W385

Hi there have been downloading shows for a while now and just wanted to check that watching the shows on VIP tv is legal and wanted to know if the movies section was also legal if so it is very cool.

spratt89

I think someone else asked that question a while back and when it was answered I think the answer was something to do with a loop whole in the rules.

spratt89

This was the answer go check this thread out


Answer

shinny

And just be careful. We don't encourage "downloading" which is a known facility in Realplayer. All our shows are placed on servers where you watch them by "streaming" - If you download them (at your own bequest) then it becomes illegal.

spratt89

I did not know you could download with realplay, plus I dont think its that good as I have lots of problems with it

bala

it's not actually downloading it's a recording facility

spratt89

How is that downloading if you are recording, as it must be the same as recording off of the tv or something like that

bala

Because Recording from the server so it's a form of downloading.

spratt89

Oh Ok I Understand Now.

shinny

Actually it is downloading. When you use the "record" function in Realplayer it downloads a copy of the program to your computer, which is illegal.

bala

i thought record button - record the current thing that playing?

shinny

It records it and you'll see it in your realplayer library. However, it also downloads a copy to your computer. This is so it can source it from there if you want to watch it again. If you go to "locate file" it will take you to where it stores it on your computer.

spratt89

I was told that if you do the same thing like record a tv show being aired and keep it for yourself then its legal so how comes its not the same on the site if it is for yourself, I'm getting really confused now

shinny

Because the internet is not "governed" by anyone as such, it's a whole other mind field!! You know that, technically, if you record something from the Radio that it's actually illegal!?

spratt89

I thought this was intreasting was someone else said on another site,


Downloading/Watching TV shows the PC. Illegal or not?

Badly worded yes! Anywho....The newest topic got me to thinking. We all know about movies, music, software.....they are all things that people go back and forth about "Its illegal" "No its not!".

But what about TV shows? Now before people make a robotic "Its illegal" response. Think about it. We will use the show LOST for instance, who cares if you like it or not, its just an example. Its not something we pay for. So I someone puts it on the net and we watch it/download it how could it be illegal? Theres no way to buy it! Some comanies are putting their shows on their sites so you can "stream" them and watch them so you don't go download them.

I am sure this can get into a really deep debate about "Well what about when the series comes out on DVD?"....if it does....etc. But the question is simple. Is it REALLY illegal to download/watch TV shows.

Oh, and I thought I would throw this little wrench into it. If its illegal why are we allowed recording tv shows(VCR, Tivo, DVD Recorders) and keeping them? The only time your supposedly NOT allowed recording them is major sports events (it says so before they start!). Something to think about.

Then someone replied,

I believe i heard somewhere that its illegal to download some to protect the interests of an broadcaster. If everybody downloads from the Internet, the number of viewers declines. If the number of viewers drops, so does the value of the commercial time.
This also explains why recording the show is legal. Your still be watching it from their channel with the commercials.

However, several produces allow their fans to download them from the Internet, to gain more fans of the show faster. Until the DVD arrives that is, after that they shut down every torrent they can.

Personally i think it should be legal to do so if every other mean of watching them, like on television or DVD, is gone.

spratt89

The Last Thing I Am Going to say on this matter, again from another person

Downloading of TV shows isn't illegal unless they've been ripped from a DVD (that is, they've been copyrighted and sold commercially). Most shows are recorded, the commercials edited out, and shared via BitTorrent. These TV shows are NOT illegal to distribute. However, you cannot repackage them and sell them.


Well it seems everyone has a different view on this matter. I just find it strange that the internet providers are meant to now give your 3 strikes and then cut you off but you never hear of anyone having that happen in the UK or the US as if everyone thinks about the amount of people that do it then you would of thought there would be more news on it.

I for one am happy to watch on tv if the wait is not too long before the new season starts or on here as it is great here.

shinny

Yeh, the same happens here in that the onus is put on the service provider to "go after" people who are downloading Music, Movies, TV Shows, etc. I imagine that they only go after hardcore abusers of this. If you download the odd song, or whatever, here and there, I doubt they have the time or resource to track you down !!

spratt89

Well with the money problems world wide they have more important things to think about.

gypsiegirl66

I'm pretty sure, that this is a licensing issue. When you record off the TV, they know who licensed it (the station). The same applies, when you buy a DVD, you are buying the license with it. Like on amazon.com, you can download there movies/tv shows. Some you can actually purchase the license for (two downloads), but many you can only keep for 24hrs (it's like renting it), after that you can't access it, unless you pay again. When you stream video or music, the movie/show/song, never leaves the internet, it never becomes your possession. It plays and then it's gone, so there are no ownership licensing issues, that is the loop hole.

dognxtdoor

To add further to her excellent explanation, streaming the video is like a 2nd broadcast, and is legal to be done, and charged for as long as the cost for the 2nd broadcast (our site) does not exceed the reasonable operating costs  to create that broadcast. Which is why our charge is less then 25 cents per 1 hour show, and not 1.99 or more like sites that allow you to download a copy.