Clampdown on TV 'Dodgy Boxes'

jj880 · 11-03-2026 03:12PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124304218#Comment_124304218

As a long time thread poster I think dx is possibly being sarcastic. He's very much in the "every dodgy box user and their parents + cousins + pets should be executed in the town square" camp.

Benedict XVI · 11-03-2026 03:18PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124304218#Comment_124304218

Please, let's not turn it into another Middle East thread.

I think some people are so bought into the whole illegal streaming thing as being some big F* you to the big broadcast companies that they cannot bare to hear any criticism of it.

That's why people get worked up about articles appearing in the media about it, or any suggestions about criminal activity gets hit with whataboutery.

As I said in a previous post it's hard to imagine criminals not being involved, it's an illicit activity that makes money, of course they would be involved at some level.

Also, a lot don't understand broadcasting rights, costs, etc and think things like Sky are deliberately not showing every game.

Boggles · 11-03-2026 03:22PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124304260#Comment_124304260

You are way overthinking it.

The Vast Majority of People use IPTV for

A. The Cost.

B. The Choice

If you think it's because of some sort of protest against multi billion pound companies, then you have been misinformed.

NewClareman · 11-03-2026 03:24PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124304242#Comment_124304242

Thanks for that.

To be clear, I just wanted it known that "Dodgy Boxes" are not the victimless activity, that many think they are. Neither are they safe to use, other than for those with the technical expertise to neutralise threats. I would no longer classify myself among the latter.

Benedict XVI · 11-03-2026 03:34PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124304266#Comment_124304266

Yes I agree that's what the vast majority use them for, including myself.

But I'm not talking about the vast majority of dodgy box users, I'm talking about the cohort on this thread here that will not allow a ounce of criticism of them.

Constantly complaining about articles in the mainstream media, always looking for sources if there is negative and information about to them, then rejecting the source when they get it, resorting to whataboutery when things are not going their way.

Why are some people so invested in defending illegal streaming?

Boggles · 11-03-2026 03:39PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124304300#Comment_124304300

Yes I agree that's what the vast majority use them for, including myself.

So you have appointed yourself some sort of devils advocate?

Boggles · 11-03-2026 03:40PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124304273#Comment_124304273

Neither are they safe to use, other than for those with the technical expertise to neutralise threats.

Because you know how to turn on your guest network? "Technical expertise" is stretching a bit there lad.

Brilliant.

Slow Clap!

Benedict XVI · 11-03-2026 03:47PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124304312#Comment_124304312

Firstly no one is appointed anything around here.

Secondly I'm not a devil's advocate for the sake of being contrarian.

It's just what I believe and understand about broadcasting and illegal streaming.

It's likely that criminals are involved.

It's not a victimless crime.

Sky can't just show what they want.

Costs for things like the EPL are high because it's a popular product and production costs are high.

Regardless of who broadcasts EPL it will be expensive.

And whether broadcasters are paying journalists or not they have every right to go after illegal streaming to protect their investments.

Boggles · 11-03-2026 03:49PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124304336#Comment_124304336

So. What exactly are you trying to achieve here?

Benedict XVI · 11-03-2026 03:53PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124304343#Comment_124304343

This is a perfect example of it, a poster like myself who is not all cheerleading for dodgy boxes being asked what am I doing here.

I'm here to have a discussion about dodgy boxes maybe?

NewClareman · 11-03-2026 03:58PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124304319#Comment_124304319

Read all of what I said…

Boggles · 11-03-2026 04:00PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124304356#Comment_124304356

You are pontificating more than debating though, and you are doing it from a weird angle given you pay yourself for this non victimless crime. But to debate with you.

It's just what I believe and understand about broadcasting and illegal streaming.

It's hardly rock surgery to be fair.

It's likely that criminals are involved.

100% criminals are involved as it is at that level illegal.

Sky can't just show what they want.

I never claimed otherwise.

Regardless of who broadcasts EPL it will be expensive.

Again, I already explained this to you, the Premflix model cannot operate like that or it will fail.

And whether broadcasters are paying journalists or not they have every right to go after illegal streaming to protect their investments.

IF broadcasters are paying journalists to scare monger, then it is open house on whatever shíte they are trying to shill.

NewClareman · 11-03-2026 04:02PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124304300#Comment_124304300

That's what I'd like to know, too.

Given the low cost of bulk subscriptions online, and the simplicity of setting up 'Dodgy Boxes', I wonder if some are in the supply business?

