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Does this App go against copyright laws?

C

cfs123

macrumors regular
Original poster
Jul 17, 2010
129
6
There is an app in the app store that allows one to download newly released DVD movies. It even explains this in the app description.

It just seems odd to me that this exists. I guess my question is, Did Apple let one slip through the cracks or is this legit?

Anyone anything about copyright laws?
 
C

cfs123

macrumors regular
Original poster
Jul 17, 2010
129
6
whocaresit said:
Name ?
Click to expand...

I use this forum a lot to help me with issues I have with my Apple stuff that I can't figure out on my own. That being said, since it is against MacRumors rules to discuss how to access digital material that is illegal so I prefer not to take the chance and open up a can of worms by throwing the name out into the open which would potentially lead to countless numbers of people downloading illegally, if it is fact illegal, all because I was curious. Hope this makes sense.

However, if you know about copyright and may have an answer I will be more than happy to pm you.

Only the talented can write quick threads while also expressing the tone they want. I am not one of them but the tone to my writing is sincere so please don't take this as me being an ass.
 
wackymacky

wackymacky

macrumors 68000
Sep 20, 2007
1,546
53
38°39′20″N 27°13′10″W
cfs123 said:
I use this forum a lot to help me with issues I have with my Apple stuff that I can't figure out on my own. That being said, since it is against MacRumors rules to discuss how to access digital material that is illegal so I prefer not to take the chance and open up a can of worms by throwing the name out into the open which would potentially lead to countless numbers of people downloading illegally, if it is fact illegal, all because I was curious. Hope this makes sense.

However, if you know about copyright and may have an answer I will be more than happy to pm you.

Only the talented can write quick threads while also expressing the tone they want. I am not one of them but the tone to my writing is sincere so please don't take this as me being an ass.
Click to expand...


I think you are being a little paranoid my friend.

I'm sure if I say that "I think that it is morally and legally dubious they way that HandBrake operates by using the libraries from VLC media player", I doubt I would be banned.

I am neither condoning pirating (which I don't), nor describing how it can be done.
 
C

cfs123

macrumors regular
Original poster
Jul 17, 2010
129
6
wackymacky said:
I think you are being a little paranoid my friend.

I'm sure if I say that "I think that it is morally and legally dubious they way that HandBrake operates by using the libraries from VLC media player", I doubt I would be banned.

I am neither condoning pirating (which I don't), nor describing how it can be done.
Click to expand...

The apps name is W.TV HD. It's in Chinese but navigation is easy to menuver through. The description is in English.

By the way, not paranoid, you reasoning about HB makes perfect sense. Hence, the more input one has from other parties, the better one can assess their own thinking and modify their thought process. So thanks for helping with that.
 
C

cfs123

macrumors regular
Original poster
Jul 17, 2010
129
6
arctic said:
:rolleyes:

This is just a bunch of Chinese TV channels.
Click to expand...

Look more closely. If you are looking at the iPad version the bottom will display four icons. One of them reads DVD. If you click it you can probably figure out the rest.
 
Night Spring

Night Spring

macrumors G5
Jul 17, 2008
14,614
7,793
Hmmmm, it does look mighty suspicious. On the other hand, this is China -- who knows what their laws are concerning this stuff?
 
C

cfs123

macrumors regular
Original poster
Jul 17, 2010
129
6
doodude said:
There are far easier ways to download newly released DVD movies than using your iPad & some Chinese app.

Having said that, it seems neither are, by definition, legal.
Click to expand...

1. Maybe there are but that's not the point.

2. Someone is on vacation and have their iPad, all I need to do is click this app
And download- no effort involved there.

3. It maybe a Chinese app but the letters DVD and the movie titles, and the word download, and the actual movies are in English.
 
C

cfs

macrumors 6502a
Feb 8, 2008
626
16
Night Spring said:
Hmmmm, it does look mighty suspicious. On the other hand, this is China -- who knows what their laws are concerning this stuff?
Click to expand...

maybe the laws are different, but then wouldn't everybody just find a "friend" in China and do this sort of thing.
 
wackymacky

wackymacky

macrumors 68000
Sep 20, 2007
1,546
53
38°39′20″N 27°13′10″W
Well I don't know if any one has tried it, so I though I'd give it a go.

I didn't download a movie (becasue it is a slooooooowwww server).

A 20 min TV episode took 15 min to download (on my home wifi, which I can download a iTunes 2h movie in <30) and the quality i was pretty poor.

I guess you get what you pay for.
 
C

cfs123

macrumors regular
Original poster
Jul 17, 2010
129
6
wackymacky said:
Well I don't know if any one has tried it, so I though I'd give it a go.

I didn't download a movie (becasue it is a slooooooowwww server).

A 20 min TV episode took 15 min to download (on my home wifi, which I can download a iTunes 2h movie in <30) and the quality i was pretty poor.

