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Thinking of ditching Virgin Media. Can I save/ transfer all my film purchases with them?

T & P

T & P

|-o-| (-o-) |-o-|
I’ve had it with their shoddy service, and now that Sky is no longer owned by Rupert Murdoch, and that you no longer need to install a mini dish to watch Sky, I think I’m ready to jump ship.

But we’ve been with Virgin for 15+ years, and have bought quite a few films over the years. They used to send you a physical DVD copy in the post, but that stopped years ago. Does anyone know how to save any purchases? I have done various searches online as well as checking my VM account, but so far I have failed to find an answer on it.
 
T & P said:
I’ve had it with their shoddy service, and now that Sky is no longer owned by Rupert Murdoch, and that you no longer need to install a mini dish to watch Sky, I think I’m ready to jump ship.

But we’ve been with Virgin for 15+ years, and have bought quite a few films over the years. They used to send you a physical DVD copy in the post, but that stopped years ago. Does anyone know how to save any purchases? I have done various searches online as well as checking my VM account, but so far I have failed to find an answer on it.
Click to expand...

I suspect not. Sounds like it would be easier just to torrent them.
 
wtfftw said:
one of the other terms says you only get to keep your purchased content for a maximum of five years... 🤔
Click to expand...
Well that’s fucking shit. I thought the reason Virgin (and I believe also Sky) stopped sending you a DVD copy of a film purchase was because the format is a dying one. But just as I wouldn’t be expected to return such DVDs to Virgin if I leave, I don’t see how losing digital purchases can possibly be legal :mad:
 
You haven't actually purchased the films, you've bought the rights to watch them. If you cancel your subscription then you surrender that right.
In addition if the content owner (the studio) cancels their contract with VM then you will lose access to them even if you don't cancel your subscription.
If this sounds like a scam that's because it is however it is a legal scam that has been tested in court.
Physical media is best since you own that if not the contents.
However as others have said best thing to is torrent them, not only do you get stuff for free and get to keep it. You also get the smug feeling that comes from doing your own small bit to undermine capitalism.
 
MickiQ said:
You haven't actually purchased the films, you've bought the rights to watch them. If you cancel your subscription then you surrender that right.
In addition if the content owner (the studio) cancels their contract with VM then you will lose access to them even if you don't cancel your subscription.
If this sounds like a scam that's because it is however it is a legal scam that has been tested in court.
Physical media is best since you own that if not the contents.
However as others have said best thing to is torrent them, not only do you get stuff for free and get to keep it. You also get the smug feeling that comes from doing your own small bit to undermine capitalism.
Click to expand...
At the end of the day it’s not going to stop me switching, or contact a local newspaper to express my rage, but it’s most definitely a racket as far as I’m concerned. I never asked to receive film purchases in digital format only. AFAIAC, when you buy a film nothing has changed legal ownership-wise since folk were first able to buy films for home viewing in VCR format in the late 20th century. Whether video cassette, laser disc, DVD, or digital download, if you buy a film from a film distributor or provider, you own that particular licensed copy of the movie for personal use in perpetuity. The fucking cheek of the cunts…
 
T & P said:
At the end of the day it’s not going to stop me switching, or contact a local newspaper to express my rage, but it’s most definitely a racket as far as I’m concerned. I never asked to receive film purchases in digital format only. AFAIAC, when you buy a film nothing has changed legal ownership-wise since folk were first able to buy films for home viewing in VCR format in the late 20th century. Whether video cassette, laser disc, DVD, or digital download, if you buy a film from a film distributor or provider, you own that particular licensed copy of the movie for personal use in perpetuity. The fucking cheek of the cunts…
Click to expand...

Where have you been for the last 20 years?
 
UnderOpenSky said:
Where have you been for the last 20 years?
Click to expand...
Not sure I follow.. I am fully aware of the evolution of film and music media over the last twenty years. But that has fuck all to do with end user proprietary rights.

Nothing has changed at all (or should have changed) regarding my right to own a licensed copy of The Matrix for life whether I’d bought the DVD of it from a physical store back in 2002, or from Virgin Media in digital format last week. A purchase is a purchase. If Virgin chooses to sell me a film to own forever, they should most definitely make the provision for me to download a copy to keep if I decide to leave them at any point.
 
T & P said:
Not sure I follow.. I am fully aware of the evolution of film and music media over the last twenty years. But that has fuck all to do with end user proprietary rights.

Nothing has changed at all (or should have changed) regarding my right to own a licensed copy of The Matrix for life whether I’d bought the DVD of it from a physical store back in 2002, or from Virgin Media in digital format last week. A purchase is a purchase. If Virgin chooses to sell me a film to own forever, they should most definitely make the provision for me to download a copy to keep if I decide to leave them at any point.
Click to expand...

It's literally been going on for 20 years. Volumes have been written about it online. Amazon were deleting books that people had purchased back 2009. It's shit, but you don't own the film, you pay for the ability to watch it in a method of their choosing.

Hence why I suggested torrents if you actually want to "own" stuff.
 
UnderOpenSky said:
It's literally been going on for 20 years. Volumes have been written about it online. Amazon were deleting books that people had purchased back 2009. It's shit, but you don't own the film, you pay for the ability to watch it in a method of their choosing.

Hence why I suggested torrents if you actually want to "own" stuff.
Click to expand...
I wasn’t aware of that at all. I don’t have an Amazon account FWIW.

How in the name of fuck has that not been challenged in court? I guess it’s all written deep within the T&Cs… :mad:
 
T & P said:
Not sure I follow.. I am fully aware of the evolution of film and music media over the last twenty years. But that has fuck all to do with end user proprietary rights.

Nothing has changed at all (or should have changed) regarding my right to own a licensed copy of The Matrix for life whether I’d bought the DVD of it from a physical store back in 2002, or from Virgin Media in digital format last week. A purchase is a purchase. If Virgin chooses to sell me a film to own forever, they should most definitely make the provision for me to download a copy to keep if I decide to leave them at any point.
Click to expand...
I think the error here is thinking that you're still paying to 'own' a copy of the film. With streaming, that's not what they're selling and that's not what you're buying. 'Owning' it forever was never an option during the transaction.

As others have said, this is why I never truly moved away from physical media, and anything I know I'll always want to have I buy on physical media.

Or, y'know, download it. Sometimes :hmm:

(It's a real bugger with certain titles where they don't even exist on physical media :( :mad: )
 
For films that I love that much that I want a permanent copy I will buy a physical copy. I haven't done that for ages mind you because as far as I'm concerned the film industry is like the music industry. All the great stuff has already been done and most of what comes out today is absolute garbage.
 
Elpenor said:
Other thing is that the rights owner can remove or edit a digitally owned copy which has happened with some films / TV recently
Click to expand...
Yup. Just one example, there's an episode of Community that is no longer available on Netflix (or elsewhere, far as I'm aware).

I know I heard of edits being made, too, but can't remember what that was.
 
Maybe a good time to drop this here.

www.urban75.net

Tell me about Plex

So if I install Plex on my PC, I can access all my media files from my nexus, yeah? Can I also stream to my PS3? Does it need a good connection or is my shitty powerline connection good enough? Will it work on my TV (Samsung non-smart but does have an internet connection)? Is there chromecast...
www.urban75.net www.urban75.net
 
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