What do you think of the ethics of downloading TV shows???

I was thinking about something recently, mainly, why did I use to (I mean like a 10 and 20 yrs ago) watch some movies and tv shows more than once. Like it was pretty popular back in the day to watch a movie like 5 times easy! Maybe even more!

So it dawned on me that back then you'd buy the VHS or you'd buy the DVD. So you'd have invested in this movie. And now if you wanted to watch a movie the only options you had were to rent a new one or look threw your selection of DVD's that you'd collected. So often if you just watch your library they'd get watch many times.

Then even in the early days of the net, the bandwidth didn't allow for downloading of any movies. That would take weeks. It was so impractical. It was only about 2005 that youtube allowed you to watch and download videos only 5 MINUTES LONG! But then from there things started to go "high-speed".

Then eventually it started to become easier and easier to download and or watch TV shows and movies online as they'd be uploaded by others.

What's odd is your not paying for any of that? Should you be? I don't know. I mean I subscribe to cable so I tend to think well I'm paying for it that way. So that gives me the right to watch a show I missed online because I did infact pay for it via my cable bill even if it's indirectly related. Plus I still go see good movies in the theater.

But now a days the lines are blurred. And dissolving completely. Like I honestly don't think too many people even do what I do. Many are so stretch financially that they just watch online as they have so many bills already that any savings in their monthly budget is fair game!

So getting back to my original thought, it's no wonder now a days that you don't watch movies twice hardly at all. I never watch a movie twice anymore. I'm usually playing catch up trying to keep up with like at least 5 shows and new movies, plus I watch some documentaries as well. All that adds up.

But again should be thinking about ethics at all? Are there any ethics anymore in terms of what you can watch for free? Like it seems like more and more people are well past this era of even thinking about whether they paid to watch anything anymore. Like it's in the public domain, right at your fingertips. Many shows just streaming online on a lot of sites. So it's like there's no slowing it down, turning it off, or even thinking twice about it?

Like what do you think? do you care where you get the programming and or if you paid for it or not?

Your thoughts?



I guess the reality is since I'm even thinking about this stuff means...ya I'm old. darn

Well back in the day TV was freely broadcast over the air waves. Then cable and satellite came about and they are paid services.

I dont feel the least bit bad downloading when i pay for cable anyway. I dont even turn on my TV, haven't in years.

Im against corporate greedeocracy and all the evil it supports.

side note:the record companies weren't trying to bust people in the 80's and 90's making mix tapes. I didn't feel guilty about it then and I don't now. Same with tv. Back in the day network tv actually encouraged viewers to tape shows on their vcr to watch at their convenience.

reply to post by shaneslaughta


Ya I do the same. TV is for background noise when guests come over. Or when my mother comes over and she doesn't know how to use the internet. The 2 factors are the commericals and the time schedule. I want to watch on my time schedule, a whole bunch of epesods back to back, and commercial free. The only way to do that is online. And I don't care about a big tv either. I have a 27 inch monitor, that's plenty big when I'm only sitting 8 ft away. I think everyone is getting pressed so hard though from tptb that any little tiny thing they can get for free, theyll take full advantage of it. I use: Ch131 and Pbay, youtube, and Topdocumentaryfilms that's all you need to get everything there is.

Technology changed the game. As soon as a tape cassette or CD could be easily copied they lost most of their value. This is happened before, workers been layed off as technology replaces them and they need to learn new skills or change industry. The problem is when its a group of massive corporations who are facing the sack, then they fight it like hell and they bend the rules of capitalism's competitive nature to suit them.

You would have seen the propaganda they are using to do it, the whole "you wouldn't steal a car". No I wouldn't steal a car, but if I had a giant car copier and made a copy of your car, leaving the original in the driveway, then how is that stealing? You try report that to the cops and explain why the car is still there! It's clearly not the same thing as stealing, its copying.

I think copying is good, in fact some neuroscientists and evolutionary biologists think our ability to copy is what led to civilization. Once one person discovered fire, then our "mirror neurons" meant others could copy and it rapidly spread horizontally amongst us instead of dying out with that person.

3D printer are going to bring these discussions more into the mainstream. I believe the original discoverer of any invention should get the credit for it, perhaps named after it and a head start in selling it, but that patents and copyright laws are stunting our growth as a species. Imagine if the first guy who discovered a spear had hidden it from the rest and threatened to sue them if they copied it lol. Its just absurd.

One thing I'm loving about music piracy.... so many more live gigs and festivals

reply to post by spartacus699


VCRs would have never been invented if they didn't want you to record movies from T.V.

I think cable and satellite companies have DVR which is a recorder too.

So, for me, it is Super Funny as Hell for them to enable you and then tell you Not to do it.

reply to post by polarwarrior


Ya true agreed. Also I think realistically the show, movie, or songs that get copied the most actually make the most money. because as word spreads many will buy them or go see them in theaters, go to concerts, buy related merchandise, word of mouth etc etc.

reply to post by ShadellacZumbrum



DVR has its limits....the hardware is not YOURS...and the programming on the hard disk remains the intellectual property of the cable company broadcaster and recording company alike.

