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Game Torrents

Losman7

Greater of 2 Evils.
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I noticed that you have quite a few games available and I was wondering how it worked, if you have any Bills games, and if it is legal?
 
Losman7 said:
I noticed that you have quite a few games available and I was wondering how it worked, if you have any Bills games, and if it is legal?


Yes, there are many games out there to be had and viewed. And the "if it is legal" question. Thats a yes and no answer. No, you are not allowed to retransmit or rebroadcast without the express written consent of the NFL. However, law does allow for certain usage for educational and commentary events. Such as TV news can use them as long as they are for commentary purposes. I suggest you check the laws in your location.
 
IceStorm said:
Yes, there are many games out there to be had and viewed. And the "if it is legal" question. Thats a yes and no answer. No, you are not allowed to retransmit or rebroadcast without the express written consent of the NFL. However, law does allow for certain usage for educational and commentary events. Such as TV news can use them as long as they are for commentary purposes. I suggest you check the laws in your location.

:lol: It's not legal anyway you slice it.
 
FiN.in.RI said:
:lol: It's not legal anyway you slice it.

I hate to open this up, but I think there really needs to be some clarification from the NFL about just what we can and cannot do with our own personal tapes of games. The NFL knows that everyone tapes games... they have not come out and said that that is not OK... I mean, plenty of folks use video recorders to watch games they can't see in real-time, and they aren't being hauled into court for that.

I have no desire to break the law, and since I really don't know where the torrent stuff stands legally, I am not doing any now... but there are old games on there I would LOVE to see again. How many people ALIVE now have watched Super Bowl VII or Super Bowl VIII? Probabley 60-70% of this board wasn't even born when those games were won. And the NFL has never tried to sell their archived copies of the games, so no one is taking money out of their pockets. If they want to make a pile of $$$, they should go back and sell those DVD's of the past SB's through NFL Films, I am sure there would be a HUGE demand. Plus all the playoff games and so many of the games like the Leon Lett classic from Thanksgiving, or the 1985 Bears game.

The NFL is missing out on a significant market there and should consider making all this available through their own auspices. $$$$, folks. You could make plenty more. Maybe they will get the message.
 
dolphingator said:
I hate to open this up, but I think there really needs to be some clarification from the NFL about just what we can and cannot do with our own personal tapes of games. The NFL knows that everyone tapes games... they have not come out and said that that is not OK... I mean, plenty of folks use video recorders to watch games they can't see in real-time, and they aren't being hauled into court for that.

I have no desire to break the law, and since I really don't know where the torrent stuff stands legally, I am not doing any now... but there are old games on there I would LOVE to see again. How many people ALIVE now have watched Super Bowl VII or Super Bowl VIII? Probabley 60-70% of this board wasn't even born when those games were won. And the NFL has never tried to sell their archived copies of the games, so no one is taking money out of their pockets. If they want to make a pile of $$$, they should go back and sell those DVD's of the past SB's through NFL Films, I am sure there would be a HUGE demand. Plus all the playoff games and so many of the games like the Leon Lett classic from Thanksgiving, or the 1985 Bears game.

The NFL is missing out on a significant market there and should consider making all this available through their own auspices. $$$$, folks. You could make plenty more. Maybe they will get the message.

Actually they do have dvd sets of the Super Bowls, but I'm not sure how much of the game they show. You can find them at Amazon, Sam's Club, etc.
 
FiN.in.RI said:
:lol: It's not legal anyway you slice it.


Actually yes, it can be legal according to US Federal Laws based upon the "Fair Use" clause of the copyright act (section 107 of the Act). You can't just go and copy and redistribute works that are clearly copyrighted. However, you are allowed to use said works. Here is the link to show that persons can invoke the fair use clause of the copyright act and why.

US Copyright Act
US Copyright Act Fair Use Clause

What most people don't understand is that they will claim a torrent of a TV show is illegal, yet still record a TV show on a VCR and consider that legal. Fact is, too many people are willing to share their opinion on what they believe is legal/not legal without the benefit of research as to what really is.

Again, I'm not a lawyer but I play one on TV. lol
 
Not to beat a dead horse, but here's a direct quote concerning copying television programs for personal use.

Sony Corp. of America v. Universal City Studios, Inc. 464 U.S. 417 (1984) (Docket Number: 81-1687), also known as the "Betamax case", was a decision by the Supreme Court of the United States which ruled that the making of individual copies of complete television shows for personal use does not constitute copyright infringement, but is fair use.
 
But that says nothing about what one can consequently DO with said copy for personal use. If the strictest interpretation of that law is followed, you can copy it and use it, but NEVER reproduce that copy or transfer it to someone else. Which would blow the torrent deal out of the water. For that matter, what if the NFL simply doesn't CARE what you do with a tape of a 20-year-old game? I know what Hollywood wants (not that I care one bit that they ever get anything they want anyway) and that is to ban ALL recording equipment to preserve their precious copyrights and $$$.

Believe me I have read a lot about this because I would LOVE to have the 2 Super Bowls, but I just don't know enough about the legality.
 
Either way it could go, the NFL would merely send a legal notice to "cease and desist". None of us have enough cash for them to release the hounds and spend all of their money on the legal fee's.

And yes, I've seen a letter sent by them requesting this. No, it wasn't to me. Saw it on the internet on "red school" about 2 years ago.

Either way, I've got games for my viewing pleasure. Its much better then watching Heidi the wonder mutt.
 
The torrents we share are not of commercial quality.Some of the old games are just awful.You wouldnt pay to get them.Its just a fun way to pass the long off season.

During the season the torrents are oriented to those who have absolutely no access to television transmission of the games.If I did have access to the games by TV or satellite or cable I would gladly pay for it.I do pay for the internet NFL radio transmission Field Pass.The torrents are the only way we can see the regular season games even though it may be a couple of days after the game is played.You can blame the NFL for not giving access to their signal worldwide.

Those games are encoded and packed into a 700 meg file .The quality is marginal at best.

In regards to liability the only one who is taking risks is me because I am the one who uploads the torrents.Finheaven is not at risk because its a forum and not a host of the torrents.All sorts of discussions take place in a forum such as steroid use,drug use etc.....and torrents.

The torrents are being shared off-site.
 
So Crunch, you'll have the regular season games torrented? Just asking because I have pretty much no access to Dolphins games this season.
 
Of course this is legal. We are not rebroadcasting the games. It is like giving a copy of a 20 year old VHS to your friend.

If you can buy NFL licensed merchandise off Ebay from a private citizen, you can give someone a copy of a football game.
 
HysterikiLL said:
So Crunch, you'll have the regular season games torrented? Just asking because I have pretty much no access to Dolphins games this season.

We should.

Now for the legal question...if we were to broadcast the game over the internet with a videocam and some streaming software...I'd say that was illegal. But not a copy of something that is freely broadcast over airwaves.
 
dolphingator said:
Believe me I have read a lot about this because I would LOVE to have the 2 Super Bowls, but I just don't know enough about the legality.

Someone is most likely selling their personal copy of the game that they taped once and only once and didnt even watch. Maybe ebay?
 
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