[NTLUG:Discuss] BitTorrent and TV shows

[Terry Henderson]

On Thu,  2 Dec 2004 10:09:17 -0600, tr_data1 <tr_data1 at ev1.net> wrote:
> I created this as a sep. topic in hopes that they both get answered.
> Another idea of getting the TV shows part of my HDTV wishes is with
> BitTorrent (or such). What's the scoop on that? I did a brief search
> on that and some of the things I read seem to imply that it might not
> be legal to get your TV shows this way.

... because you'd be reproducing copywrited material.
> 
> This seems odd to me. Lets say I downloaded a TV show that aired
> yesterday (that I missed). What's illegal about that? How is it any
> different, legally, than using a PVR to record it when it aired? In any
> case, my guess is that it would become quite illegal after July 2005
> because such files would get around the broadcast flag.
> 
> IMHO, I think that the broadcast flag will quickly become a means for
> the TV networks to charge for what is currently free. It'll be under

But it's not currently free and never was free, the networks pay for then.

> the excuss of "excessive expenses" and/or commercials not very
> useful anymore because everybody skips them.
> =TR=
> 

Even if you through out the legal issue, it's a gross misuse of
bandwidth to download something over the internet that's already been
broadcast over the airways.  If you don't capture it the first time
over public airways, we're going to hog up lots and lots of internet
bandwidth downloading it over and over again to personal PCs all over
the world. It just doesn't make sense to me.

I have a VCR and I often set it to record a program that I don't want
to miss.  Whether I'm here or not, the VCR will come on and download
it, if I'm here, and free to watch, I just turn the VCR off. VCRs are
not obsolete, IMHO, they're very convenient.
</my2cents> <><