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Clampdown on TV 'Dodgy Boxes'

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  • Registered Users Posts: 4,801 ✭✭✭jj880


    I'll just go on the lam when the IPTV arrests start:

    Once the first end user is arrested** in Ireland for IPTV I'll cancel my sub and never use it again. Until then a chance Im willing to take.

    **Never gona happen.



  • Registered Users Posts: 9,452 ✭✭✭irishgeo


    No need to resort to insults.

    As I said let's see who is right.



  • Registered Users Posts: 136 ✭✭RedCardKid


    How do you go about protecting yourself when using the service?



  • Registered Users Posts: 154 ✭✭Murt2024


    Have my Android box set up on a guest network from Router.

    Same with my micro Pc for downloading from torrent sites connected to TV.

    ill probably buy a physical VPN device sometime soon instead of a software one.



  • Registered Users Posts: 7,338 ✭✭✭Gusser09




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  • Registered Users Posts: 154 ✭✭Murt2024


    Yes, so my setup is I have an oldish laptop running a VPN with two Ethernet ports on a guest network from Router. I share the internet connection to a five port switch which my android box is connected to and PC connected to TV to get around the geo blocks.

    Anything else is just on main connection.



  • Registered Users Posts: 1,464 ✭✭✭TokTik


    Gonna keep my front door open from now on. Don’t wanna have to replace it when SWAT turn up arrest me and seize my firestick hahahaha



  • Registered Users Posts: 4,801 ✭✭✭jj880




  • Registered Users Posts: 3,569 ✭✭✭dubrov


    What self respecting VPN provider would keep logs of connections? There's nothing in it for them.

    They'd be out of business overnight if it leaked.



  • Registered Users Posts: 5,900 ✭✭✭JDxtra


    What's the advantage of this over just running the VPN on your Android device?



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  • Registered Users Posts: 18,583 ✭✭✭✭kippy


    Unlikely. The resources simply aren't there and there's a shed tonne more pressing matters.

    More importantly the courts will be tied up with hundreds of TV licence fee evaders in the next 18 to 24 months.



  • Registered Users Posts: 18,583 ✭✭✭✭kippy


    Unless you are using something that hangs of f THOR, and even with that, you don't have any guarantee that logs or partial logs aren't being kept at points in the chain. However the network forensics and time required to do something of value with them make it almost impossible with so many more pressing matters.



  • Registered Users Posts: 1,793 ✭✭✭Bobson Dugnutt


    There's a load of threads in the Bargain Alerts forum about free or suspiciously cheap VPN deals.

    There ain't no business out there offering you a free VPN for the good of society. If something is free or very cheap then you have to ask yourself what is the business model behind it.



  • Registered Users Posts: 7,338 ✭✭✭Gusser09


    Agreed. Go with one of the established mainstream providers.



  • Registered Users Posts: 1,458 ✭✭✭Bigmac1euro


    Of course they can catch whoever they want. It’s not rocket science tracking IP addresses which are streaming 1000’s of gb of data every month from an unknown source and not Netflix/disney.

    So yes the point that the vast majority can be traced is true. But if you’re the one getting fined or dragged through the court out of the 1000’s of people doing the same thing in this country would be like winning on a 10,000/1 shot in the grand national. The likelihood is you won’t be touched. And worse case scenario you get a letter threatening you. Very very very worst case you get a 1000 euro fine and brought to court. I know of people who haven’t had a tv package since 2016 that’s 8 years of not paying for a tv package. How much did they save? Probably worth the fine. Can the history of their iptv usage be digged up. Of course but it would take a lot of effort. considering the person likely moved addresses and isp numerous times over the years. The effort for just catching one person and coming down hard on them probably isn’t worth it.



  • Registered Users Posts: 2,339 ✭✭✭robwen


    Plus there are loads of Guards using IPTV, I know 3 who have the same setup as mine & they ain't using VPNs



  • Registered Users Posts: 1,458 ✭✭✭Bigmac1euro


    90% aren’t using vpns. Nobody gives a ****. Nobody in this country is afraid of the law and rightly so when they give sex offenders and serious criminals a slap on the wrist regularly. Place is lawless.



  • Registered Users Posts: 4,801 ✭✭✭jj880


    Yip. The threat of some examples being made out of a few end users (which I dont believe will happen anyway) isn't going to deter anyone. Its nowhere near whats needed to stop subs selling. Thats a good point about the savings adding up to any fine. Bottom line is the juice is worth the squeeze at the moment. Until such times that actually changes any scaremongering isnt going to make any difference.



  • Registered Users Posts: 1,458 ✭✭✭Bigmac1euro


    interesting times ahead as the problem can’t be ignored but likely the case they just go in hard and shutting them down from source using digital watermarks. The end users aren’t going to get burnt imo maybe a handful but only time will tell I guess. As others have said the Garda are under resourced and there is far bigger fish to fry than iptv like the cocaine epidemic exploding across the country. Thats not to say they don’t have a unit for tv pirates but they aren’t going to be funding them. You’re likely at a far bigger risk if based in UK but as we’ve seen so far. A few arrests on guys with preloaded fire sticks (hard evidence) and then a few threatening letters warning people to stop streaming.



