GameCenter Live vs NHL Center Ice

[Hunter Gathers]

It's actually somewhat good to have this discussion in order to clear up the ambiguity that some see with regards to Hockeystreams.

 

[bobby peru]

I'll bite.

Why is it legal?

And if you provide the "donation" excuse, why does that line of reasoning make sense to you?

Hey guy, it's clear you are a bit confused. You see - we generally don't write laws in a permissive structure, i.e., outlining any and all legal scenarios. Rather, we stipulate exactly what is illegal and why. With that in mind... why do you think it's illegal? What's the difference between donating for a site that hosts streams, vs watching the ads on a site that streams them for free?

Wherever Hockeystreams.com is hosted, it's legal for them to rebroadcast sports games in these circumstances. Given that we are free people of this earth, it's not at all illegal to watch this benign activity. In fact - it's not illegal to watch Child Pornography... only possess it. So why don't you just do everyone a favor and bow out of this here supreme court because you clearly have absolutely no idea what you are talking about. That's true for the legality question, and the notion that hockeystreams.com is some sort of spam site actually made to trick their users out of credit cards (as if there weren't myriad of ways to protect yourself from such a scenario already. So really. Please do stop.

If you are going to bother to respond to this insisting that hockeystreams.com isn't as safe as say... homedepot.com, I'd really love for you to bother reading the news... but more specifically explain why you actually think the technical differences in the programming of the sites would leave hockeystreams.com more vulnerable than another site (something that is obviously beyond you, yet I'm amused to insist otherwise because why exactly? you don't like hockeystreams.com or the way it looks?), and the differences in how their credit processors must handle data. Has it ever occurred to you that other countries might actually require effective credit network regulation as opposed to the US and PCI? Given that you are speaking entirely out of ignorance, it seems like it would've made sense to consider all of that before demonstrating what little you know.

Better yet - why don't you get to red dit and argue with everyone there as they are straight up hacking GCL streams.

 

[Strat]

I'm not.

Boy, I'd tell you to quit while you're ahead, but that ship has sailed.

Being stubborn in the face of people who are more in the know than you are is foolish. And I'm being kind.

 

[Hunter Gathers]

Reggie, have you read the caselaw I provided you with, yet?

 

[Elevate]

I'm using GCL and it's working perfectly fine for me. In Sweden the rights to NHL is held by a company that requires a purchase of a package of sport content. That package is priced at about 37 USD a month which I think is ridiculous if you only want to watch hockey. So I have to use a VPN but I've found a free, reliable one so that is not really an issue. Allows me to avoid blackouts as well.

The reason I'm using GCL over HockeyStreams is because HS is in a legal grey area. It's not illegal as of right now but I'd not be surprised to see it banned in a near future. Would I get a refund if it were to shut down all of a sudden? I prefer to not find out and stick with GCL.

 

[ReggieDunlop68]

I think all of the above can be answered/responded to with this post.

The main reason Aereo violates the law is that you are actually keeping copies of the programming. Plus, it's an actual company re-broadcasting the content for profit. There's a big difference between Aereo and watching an unlicensed stream that isn't saved on any device anywhere.

That's mainly why streaming is legal. You aren't downloading a copy and keeping/storing it. It may seem like a stupid and trivial difference (and, in all reality, it IS a stupid and trivial difference), but that's where we are at with current law regarding this. Right now, as long as you aren't saving the content or re-broadcasting it to people for profit (like in a bar or with Aereo), then you are not violating the DCMA/FCA right now. I would not expect this to stay like this forever, though. That's the big thing to remember.

Now, the actual COMPANY running Hockeystreams may be violating the law. Much like Aereo. Keep in mind that merely being outside of the US doesn't matter all that much since they are targeting US audience. The reach of US law (especially w/r/t internet crimes) extends when there is that type of targeting going on.

For me, as soon as the law is changed, I'll be ditching hockeystreams. Right now? Why would I? It's perfectly legal under the current state of the law. Right now, the end user is simply not in violation of anything.

