[mythtv-users] What NOT to do to your Myth box...

[Brad Templeton]

On Sat, Jan 15, 2005 at 03:01:25PM -0500, Gabe Rubin wrote:
> > You should even worry about it -- I don't really see how it is much
> > different from asking a friend with a VCR to tape something for you.
> > Since you aren't planning on publicly distribution the files there
> > really isn't a problem.. (the TV studio would never get wind of it
> > anyway)

Copying is a funny thing.   For example, it's legal for you to tape
a show off the air to watch later.  Or to record it to hard disk, which
makes MythTV legal.

And once you have that tape, you could loan it to your friend because
no copying takes place -- you physically loan him the legally made
tape.  It's almost impossible to violate copyright law unless you are
making a copy.

However, in the digital realm, you are unlikely to loan your friend the
actual hard disk in your Myth box.   More likely you would go about
making another copy for him.   This copy is not on nearly so firm
a ground as the first one.  Though there are signs the courts will
permit such "personal" copying, ie. within a direct circle of friends,
but no guarantee.

Then you might start offering copies to anybody over bittorrent, and
these copies are on really shaky ground, legally.  Whether there is
major risk is another question.  The studios are going after people who
put up torrents of current movies.  Whether they will be motivated to
specifically go after people doing an OTA TV-show is another question.
(They have gone after _sites_ that specialize in those, though.)