Watching TV onboard

TugYacht_33 said:

you can get what is known as a "jail broke" fire stick

it is completely wide open to everything including real time live sports if thats your thing
just need a decent wifi

you can build a seriously good wifi antenna for just a few bucks to reach out and grab a decent signal

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I have a Fire Stick. As I can't get Canadian channels while I am in California, I see lots of Netflix, for $10.99 a month. I could subscribe to a large number of other $10.95/mo outlets, but to get some free music seems impossible.
Does this "Jailbreak" allow music, or would that have to be yet another subscription?

oohh no, there is a few hundred music channels, probably 100 movie channels, sports have maybe 100 or so, and everything that is over air or otherwise available ....... probably 3500-4000 channels, around 800-1000 that i would say are "viable" not including the music..... there is probably 200-300 porn channels so not good to let the kids get hold of it, it is basically everything that is broadcast

TugYacht_33 said:

you never responded about leaving the tv during the commercials.... same thing in my philosophy

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We're bad examples as we sit through them generally even on DVR. However, it's clearly not the same thing by law and your philosophy doesn't really count there.

I bought a cellular gateway...think of it as a hotspot with an ethernet port. I plugged in my router and have full wifi access on board.
This may sound like overkill, but it lets me also work from my boat.

I think T-Mobile offers "free" Netflix and Sprint includes Hulu....so those might be worth considering if you are in cell phone range.

I believe most cell phone plans include some sort of music service that doesn't count against your data plan....or Spotify or Pandora are free if you don't mind the commercials. Amazon also has a music service and iTunes do as well for a fee.

As for all incredibly judgemental comments about TV....WOW !!!

People are complex creatures with many interests. Everyone here has an interest in boating. Its nice that so many people have gathered to talk about that, and an amazing community has been created by that. BUT....that does not mean that our other interests will be aligned. And who says an interest in one thing, is more socially superior than another ?? Can a coin collector look down on a stamp collector ? Does a classical music fan enjoy a higher caste than a show tunes fan ? Do they get a better seat at the table of life if they can actually play a piano ? Some people spend hours trimming miniature trees, or dragging plastic psuedo-fish through the water trying to trick real ones into bleeding all over their cockpit. Some people run even though no one is chasing them, and others pick things up and put them down....pay hundreds for fancy wines, put on a tuxedo to hear an opera in a language they don't understand, or spend hours painting a picture when a photograph is much quicker and more accurate.

Why anyone thinks any of these pursuits are worthwhile doesn't matter. Only that the pursuer enjoy them, and has the means to do so. We don't have to understand each others non-boating hobbies, and we certainly don't need to judge them. Nothing positive will result from judging how another spends thier leisure time.

"Your assumptions are your windows on the world. Scrub them off once in a while, or the light won't come in" Isaac Asimov.

Hello.
We have a little TV in the salon.
Fortunatuly, which is very important, it can runs at 12V and 220V. That is neccesary to use TV Out of the marina (i don`t have generator).
With a normal TV antenna, there is a lot of problems when the boat change the direction, when It is anchored.
Solution: An omnidirectional 12 V antenna for boats or motorhomes...
The electrical comsuption is low, and the TV always tune our favorites channels.

Grettings from Spain and excuse my english...
http://navegandolaria.blogspot.com.es

We don't do TV on the boat. See boating as a short-term escape from land-based civilization. Have nothing against TV, but get more than enough at land-based home. ... Now I'm thinking about trains of sixty years ago.

jamchus said:

Hello.
We have a little TV in the salon.
Fortunatuly, which is very important, it can runs at 12V and 220V. That is neccesary to use TV Out of the marina (i don`t have generator).
With a normal TV antenna, there is a lot of problems when the boat change the direction, when It is anchored.
Solution: An omnidirectional 12 V antenna for boats or motorhomes...
The electrical comsuption is low, and the TV always tune our favorites channels.

