patrick.net

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We don't have cable TV, and just use free streaming like Pluto TV, Tubi, FreeVee and Roku. Free streaming is like having cable TV.

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I had been collecting dvds and blurays since the 90s. I would rent dvs from Netflix and rip them. I paid for the program that allowed you as many dvds as you could per month something like 9 or 10 at a time. They would get ripped and sent back immediately. This way I amassed more than 7000 discs. I used to watch them like most people by fishing them out, I used Delicious Library to keep track of the titles and discs. But, finally last year I ripped them all to my own server and have them on a Plex drive. I love it. I've since doubled my library to more than 7000 movie titles of movies I like...1940s-1990s. I love old television shows from 1950s to 1990s and even lots of the early aughts stuff. Now I download torrents and have at least another 1000 movies to add to my library and another 500 tv series with all the seasons available for each show.

I won't watch any of the crap that is meant to teach me that Empress Carlotta had boot lips or that in 1920s Russia a negro was going to be allowed to sit in the main dining room with a white woman. I doubt those Russians would allow that to happen even today, lol.

While living here in Spain and before I had access to my dvd collection I ordered up all the channels I liked. I have since cancelled: Criterion Channel, Netflix, Hulu, Peacock, Paramount, HBO, Britbox, etc. The only streaming channel I kept is Amazon, because I buy a lot of stuff through them and like the free shipping and ease of returns. I had cancelled cable years ago. I won't pay for NBC or CNN just to watch FOX. I don't miss it.

I realize that the streaming channels aren't going after me as a market, though I have paid lots of money into their coffers in days of yore. But no more. I'm happy with my enormous library and I can keep adding to my library as time goes by.

I think there's just too much other shit to do. I'll watch movies I already own from when I was a kid occasionally, but I have zero interest in watching/streaming TV. I seek out stuff that makes me learn things. Cooking has been the biggie for the last 5 years.

There's so many new and different things to do. List of outdoor and indoor activities is endless. Shit like pickle ball that's blowing up. I don't even mountain bike but might take mine up to Wisconsin and hit some trails up. Go to a concert.

We're still a country of fat asses, but I think people are getting outdoors more. Progress is slow, but I think it's going in the right direction.

I finally have a box that I think will be able to serve as a 4K server. Unlike @Willywanker, I waited until high definition to start amassing stuff. now, I'm waiting out storage prices vs. disc rot to get enough capacity for my library. With 4 100 TB drives running RAID5, that should be enough to rip the few thousand discs in my library.

I might have to rip them 2 ways - first to convert them to mkv for plex, etc., and a bit-for-bit rip for archival purposes. Physical is going away, grab it while you can. I do this for audio CD's as well - that is shit easy compared to video.

Tubi is actually good because they have tons of old movies and almost no ads. No idea how they make money.

PS. Some movies on Amazon are cut-up-for-TV shitcopies, like, for example, The Name of the Rose where they cut out the scene without which the plot makes no sense.

Eric Holder says

Name of the Rose

Did you see the TV series of that?

UkraineIsTotallyFucked says

Eric Holder says

Name of the Rose

Did you see the TV series of that?

There is a series now? I had no idea.

Eric Holder says

There is a series now? I had no idea.

Technically a miniseries. 8 episodes. Was pretty good. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Name_of_the_Rose%20(miniseries)

Even with all of the free options out there, there's nothing I would want to watch.
I did see a recap on The Spanish Superman, that I thought was interesting, I would watch if I ever come across it.
I watch recaps on YouRube 95% of the new movies out there that they review are the same lazy writing, that lacks and compelling story telling elements.

I avoid series at all cost, even in the recap. When the narrator starts off with "The Series begins...", that's my cue to hit the back button.
Series for the most part are pure garbage sitcoms are the only series worth watch IMO. If you can't wrap up a good tome in 2 to 3 hours, then it was probably a half baked cool sounding story, that eventually peters out and never ends as well as it started out. Which is exactly what happens to every drama series I have ever tried to watch. The ending of Sopranos made the several years we followed the story a complete waste of time. For that reason alone I never watched one episode of Breaking Bad.

UkraineIsTotallyFucked says

Eric Holder says

There is a series now? I had no idea.

Technically a miniseries. 8 episodes. Was pretty good. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Name_of_the_Rose%20(miniseries)

Tnx, I'll check it out.

Tenpoundbass says

The ending of Sopranos made the several years we followed the story a complete waste of time. For that reason alone I never watched one episode of Breaking Bad.

Breaking Bad end is good.

Tenpoundbass says

Even with all of the free options out there, there's nothing I would want to watch.

You would be surprised by Pluto TV as it has good channels like Star Trek, Perry Mason, Mission Impossible, History, Science, Outdoors, Home Improvement and DIY, NewsMax, OAN, and even Bloomberg TV.

Actually Bloomberg TV is good at following the US and foreign stock markets, and is not politicized.

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stereotomy says

I finally have a box that I think will be able to serve as a 4K server. Unlike Willywanker, I waited until high definition to start amassing stuff. now, I'm waiting out storage prices vs. disc rot to get enough capacity for my library. With 4 100 TB drives running RAID5, that should be enough to rip the few thousand discs in my library.

I hope you will let us all know when the series Secret Agent (aka Danger Man), Mission Impossible, Hawaii-Five-O (the original show), Cannon, McCloud, Kojak, The Rockford Files, The Streets Of San Francisco, Bonanza, etc., are made available in 4K. Not much good does it do to have a 4K set, which I have of course, if the physical media is not 4K. Sadly, most of the old classic television shows from the 60s through the 90s are NOT available in 4K. I have been waiting for decades to see the highest possible Columbo to be released, finally, last year it was in 4K. Today, it is not available for free downloading via torrenting sites except for one single episode, Murder Under Glass, in 4K. I bought a copy of the 4K series and a friend is bringing it to me from California this summer when he visits Spain. Sure, you can get Game Of Thrones and Westworld in 4K but if your tastes run into things pre-woke you are pretty much shit-outta-luck. The last thing I want to pay good money for or even waste my time downloading is a fictitious version of history that shows us some negro being part of the Russian revolution (A Gentleman in Moscow). The minute I see a negro play Queen Charlotte (Bridgerton) I'm done with a show.

I'm just glad to have my library available at the touch of a finger. You will, I'm sure, enjoy being able to access your library without having to search for the physical discs. Ripping mine didn't take as long as I thought it would. 4 computers running 24/7 and I ripped more than 6500 discs in a few months.