Top 10 Most Pirated TV Shows on BitTorrent

[Malcontent]

Top Downloads October 05 - October 12 Ranking (last week) TV-show
torrentfreak.com

1 (1) Heroes
2 (2) Prison Break
3 (new) Dexter
4 (4) Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles
5 (back) Grey’s Anatomy
6 (back) Smallville
7 (5) Desperate Housewives
8 (back) Stargate Atlantis
9 (8) Supernatural
10 (new) Family Guy

[stlarenas]

Top Downloads October 05 - October 12 Ranking (last week) TV-show
torrentfreak.com

1 (1) Heroes
2 (2) Prison Break
3 (new) Dexter
4 (4) Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles
5 (back) Grey’s Anatomy
6 (back) Smallville
7 (5) Desperate Housewives
8 (back) Stargate Atlantis
9 (8) Supernatural
10 (new) Family Guy

Not surprised to see Dexter up there...

They sort of did that to themselves. When they re-aired season 1 on CBS I got hooked...but not enough to pony up for the subscription to digital cable + Showtime.

I am currently watching Season 2 - but legally via Tivo Unbox. Will probably do the same with season 3.

[Sirius Black]

Between all the premium pay channels, there are three things I watch(ed) on a weekly basis. Dexter, Entourage, and The Tudors. None of them separately or together is worth the $$$ to pay for. If they were available the next day on a service like Hulu or iTunes (yeah, I'd pay for them), I would gladly do that. But I don't think any of them are in that category. The others on this list that I watch are available on iTunes or Hulu. Both good enough options.

[TAsunder]

Most of these shows are free online either through the network's site or on Hulu and iTunes. I'm kind of surprised it's not shows that you can't watch for free online anyway. Dexter is the only one I would expect to see here. Where's Weeds or Entourage?

[jsmeeker]

Most of these shows are free online either through the network's site or on Hulu and iTunes. I'm kind of surprised it's not shows that you can't watch for free online anyway. Dexter is the only one I would expect to see here. Where's Weeds or Entourage?

watching show from the networks website or via hulu isn't a great expereience. TV shows should be watched on TV. Even if you have a PC hooked up to a TV, it still won't be as good as getting a quality AVI via bittorrent and burning to a CD and then popping it into a DVD player that can handle it.

You can do something like iTunes to AppleTV.. But that's not free.

[Sirius Black]

watching show from the networks website or via hulu isn't a great expereience. TV shows should be watched on TV. Even if you have a PC hooked up to a TV, it still won't be as good as getting a quality AVI via bittorrent and burning to a CD and then popping it into a DVD player that can handle it.

You can do something like iTunes to AppleTV.. But that's not free.

Hulu adjusts itself based on your connection speed, I thought. The faster the connection, the better the quality. Still, I agree you aren't going to get as good a quality as iTunes via AppleTV. HD or SD.

[jsmeeker]

Hulu adjusts itself based on your connection speed, I thought. The faster the connection, the better the quality. Still, I agree you aren't going to get as good a quality as iTunes via AppleTV. HD or SD.

right.. But you are still basically watching on a PC, even if you do happen to have a PC hooked up to a big TV. And then there are the ads they have at Hulu. Sitting in front of a computer monitor at your desk just isn't the same as watchin TV.


I missed an epsidoe of GossipGirl. My options were to watch it from the CW site or get it from iTunes for $1.99. The bittorrent option was out cause by DVD player that plays DivX AVIs is busted. The CW site just wouldn't run right on my iBook. So, I bought it from iTunes and put it on my iPod touch. It looked great. But it would have been better if I could have watched it on my TV. Too bad I still have an old ass SD tube TV. Otherwise, Apple TV would have come in handy.

[Einselen]

Arrr!!! Oh not that type of pirate?

[DreadPirateRob]

Is it really "pirated" if it aired for free to begin with (i.e. a broadcast network show)?

[zordude]

Is it really "pirated" if it aired for free to begin with (i.e. a broadcast network show)?

It was paid for by the advertising airtime, which has been removed in the torrents.

Z

[tivoboyjr]

watching show from the networks website or via hulu isn't a great expereience. TV shows should be watched on TV. Even if you have a PC hooked up to a TV, it still won't be as good as getting a quality AVI via bittorrent and burning to a CD and then popping it into a DVD player that can handle it.

You can do something like iTunes to AppleTV.. But that's not free.

Guilty as charged re Entourage. It isn't as good as it used to be, and is definitely not worth the cost of a subscription to the Home Box, but I still feel the need to keep up with it, so yes I am a pirate.

And, BTW, I download it and watch it on Tivo via pytivo. No need to bother burning to a CD/DVD.

[TAsunder]

watching show from the networks website or via hulu isn't a great expereience.

It's pretty good, actually. Not as good as amazon unbox but close. I just go to Hulu via my PS3 and then download the full episode, then skip all commercials. And if you really want a great experience, watch it on your TV in the first place. Which everyone can do. For free. Thus, I don't get why so many people choose this option for non-cable/premium channels.

