Xbmc-android tv

[L00b 441]

I did and I found this <...>

It was more of a rethorical expression, geared, to indicate that there is plenty of legal and international legislation covering the issue.

 

And, as with all such situations, it only really becomes an issue for people using the material if, as and when relevant rights holders should decide and start to do something about it - in the meantime, it's academic. Plenty of similar threads in years gone by about torrents and the like (essentially the same issues are involved).

 

But the facts underlying the (hypothetical) cases and the laws governing the application to such facts in such (hypothetical) cases are there just the same.

 

Technical circumvention of DRM/DMCA-related measures is a criminal, as well as civil, issue these days. As the Chinese guy who was mass-importing R4s for NDSs found ou to his costt, with a hard time sentence, some years ago. Just sayin' (...that the UK importers/resellers of these boxes might wind up shop pretty sharpish, once the UK networks start getting their s**t together to try and salvage their audience figures ).

It doesn't make any mention of anyone watching the stream tho, it doesn't say it's illegal to watch that stream only that it's illegal to create it.

It may not (per my post...and for now), but when those sources eventually get plugged through court action (maybe), what will users do with such function-specific/function-programmed boxes?

 

I mean, other than use them for playback of local NAS/USB<etc.> and e.g. YouTube files like so many devices already allow natively (e.g. most smart TVs, BD players <etc.>)?

Edited May 6, 2014 by L00b

[geared 319]

Plenty of similar threads in years gone by about torrents and the like (essentially the same issues are involved).

 

Well no really it's not, as streaming media and torrenting media are totally different.

 

The Torrent network usually involves sharing the media with other users while it's being downloaded, so the user becomes a distributor - which is obviously illegal (for copyrighted material)

 

Streaming is different, there is no sharing, no distribution by the end user.

[RootsBooster 24]

Technical circumvention of DRM/DMCA-related measures is a criminal, as well as civil, issue these days. As the Chinese guy who was mass-importing R4s for NDSs found ou to his costt, with a hard time sentence, some years ago. Just sayin' (...that the UK importers/resellers of these boxes might wind up shop pretty sharpish, once the UK networks start getting their s**t together to try and salvage their audience figures ).

There's nothing illegal about the boxes or XBMC

It may not (per my post...and for now), but when those sources eventually get plugged through court action (maybe), what will users do with such function-specific/function-programmed boxes?

 

I mean, other than use them for playback of local NAS/USB<etc.> and e.g. YouTube files like so many devices already allow natively (e.g. most smart TVs, BD players <etc.>)?

They're Android units, it's essentially a mini-PC, they have the same operating system as an Android phone. I use mine for Emails, Sheffield Forum, Ebay, games, video and more.

I even use a keyboard with it to type.

[alchresearch 215]

Aren't they just simple web browsers with pre-set bookmarks to streaming websites?

[anywebsite 10]

It was more of a rethorical expression, geared, to indicate that there is plenty of legal and international legislation covering the issue.

 

And, as with all such situations, it only really becomes an issue for people using the material if, as and when relevant rights holders should decide and start to do something about it - in the meantime, it's academic. Plenty of similar threads in years gone by about torrents and the like (essentially the same issues are involved).

 

But the facts underlying the (hypothetical) cases and the laws governing the application to such facts in such (hypothetical) cases are there just the same.

 

Technical circumvention of DRM/DMCA-related measures is a criminal, as well as civil, issue these days. As the Chinese guy who was mass-importing R4s for NDSs found ou to his costt, with a hard time sentence, some years ago. Just sayin' (...that the UK importers/resellers of these boxes might wind up shop pretty sharpish, once the UK networks start getting their s**t together to try and salvage their audience figures ).

It may not (per my post...and for now), but when those sources eventually get plugged through court action (maybe), what will users do with such function-specific/function-programmed boxes?

 

I mean, other than use them for playback of local NAS/USB<etc.> and e.g. YouTube files like so many devices already allow natively (e.g. most smart TVs, BD players <etc.>)?

 

What are you on about? It's a small pc that plugs into your TV. You think internet connected computers are going to get banned? There's no circumvention of anything. It allows access to some questionable online streaming services, like any other computer.

[L00b 441]

Well no really it's not, as streaming media and torrenting media are totally different.

