Exposé on HiVid

[Fionalein]

Kinda sad for Tjay they are deleting everything. Now HiVid folks only know it went down because "that bloke who complained". I wish there were some clarifications why it was taken down. I begin to see a lot of SL users really were naive enough to believe Ben's claim of legality... which raises the even more horrible question wether those folks should even be allowed to handle their own finances.

 

[Dakota Tebaldi]

I never used in world streaming of any kind. I just never liked it. I always preferred just having youtube in the other monitor.

I like the idea of in-world movie nights. I like the social aspect of sitting in a room with all your friends and commenting on the movie as you watch it. Most people I've seen doing it though tend to use some kind of external stream-syncing service, or just stream their own monitor or something. I knew about Lightning rentals back in the day, but I never even heard of HiVid before this thread.

 

[Dakota Tebaldi]

I begin to see a lot of SL users really were naive enough to believe Ben's claim of legality... which raises the even more horrible question wether those folks should even be allowed to handle their own finances.

Well I'm sure a lot of that is ignorance of convenience though. Like "Gee golly goshums, just in case any MPAA lawyers are reading this and might be thinking of going after purchasers I had no idea this wasn't completely above board!"

 

[Madi Perth]

Well I'm sure a lot of that is ignorance of convenience though. Like "Gee golly goshums, just in case any MPAA lawyers are reading this and might be thinking of going after purchasers I had no idea this wasn't completely above board!"

Yeah, lets fly that duck and see how far it goes. EErrr.. I mean ,
what duck?

 

[Cristiano]

Well, that took balls.

No more so than selling 10k movies in SL that they had no licenses for.

 

[Fionalein]

... and BellaTech Nation decided "This is the oppotunity to start distributing TVs"

 

[Dakota Tebaldi]

... and BellaTech Nation decided "This is the oppotunity to start distributing TVs"

Is there any value in a scripted TV now though? Everyone I know who has a TV anymore it's just web on a prim and they type in a URL to watch something.

 

[Caete]

From the Bellatech notecard:

Introducing the BellaTECH Legal TV, Your Ultimate Second Life Streaming Solution!
With the sudden loss of several TV systems, we know a lot of people have been left without a way to watch and share their favorite content in Second Life. We wanted to offer something to the community, a fully legal and reliable TV that ensures you can continue enjoying movies, shows, and live channels without worry.

What Makes BellaTECH Legal TV Special?
✔ Hundreds of Live Channels – Watch movies and shows with free streaming services, no logins required.

✔ Kosmi Integration – Stream anything from your PC directly to your SL TV, including your favorite subscription-based services.

✔ Stable and Secure – Designed to be 100% legal, so you never have to worry about losing access.

✔ Easy Resizing – The TV is no-mod to prevent accidental issues but includes a resize script to fit any home or setup.

Only L$99, because everyone deserves to enjoy their entertainment in SL without interruption. If you have been searching for a new TV, we hope this helps bring back the fun.

Get yours today and start streaming with friends and family again!

􀀁

Purchase In-World: 􀀀
Purchase on MP: BellaTECH Legal TV (add me)


***Please note some options will not work in all regions, we are looking for alternatives to add for those individuals. This TV comes with FREE updates for life! As we find more legal streaming services they will be added.

***Pluto TV Regions:
United States
Canada
United Kingdom
Germany
France
Italy
New Zealand

***Tubi:

Not All Conent Accessible

 

[Noodles]

Total side note, with the way media works, I am not sure they could even get someone just for watching any particular stream. Since you could just be near a TV and your viewer picks it up.

 

[Casey Pelous]

Yeah, lets fly that duck and see how far it goes. EErrr.. I mean ,
what duck?

"Wait -- so you're saying the stuff on The Pirate Bay is pirated? OMG!!!! *swoons*"

 

[Faithless Babii]

I went to a Christmas place in December and saw they had a way to watch a movie together - they were playing The Polar Express and Id always wanted my partner to see it. So yes, I hopped on over to Hivid and bought the set up for him plus an offer bundle that had the Polar Express included. It appears I'm some sort of moron or idiot for not realising this was dodgy.
Oh well.

