Clampdown on TV 'Dodgy Boxes'

What app is running catch up? My service has catch up but it doesn't run in the smarterspro app on my lg tv.

Working well on stick and laptop

From talking to work colleagues and others there seems to be widespread usage of these boxes and the funny thing is those said people are not exactly short of money . So to me this issue will never go away unless SKY ect reduce their prices and compete with these illegal operators. Imagine how much more the Mainstream Networks would make if they could attract those customers to their Business model, the fact that they make such profits at the moment just to pump into The Premiership ect tells us that there is room for everyone you take your pick .

I bought a "lifetime membership" from my supplier when they first started up over 5 years ago, paid €130, haven't paid a cent since and they renew my membership every May. Best money I've ever spent.

They charge €70 a year to most others.

Re: the title of the thread.

There really is no clampdown, as its not really possible to do it.

Yes, they may shut the odd server down now and again, annoy some users because it goes just at the start of a big fight or a big football match, but these people aren't going to start coughing up huge money again to Sky just because of that.

They might stick the odd guy in court or even in jail, but again that won't stop these services running.

And as many have said, the numbers are only increasing. I hardly know any work colleague now that actually pays legally for subscription tv. You'd be daft too. So sky can hand it over to EPL clubs to give Mo Salah £450,000 every week. Not happening.

The only way the legal service will make a comeback is if sky make it a lot cheaper, so that people aren't tempted to go the iptv route. But it would have to be A LOT cheaper for that. But that will never happen as our footballers, racing drivers and boxers need their billions of pounds coming in.

Looking for some recommendations for new providers too.

IBO player on Smart TV runs catch-up for me. Section called "replay"

is there any evidence of it though, what are sky subscription numbers like now compared to 5/10 years ago? or even more specifically sky sports.

it's so cheap people have anyway in addition to sky, etc. Keep sky or whoever for the ease of use/habit & iptv for the stuff not shown, big ppvs, whatever.

One of the headlines on the BBC Six O'Clock radio news 30 May was "The rise of the Dodgy Box". The report is at 26 minutes 15.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m002cq5p

I thought there would be a lot more coverage online, but only a few sites seemed to have picked up on it. The striking phrase is the "industrial scale" theft of video services. Never have so many ordinary, decent, respectable people contributed so much to the criminal gangs.

https://www.advanced-television.com/2025/05/30/enders-big-tech-unwilling-to-address-video-piracy/#:~:text=A%20report%2C%20Video%20piracy%2C%20from,profitability%20for%20broadcasters%20and%20streamers.

yup, the people have had enough of being ripped off, and not just from the broadcasting industry either!

It's been that way since about 2008 that you needed more than one sub, it's hardly breaking news.

For the next four years you only need Sky and TNT for the Premier League.

So I suppose we should count ourselves lucky that big tech don't own more rights, because of they did they might put a bit more effort into combating illegal streaming.

Their Amazon account was suspended? Surely they received an email from Amazon explaining why

…but illegal iptv is!

cant imagine all other non amazon products being blocked, tis all good

I think the future will be a pay to view each individual sporting event model as the dodgy box will ruin the subscription model for all.The dodgy box group is relying on a majority of folk continuing to pay subscription which from views above is optimistic.That Model would actually suit me better as I would prefer to pick and choose evernts rather than a blanket charge,not sure if dodgy boxes will find a way around that,say similiar to way big fights are currently charged.