[msarro]

I use Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon prime. Thanks to working for Comcast, I also get access to HBOGo, Max Go, and all of the xfinity TV online stuff. These also provide a ton of movies at high speeds, no watermarks. Combine that with the tons of free content out there, and there's rarely a shortage of stuff.

If I can't find it still, at that point I start looking to buy, if it's something I know I want to keep around. If I'm unsure, I fill in with less-than-savory XBMC plugins that aren't supposed to be mentioned.

If I really want it, and can't find it to buy, I consider other more grey areas of legality - for movies, if you don't see an issue with ripping discs, get a membership to your local library. Their collections are actually pretty astounding these days. Netflix with Disc option is also a good way to go too because it's such a huge collection.

[CpTHOOK]

WOW.....what a great debate. I wish I was reading real-time instead of having to bump the thread but I felt a need to contribute to the discussion anyway. Most can make an assumption of where I stand on the issue based upon my XBMC username alone, but media piracy has helped the legal consumer in a few different ways.

1.) Studios and artists are forced to produce better quality media instead of some crap they've just released for some extra money
2.) Could you imagine the prices studios would charge us for media if it were'nt for piracy forcing them to keep prices reasonable.....WOW, what a thought considering how media studios typically squeeze every penny they can from the consumer.

I respect the Original Poster and his feeling the need to change his/her way to obtain media legally, but if the studios won't make it easy for us to do so then why should we bend over backward. I agree that Itellectual property should be respected, but don't you think the consumer should be respected as well??

I wish the OP good luck with his newfound moral attitude toward obtaining future media, but until the atmoshpere changes dramatically I will continue to "UseNet"

Arr arr mateys!!

[tential]

For things on your cable box why wouldn't a Ceton Quad Tuner work? Just record EVERYTHING and encode it yourself. You can set this up to be done automatically right?

Studios do make it hard to make use of legally obtained media. Hell, I thought about getting a bluray, and then I read the Region thing or whatever. I was like woah, I can only watch it in certain places? If I travel overseas I'm not able to enjoy The Dark Knight? I had forgot about this. Seems pointless to have to buy multiple copies of something I already own.

Seeing as how you're allowed to record TV (or they'd set it up so you couldn't as cable providers have the option), I don't see anything wrong with recording all TV you want.

[natethomas]

Indeed. The answer is vastly different now than it was back in 2011. Today, XBMC works with PVRs. There's no real reason not to just record everything and then pull it into your library.

[bnevets27]

Unless you live in Canada where its nearly impossible to record TV. I say nearly impossible due to the fact that it is technically possible but now were close to worth while. Unfortunately for us we don't have cable card and the ONLY way to receive signal from any of the content providers is to use their STB (yes we HAVE to use their STB). And those boxes to do not output any digital signal. So the only technically possible way is with an analog capture card and an IR blaster to change the channel on the STB to achieve a nearly unwatchably compressed SD content.

Its FAR easier to just setup sickbeard. (And we don't have Hulu, Canadian Netfix sucks (lots of people here get a proxy to use the US Netflix), or Amazon, and the list continues)

[DJ_Izumi]

He does have a point about volume, at least in my subjective experience. Has anyone noticed that most often, TV ripped media played back with MP3 or AAC audio as source has a higher volume level than TV rips that use DD5.1 as a direct copy from the broadcast stream? Or, in simpler terms, the SDTV (Which usually use MP3 or AAC) stuff us usually louder than the HDTV stuff. I'm also not including anything ripped from DVD or Blu-Ray in this.

Or am I just crazy?

[bnevets27]

No, I agree, I do find volume level vary across different files. No informative info on which media like DJ has mentioned. But I have always wanted XBMC to be able to normalize the volume level. That way I wouldn't have to always have the remote in arms distance encase the next file blare or I can't hear it. Its not a huge/wide spread issue but would be nice.