 

[Free]

"Wait -- so you're saying the stuff on The Pirate Bay is pirated? OMG!!!! *swoons*"

/me pilfers her previously clutched pearls

 

[Soen Eber]

/me pilfers her previously clutched pearls

/me returns them to the original owner. For shame!!

 

[Puretone]

Lightning Video. I...err, knew some people who had rented movies from them a few times.

I just saw the name in the new thread. Millions Media.

 

[Soen Eber]

I've been checking for news references (beyond second life related) for Hivid and Linden since this started, and so far nothing. Which means (so far) there no lawsuits or public legal claims against Linden Lab.


Maybe things are still at the WTF stage.

 

[Spirits Rising]

How could they operate like that for three years - among other questions?

Did any rights holder bother to report them to Linden Lab? That is the only question to ask concerning the above. The answer is clearly that such did not happen until recently.

Linden Lab is not YouTube - they are not actively scanning every video or stream that goes through Second Life objects. They simply aren't.

As I'd already noted over there in the newer thread: This is not too different to the recent purge on VRC(hat) of Movie worlds that had a preprogrammed library URL for perusing pirated content. Users there got around it via utilizing a newer world setup with no embedded URL beyond device settings and such. The user has to be a member of their Discord or Patreon to get the actual URL for the content (or know someone who has it) and then manually enter it in.

How long that lasts, remains to be seen.

 

[Caete]

And an update to Bellatech. Essentially some fixes, changes and double the price now.

BellaTECH Legal TV 8.0 – Major Update & Price Change Incoming!

After gathering feedback from hundreds of customers, we have completely rebuilt the BellaTECH Legal TV from the ground up! This massive 8.0 update introduces an all-new interface designed for easier navigation, improved clarity, and a smoother user experience. We’ve also eliminated several bugs and optimized the system to allow for future content updates without requiring a full in-world update.

What's New?
Fully recoded with a streamlined and intuitive design
Bug fixes and improved functionality
Easier content access and navigation
New update system allowing us to add content without in-world updates
SL Original Content Applications Open Next Week

With this update, we are excited to announce that applications will open next week for SL content creators who want their original machinima, shows, vlogs, and performances featured on BellaTECH Legal TV. Stay tuned for details!

Price Update – Last Chance at L$99!
With the extensive changes and to help cover future server costs, we are increasing the price of the BellaTECH Legal TV from L$99 to L$199 starting Tuesday.

Already own the TV? No worries! You keep receiving free updates as always.
Still want it at L$99? Grab it before Monday at midnight SLT to lock in the introductory price!

We remain committed to ongoing improvements based on community feedback, and all future updates will continue to be free for existing owners.

Get your BellaTECH Legal TV now before the price goes up!

 

[Monica Dream]

I like the idea of in-world movie nights.

Not me; the old-time radio shows you'd see here and there are about as close as I wanna get; maybe because they're just like a regular stream. Half the time I get lost there, too and can't be bothered.

But the shared group experience around them can be awesome -as long as I don't have to pay close attention.

But my personal attitude has always been that I come on SL to get away from zoning out on the tv. I've got a tv. I've got my roomie to watch it with. If that's what I wanted to be doing -I'd be doing it.

 

[Cristiano]

I have found that using Kosmi works incredibly well for sharing media with friends. There are TVs that support it in world. It’s nothing like the situation with HiVid. I have been watching a Netflix series with a friend that way.

 

[Madi Perth]

Not me; the old-time radio shows you'd see here and there are about as close as I wanna get; maybe because they're just like a regular stream. Half the time I get lost there, too and can't be bothered.

I have been hosting a Old Time Radio show at The End of Time on Tuesday night at 8 pm for the last 6 years. As far as I know it is the longest event of this type in SL. I love these old radio shows and its great to get together with people and listen to them. We have on average about 20 people at each even, and sometimes as high as 50 or more.