[pavel_lishin]

> generic TV boxes that promise unlimited content streaming for a one-time fee

I don't want to blame the purchasers of these things - who are some of the victims - but at the same time, it does seem like a Too Good To Be True situation.

[havaloc]

I have an elderly client who sends me links of stuff to buy all the time. One day it's one of these streaming sticks, the next day it's half-price stamps, and I tell her every time, please don't buy this stuff. And yet she does anyway, as if I was almost being mean and saying no just to say no.

So yes, I do want to blame the purchasers of these things, sometimes. To prove her point that her stamps were legitimate, she mailed me a card using one of her half priced (but likely fake) stamps and it made it through!

[Terr_]

Perhaps they grew up in a time/environment where "if it was that bad they wouldn't be allowed to advertise it", and they're still using that old calibration?

[nvme0n1p1]

OTOH - TV, radio, and YouTube are all unlimited and free. Why not streaming?

There are lots of people alive who grew up during the days of broadcast TV and radio. I get why they might not understand the difference.

[Cider9986]

It could be possible, I haven't done the math though.

Stremio +Torbox is $3/month and they can probably share 10+ households on one TorBox account so it could work out. The seller could just stop paying the TorBox subscription at whatever point and they have an incentive to do so.

[iugtmkbdfil834]

Uhh, I have an extended family member, who not only uses it, but now also tries to get other people to get into it. Since I was familiar with this practice ( and the issues it makes worse ), I noted those to him in an attempt to both politely decline and, hopefully, spare him, and society, some future problems. Without going into any identifying details, he didn't take it well ( and I don't think I got on my high horse ).

Anyway, I think some level of blame is warranted.

[IncreasePosts]

Maybe, but if they're a not-very-tech savvy older person buying this, they probably remember shows being free from over the air antennas and may think it is something like that.

[ghostly_s]

> they probably remember shows being free from over the air antennas

you are aware broadcast TV never ended?

[IncreasePosts]

Yes, in fact I have an antenna and a HDHomeRun nestled in my attic to record over the air shows that I occasionally consume.

But, I think it's far more common for people to have a TV service today, perhaps since comcast and their ilk push hard the TV/phone/internet bundle, and gone are the years when everyone would fiddle with the antennas on the back of their TV to get the right reception.

[bdangubic]

I watch TV over an antenna, shows are free still

[fred_is_fred]

If you offered most people free streaming for a $37 USB stick but directly told them it would be faking ad clicks when the TV is off, would any of them really care?

[1970-01-01]

No, and that's is the root of the problem. The buyer is happy and so is the seller. They don't care to understand what they're allowing and everyone is allowing it to happen.

[GolfPopper]

They're just meeting the standards American society has set.

[croes]

It sounds like scam

[flerchin]

Well now I want one

[Cider9986]

Stremio+TorBox are the two words. ($3/month)

[ghostly_s]

That's not what these things are. They come preloaded with apps that stream pirate broadcast streams and on-demand servers operated out of China.