Just like PPV 24 hour rentals......cant make a copy of that. Boy they got us over the barrel dont they.

They really need to work on their distribution channels. You have internet streaming, iTunes, cable, dish, DVD, etc. And not one of them carries content from all of them. (Internet streaming comes closest but not all of it's legal.)

There's been a few shows I just want to see, not caring how much it costs or where I'm getting it from, but when I go to get it.... I realize I can't even get it paying money if I wanted to.

And someone says, "Here, I just downloaded that."

I like paying for good quality. I see a lot of free stuff out there is crap quality. And, if I were in charge, I'd let that stuff float around as quasi-promotional material. Heck, even release it piss poor quality, and let the masses sort it out. "You want top quality you pay top dollar."

But then again, would you want your stuff being played in -x quality.

The most frustrating part again, the accessibility. This region gets this, that one gets that. I tried so hard to get Game of Thrones legally, paying money...paying whatever the cost. And I'm stuck, realizing I have to either subscribe to HBO or wait a year for it to come out on iTunes.

Unbelievable.

GOT distributors say that even though their show is the most pirated material online they are doing well and it's profitable.

Why can't you just give me paid access??!!

I don't get it with these guys... Just give people access at a realistic price, and they will buy it. Hell, we used to all drive down to the local video store once a week to rent movies for $5.

Another problem. $5 for an online rental? For a iTunes rental? You &#$'ing me?!

Excuuuuse me.

Just a second.

I remember paying $5 a rental back in the day. You know.. When stores were there and employees ran the stores, and they had fixed costs like rent and hydro and variable costs too.

But now you still want to charge me $5? Give me a break. And $24.99 for a digital copy that is a pain in the ass to watch on anything but the unit you downloaded it on?

Again... Unbelievable.

I buy maybe 1-2 movies a week. If they dropped the price down a bit I'd probably buy 5-10. Instead, I usually only buy movies if they are for sure a good watch. 75% rating or higher.

If it were say $2-3 dollars, I'd go with a 30% rating and up. Sometimes a B-Movie or a Box-Office-Bomb are entertaining... Or at least comical with bad acting.

They screw themselves in a lot of ways. And sure as hell aren't thinking about the consumer.

So no, I don't have much sympathy for them regarding the people who download free. Try giving people incentive for paying for your product, at least make an effort, and I might reconsider.

reply to post by spartacus699


My thoughts on this subject are.... my computer is nothing more than a DVR no different than the time i used to set my VCR to record a such and such show or movie back in the late eighties. Oh, by the way we didn't have regular analog t.v but horizon to horizon satellite.

I think that depends on the person who owns the material.

reply to post by abe froman


I was about to mention that,and ya beat me to it. We always made mix tapes or made a copy of a friends cassette.You sure in hell didn't hear them complain then.

reply to post by spartacus699

I think theres a difference between viewing and distribution.

reply to post by spartacus699


I don't think they care.

If you don't somebody will. I wouldn't and don't lose sleep over the "ethical" stuff.

Originally posted by gladtobehere
reply to post by spartacus699

 

I think theres a difference between viewing and distribution.

I agree with that oddly enough. streaming for example, not illegal. Downloading something no one paid for and no one gave consent to view? Probably theft. If you buy and wanna share it, go for it.

reply to post by spartacus699


The easiest way to avoid any conflict over this issue is to get Netflix for $10 a month, as they have a great selection of television shows.

The reason I used to download them was because the user interface was so much easier. I hate television because of the advertisements and forced programming, I would much rather sit down and watch a television show maybe 5 episodes at a time without interruptions at my leisure.

And to be clear, I don't like advertisements because they are misleading and subliminal -

Nope, no ethical problem at all. Back in the day TV was free because you had to put up with commercials from the shows sponsors. How we ever got conned into paying for TV and still having to watch commercials annoys the heck out of me. Our Comcast bill is over $100 a mn, and they want you to pay a mn ahead of time or else they call and harass you...lol...I threw a tantrum about this just recently and did stop the calls.

It really makes me angry when we go to the movies and have to watch commercials before the movie begins, what ever happened to the cartoons?

Originally posted by Nephalim

Originally posted by gladtobehere
reply to post by spartacus699

 

I think theres a difference between viewing and distribution.

I agree with that oddly enough.

streaming for example, not illegal. Downloading something no one paid for and no one gave consent to view? Probably theft. If you buy and wanna share it, go for it.

edit on 14-8-2013 by Nephalim because: (no reason given)

Well appartently in canada it's not illegal to download stuff I just read in an article. Only uploading is illegal. That was on Cnet. I actually didn't know that.

Originally posted by darkbake
reply to post by spartacus699

 

The easiest way to avoid any conflict over this issue is to get Netflix for $10 a month, as they have a great selection of television shows.

The reason I used to download them was because the user interface was so much easier. I hate television because of the advertisements and forced programming, I would much rather sit down and watch a television show maybe 5 episodes at a time without interruptions at my leisure.

And to be clear, I don't like advertisements because they are misleading and subliminal -

edit on 14-8-2013 by darkbake because: (no reason given)

Maybe if I had a big tv that I liked watching, but I don't want a big selection. I want everything.

reply to post by polarwarrior