I guess you get what you pay for.
Click to expand...

I tried it out as well. As you mentioned, the download time is crazy long. It took 2.5 hours to download a 2 hour movie. The quality was average. Without a doubt watchable. In addition, one must be connected to a network to watch the downloaded movies. It is kind of like a Netflix que for those in the US.

Regardless, of this, it still begs the question, does this app violate copyright laws. Because reality is that someone could download a movie per night while sleeping and have a unlimited amount of movies to watch for free.
 
C

cfs123

macrumors regular
Original poster
Jul 17, 2010
129
6
northernclimate said:
Yes cfs123, the Itunes app sure makes you wonder, but?... Some fair quality videos with Chinese subtitles at the beginning that take forever to download. Once downloaded they only appear in the w.tv HD App on the iPad, don't sych nor indicate their diskspace utilized on the iPad within iTunes. Hardwarezone.com reports that," W.TV HD mobile TV is a financial Special Communication Technology Co., Ltd. Sichuan Branch of China Unicom, based streaming media platform for the development of a iPad mobile live TV client software. The client software carries Chongqing Radio and TV live broadcasts of digital media companies, domestic part of the provincial television contract." A look into China Unicom indicates that the company is HUGE. While adding this to the MacRumours thread just now, look what just came out? http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/44279/20100819/apple-ipad-iphone-china-unicom-hk-price.htm

Very Interesting.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the info about the company.

Do you think this violates copyright laws or would this be similar to ABC video for the US. I am just really curious and very confused.
 
N

northernclimate

macrumors newbie
Aug 18, 2010
7
0
W.tv Hd

CFS123, the streaming of TV function is probably similar to the ABC player but as we can't use this app here in Canada I personally can't make the comparison. Do you know if ABC (or any others) download directly to the ABC app as opposed to the iPad's video library and once downloaded require a live mobile connection for playback? If the video can't be played in an offline mode then technically has it been downloaded? I suspect that this is a beta app being tested in a live enviroment and that Apple is in agreement with the provision of these videos as a preliminary part of a larger deal currently being inked. The extreme slowness of the download (internationally anyways, I'm on high speed), the mediocre quality, the subtitles and the app's lack of visibility is probably meant to thwart those that are currently looking for a free ride. Looks like China Unicom will provide the network infrastructure but the retail of mobile devices and the media distribution will be through a licensed agreement with Apple. When you think about it, the requirement of being online in order to view a video is similar to the renting of a video on iTunes. Both situations are temporary as you aren't gaining ownership.
 
C

cfs123

macrumors regular
Original poster
Jul 17, 2010
129
6
northernclimate said:
CFS123, the streaming of TV function is probably similar to the ABC player but as we can't use this app here in Canada I personally can't make the comparison. Do you know if ABC (or any others) download directly to the ABC app as opposed to the iPad's video library and once downloaded require a live mobile connection for playback? If the video can't be played in an offline mode then technically has it been downloaded? I suspect that this is a beta app being tested in a live enviroment and that Apple is in agreement with the provision of these videos as a preliminary part of a larger deal currently being inked. The extreme slowness of the download (internationally anyways, I'm on high speed), the mediocre quality, the subtitles and the app's lack of visibility is probably meant to thwart those that are currently looking for a free ride. Looks like China Unicom will provide the network infrastructure but the retail of mobile devices and the media distribution will be through a licensed agreement with Apple. When you think about it, the requirement of being online in order to view a video is similar to the renting of a video on iTunes. Both situations are temporary as you aren't gaining ownership.
Click to expand...

ABC does not save to iPad. One must have a connection. However, something maybe a bit more similar to the app in question is the streaming of movies through Netflix.

Not sure if Netflix is only US but I think it is so I will explain. Netflix is a paid for movie subscription. A netflix member can get DVD's in the mail as well as stream movies so long as they have a live connection.

I see your point above and it seems very logical...and by the way thanks for the thorough post. However, is this only OK since it is the Chinese media giant. I mean, if one of us for example made an app like this it would pulled. Why wouldn't you tube do it then?

Maybe I am missing something though cause I still can't grasp the legitness of the app
 
N

northernclimate

macrumors newbie
Aug 18, 2010
7
0
w.tv HD

I would agree that it seems unfair, but maybe property ownership is a double edged sword that gives us a freedom that the Chinese don't have. too deep... my guess is that either Apple is in agreement to this as they: legally own the distribution and could provide the videos as free samples if they wanted, have the studios agreement, are turning a blind eye given the politics of China (similar to RIM's pending deals with India, Saudi Arabia?) or are allowing it on a test basis only.
This link might be referring to w.tv hd when they mention a live-video function for iPad testing.
http://www.cellular-news.com/story/44688.php
 
A

ashVID

macrumors regular
Jun 30, 2007
239
0
Painfully slow and terrible bootlegs, immediately uninstalled, don't waste your time!



ash =o)
 
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