Pretty much anything released these days there will be a 720, pristine rip. You can even choose between HD or not. The more low-key shows that were made before the turn of century will be just as bad on, say, Netflix as they are on an old rip floating on the internet. The copy of Blackadder on my DVD boxset is actually worse than a rip I found on the net, so go figure.

I don’t think I’ve ever felt the need to justify why I’m a ‘thief.’ Though I can easily justify why I would not shell out £25 for 47 minutes worth of entertainment.

The aftermarket is where the money is at. Some parts of the world don’t get even get HBO but you want to reach them too.

You have to apply a little Bruce Lee wisdom here and “be water”

Suppose you have a bar. You hire entertainment and set a door fee. Showtime comes and the door can’t control the crowd, they’re coming in from all over. Do you spend all your time and money sending security and all your staff around to start fights and kick people out because they didn’t pay the door fee or do you send reinforcements to the bar and sell those people drinks?

So what if the band was suppose to get a portion of the door and now your accounting is messed up? Adapt. Pay that band commission from drinks instead and invite them back.

You have to look around at what the fans are doing on their own. They’re having viewing parties, they’re starting Cons, they’re crowd-funding films. They’re creating their own fun and, in a lot of cases, their own merchandise because what they want isn’t available.

Let’s talk about the viewing parties. That’s great, but imagine if your neighborhood theater hosted a GOT viewing party every week? Made a little event out of it? People could dress up if they wanted, etc. HBO could even provide the theaters with special merchandise, prizes. Maybe surprise appearances…who knows?

Eh….I’m wasting my time talking.

If bit torrenting didn’t exist, someone would have to eventually subscribe to HBO so that their friends could watch GoT. Or everyone would pitch in on a subscription. Everybody wins. HBO gets $$$ to make more GoT episodes, and fans get to enjoy them.

I live in Australia and Foxtel put up barriers in an effort to force me to give them a large amount of money to watch season 4 of Game of Thrones. I hate being forced especially since I’ve watch the series from the start to this point without Fuxtel. They try to bully people into paying an obscene amount. But fortunately there are innovative ways around those hurdles. Today I watch the show and don’t pay a single penny. I was happy to pay a fair price but there is no real option for me to do this. I do however want to send Fuxtel a bill for wasting my time.