Convenience that is impossible to get without piracy at the moment.
I refuse to deal with their DRM bullshit, however, or sign up for an entire cable service package just for HBO. Am I willing to pay $120 a month just to watch Game of Thrones? No, but I'd be willing to pay something closer to $10 to $20. But that doesn't seem to be an option.
Most of the pirates I know personally are the older ones like me who can and would pay if the content were to be delivered in the way WE want it when and where we want it. But you have to take it how HBO will give it to you, and they aren't exactly flexible. So in my case it is MUCH more convenient to steal it. Tell me what address to set up an automatic monthly payment to cover that and I will.
No. At the end of the day, it's about not paying.
Also, my awesome Comcast DVR randomly decides to delete some of my saved recordings and not record things I explicitly schedule whenever they feel like it. I'm sure one of their competitors has better DVR technology. I'll find out when the FCC allows one to exist.
Also not a good excuse.
I AM going to purchase GoT season 4 on BD, as soon as it becomes available to me. I will pay approximately $45 for it, which works out to about $4 per episode. I find that to be slightly expensive, but this show is worth it so I will pay it.
However, I don't like being spoilered, and I like participating in the post-show discussions on the internet. I can't wait 6+ months for the BDs to be released in order to do that. I am not going to pay the $45ish for 3 months of HBO to watch the series, because then I am basically double-paying for the same content. I have no other avenue with which to watch the shows in a timely manner, legally, for the $45 total I want to pay. I have already paid $135 for the first 3 seasons, season 4 takes me up to almost $200, future seasons will add to that, etc etc. I am paying enough to watch the shows. I cannot watch it both timely and legally in this way, even though I will be paying for it.
So, I will continue to "acquire" the shows the day after they are aired so I will reduce the amount of spoilers to wh9ich I am exposed to as much as I can, and then I will purchase the blurays when they are released which assuages any guilt I may feel, and I will also purchase the seasons as gifts for friends.
Optimally, HBO would let me purchase the blu rays 6 months in advance as soon as the season starts, for $50 or so, and then allow me to stream the episodes as they air, and then send me the BD set as soon as it is released. Everyone makes money and customers are happy.
But nope. As the original post stated, HBO is firmly entrenched in 20th century marketing plans. That worked well for Blockbuster, after all. It may be "their show/their rules," but I don't need to follow their rules, and HBO is losing money, for no good reason, because of it.
Now that wins.
That's a good argument, and it doesn't fall back on the lazy "convenience" bullet point that a good PR person would tell you to avoid using.
Now I'm going to jump around slightly, please follow...
I just want convenience. With my current setup (RSS -> utorent -> NAS folder) it's all automatic and the shows I want just appear ready to watch at will. No special software to be run or applications to install or hardware to switch to depending on which service the show is on. It's just there where I want it when I want it and I can watch it how I want it. I'd pay top dollar to any service that could legitimately give me that for all the content I am interested in. But no one can.
I get that, and I'm down. However, at some point you've got to understand that eventually the people making the content have to get paid. The more money, the better the shows (in theory).
It's on the industry to figure that out. True.
However, do you truthfully believe that one service will, legally, provide an all in one stop for all our favorite shows?
As Malcolm states:
One up. I want several services to choose from, so the streaming industry doesn't get Time Warner'd, and I want them all to have all the content. Actually, I suppose I'd settle for one provider if they had some Steam-like sales. But those would never generate any volume or cash.
So I guess I just disagree with the argument of "convenience". Call it something else.
I honestly don't dislike your stance. I just don't like the unintended consequences. Gordo gets around them because he makes a purchase.
I've said it before, and I'll continue to say it. Buy the products you enjoy or they won't be around for you to enjoy them.
I could start listing them all out, but you know the list.
So yeah, I don't think cheapness is the only motivation, but if you dig something a lot, throw them a bone before they're gone.