This message board post is not meant to be construed as legal advice, not meant to be acted upon as legal advice, may not be current, and is subject to change without notice. It is my sole opinion and does not represent the views of my employer.

It's actually somewhat good to have this discussion in order to clear up the ambiguity that some see with regards to Hockeystreams.

Reggie, have you read the caselaw I provided you with, yet?

I read it, and for the time being, it is legal, but it is still a fine line.

That being said, I am still leery in regard to providing credit information to a third party, a foreign entity, that dances on the letter of the law.

If you are going to use it, don't use main credit accounts.

Note: The only person who provided a real argument aside from saying "Ha, you don't know anything!" was Bird Law. Aside from Bird Law, the rest of you were like Hockeystreams, technically right.

 

[Hire Sather]

I read it, and for the time being, it is legal, but it is still a fine line.

That being said, I am still leery in regard to providing credit information to a third party, a foreign entity, that dances on the letter of the law.

If you are going to use it, don't use main credit accounts.

Note: The only person who provided a real argument aside from saying "Ha, you don't know anything!" was Bird Law. Aside from Bird Law, the rest of you were like Hockeystreams, technically right.

You're the one that needs to provide an argument.

There you are again with the credit card mention. Why should we be leery of identity theft? There is no reason to fear identity theft from hockey streams versus any website you are purchasing something from.

 

[ReggieDunlop68]

You're the one that needs to provide an argument.

There you are again with the credit card mention. Why should we be leery of identity theft? There is no reason to fear identity theft from hockey streams versus any website you are purchasing something from.

There is a huge difference.

Let's take Amazon. Amazon could be hacked, but Hockeystreams, a non-ethical foreign entity that I'm sure is hosted by the upmost ethical people, could use your information.

Should I provide evidence for not taking candy from strangers in tinted windows vans too?

 

[Hire Sather]

There is a huge difference.

Let's take Amazon. Amazon could be hacked, but Hockeystreams, a non-ethical foreign entity that I'm sure is hosted by the upmost ethical people, could use your information.

Should I provide evidence for not taking candy from strangers in tinted windows vans too?

I don't understand why you assume they are out to steal peoples identity. I mean its possible I guess, but isn't it possible for an "unethical" Amazon employee to gain access to peoples infomation? and no, just because they run a website that should be illegal doesn't mean I'm gunna take the jump to think they will steal the identity of the common person.

Anytime you go to the store and the cashier has to swipe your card because the customer machine is down, they can steal your identity too. Those unethical teenagers.

 

[haohmaru]

There is a huge difference.

Let's take Amazon. Amazon could be hacked, but Hockeystreams, a non-ethical foreign entity that I'm sure is hosted by the upmost ethical people, could use your information.

Should I provide evidence for not taking candy from strangers in tinted windows vans too?

"non-ethical"?

Their customer service has been excellent and when I had a billing issue it was resolved in minutes with a live person via chat.

They've done nothing shady and if you're measuring stick is Amazon, then there are plenty, no PLENTY, of small businesses that you've got a lot to fear from.

 

[ReggieDunlop68]

"non-ethical"?

Their customer service has been excellent and when I had a billing issue it was resolved in minutes with a live person via chat.

They've done nothing shady and if you're measuring stick is Amazon, then there are plenty, no PLENTY, of small businesses that you've got a lot to fear from.

If that helps you sleep.

Look, I conceded on the current legality of the site.

It's game time.

 

[haohmaru]

I'm not worried at all. Been using hockey streams for years without incident.

Their practices are certainly better than Comcast, AT&T, etc... Talk about shady billing policies.

 

[Hunter Gathers]

I don't consider Hockeystreams nonethical since they aren't breaking the law.

 

[Kane One]

I don't consider Hockeystreams nonethical since they aren't breaking the law.

How aren't they breaking the law? You need permission to retransmit a broadcast.

 

[aufheben]

How aren't they breaking the law? You need permission to retransmit a broadcast.

I forget the loophole, all I know is it's awesome.

 

[Hire Sather]

How aren't they breaking the law? You need permission to retransmit a broadcast.