Boggles · 11-03-2026 05:10PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124304392#Comment_124304392

Doubt it lad. People just want to watch United or Liverpool in the main, without being pontified at by IPTV Geldof.

dxhound2005 · 11-03-2026 05:50PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124304541#Comment_124304541

I would like some of them to get their suppliers to come on the thread to give their input. It would add much needed balance.

Boggles · 11-03-2026 05:57PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124304632#Comment_124304632

Unlikely.

As is any balance you crave.

Rocket_GD · 11-03-2026 05:57PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124304632#Comment_124304632

Yes, because someone who is supplying illegal content is going to come onto a website and admit it, get in the real world.

dxhound2005 · 11-03-2026 06:03PM

The ones we have seen reported from court cases are a rum lot.

Manc-Red_ · 11-03-2026 06:23PM

Games tonight for those interested

Enjoy

jmcc · 11-03-2026 06:24PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124303636#Comment_124303636

Think it was Kevin Halfpenny (not sure of the spelling).

dxhound2005 · 11-03-2026 06:28PM

The dodgy box providers are in a great position. If someone wants to stop paying Sky, they get the dodgy box man to steal it for them. I just heard on the radio that there are 300,000 people responsible for paying energy bills who are in arrears. This would represent many more in their households.

They can get away with not paying for gas or electricity, without much fear of being cut off. I just hope that none of them are priortising paying the dodgy box man over their fuel bills. Same with tenants paying landlords either private of local authority. Or mortgage holders who have stopped making repayments. Not much can be done about them as is shown by the figures. But the dodgy box man will always get his money.

NewClareman · 11-03-2026 06:45PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124304729#Comment_124304729

That's him, I had dealings with him in the late 80's/early 90's.

Very nice guy.

lee_baby_simms · 11-03-2026 07:02PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124304745#Comment_124304745

I sent a message to my dodgybox dealer and invited him onto a discussion forum called boards.ie for a “AMA”/ debate with some people who oppose what he is doing. No reply yet. He’s based in China I think.

dxhound2005 · 11-03-2026 07:24PM

Probably in North Korea.

jmcc · 11-03-2026 07:24PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124304786#Comment_124304786

He was a clever guy too. Dublin was the largest cablenet in Europe at the time that the UK had only just begun to roll out its cable franchises. Cablelink always seemed to be held back by a lack of funding. It was even testing cable broadband in the late 1990s. The state of the networks and the lack of funding meant that it couldn't roll it out at scale. Once Cablelink was taken over and the funding was available to upgrade the networks, it managed to take much of TE's potential broadband market though TE had been floated and plundered. Eircom didn't have the money to upgrade its networks and that stupid decision by the government to float it set broadband back in Ireland by about 5 years.

Elektor published a design for a FilmNet descrambler that had a lot of people in the business wondering. It was a nice design but completely over-engineered. It then decided to commission a design for SAVE which was then used by BBC World. It was told in no uncertain terms that it could not publish the article as it would have been against UK legislation. It was an excellent magazine.It switched to bi-monthly as the Web was beginning to become more important. It also used to publish books of various circuits from the articles. It was probably the best magazine at the time.

Electronics and Wireless World was quite good too. Its articles were a good mix of theoretical and practical. It published an article on the main analogue systems and even a circuit for one of the more popular FilmNet descramblers. Unfortunately, it was taken over and it became a victim of production line jounalism (more press releases than content). Don't think that it lasted long after that. PW was very excellent for the HAM radio stuff.

irishgeo · 11-03-2026 07:57PM

@Benedict XVI your wasting your time.

Anyone who is even highlights any issues with dodgyboxys is attacked.

Johnboy1951 · 11-03-2026 08:22PM

I have no doubt at all that those at the source of the unlawful/dodgy streams are as much connected to various other crimes as those supplying illicit drugs or dodgy tobacco and cigatettes and so on.
Is the dodgy smoker expected to explain why they support criminal organisations who traffic people and other nefarious deeds when they light up?
Rarely in my experience.

If I was as much interested in sport now as I was some 15 or so years ago, I would assuredly be using a dodgy stream. Not because I wish to support criminals, but in spite of it.

I asked on this thread before but got no answer that I saw ….. have any of the providers of dodgy streams had their streams hacked?
I smile to think of someone providing links to free streams from the dodgy providers, and am rather surprised it has not been acknowledged that it could happen (and maybe has?).