Posted on 09/27/2016 5:25:54 PM PDT by E. Pluribus Unum
Selling 'fully loaded' Kodi boxes that can access subscription content for free could soon become illegal as a court case concerning the equipment is set to get under way.
Brian Thompson of Middlesbrough is accused of selling equipment that "facilitated the circumvention" of copyright protection rules.
The equipment mentioned refers to so-called 'fully loaded' boxes which use the increasingly popular Kodi open-source media centre software which brings together videos, music, games, and photos onto one platform.
Formerly known as Xbox Media Centre (XBMC) the software has been developed so it can now be used on several devices, including the Amazon Fire TV Stick and Apple TV, without those companies' official support.
Related: iPhone 7
image: http://static.trustedreviews.com/94/00003b0a6/a6db_orh616w616/kodi-1.jpg
Kodi
By pre-loading set-top boxes with the software, some sellers are able to offer ready-to-use streaming devices, which customers can modify using third-party add-ons to gain access to pirated content or subscription-based services for free.
Sellers that provide these Kodi boxes with the third-party software pre-installed are said to be providing 'fully loaded' boxes.
In the upcoming court case, brought by Middlesbrough Council, Thompson is accused of providing this type of equipment to his customers, and has not entered a plea.
Related: Best Black Friday deals
Speaking to the Gazette Live, he stated that he doesn't consider the boxes to be illegal and intends to challenge the charges, which follow an 18 month investigation.
Kodi developers have made clear on numerous occasions that they do not support piracy extensions or add-ons, and say they maintain a "neutral stance on what users do with their own software".
The impending court case will be the first time legal scrutiny will be applied to an application such as Kodi in the UK.
A date for the trial is expected to be set today.
Load it yourself.
I just use Kodi approved sources.
Kodi Beast Build!
Nice to be able to watch first-run movies in the comfort of one’s own home with the knowledge that it’s not enriching the leftists in Hollywood.
Thanks! I'm lost on this one. First I've heard of it.
anyone can put kodi on a device. not too hard.
Think of Hulu or netflix on steroids with no subscription fees. It works Very Very Well and is FREE! Install Kodi and try Exodus and Pear tv add-ons to start with.
Where do I find “War of the Gargantuas” for free?
Where do you buy the Kodi?
Bookmark
Thanks!
bump
A consumer buys an Amazon Fire Stick or other similar device, then the Kodi software is added on (some call it jailbreaking the stick) and when the stick is plugged into a TV and turned on (with wifi access) it shows the Kodi icon as one of the options. Clicking the Kodi icon brings up menus where a person can search for movies and TV shows that have been uploaded and are available for streaming.
It’s not all perfect, there are dead links and sometimes issues with the quality of the picture and/or the audio, sometimes there’s buffering since it’s being streamed, but overall it’s a cool device.
My son gave me a Kodi for Christmas and I never hooked it up.
It’s a device that takes items of value from their rightful owner without paying for them, and if that doesn’t fit the definition on stealing, nothing does. Even if these devices haven’t, as yet, been declared illegal, I know theft when I see it.
What problems are there with uploading viruses to your computer or television?
I don’t know the details when compared to other Kodi builds. It was already installed on the stick I bought. Try looking it up online and see if it’s significantly different than what you have because I have no point of reference for comparison.
I’d point you to a few sites but I’m at work and they tend to be blocked by my company’s security so I can’t preview anything before sharing and I don’t want to direct anyone to a shady site.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.