Even if you have a PC hooked up to a TV, it still won't be as good as getting a quality AVI via bittorrent and burning to a CD and then popping it into a DVD player that can handle it.

That's too much work. It takes a while to even get the bit torrent file, then to burn it to disc is a lot of effort too. I would go through that much effort to watch Dexter if I didn't have Showtime. In fact, I'd venture to say Dexter is the only show on this list worth going through any more than a mild amount of effort regularly.

[jsmeeker]

It's pretty good, actually. Not as good as amazon unbox but close. I just go to Hulu via my PS3 and then download the full episode, then skip all commercials. And if you really want a great experience, watch it on your TV in the first place. Which everyone can do. For free. Thus, I don't get why so many people choose this option for non-cable/premium channels.



That's too much work. It takes a while to even get the bit torrent file, then to burn it to disc is a lot of effort too. I would go through that much effort to watch Dexter if I didn't have Showtime. In fact, I'd venture to say Dexter is the only show on this list worth going through any more than a mild amount of effort regularly.


that works if you have a PS3. But if you are like me an many others and have NOTHING, Hulu means actually sitting infront of a computer and watching. And that's not an ideal experience at home. About the only way watching on a computer works for me is on an airplane.

[TAsunder]

that works if you have a PS3. But if you are like me an many others and have NOTHING, Hulu means actually sitting infront of a computer and watching. And that's not an ideal experience at home. About the only way watching on a computer works for me is on an airplane.

Right. But you don't find it surprising that the list here isn't full of premium channel content where you have not only people like you, but also additional people who don't pay for HBO/Showtime/Cable? Particularly surprising to me is that bit torrent users favor Desperate Housewives and Grey's Anatomy!!

[pigonthewing]

I currently use my mac mini, which is hooked up to my TV, to visit hulu. Should I be using my PS3 instead? The thought of doing so never even occurred to me.

Also, hypothetically, if I were to bittorrent avi files, how would I use my PS3 to watch those on the TV (instead of the mac mini, which I might be doing, if I were bittorrenting in the first place, which remember, I never said I was)? ;) Thanks.

[jgerry]

Guilty as charged re Entourage. It isn't as good as it used to be, and is definitely not worth the cost of a subscription to the Home Box, but I still feel the need to keep up with it, so yes I am a pirate.

And, BTW, I download it and watch it on Tivo via pytivo. No need to bother burning to a CD/DVD.
Me too. I don't want to pay for an HBO subscription right now (I'm unemployed).

Frankly, I'd pay for individual episodes of Entourage and Real Time w/ Bill Maher. But they won't let me! Frankly I think Real Time should be free to download anyway, as its timely nature makes it useless a week after it airs.

[phox_mulder]

Why only US TV shows.

When a new episode of Top Gear airs in the UK, there's literally thousands of seeders.

I've never seen that many for any of the shows in that list.

I've had to get Supernatural a couple times due to the local station somehow messing it up, and I've never seen the Top Gear numbers.

ETA, oh, that list is just for last week.

RETA, of course the above is entirely theoretical, as I would never break any laws.



phox

[aindik]

Me too. I don't want to pay for an HBO subscription right now (I'm unemployed).

Frankly, I'd pay for individual episodes of Entourage and Real Time w/ Bill Maher. But they won't let me! Frankly I think Real Time should be free to download anyway, as its timely nature makes it useless a week after it airs.

Real Time is a free audio-only download, via iTunes podcast from HBO. They don't post it right away, though. I believe it's within a week of the actual air date. They also podcast the audio of OverTime (the extra 10 minutes or so of paneling they do on the web after the show airs).

[bengalfreak]

The bittorrent option was out cause by DVD player that plays DivX AVIs is busted.


Google for the freeware AviToDVD. Takes a bit of time, but it will make those downloaded episodes play on any DVD player.

[brianric]

Most of these shows are free online either through the network's site or on Hulu and iTunes. I'm kind of surprised it's not shows that you can't watch for free online anyway. Dexter is the only one I would expect to see here. Where's Weeds or Entourage?
Comcast moved AMC from extended cable to some premium service. In addition to a Tivo I have two Replays. I’m a big fan of Mad Men. Managed to get this seasons’ shows sent to my Replay through Poopli.

[brianric]

Originally Posted by DreadPirateRob
Is it really "pirated" if it aired for free to begin with (i.e. a broadcast network show)?

It was paid for by the advertising airtime, which has been removed in the torrents.

Z
No difference than fast forwarding on my Tivo.

[DevdogAZ]

watching show from the networks website or via hulu isn't a great expereience. TV shows should be watched on TV. Even if you have a PC hooked up to a TV, it still won't be as good as getting a quality AVI via bittorrent and burning to a CD and then popping it into a DVD player that can handle it.

You can do something like iTunes to AppleTV.. But that's not free.

And, BTW, I download it and watch it on Tivo via pytivo. No need to bother burning to a CD/DVD.
To Jeff: ^^^ pyTiVo is awesome!

