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  1. #1
    Bloodsail Admiral Blackspur's Avatar
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    [TV] Is downloading TV shows Illegal?

    The title kind of says it all really, but I just wanted to know whether downloading TV is against the law or not. The reason I ask this question is because I download a lot of TV, most recently Game of Thrones. I cannot wait for the second series but that will come out whilst I am at University and have no access to Sky TV (UK broadcasting agency that show GoT) therefore I have no way to watch it other than downloading a torrent and universities have rather strict policies on illegal dowloading (as they should).
    I know that it is Illegal to download Games and Movies via torrent, and just wondered whether TV fell in the same category.

  2. #2
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    What do you think?

  3. #3
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    I think so, though some of them are on public broadcasting (just read the title).

  4. #4
    I would assume that it is, however I'm not 100%. But, if you have an HBO subscription at home, you can use HBO Go. It's an app that allows you to watch HBO on your computer, ipod, iphone, or ipad. All you need is to plug in your username/password for the cable account that has HBO on it and you can use it.

  5. #5
    only if you´re caught. Its my motto
    Everytime you whine, blizzard lags a server.

  6. #6
    Bloodsail Admiral Blackspur's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Seys* View Post
    only if you´re caught. Its my motto
    Exactly my dilemma, I will most likely be caught at Uni :P

    ---------- Post added 2011-07-06 at 07:06 PM ----------

    Quote Originally Posted by Raleik View Post
    I would assume that it is, however I'm not 100%. But, if you have an HBO subscription at home, you can use HBO Go. It's an app that allows you to watch HBO on your computer, ipod, iphone, or ipad. All you need is to plug in your username/password for the cable account that has HBO on it and you can use it.
    I am from the UK, HBO does not exist over here.

  7. #7
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    Quote Originally Posted by Blackspur View Post
    Exactly my dilemma, I will most likely be caught at Uni :P
    Why do you think I'm on a massive downloading spree before I go to university in September?

  8. #8
    The way I see it (and the way Canada use to see it) downloading a TV show is the same as if I was to record it on a video tape or DVD off of TV and then you borrow it from me to watch it.

  9. #9
    Bloodsail Admiral Blackspur's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Scotai View Post
    Why do you think I'm on a massive downloading spree before I go to university in September?
    I am gonna download so many Games/Movies/Tv Shows before I head off in September aswell then. Like I said though GoT and various other things come out during my time there. Looks like I will have to download everything when i come home at the weekends :P

  10. #10
    It is illegal. The broadcasting company pays just to air the show to a specific time. If you watch e.g. Game of Thrones without having a membership for Sky TV or any other Pay TV you violate the copyrights because you didn't pay to watch the show and so you aren't allowed to. It's the same if you download the show. You always have to pay if you want to watch a show even if it is aired on a free to air TV channel. When it is aired on free to air then the broadcasting company paid for the right to show it to you at a specific time and you pay for it by watching the commercials. So even if the show was aired on free to air you aren't allowed to download and watch it because nobody paid for it.

  11. #11
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    Quote Originally Posted by Blackspur View Post
    I am gonna download so many Games/Movies/Tv Shows before I head off in September aswell then. Like I said though GoT and various other things come out during my time there. Looks like I will have to download everything when i come home at the weekends :P
    What, you think your Uni will somehow catch you?

  12. #12
    Bloodsail Admiral Blackspur's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by UncleSilas View Post
    What, you think your Uni will somehow catch you?
    Well considering that every University use there own ISP, either be it a private one or one they developed themselves, I am pretty sure they have a good chance at finding you.

  13. #13
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    Quote Originally Posted by Blackspur View Post
    Well considering that every University use there own ISP, either be it a private one or one they developed themselves, I am pretty sure they have a good chance at finding you.
    Lol who told you that? They have their own servers and routers, but if you're in a dorm it's unlikely you're hooked up to the main one used by the tech department. They get their internet from the same places as all private organizations, just they get a tonne more bandwidth.

    But yeah, it's more likely you'll just be getting access via a normal connection and not the universities. Also the odds of them monitoring download speeds that much is low, just make sure you do 0 seeding.

  14. #14
    Quote Originally Posted by lordjust View Post
    It is illegal. The broadcasting company pays just to air the show to a specific time. If you watch e.g. Game of Thrones without having a membership for Sky TV or any other Pay TV you violate the copyrights because you didn't pay to watch the show and so you aren't allowed to. It's the same if you download the show. You always have to pay if you want to watch a show even if it is aired on a free to air TV channel. When it is aired on free to air then the broadcasting company paid for the right to show it to you at a specific time and you pay for it by watching the commercials. So even if the show was aired on free to air you aren't allowed to download and watch it because nobody paid for it.
    Then shouldn't PVR and DVR be illegal? Their purpose is to save a show or movie to watch at a later time and skip the commercials.

  15. #15
    Just watch it on a streaming website. www.watch-series.com, www.sidereel.com These websites all have links that allow you to stream the episode of whatever show without downloading anything.
    Last edited by MathPraetor; 2011-07-06 at 06:28 PM.

  16. #16
    Bloodsail Admiral Blackspur's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by UncleSilas View Post
    Lol who told you that? They have their own servers and routers, but if you're in a dorm it's unlikely you're hooked up to the main one used by the tech department. They get their internet from the same places as all private organizations, just they get a tonne more bandwidth.

    But yeah, it's more likely you'll just be getting access via a normal connection and not the universities. Also the odds of them monitoring download speeds that much is low, just make sure you do 0 seeding.
    Well the fact that there is still a chance at being caught i do not want to risk my education over downloading things :P Also I don't even know how you do '0 seeding'

  17. #17
    Quote Originally Posted by Blackspur View Post
    Well considering that every University use there own ISP, either be it a private one or one they developed themselves, I am pretty sure they have a good chance at finding you.
    This is correct. I've worked at three different institutions. All three block or throttle ports used for torrent traffic. They also block or throttle common download sites such as rapidshare.

    Some institutions also preemptively detect students who are downloading stuff and issue warnings. This resulted from the institutions striking a deal to monitor their own usage to avoid lawsuits and criminal action against themselves and their students.

    So far I have been able to use easynews at full speed (not for anything illegal, of course) at all three institutions, so you may want to consider a usenet client/subscription.

  18. #18
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    Quote Originally Posted by Yobtar View Post
    Then shouldn't PVR and DVR be illegal? Their purpose is to save a show or movie to watch at a later time and skip the commercials.
    The difference is that you are already paying your distributor for the rights to view or record those programs whether you do or not. If you have a cable/satellite package I see absolutely nothing wrong with downloading something that is/was avilable for you to watch. If you don't have cable/satellite or have HBO, SHO, etc. in your package, then no it should be illlegal to download the programs as you have no right to view them as a paying customer.

  19. #19
    What you could be is find out who else likes the same shows and is willing to download them and just leach off them.

  20. #20
    Are you seriously asking that question? Downloading TV shows for free is indeed illegal.

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