Grettings from Spain and excuse my english...
Un Trawler navegando en la Ría de Vigo

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On behalf of the team at TF, welcome to the forum. I see this is your first post. No need to apologise for your English. Many on here who are born and bred English speakers don't write it that well. Just sayin' Keep posting. Tell us more about yourself, and we always want pics of your boat.

BandB said:

It's theft of services. That's the crime.

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Yes, that's the crime. Just because you do something that's illegal in private where it can't be seen doesn't change the legality of it.

It just reduces the chances of you getting caught.

BTW: Using someone else's Wi-Fi signal without their permission is also theft of service unless it's a public signal meant for public use.

Around here there's no need to "steal" wifi anymore, as Comcast, ( the only cable company in this area ) has changed all their routers to offer a public "xfinity" wifi that any Comcast customer can use. Its a really great feature.

plus finding an open wifi nowadays is pretty rare.

I have an external amplified antenna and rarely have I seen one in the last couple years from NJ to FL.

Benthic2 said:

Around here there's no need to "steal" wifi anymore, as Comcast, ( the only cable company in this area ) has changed all their routers to offer a public "xfinity" wifi that any Comcast customer can use. Its a really great feature.

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You're not stealing when you're a subscriber. A non subscriber accessing is doing so.

aboatman said:

Yes, that's the crime. Just because you do something that's illegal in private where it can't be seen doesn't change the legality of it.

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Schrödinger's cat......

BandB said:

We're bad examples as we sit through them generally even on DVR. However, it's clearly not the same thing by law and your philosophy doesn't really count there.

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you say generally ... that means it does happen.... so.....youre guilty of receiving services without the expected payment..... do you really think those advertisers pay all that money with the expectation your going to go make a sandwich, the network has an obligation to expose you to "said" commercial...

just because the reigns are a little looser dont make it any more or less morally correct ............. so yes, i say my philosophy is very much relevant in this case

and "tuning" in to a signal that i am bombarded with anyway against my consent is fair game in my book.....

TugYacht_33 said:

you say generally ... that means it does happen.... so.....youre guilty of receiving services without the expected payment..... do you really think those advertisers pay all that money with the expectation your going to go make a sandwich, the network has an obligation to expose you to "said" commercial...

just because the reigns are a little looser dont make it any more or less morally correct ............. so yes, i say my philosophy is very much relevant in this case

and "tuning" in to a signal that i am bombarded with anyway against my consent is fair game in my book.....

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No, they're fully aware people get up and eat and go to the restroom during commercials and nothing illegal about that. They expect it. Factor it in. Not morally or legally the same. You're just making excuses for your breaking of the law. If that's the type person you want to be, fine, but do not call something else the same.

BruceK said:

The owner of this boat love their TV. One side of the saloon is taken up with a lift up large TV in a long "sideboard", necessitating a redesign of the saloon.https://yachthub.com/list/boats-for-sale/used/power-boats/clipper-heritage-40/212067

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Nice boat was on it last week LOL

BandB said:

No, they're fully aware people get up and eat and go to the restroom during commercials and nothing illegal about that. They expect it. Factor it in. Not morally or legally the same. You're just making excuses for your breaking of the law. If that's the type person you want to be, fine, but do not call something else the same.

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dont think for one minute that if they could conceive a way to chain you down during the commercials that there wouldnt be a "law" in place to enforce it.... just go back and look at the dvr lawsuits over being able to skip the commercials when they first came out....you watch something and skip the commercials, doing whatever, all im doing is skipping them with extreme prejudice
and since you seem to be so judgmental towards me over this, let me explain my philosophy a little closer...
though not a religious man per say, i choose to follow a close representation of the 10 commandments, i absolutely follow all the laws that are in benefit of all mankind.... laws that are in place to "protect" a singular entities profit margin i take on a case by case basis...
i am not taking anyones content and re branding it as my own, im not taking it and making a profit from it.... im not using it to entice people to come in to my place of business....im just simply watching it
and that changes absolutely nothing in the big picture, even the stuff i never would have watched otherwise.... it makes no difference at all to anyone, except maybe you for some reason

just please keep in mind, following a law, any law, does not in and of itself make you a just and honorable person,, nor does choosing another route make you a menace to society

well, im done with this thread now, you keep on being judgmental about, i will keep on living my life as a free and unobstructed individual


