Clampdown on TV 'Dodgy Boxes'

Windowsnut

I pay sky €200 a month for sky (sports, movies and sport+) on top of Netflix, Disney and Prime.

Skys service is absolute muck, half the football matches that I want to watch aren’t broadcast and even worse there is some plonker watching the match talking about it!

con747

€200 a month 😮 I pay €60 for everything per year.

Manc-Red_

All this scaremongering is only because they are being hit big time due to them overpricing their subscribers for far too long and those people are hitting the road and paying for just broadband to view content via IPTV “dodgy box”.

Sky are indeed in trouble and they know it. Everyone has a box or at worst most of their family has one.

I’ve an android with VPN with a legit subscription to North America to view all Premier League games and other sports.

Missus has Freesat & Saorview for her stuff.

Its their own fault so two fingers up to them imho

NIMAN

They were shocked on all the radio discussions today that maybe 20% of Irish households have iptv.

It didn't surprise me. Nearly every person I know has one now.

That number is only going to increase. Its not like its hard to get it if you are that way inclined.

jj880

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123562440#Comment_123562440

a legit subscription to North America to view all Premier League games and other sports.

I'll take a PM 🤣

lawred2

Media doing their paid bit for sky recently

lawred2

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123562421#Comment_123562421

You're subsidising about 5 dodgy boxes paying that a month

exiledawaynothere

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123562440#Comment_123562440

what is worse is others including NowTv are putting up barrier after barrier to stop people actually use existing subscriptions. I have to travel a lot for work but now cannot access outside EU using a VPN. So instead of paying I am now tempted to get a dodgy box type solution to use for travel and piggyback on a family subscription when home.

briany

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123562434#Comment_123562434

If we're allowed to talk piracy this openly, I could suggest that nothing a year is possible. Pretty much everything decent on telly can be torrented, plus sports streams are plentiful. Just keep a decent adblock on your browser.

Or so I heard, from a friend…

con747

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123562562#Comment_123562562

There's a thread on boards with a url and a free iptv app to use it on where nearly all P/L matches are free and most other sports but a lot are in a in a foreign language, I use it a lot when matches can't be found easily on my IPTV.

briany

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123562460#Comment_123562460

Every dodgy box bought equals one tear shed by Rupert Murdoch.

Or it would do if he had the ability to feel human emotions.

dalyboy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123562537#Comment_123562537

I travel a lot too. Heads up if going to Germany or Spain RE iptv. If caught you will be in trouble. Airbnb & hotels ban iptv. They can identify you if using one on a wifi connection.

Iptv does not facilitate downloads of tv & movies to iPhone / iPad / Mac etc. the paid subs of Netflix & prime & Disney & Apple TV allow this easily. It’s about the only reason I’m subbed to all four of them constantly

monkeyblues

anyone watching prime time, skys big plan to crackdown is to be allowed to snoop and join Facebook pages offering the services by the data commissioner😂

BusGuy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123562653#Comment_123562653

Good heads-up — Germany in particular is notoriously strict on IPTV and copyright enforcement. A lot of people don’t realise that using IPTV on public or semi-public Wi-Fi (like Airbnb or hotel networks) makes it very easy to be flagged or traced. Definitely not worth the risk abroad.

And totally agree re: streaming services. The ability to download shows legally and have them offline — no stress, no VPNs, no dodgy connections — is a huge part of why they’re worth keeping around, especially when you travel a lot.

Sometimes paying for peace of mind is underrated.

NIMAN

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123562655#Comment_123562655

In other words, they can't really stop it.

dalyboy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123562661#Comment_123562661

cheers. It’s a right pain in the rear paying €60 odd quid per month for these 4 subs but sitting on a plane or public transport abroad is boring as hell without content.
Other thing that iptv lacks is quality A/V. eg Their movies are streaming in 4K ! Not a hope. Dolby is non-existent too.

BusGuy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123562655#Comment_123562655

Just caught that on Prime Time — so Sky’s “big crackdown” amounts to... getting permission to snoop on Facebook groups like it’s 2012? 😂

They’re acting like this is some cutting-edge tactic, when in reality, anyone with a burner account and 10 minutes of scrolling could’ve been “undercover” years ago. If this is the grand strategy, the IPTV sellers can sleep soundly tonight.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123562664#Comment_123562664

Exactly — this just proves they’re scrambling for optics more than impact.

If your best move is “we’ll join Facebook groups and take notes,” you’ve already lost the game. The tech’s too decentralised, the sellers too nimble, and enforcement way too slow. This isn’t a crackdown — it’s a PR exercise.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123562687#Comment_123562687

Totally get you — it's painful handing over €60+ a month, but when you're on a long flight or train ride abroad, having proper downloaded content is a lifesaver.

And yeah, IPTV might look tempting on paper with “4K everything,” but the reality? More like fuzzy 720p pretending to be 2160p, no Dolby, dodgy sync, and half the time you’re watching a guy's reflection in the screen during a cam rip. 😂

Streaming subs aren’t cheap, but at least you know the content will work, look good, and not vanish mid-episode because a stream died.

monkeyblues

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123562687#Comment_123562687

you never hear of torrents? That’s how most people get their films and tv shows these days.

