Earlier this month, third-party Kodi add-on ZemTV and the TVAddons library were sued in a federal court in Texas.
The complaint, filed by American satellite and broadcast provider Dish Network, accused the pair of copyright infringement and demanded $150,000 for each offense.
With that case continuing, there has been significant fallout. Not only has the TVAddons repository disappeared but addon developers have been falling like dominos.
Of course, there are large numbers of people out there who are able to acquire and install new addons to restore performance to their faltering setups. These enthusiasts can weather the storms, with most understanding that such setbacks are all part of the piracy experience.
However, unlike most other types of Internet piracy, the world of augmented Kodi setups has a somewhat unusual characteristic.
Although numbers are impossible to come by, it’s likely that the majority of users have no idea how the software in their ‘pirate’ box actually works. This is because through convenience or lack of knowledge they bought their device already setup. So what can these people do?
Well, for some it’s a case of trawling the Internet for help and advice to learn how to reprogram the hardware themselves. It may take time, but those with the patience will be glad they did since it will help them deal with similar problems in the future.
For others, it’s taking the misguided route of trying to get the entirely legal (and probably sick-to-the-teeth) official Kodi team to solve their problems on Twitter. Pro tip: Don’t bother, they’re not interested.
It’s likely that the remainder will take their device back to where they bought it, complain like crazy, and then get things fixed for a small fee. But for those running out of options, never fear – there’s another innovative solution available.
In a local pub this week I overheard a discussion about “everybody’s Kodi going off” which wasn’t a big shock given recent developments. However, what did surprise me was the revelation that a local guy is now touring pubs in the area doing on-site “Kodi repairs.”
To put things back in working order using a laptop he’s charging $25/£20/€23 or, for those with an Amazon Firestick, a $50/£40 trade-in for a new, fully-loaded stick. Apparently, the whole thing takes about 15 to 20 mins and is conveniently carried out while having a drink. While obviously illegal, it’s amazing how quickly opportunists step in to make a few bucks.
That being said, the notion of ‘Kodi repair men’ appearing in the flesh is perhaps not such a surprise after all. Countless millions of these devices have been sold, and they invariably go wrong when pirate sources have issues. In reality, it would be more of a surprise if repairers didn’t exist because there’s clearly a lot of demand.
But exist they do and some are even doing home visits. One, who offers to assist people “for a small call out charge” via his Facebook page, has been receiving glowing reviews, like the one shown below.
In many cases, these “repair men” are actually the same people selling the pre-configured boxes in the first place. Like pirate DVD sellers, PlayStation modders, and similar characters before them, they’re heroes to many people, particularly those in cash-deprived areas. They’re seen as Robin Hoods who can cut subscription TV prices by 95% and ensure sporting events keep flowing for next to nothing.
What remains to be seen though is how busy these people will be in the future. When people’s devices stop working there’s obviously a lot of bad feeling, so paying each time for “repairs” could eventually become tiresome. That’s certainly what copyright holders are hoping for, so expect further action against more addon providers in the future.
But in the meantime and despite the trouble, ‘pirate’ Kodi devices are still selling like hot cakes. Despite suggestions to the contrary, they’re easily purchased from sites like eBay, and plenty of local publications are carrying ads. But for those prepared to do the work themselves, everything is a lot cheaper and easier to fix when it goes wrong.
Source: TF, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, torrent sites and ANONYMOUS VPN services.
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