DISCLAIMER: i dont even own a firestick right now, all the "tv" im watching is done over a netflix and hulu subscription, but i do have a friend with one and have played around with it, and right now that is the way im leaning for the boat

TugYacht_33,

You do have an interesting and different philosophy, but BandB is correct. The law is the law, but doesn't mean it's good or fair, and will often favor someone over someone else. If one has been wronged by a law that favors someone over another, then perhaps he can justify breaking the law as a set back on his damages, which a lot of folks would have no issue with.

Perhaps you're in that case because you don't like to get bombarded with TV signals from a satellite, especially containing advertising. No comment.

I'd bet that the owner of service providing the signals would think otherwise. He has assembled a product so folks could enjoy entertainment at their home or boat and choose to watch whatever, and take a pee during commercials. If they don't like the commercials, they don't have to subscribe. If everyone had your philosophy, there would be no TV service.

As for me, I'll pay the price for the service although I don't like it. It makes the admiral happy. If I sit with her to watch TV with ads, I'll have my computer to do something else during them.

Dubnuh said:

I plan on installing a 1 terra bit SSD local cloud device, then streaming preloaded films TV shows from it to tablets, laptops, TV, etc. Good for all areas, but especially good for 'off grid' locales.

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Lemme see if I understand this. You're going to pre record films and TV shows? Or is there a way to get them persuaded on your terra bit SSD? Would LOVE to have this, but the thought of recording all of this in advance seems like a real time commitment.

I never heard of a "firestick" but I do know that about 20 or so years ago Directv and Dish sued people for unauthorized viewing of their encoded signals. There is a federal law that prohibits stealing TV and people who engaged in it including those selling modified receivers or decoding cards for receivers. Maybe "firesticks" don't actually steal signals.

17 Charged in Satellite TV Signal Piracy - latimes

DIRECTV INC v. HOA HUYNH | FindLaw

But if your smart enough to modify a so called smart card to crack satellite signals with no intention of selling them, the Ninth District Court of Appeals is on your side. Don't know if this decision was ever overruled.

The Ninth Circuit judges determined that using a device called an "unlooper" to activate hacked DirecTV satellite decryption card doesn't fall under 605(e)(4) because it isn't assembly or modification within the context of the law. In the decision, the judges state that 605(e)(4) is intended to punish those produce and sell satellite piracy devices, not individuals who simply reactivate hacked cards for the purposes of interception.

Benthic2 said:

As for all incredibly judgemental comments about TV....WOW !!!

People are complex creatures with many interests. Everyone here has an interest in boating. Its nice that so many people have gathered to talk about that, and an amazing community has been created by that. BUT....that does not mean that our other interests will be aligned. And who says an interest in one thing, is more socially superior than another ?? Can a coin collector look down on a stamp collector ? Does a classical music fan enjoy a higher caste than a show tunes fan ? Do they get a better seat at the table of life if they can actually play a piano ? Some people spend hours trimming miniature trees, or dragging plastic psuedo-fish through the water trying to trick real ones into bleeding all over their cockpit. Some people run even though no one is chasing them, and others pick things up and put them down....pay hundreds for fancy wines, put on a tuxedo to hear an opera in a language they don't understand, or spend hours painting a picture when a photograph is much quicker and more accurate.

Why anyone thinks any of these pursuits are worthwhile doesn't matter. Only that the pursuer enjoy them, and has the means to do so. We don't have to understand each others non-boating hobbies, and we certainly don't need to judge them. Nothing positive will result from judging how another spends thier leisure time.

"Your assumptions are your windows on the world. Scrub them off once in a while, or the light won't come in" Isaac Asimov.

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Agreed!

