What percentage of people buy movies legally ???

I know it is against forum rules to promote copyright infringement... I am not doing that in any way.

I am just wondering.

I am just curious what you guys think is the percentage of people that "buy" movies legally for HTCP vs. download them illegally.

If you totaled every movie on every htcp from every user on this forum- what percentage do you think have obtained the media by legal purchase at retail ?

Not really looking for a real answer. More looking for peoples opinions.

I would guess more than 50% of the content out there was not purchased legally.

Like I said I was curious.


Wow your reading way to far into this my friend. Almost seems like you want to pick a fight. Relax. I don't feel guilty about anything... nor have I done anything wrong. What other people do have no effect on me.

I can't help but feel like your against the concept and somehow have determined I am guilty. Your wrong on both accounts.


Yeah- For an enthusiast this is the #1 issue I think your right here.

I want all the bits too.

It is much more common for 1080p/720p X264/h264 MKV's with full audio as torrents now though.... It just takes way too long to download vs burning a bluray. Netflix is pretty sweet too.

Yeah it seems to be going down that path.

I was more wondering what the percentage is... as a look to the future.

It just seems that PC based content both legal and illegal is gaining momentum fast.

Cable companies suck. they charge too much and the product is terrible. Why watch live TV? The commercials alone kill me.

I was early adopter of the HD TIVO with cable card... years ago. I loved it. DVR made watching TV better.

Then came HTCP, and steaming... and downloading, ripping... etc.

No commercials. Content you want.. when you want it.

It's much better.

Seems like the direction most are taking. I have so many friends and family that watch even regular TV online now... or utilize a highspeed internet to get content.... vs watch it from cable service.

I can't imagine how different things will be in a few years.

The traditional cable service product will need to change or reduce costs to compete for sure.

Path of least resistance.

It's common sense.

People don't want to wait. They don't want commercials. They want what they want when they want it.

SO... if you can get it better/faster/easier online... steaming or downloading... then why would you buy a disc or pay for a cable/DSS service ???


I think the industry needs to wake up and change.

On demand type services are huge. I see value in that. If Cable changes it's operating model so that it is easier and faster.. and better to get what you want.. it would justify the cost.

Same with purchased disc media. It's either too hard or too expensive for some people.

Who wants to get up and find a disc.. and discover it scratched... when you want to watch a movie? Or can't find it?
vs.
Just hitting the button on the remote and it plays from your HTCP.

Yeah I did not really intend for this discussion to go too far in that direction.

I was basically under the assumption that everyone already knows about it, so it does not need to be discussed that much.

My questions and curiosity are more at "the future"

Where are things headed. It seems that as alternative methods gain momentum for content aquisistion - traditional methods are becoming less and less attractive.

I just cancelled my $100 month comcast service. It was horrible. Too expensive and I never used it.

With a much cheaper netflix account and streaming online services- I can watch all the same stuff... anytime I want and without commercials for much less cost.

I think cable companies and the industry in general needs a fast wake up call.

Their product must be superior in order to justify the high cost. Otherwise the price must come down... if they want to maintain market share.

I see a rapid decline in both movie sales- (disc media) and cable subscriptions in next 5 years.

I see streaming services, on demand services, and download services gaining much momentum during the same period.

For sure. Some Clients like VUZE are built to specialize not just in obtaining the content - but distributing it - all over- to all devices. Cell phones, XBOX, Tivo, DLNA... it has support for just about everything.

It's light years beyond napster. Easier to use too.

For sure- the direction things are headed looks bad for the cable companies and movie studios.

They need to figure out a path of least resistance to make money.

Somehow offer a better quality- faster downloading... version legally for a paid price. Many people are not opposed to "paying" as much as they are opposed to the BS... of DRM, slow downloads, or lack of availability of what they want when they want it.

No. I was suggesting that since it is harder to remain legal and easier to just "steal" it- that is what many do. many do this- who might be willing to pay for it... because it's not worth the effort to actually do it.

If they made it easier/faster/better to pay for it- I think you would see a higher percentage of people do it.

Example: If you could download directly from the MFG a 1080p/DTSMA MKV in full bitrate quality at unlimited/unthrottled download speeds for $2 and you had the ability to re-download it anytime in the future with your username/password and receipt of payment- Would you use this service?

I would. For sure. Without any doubts. Saving me tons of time ripping, storing... going to the store to buy or rent... or downloading. Not to mention I would be certain of the quality and feel "good" that I bought it.

It's well worth it to me.

But you don't see this much at all. --- While in comparison you can almost do all that without any cost illegally in the torrent world. The movie studios and content distributors need to re-invent themselves in order to compete or make additional income in this new world.

For many years to come your going to have the average person doing what they have always done, - subscribing to cable, and renting/buying discs.

For the tech savy (us here) we want a little more.. and our expertise level is higher. Instead they try to fight it- block it... wasting time and money .. because it is inevitable the shift how media is obtained. They would be smarter to try to outcompete and offer a better product/service/quality that's worth paying for- in the manner people want it.

Just my .02$