MultiChoice's fight against piracy

[Jan]

DStv's big fight in South Africa

MultiChoice says fighting piracy of its DStv channels is an ongoing battle that presents multifaceted challenges. It previously said illegal streams were a bigger threat than competition from rival services like Netflix.

One of the biggest problems is users watching pirated sports streams online. Supersport is DStv's most valuable asset, but it is increasingly available online.

 

[backstreetboy]

One of the biggest problems is users watching pirated sports streams online.

No the main problem is those streams are usually better quality and buffer even less than what you get with DStv stream.

 

[Polymathic]

Feck off you soon to be cheese eating surrender monkeys

 

[BBSA]

The best solution would be to make sports more affordable to watch....

 

[bwana]

Trying hard to care... but failing miserably.

 

[Swa]

What about myfamilycinema? How can that be legal?

 

[quovadis]

Imho, piracy really isn't a thing in SA when affordable options are available. Their ARPU is reportedly around R250 per customer. So they might simplify their offering to:

Local Only - R100 (SABC etc)
Everything else except sport channels - R250
All sport channels for R250.

You get 1 simultaneous stream/viewer for each so if you take three you get 3 simultaneous streams/viewers.

 

[Brian_G]

Two problems I think we're seeing - too much reliance on sport keeping MC still kicking, and the state of the rand. No cost-reduction solution seems possible... but that's going to be Canal+'s problem anyway and who knows what and how much they'll change things.

 

[Brian_G]

People found guilty of Internet piracy in South Africa for the first time face fines of up to R5,000 or three years’ jail time. Repeat offenders could be fined R10,000 or jailed for five years.

How can they ever prove that there was a way to know that it's pirated material, or anyone was aware of the specifics of how MC operate? As I understand it these streams are always charged for.

 

[JimM]

DStv and their anti-piracy methods is like putting a chastity belt on the statue of liberty!

 

[Werner1975]

They, MC, are paying for an outdated policy and a refusal to change.

 

[FaSMaN]

Why would anyone pirate DSTV channels, there are a ton of better options available...

 

[Gudnews]

Why would anyone pirate DSTV channels, there are a ton of better options available...

Supersport is coveted on the high seas.

 

[Neoprod]

How can they ever prove that there was a way to know that it's pirated material, or anyone was aware of the specifics of how MC operate? As I understand it these streams are always charged for.

I don't quite understand what you're describing - how would a viewer consume a stream with SS logos and stuff on-screen without having a DSTV subscription of some kind, and not know they're committing piracy? If the entity they're paying isn't MC, it's the same as using a "free" (ad-supported) stream in terms of legality.

A legal MC subscriber would just use the facility they're paying for so I can't see how someone would unknowingly stumble into piracy - it makes no sense.

 

[Brian_G]

I don't quite understand what you're describing - how would a viewer consume a stream with SS logos and stuff on-screen without having a DSTV subscription of some kind, and not know they're committing piracy? If the entity they're paying isn't MC, it's the same as using a "free" (ad-supported) stream in terms of legality.

A legal MC subscriber would just use the facility they're paying for so I can't see how someone would unknowingly stumble into piracy - it makes no sense.

If the user isn't aware that MC don't distribute through other SP's as well, there's no way for them to know it's not a legal feed.

 

[Neoprod]

Many South Africans might not know that accessing popular DStv channels like Supersport through means other than its satellite or DStv Stream services is illegal.

Lol, I apologise to Brian - wtf is going on in the world.

IMO, that's just something they plan to use as a defense.

 

[JuliusSeizure]

Supersport is coveted on the high seas.

Yeah, one of the best in the world in some aspects. They are world-class, no wonder they've held up DSTV for so long.

Even the Euro broadcasters would be proud of the way SS broadcast EPL.

 

[Brian_G]

Lol, I apologise to Brian - wtf is going on in the world.

IMO, that's just something they plan to use as a defense.

Likely to be the case much of the time, but it really is for the suppliers / distributors to find a way to fix this mess, not up to the individual.

From another thread;

Did some strong research on the subject a few months back, general consensus seems to be;

1. Torrents are generally considered a danger area re prosecution, but no court cases seen mentioned
2. Standard streaming is considered structurally legal under all conditions
3. Standard downloads are a grey area, supposes that distribution is then possible but it's never been taken to court

 

[ectoplasm]

I don't quite understand what you're describing - how would a viewer consume a stream with SS logos and stuff on-screen without having a DSTV subscription of some kind, and not know they're committing piracy? If the entity they're paying isn't MC, it's the same as using a "free" (ad-supported) stream in terms of legality.

A legal MC subscriber would just use the facility they're paying for so I can't see how someone would unknowingly stumble into piracy - it makes no sense.

Wait streams have SS logos on it? The ones I tried either have Sky, Fox, or TNT or Astro on it.

 

[Neoprod]

Wait streams have SS logos on it? The ones I tried either have Sky, Fox, or TNT or Astro on it.

Yes, those are examples of other companies whose content is being pirated.