Posts by Prophet

  • UK PIPCU Raids ‘Pirate’ TV Streaming Operation, 3 Arrested

    The UK's Police Intellectual Property Unit has raided a UK-based pirate TV streaming operation said to be responsible for the distribution of thousands of illegal devices worldwide. In addition to the seizure of dozens of servers, three men have been arrested.


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    Last month saw the shutdown of KickassTorrents and the arrest of its alleged founder, a development which sent shockwaves through the file-sharing community.


    That was followed by the surprise shutdown of Torrentz, the world’s largest torrent meta-search engine. It’s not known why the site chose to close its doors but its departure from the scene was somewhat more orderly than that of KAT.


    Meanwhile, and as revealed in our earlier report, streaming continues to prove increasingly popular with Internet users, a fact the authorities are well aware of.


    With that in mind, the UK’s Police Intellectual Property Unit (PIPCU) has just carried out a new operation against individuals it believes are involved in streaming content online and distributing set-top boxes modified to receive it.


    Following a series of dawn raids carried out yesterday morning in Lancashire, PIPCU arrested three men aged 36, 40 and 58, on suspicion of conspiracy to defraud and money laundering offences.


    PIPCU say that the operation received assistance from local police and a forensic investigator from the Federation Against Copyright Theft (FACT).


    While previous operations against streaming pirates have usually resulted in the seizure of Kodi-enabled Android set-top boxes, this operation appears to have gone a step up the chain.


    Photographs provided by PIPCU show what appears to be a somewhat sophisticated operation, beginning with satellite TV reception.


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    The PIPCU operation spanned three residential addresses and an as-yet-unnamed business premises. It seems likely that the photograph of the server room shown below was taken in the latter location. Thus far, PIPCU say they have seized approximately 30 servers.


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    In addition, PIPCU say they also recovered set-top boxes which had been modified so that users could access hundreds of premium subscription-only channels.


    “Some of the channels available on the devices include pay-per-view sports, the latest movies and UK broadcast television only available to UK licence fee payers. Officers have also identified 15 satellites,” PIPCU report.


    Neither the police nor FACT have provided any information which allows us to easily identify those arrested or their operation. However, there are a number of clues which point us in a particular direction.


    Firstly, PIPCU claims that the devices were being sold as legitimate products that could provide content to users anywhere in the world for an annual fee of around £400. Second, the unit also identified a small town with a population of just 41,000.


    So, given the location of the raids and the specific nature and size of the business, TorrentFreak sources familiar with IPTV operators in the UK told us that one company in particular stands out as the most likely candidate.


    The outfit has not yet responded to our requests for comment so naturally we won’t name them, but we do know that they offer IPTV packages to the expat market and those abroad for just a few pounds less than the £400 mentioned by PIPCU.


    The packages (and indeed the hardware) are also marketed and sold as entirely legitimate. We’re also aware that a staff member at the company was previously involved in another business dealing in satellite communications.


    At the time of writing their website is still up and running and registered to a business premises in Chorley, Lancashire, the town mentioned by PIPCU. Furthermore, a posting discovered online by TF indicates that the IPTV operation had been established for a number of years and was recently running 30 servers.


    In a statement, head of PIPCU, Detective Chief Inspector Peter Ratcliffe, described the outfit as “a significant and highly resourced operation to distribute pirated television on an industrial scale” to tens of thousands of people across the globe.


    “Operations like this remain an integral part of protecting livelihoods supported by the entertainment industry and the law abiding public who pay for their channels with their hard earned cash,” he said.


    Director General of the Federation Against Copyright Theft, Kieron Sharp, said his organization will continue to pursue those engaged in this growing area of piracy.


    “Illegally modified set-top boxes, along with infringing apps and add-ons, have created new opportunities for criminality and piracy. Tackling these threats and the people behind them is one of our highest priorities and therefore today’s multi-agency action is another great result for law enforcement and the creative industries,” Sharp said.


    “We will continue to work with our members and partners, such as the City of London Police, to crack down on those involved in the illegal supply of these boxes so that both the content and its creators are protected.”

  • All Liverpool FC League games on Sky Germany (delayed broadcast)

    Liverpool and Klopp sign partnership with Sky Germany


    Profile of Reds boss set to grown even further in his homeland after agreement on exclusive access


    The Jurgen Klopp factor is set to give Liverpool’s profile in his homeland a major boost after the club agreed a partnership with Sky Germany.


    The broadcaster has announced it has acquired the rights for coverage of all Liverpool’s games in the Premier League, starting on Sunday at Arsenal.

    Sky Germany – which is also shown in Austria – have also negotiated delayed broadcasts of the Reds’ FA Cup and League Cup campaigns.


    As part of a long-term deal with Liverpool, Sky Germany will broadcast a weekly club magazine as well as air exclusive documentaries, interviews with players and the manager, as well as reports from training and coverage of the usual press conferences and glimpses behind the scenes.


    Klopp, who has previously worked with Sky Germany as a brand ambassador and for advertising and public relations purposes, will also feature in special insights into his daily work and promotional appearances for the company.


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    The Reds boss said: “Already in 2014 I had a great experience with the Sky team while shooting a commercial.


    “Sky for me stands for all major sports, and that’s why I am very pleased with the continued co-operation.”


    Klopp has a huge profile in Germany following his spells in charge at Mainz and, in particular, Borussia Dortmund.


    Such is the interest in the 49-year-old, when Liverpool met Dortmund in the Europa League last season, German broadcaster Sport1 had planned to have a “Klopp Cam” tracking his movements at the Westfalenstadion before the Reds boss expressed his displeasure at the proposed idea.