On my 1GB connection I could probably download 50 blue ray movies in an hour.

I could probably download the IMDB top 250 series box sets in a day in 4k.

Don’t try and justify yourself paying for subs when there is no need to.

NIMAN

These scare stories are fooling noone.

They are claiming you are downloading viruses, malware etc and running the risk of being hacked.

Nonsense.

Summer2020

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123562421#Comment_123562421

you’ve more money than sense tbh

dulpit

For movies and TV streaming from Netflix/prime/etc, just go a la carte. Sub to one when needed, cancel immediately when not. There's no need to have all services subbed all the time. They make money from people who forget to cancel.

dulpit

But I will say that apple or prime or Netflix are better than iptv. Whereas iptv is generally on par with live sky TV.

dalyboy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123562701#Comment_123562701

I used torrents 15 years ago , and I checked out some putlocker sites in the past month ago for the laugh. And laugh I got. Pathetic results. Pop up junk ads that require 3-5 close sequence , stream crash every few mins, and quality that was abysmal.

Nigzcurran

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123562719#Comment_123562719

I use me brothers flixtor account and it's savage quality. No need to download. Just stream anything you want like IPTV or netflix

dalyboy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123562701#Comment_123562701

Btw, dodgy boxes have their merits but only on live streams for boxing , prem league games etc however every time I’ve been in a house with mates that have them the crashes happen regularly (and it’s not related to wifi signals either)

BusGuy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123562701#Comment_123562701

Sure, torrents are still around — no one’s denying that. But pretending there’s no need to pay for anything just because something can be pirated misses the point.

Not everyone wants to spend their time digging through sketchy torrent sites, dodging malware, or hoping the file isn’t fake or full of hardcoded subtitles. And frankly, if I’m on a flight or train, I want something I know will play in 4K with working subs, proper audio, and no drama.

Paying for subs isn’t about being a saint — it’s about convenience, quality, and peace of mind. You do you, but don’t knock people who choose the legal, hassle-free route.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123562705#Comment_123562705

Fair enough — a lot of the “you'll get hacked instantly!” warnings are definitely exaggerated and often come off as fear tactics, especially from media or rights holders trying to discourage piracy.

But let’s be real: while not every torrent is packed with malware, the risk isn’t zero either. It all depends where you're getting your files. Trusted private trackers? You're probably fine. Random sketchy sites with popups galore? That’s a different story.

It’s not about scaring people — it’s about knowing the difference between safe and reckless use. Some folks just prefer not to roll the dice at all, especially when good legal alternatives exist.

At the end of the day: use what works for you — just don’t pretend everyone wants the same setup or risk profile.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123562709#Comment_123562709

Fair enough — but sometimes paying a bit more is just about keeping things simple.

No trackers, no sketchy links, no fiddling with VPNs, seed ratios, or hoping it actually plays in 4K with decent sound. Just press play and go.

Some call it “more money than sense” — I call it less hassle, more time. Priorities, really.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123562713#Comment_123562713

Exactly — that’s the smart way to play it.

The “always-on” sub model is built on inertia. They count on people forgetting or being too lazy to cancel. Going a la carte is how you flip the system back in your favour — binge what you want, cancel, move on.

One month of Netflix here, a month of Prime there, maybe rotate to Disney+ when a new show drops. That way, you get full value without paying for four empty libraries you’re barely using.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123562716#Comment_123562716

That’s a fair and well-balanced take.

IPTV might be fine for live channels — especially sports or news — where it often mirrors Sky pretty closely. But when it comes to on-demand content, Apple, Netflix, Prime, etc. just wipe the floor in terms of:

• Video/audio quality (actual 4K, HDR, Dolby Atmos)
• Stability and reliability
• Download/offline support
• User interface and recommendations

IPTV’s great for live TV if you don’t mind the legal grey zone, but for actual viewing experience, the legit streamers are still leagues ahead.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123562719#Comment_123562719

Exactly — it’s like stepping into a digital time machine... straight back to 2009 chaos.

Those old Putlocker-style sites are barely functioning messes now — constant pop-ups, fake play buttons, buffering every 30 seconds, and video quality that looks like it was filmed through a potato. It’s all just digital junk food.

Torrents can still be solid if you're using good private trackers, but random streaming sites? Total clown show. People can romanticise “free” all they want, but the actual experience is more like punishment than entertainment these days.

Manc-Red_

Anyone recommend a router that can apply a vpn on to it directly?

dalyboy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123562725#Comment_123562725

yeah but you still need wifi abroad to view the content otherwise you’re using up your date or have a work-around with international sim arrangements (which are usually pricey and cancel out the savings)

batistuta9

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123562728#Comment_123562728

no, it's related to a shíte subscription. Which there's no shortage of around

nullzero

If Sky were offering their products at a reasonable price there'd be no need for dodgy boxes.

People are increasingly skint, so naturally some people will avail of these yokes.