  • Registered Users Posts: 7,338 ✭✭✭Gusser09


    Lads a watermark or anything similar can't really work as it's a legitimate sub being broadcast for IPTV. The broadcaster have no idea who is using a legitimate sub for IPTV and they have no idea who is connecting to the iPTV server. Thus they can't pick 1 legitimate sub with 200 people connecting to the server and hit them all with a watermark. They don't control the server rebroadcasting the legitimate sub.

    It's in no way similar to card sharing either which was easy enough for them to tackle once the problem became widespread. That was based around encryption. How many people were prosecuted for card sharing?

    As for prosecuting end users? I don't know. Again not a simple thing to do. Once VPNs are involved it's nigh on impossible to see where the traffic goes when it hits the VPN server. Even without a VPN they still have to prove that the users is accessing copyright material over the internet connection. They have to prove that the IP being hit is indeed being used to host coyright material. In a house of multiple people? Makes it even more difficult.

    Plus I know for a fact my provider uses a VPN on their end too.

    Posters on here getting excited about IPTV being blocked are way off the mark if they think it's going to happen anytime soon or if the technology exists to do it. I think Sky are only interested in commercial premises who use IPTV. They are easier to catch and prosecute. They also cost Sky more in terms of lost revenue.

    IPTV is here to stay. Sky putting their prices up again just confirms that they really don't have the appetite to tackle it. As someone said they could try a media campaign and play on peoples moral conscience but only the most naive of users will be phased by that. I'm yet to meet anyone who gives a shite about Skys profits.



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  • Registered Users Posts: 5,900 ✭✭✭JDxtra


    You are missing the point around watermarking. It doesn't matter if 200 or 200,000 people are connected to the IPTV steam. It's not relevant. They only need to find the one account with the legitimate sub. It absolutely can be done with some effort and creativity.



  • Registered Users Posts: 15,230 ✭✭✭✭Fr Tod Umptious


    On the prosecuting end users I don't think it will happen, as we saw from the music industry days it was a bad look.

    Better off making the illegal streaming services difficult to use and untrustworthy.

    On the watermark thing, consider the following.

    Most illegal streams have to start with a legal sub, a legal Sky Sports subscription for example.

    Sky Sports insert a watermark on each sub that only they know where to find.

    Sky then sign up to a multitude of illegal streaming services.

    They watch the service and as soon as they detect the watermark they cancel the subscription.

    Bang anyone connected to that illegal streaming service using that Sky Sports sub is now gone dark.

    Obviously all of this is automated.



  • Registered Users Posts: 7,338 ✭✭✭Gusser09


    I'd imagine if it were that simple they would be doing it.



  • Registered Users Posts: 15,230 ✭✭✭✭Fr Tod Umptious


    I would not be surprised if it was being used in some shape or form or that the tech to do it efficiently is still in the works.

    They would have to be signing up to a lot of subs to catch illegal streaming.

    Plus it's only useful for paid subscriptions.

    For example if an EPL game is free on NBC in the US, and NBC find it on an illegal streaming services via the method I suggested there is nothing they can do about it, NBC is not a subscription service, it's free to air.



  • Registered Users Posts: 5,900 ✭✭✭JDxtra


    I would not be surprised to see an increased effort to tackle the illegal IPTV streams, at least for Sky and TNT Sports, before the Premier League 2024/2025 season.

    Unlike card sharing, it is a more complex issue for them to address. I can’t see anyone going after end users with anything more than a marketing campaign. Suspect it will be a continued effort of targeting local resellers, more blocking of IPs and then some new technology like advanced watermarking.

    Look at the recent launch of Vodafone Play TV here in Ireland. The Sky channels are not part of the Vodafone service directly, instead users must use the Now TV app. This points to them wanting control of the devices their channels are played on. I expect having control allows them to add watermarking, or other security controls, without having to deal with other operators.

    It's not going to disappear overnight, and the cat and mouse game will continue for now.



  • Registered Users Posts: 29,386 ✭✭✭✭Wanderer78


    ...efforts always 'seem' to pick up before new football seasons, but the 'problem' seems to also grow exponentially, the sheer numbers of illegal connections is astonishing now, id love to know whats preventing broadcasters from stopping this, as it seems out of control now.....



  • Registered Users Posts: 819 ✭✭✭alzer100


    For those who may have a good idea. How sophisticated are IPTV providers? Because there are so many, are they all at a certain level of technology? or is this a grey area?



  • Registered Users Posts: 2,781 ✭✭✭Nigzcurran


    I've seen sky try watermarks before and the seller just blurs it out



  • Registered Users Posts: 9,452 ✭✭✭irishgeo


    Because it's always in the same place. If sky subscribed to a number of IPTV services and switched the watermark location at 3am or 4am when it's wasn't being monitored then they would probably catch a few.

    The big market for IPTV is the UK and Ireland. The rest of Europe gets matches at decent prices and all of the matches.



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  • Registered Users Posts: 20,993 ✭✭✭✭dxhound2005


    It's like the shoplifters using foil lining to defeat scanners. Criminals will always find a way.



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