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    Roman Steuer, Executive Vice President Sports of Sky Germany, said of his company’s partnership with Liverpool: “The high-class duels between Dortmund and Liverpool in last season’s UEFA Europa League have clearly shown how interested the football fans in Germany for Jurgen Klopp and Liverpool.


    “Co-operation enables us to be very close to Jurgen Klopp.”


    Matthew Baxter, Liverpool’s Chief Media Officer, said: “We are delighted to now extend our collaboration with Sky on Germany.


    “We already have a very successful co-operation with Sky UK and we look forward to expanding this strong partnership and the television program to offer Liverpool an even wider audience.”


    - - - Updated - - -


    Seems the initial reports haven't specified this, but a couple of online sports articles suggest the games won't be live but in fact delayed broadcasts

  • Problem turning off media streaming ident

    Thanks for this suggestion, I had already disabled this option when I set it up and double checked it and it's definitely off


    It's got me stumped, cannot think of anything else to try unless you can


    Only thing that works (obviously) is powering the box of at the wall

  • Problem turning off media streaming ident

    Quote from codar

    Have you tried to remove the server plugins/addons from your blackhole image?
    Think it's called mediatomb (UPnP) or minidlna
    Backup your image first though as it may break something if they are removed (never tried it myself)
    You probably won't have access to your hdd from any device on your network afterwards though (may also disable tuner server if you have it set up)


    thanks codar, I will take a look shortly at this, I am pretty sure I didn't see that installed but am not 100% certain, so will take a look


    I only use the receiver as a client box, so fingers crossed any removal shouldn't kill anything for me


    really appreciate the response


    edit: none of that was installed, i am totally stumped now, guess no way to switch it off, thanks for trying anyway

  • Problem turning off media streaming ident

    Quote from mckee25

    Have a look in your router for an option / setting for dlna servers.... you might be able to disable it from there.


    thank you, i will take a look



    edit: sadly nothing in the HH5 (that i can find) to turn off DLNA for specific devices, or otherwise


    guess we will just have to live with it


    seems a shame though as never had this on earlier BH releases

  • Problem turning off media streaming ident

    Hey all, not very often I ask for help and this is probably something simple I am missing, I will try my best to explain my minor but annoying issue


    I have a Panasonic smart tv (brand is not really relevant) which I use for all my media playback, streaming via kodi on my laptop is the main use


    When entering my media center on the tv it keeps showing me 2 separate servers, 1 is the Kodi on my laptop (this is the one I want to keep) and 2 is vusolo2: root


    It is the vusolo2: root that I want to remove (stop streaming)...


    I have never setup xbmc on my solo2, but have now fully removed it from the settings and via ftp deleting the folders for xbmc and a dlna folder which I thought might remove it, but nope


    I have tried searching both here and on google but cannot find a solution to it, in fact I have a friend who has the same receiver and the same problem and cannot remove it either


    Edit... I am using Blackhole image

  • Mr. Robot ‘Plugs’ Pirate Release Groups

    Mr. Robot ‘Plugs’ uTorrent and Pirate Release Groups


    The latest episode of award-winning TV show Mr. Robot includes a nod to online pirates. The main character Elliot is shown pirating a movie using uTorrent, while his movie folder lists movies from various pirate groups including YIFY. The group in question appreciates the "bad ass" mention, while another group casts doubt on the hacker's choice of BitTorrent client.


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    Earlier this month the second season of Mr. Robot premiered.


    The TV-show, which portrays and appeals to a subculture of nerds, hacktivists, hackers and technology insiders, has become an instant cult hit.


    Aside from classic hacker groups, the makers of the show were inspired by The Pirate Bay founders. Last year Mr. Robot creator Sam Esmail admitted that the main character Elliot is in part modeled after the illustrious trio.


    In addition, Mr. Robot also includes various nods and easter eggs for the technology inclined. For example, the first episode of the second season included an online trail for people to follow in the real world.


    In the most recent episode, pirates were saluted during a short scene. Without giving away any spoilers, the main character Elliot was shown playing a pirated movie via his PLEX media server.


    The movie in question, The Careful Massacre of the Bourgeoisie, is “fake” but that’s not true for the other pirate references displayed.


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    As the screenshot above shows, Elliot uses a recent version of the popular BitTorrent client uTorrent, showing a house ad for an upgrade to uTorrent Plus.


    In the “movies” folder, which is also shown, we can see various other movies complete with release group tags such as YIFY, PRiSTiNE, DiPSHiT, RARBG and CRiTERiON.


    It is safe to say that these were not included by accident but as a nod towards the pirates in the audience. The same can be said for the iconic FBI warning that’s shown when the movie starts playing.


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    The mention didn’t go unnoticed by the pirate groups in question. We reached out to YIFY, who quit after running into legal trouble last year, and he appreciates the mention.


    “Makes me feel like a little bit of a ‘bad ass’, even though it’s a pretty minor thing in the show still a cheeky smile came about,” YIFY told TF.


    “I do like the fact that the producers of Mr Robot specifically do try to get an accurate reflection of today’s real world online.”


    While the names of the pirate groups are indeed accurate, there may be room for improvement. A member of another release group pictured in the episode, who commented on condition of anonymity, questioned Elliot’s BitTorrent client preference.


    “I find it hard to believe that the main character in the show – a pro hacker – is using a non-open source software to download or stream his torrents,” the group member said.

  • Thanks to view attachments

    I agree in principal with [MENTION=12572]abu baniaz[/MENTION] that requiring a member to hit the thanks or like button 'just to view a thread' is wrong


    At the same time it's slightly different for those that take the time to upload content to the site and requiring a member to take 2 seconds to hit one of the buttons, this is a nice way to show appreciation to the original poster

  • New Prison Break Trailer

    Not the most exciting of trailer's, but for true fans of the original series (like me) then this latest trailer released last night should wet the appetite nicely :good news: