Streaming services are expensive, and I’m tired of not owning anything. I was thinking of starting a video co-op where you buy-in with a DVD/VHS/etc and then you own a share of the co-op and can stream from its library.
Q: Why not just let people access your streaming server?
A: In the US at least, it’s illegal to stream movies you don’t own or don’t have the license to stream. By participating in the co-op, when you stream a movie, ownership of that physical media and the digital copy is temporarily transferred to you.
Q: Why not just steal it? yarrr
A: Most people here would, for sure. But plenty of less tech savvy folks can’t do that safely. And there is some value in not helping my community do illegal shit.
Q. The hardware will be expensive to run
A: At first, nah. If it grows to a size where that’s a problem, then I’m doing something right and will figure it out.
Q: Libraries offer free streaming services, why not use that?
A: They are expensive for the library and don’t have great selection. Though I guess mine might not have great selection either. People might ‘bank’ garbage.
So it’s basically a ‘physical media (and corresponding digital copy) storage and trading platform’.
Crazy idea? Already done? Stupid and impractical? Help get this idea out of my head.
In New Zealand, there is a provision in the copyright law that handily makes having a copy legal, while also making it impractical for most people.
Prior to the addition of the format-shifting provision, making a copy was always illegal (eg that recording on your VCR was illegal). Adding the provision made it legal, but subtly also not generally useful.
The format-shifting exception allows the owner of the physical media to make a copy themselves, for their own use. If they transfer ownership of the physical media they must destroy the copy (they can’t even pass on the convenience to the next owner).
Since making copies is more technical than is practical for the masses, most cannot take advantage of the provision - and that’s the way copyright owners like it.