Read up in the thread. Explained very well by Jonathan, if you know legal speak.

 

[SixGoalieSystem]

There is a huge difference.

Let's take Amazon. Amazon could be hacked, but Hockeystreams, a non-ethical foreign entity that I'm sure is hosted by the upmost ethical people, could use your information.

Should I provide evidence for not taking candy from strangers in tinted windows vans too?

You say "foreign entity" like it's something scary. We're not talking some lawless third world country here, it's the Netherlands. A close political and military ally of the US, and not exactly a place particularly known for identity theft or credit card abuse. A safe, organized western country with a more liberal copyright law.

Furthermore, HS is a business. They make their money off paying customers who trust their product and business. If they started selling email addresses or credit card information, they would lose customers = lose money.

Do you risk identity theft by signing up for HS and using your credit card? Sure. To the same degree you do by signing up for any other site which has thousands of paying subscribers.

 

[Kane One]

I don't think the website is actually hosted in the Netherlands. I looked at two of their IPs and it's in the US. The IP they use that hosts the archived games is in Canada.

 

[ReggieDunlop68]

You say "foreign entity" like it's something scary. We're not talking some lawless third world country here, it's the Netherlands. A close political and military ally of the US, and not exactly a place particularly known for identity theft or credit card abuse. A safe, organized western country with a more liberal copyright law.

Furthermore, HS is a business. They make their money off paying customers who trust their product and business. If they started selling email addresses or credit card information, they would lose customers = lose money.

Do you risk identity theft by signing up for HS and using your credit card? Sure. To the same degree you do by signing up for any other site which has thousands of paying subscribers.

Cool bro!

So you ain't go nothing to worry about.

 

[AKrangerfan]

I have very fast cable internet and hockeystreams is constantly freezing on me. It is almost unwatchable. I prefer Charlies stream to the one I pay for. The quality of GCL was great but they blackout way too many games. I am in Alaska so that is inexcusable. Anything on Dish is blacked out. I think you can get around the blackouts by having a VPN based in Europe. Does anybody know if that works?

 

[Kane One]

I have very fast cable internet and hockeystreams is constantly freezing on me. It is almost unwatchable. I prefer Charlies stream to the one I pay for. The quality of GCL was great but they blackout way too many games. I am in Alaska so that is inexcusable. Anything on Dish is blacked out. I think you can get around the blackouts by having a VPN based in Europe. Does anybody know if that works?

It should, but if you get caught, the NHL or whoever it is that runs GCL has the right to terminate your account and charge you an ETF. I don't know if they enforce it.

If you don't care about the risk, it's definitely worth a try. VPNs are cheap as hell.

 

[AKrangerfan]

It should, but if you get caught, the NHL or whoever it is that runs GCL has the right to terminate your account and charge you an ETF. I don't know if they enforce it.

If you don't care about the risk, it's definitely worth a try. VPNs are cheap as hell.

What is an ETF?

I wouldn't worry about being caught. I am not sure its worth the hassle to me though. Charlies feed is great for live games and the replay games on HS come through fine. I really liked the quality of GCL when I did use it but hated that 1/2 the games were blacked out.

 

[Gardner McKay]

What is an ETF?

I wouldn't worry about being caught. I am not sure its worth the hassle to me though. Charlies feed is great for live games and the replay games on HS come through fine. I really liked the quality of GCL when I did use it but hated that 1/2 the games were blacked out.

Early termination fee.

 

[Jabroni]

What is an ETF?

I wouldn't worry about being caught. I am not sure its worth the hassle to me though. Charlies feed is great for live games and the replay games on HS come through fine. I really liked the quality of GCL when I did use it but hated that 1/2 the games were blacked out.

ETF means Early Termination Fee.

 

[Kane One]

What is an ETF?

I wouldn't worry about being caught. I am not sure its worth the hassle to me though. Charlies feed is great for live games and the replay games on HS come through fine. I really liked the quality of GCL when I did use it but hated that 1/2 the games were blacked out.

Early termination fee.