Seevee said:

........... If one has been wronged by a law that favors someone over another, then perhaps he can justify breaking the law as a set back on his damages, which a lot of folks would have no issue with.
...............

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The courts will have an issue with it. Not liking a law doesn't mean you can break it without consequences

Our society is a society of laws and couldn't function without laws and compliance with those laws.

aboatman said:

The courts will have an issue with it. Not liking a law doesn't mean you can break it without consequences

Our society is a society of laws and couldn't function without laws and compliance with those laws.

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I just choose to be law abiding. Some day there may be a law I find so egregious or immoral that I choose to break it, but not going to start my criminal career stealing a tv signal so I can watch tv.

It's also important to recognize that the providers know every trick being used and they spend a lot of time and effort figuring out how to catch the perpetrator as they want to make examples of people. They will spend as much as it takes to find and then to get them prosecuted. They figure out who is "on the line". The chances of getting caught remain low but they catch and go after people every day.

Not only that, but it is similar to insurance fraud, in that the cost of the free loaders is born by the honest customers.

And similar to software or music piracy.

ok, i said i was done but apparently im a liar as well as a criminal, lol
"Maybe "firesticks" don't actually steal signals."

no they dont, they simply are able to receive what is being broadcast... they are available at any best buy or countless other electronic retailers.... plenty of commercials a couple years back, Gary Busey was the spokes person for them


"The Ninth Circuit judges determined that using a device called an "unlooper" to activate hacked DirecTV satellite decryption card doesn't fall under 605(e)(4) because it isn't assembly or modification within the context of the law. In the decision, the judges state that 605(e)(4) is intended to punish those produce and sell satellite piracy devices, not individuals who simply reactivate hacked cards for the purposes of interception."

well now, looks like my ideals may not be so far fetched after all

"Not only that, but it is similar to insurance fraud, in that the cost of the free loaders is born by the honest customers."

absolutely nothing even remotely like insurance fraud, i am not costing anyone a dime, if i was to never watch it to begin with, they are going to charge the same amount regardless, and if they are charging higher on the assumption that someone might see it that isnt subscribed, they are still going to over charge if i see it or not...

"And similar to software or music piracy."

again no, not even the same ball park.... no profit being made, no use to entice business, no difference whatsoever to anyones bottom line except my possible lack of sleep from binge watching season 3 of (insert name here)______________

ok, i really am done now, i came here to enjoy good hearted banter and expand my boating universe, not get bogged down in whatever this thread has become

TugYacht_33 said:

.....
"Not only that, but it is similar to insurance fraud, in that the cost of the free loaders is born by the honest customers."

absolutely nothing even remotely like insurance fraud, i am not costing anyone a dime, if i was to never watch it to begin with, they are going to charge the same amount regardless, and if they are charging higher on the assumption that someone might see it that isnt subscribed, they are still going to over charge if i see it or not...

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The cable company has equipment to maintain, content to purchase, salaries to pay and so on. Those costs are divided over the number of subscribers. By being an illegal .....or undocumented....subscriber, you are not sharing in those operating costs, which now have to be divided over a smaller group, thereby raising the cost to each legitimate customer.

My parents taught me to ask 2 questions when faced with any kind of dillema:
1. Would you do this if your parents were here?
2. What would happen if everyone did it ?

Apply rule 2 to your situation. If everyone cancelled their cable and stole it instead.... the company would go bankrupt, jobs would be lost, and so on. If everyone doing it is a bad thing, then one person doing it is a bad thing.

I'm amazed how different networks manage to time their commercials among them so that channel changing has minimal affect on avoiding commercials. ... Never believed avoiding paying attention to advertisements was a sin when television was free. Thus, not a twinge of guilt avoiding them while I'm paying for the signal on cable.

markpierce said:

I'm amazed how different networks manage to time their commercials among them so that channel changing has minimal affect on avoiding commercials. ... Never believed avoiding paying attention to advertisements was a sin when television was free. Thus, not a twinge of guilt avoiding them while I'm paying for the signal on cable.

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