 

The Torrent network usually involves sharing the media with other users while it's being downloaded, so the user becomes a distributor - which is obviously illegal (for copyrighted material)

 

Streaming is different, there is no sharing, no distribution by the end user.

You appear to have missed my point: what do you stream and where from, when the source (like e.g. Aero in the US) is removed through legal action?

 

It is 'legal' (matter of interpretation) for an end user to stream from a source, but not for the (unauthorised) source to upload.

 

Exact same principle as torrents (in which most end users are sources, but some may not e.g. with an upload set at 0kb making this 'leeching-only' use of torrents 'legal' under the above principle).

There's nothing illegal about the boxes or XBMC

Where have I said that the boxes and XBMC are illegal?

 

Factually, certain aspects of the (soft-) configuration of the boxes as advertised and sold may well be.

 

In any case, what I have said is that it would be the Courts deciding that in due course, as and when rights owners move to enforce - and not until then.

 

I know XBMC and the fact that it is not illegal very well, been using it myself for donkey's years, dating all the way back to Mk1 xbox. Just like e.g. MAME and most emulators are completely legal, but e.g. any required BIOS files are not unless you manage to (somehow) image them from your own console(s), and let's not talk about ROMs and ISOs.

They're Android units, it's essentially a mini-PC, they have the same operating system as an Android phone. I use mine for Emails, Sheffield Forum, Ebay, games, video and more. I even use a keyboard with it to type.

See below.

What are you on about?

An area of law I happen to know like the back of my hand, both professionally and out of personal interest.

It's a small pc that plugs into your TV. You think internet connected computers are going to get banned? There's no circumvention of anything. It allows access to some questionable online streaming services, like any other computer.

Where to begin, with this...

 

(i) I know it's a SFF that plugs into a TV (or the like), it's not as if Chinese manufacturers haven't been busy dreaming up ATOM- or ARM-based this-that-the other miniPC box for years now.

 

(ii) no I don't think internet connected computers are going to get banned. But devices (i) specifically configured to bypass technical limitations to access a resource (e.g. subscription service dependent on user authentication) (ii) when advertised and sold as that (like those of the OP) may well be.

 

(iii) for some channels, there is circumvention of card-based subscription auth. There is also format-shifting of the medium (OTA>bitstream).

 

That'll do for now.

 

Please take the time to read the posts, and try not to see the world in shades of black and white only, to avoid jumping to wrong conclusions. Or, if you are so well-informed that you know so much better already, I would suggest that you give ABC or Aero a buzz in the US and offer your services to undercut their respective small armies of IP attorneys involved in the case which I mentioned earlier, and which has even the Supreme Court judges scratching their heads in anger

 

There was me thinking anyone might be a little bit more interested in the legalities of the thing, and perhaps elevating a debate a bit, than just wanting to know does it plug in HDMI and can you watch the Penthouse channel?

Edited May 6, 2014 by L00b

[CPC464 10]

hello,

 

Just looking at the android t.v boxes on ebay. Has anybody got one? Are they any good? Surely there must be some catch - free movies and sport.

 

Cheers.

 

Download the software to your PC and try it - it will cost you nothing.

 

lots of people use xbmc to stream movies and sport illegally - which is what you have seen the adverts for.

I suspect the ones that say they are 'jail broken' have the illegal sources already added.

[DeathAxe 10]

Get an intel NUC or a pi and install openelec :-)

[swarfendor437 14]

Tut! Tut! DeathAxe - you forgot to point out that OpenELEC is an OS devised by the XBMC devs! and on the current copy of 'Linux User and Developer' with a raft of Pi projects!

[parsoncross 10]

Wouldn't get a pi it runs ok but rubbish compared to a pc are lappy

[swarfendor437 14]

Pi's are really for educational purposes, and meant for fun - not serious stuff - oh I forgot, you can use them for monitoring your home brewed beer!

[DeathAxe 10]

Tut! Tut! DeathAxe - you forgot to point out that OpenELEC is an OS devised by the XBMC devs! and on the current copy of 'Linux User and Developer' with a raft of Pi projects!

 

It would only take a trip to the website or 10 seconds on google to find out that. Give the guy credit, he isn't stupid.