can't I get Swedish subtitles in the US, for titles Neflix has the subtitles? I know this is to simplify the UI, but just offer it as an advances option, like they do for non-apathy mode (ie, stop playing at the end of one episode so I don't lose a day sitting on the couch).

This bothers me a lot as well.

For some reason I also get different subtitle options on my phone than I do my television despite both being on the same network (no vpn).

I also hate that they offer a show with audio in the original language, but no subtitles for the same language. So you have to be either mostly fluent or forced to watch the dubbed version.

Re: Too Many Video Streaming Choices May Drive Users Back To Piracy

#469

Post by scarface74 »

partialrecall wrote: post #462
scarface74 wrote: post #441

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Virtually anything you pirate these days will be supported on virtually anything you might want to watch movies on these days. Roku is the most popular streaming device and it only supports H.264 for attached storage and its very picky on what it will support. The obscure edge-cases are things that HN users might be aware of, but simply aren't a practical concern in practice. DLNA is generally the case where you migh…

You don't have to implement every possible solution all at once; you pick one that works for you. If you prefer Plex, use Plex. If you prefer keeping everything on a thumb drive or your phone's SD card, do that instead. With non-DRM media you have the option to implement whatever solution you find preferable, not the obligation to implement those that you don't prefer. And if my family can do it, I am quite sure your…

If you prefer Plex, use Plex.

Running your own server, finding good torrents, risk getting emails from your ISP or paying for a VPN service, dealing with networking and making sure the correct port is open and then dealing with the crappy upload bandwidth that most Americans have....

If you prefer keeping everything on a thumb drive or your phone's SD card, do that instead.

Most people don't have phones with SD cards and the majority of middle class to upper middle class households in the US have iOS devices...

And if my family can do it, I am quite sure your family can too. I think the attitude you're demonstrating here exemplifies a problem with the industry in general these days; giving non-technical people too little credit.

There are plenty of people that can cook but that doesn't prevent them from eating out. Convenience beats cheap.

None of this stuff is complicated, but when a technical person such as yourself tells a non-technical person that they're incapable of wrapping their mind around something, it becomes a self-fullfilling prophecy as they're now scared of even trying. And without trying, neither of you will ever learn what their true capabilities are

It's not about what people can't do -- it's about what people don't want to do. My wife and I both have cars but when we want to spend a night out and go to downtown from the suburbs we take Uber for the convenience.

Re: Too Many Video Streaming Choices May Drive Users Back To Piracy

#470

Post by scarface74 »

TeMPOraL wrote: post #465
scarface74 wrote: post #146

Earlier quoted context omitted.

And I just did that for Avengers on my iPad. The first result takes me to: - 5Movies4Free -- which then redirects me - mobilevpn.download -- and then when I click on "Install and Register Now". It redirects me to -"app.appsflyer.com" which then - redirects me to the app store - and then it just hangs Is that really the user experience that people want as opposed to just paying $8 a month and they can stream movies to…

You're doing it wrong. See my counterpoint elsewhere: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=21008979 .

And that didn't work on my iPhone or iPad. But I was going by the suggestion that the parent poster made -- just search Google.
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