And I'm not at all surprised at the shows that are being seeded. I've found that people don't torrent because they can't get the show another way, but a lot of people use torrents simply because if you don't have a DVR, don't have enough DVR tuners, don't get good TV reception, etc. it's a very easy and fast way to get high-quality versions of your shows that you can watch where ever/whenever/however you want.

[jgerry]

Real Time is a free audio-only download, via iTunes podcast from HBO. They don't post it right away, though. I believe it's within a week of the actual air date. They also podcast the audio of OverTime (the extra 10 minutes or so of paneling they do on the web after the show airs).
I've tried. They are at least a week late, and they often are incomplete or messed up in some way. I canceled my podcast subscription two or three weeks ago when the show was completely screwed up. 20 minutes of normal airtime, then the recording inexplicably started back to the beginning (even though the podcast timer said 20+ minutes), then skips towards the end... WAY too annoying.

In the months before a big presidential election, HBO should seriously just release full episodes for free.

Ah, wait -- Real Time was on last night. Off to torrent!

[jilter]

watching show from the networks website or via hulu isn't a great expereience. TV shows should be watched on TV. Even if you have a PC hooked up to a TV, it still won't be as good as getting a quality AVI via bittorrent and burning to a CD and then popping it into a DVD player that can handle it.

You can do something like iTunes to AppleTV.. But that's not free.

Jeff, As others have said: you must check out pyTivo. I am no expert, and fumbled my way through getting it started, but just reading thru some forums and install help files was enough for me to do it, so I know you could do it with ease. It changed everything about the way we watch tv now. Enhanced my love for Tivo ten-fold, and I never thought that was possible.

Jill

[madscientist]

I only ever torrent stuff that I miss, usually due to some kind of mistake on my part. I think I've done about 6 shows in the last couple of years. I don't ever torrent things from pay channels I don't get, or movies etc. of course. If the networks would re-run stuff late at night or whatever so I could TiVo it then, I would definitely do that. Or, if they didn't restrict their sites to only supporting Windows platforms I would watch it on nbc.com or whatever. As it is, it's a choice between not watching it at all and getting it via torrent. This doesn't make me feel that much better about it though. I wish the networks would wake up and provide a real alternative.

[Worf]

I've torrented stuff I missed, as well as shows you just can't get here (Discovery US mostly - they just don't run those shows in Canada)...

[matt@thehickmans]

Ike knocked my power, cable and therefore TiVo out for two weeks at the beginning of the Fall season. Not everything I missed was available on the networks' web sites. It is good that there is alternative ways to get programming for situations such as a natural disaster.

[Sirius Black]

I only ever torrent stuff that I miss, usually due to some kind of mistake on my part. I think I've done about 6 shows in the last couple of years. I don't ever torrent things from pay channels I don't get, or movies etc. of course. If the networks would re-run stuff late at night or whatever so I could TiVo it then, I would definitely do that. Or, if they didn't restrict their sites to only supporting Windows platforms I would watch it on nbc.com or whatever. As it is, it's a choice between not watching it at all and getting it via torrent. This doesn't make me feel that much better about it though. I wish the networks would wake up and provide a real alternative.

In defense of NBC, Hulu is 100% compatible with Mac and Safari. I've used it often. The only service I've run into that isn't compatible with Mac is Netflix and that will soon be irrelevant because of the Xbox 360. All "play now" content available for "free" to paying Netflix subscribers. Would I like it on the Mac? Of course. Are they dragging their heels and using BS reasons for why they aren't already there? Yes, without question. The Xbox 360 is a compromise I'm willing to live with.

I did run into something this morning with CBS. It seems it isn't compatible with Safari. It could be because of my ad-blocking software though. It worked fine in Firefox.

[fmowry]

$30 Divx DVD player with front USB FTW. I just BT stuff overnight then throw it on my 2GB thumb drive and watch it on the DVD player. I used to burn stuff, but the burn process on an hour show takes too long.

Frank

[cheesesteak]

Two dvrs and Comcast On Demand. Not many reasons to bittorrent tv shows any more. As long as the US Doctor Who & Torchwood air within a reasonable time period as the British versions, I don't download them either.

[madscientist]

In defense of NBC, Hulu is 100% compatible with Mac and Safari.This doesn't help me, because I don't own either Windows OR Mac. My systems all run Linux. It's silly because Flash is natively supported on Linux these days, and it works just fine. But, nbc.com and others check the client and simply won't even try to display content unless it's Windows (or Mac, I guess). If they'd just remove the check it would almost certainly work. I realize they are trying to decrease support costs *shrug*.

I also don't have an iPod or an xbox. And I'm certainly not willing to buy them just to watch a few shows.

I have cable with LOTS of channels, and a TiVo S3 with expanded disk space and dual tuners. There is only one timeslot where I have an unsolvable conflict (Mondays: BBT, Chuck, Terminator). Up until now I've just been skipping Chuck--but now my son wants to watch Chuck so I'm dumping Terminator. As I mentioned, mainly I download due to mistakes on my part.