"Buying" movies on Amazon/Other Streaming Services

[Condi]

Does anyone have any concerns about buying movies on Amazon Video or similar? Not something I've done much of, but while clearly you access it via the platform mostly I didn't realise that you're not actually buying a copy, but buying the licence to watch a copy. IE you can't download and keep it, despite having "bought" the film.

Are there any easy ways to download something bought (scripts or programs which will save a copy from the Amazon file) or is it easier just buy the Blu-Ray if I actually want to keep the film? Does seem a slight backwards step to not own the film you've bought, at least with music you can nearly always download the file and keep it forever when you buy it online.

[Gt6turbo]

I bought a few Google play TV shows/movies and one says I don't have access anymore. So I guess it happens.

[Jamescrs]

I’ve bought maybe 5 or 6 on Amazon Prime TV, I haven’t paid a full price for any of them and they are all still there. I accept there’s a chance I could lose them either by Amazon taking them offline or me cancelling the Amazon account.

I think if you want to retain the media as you suggest the best way is still to buy a disc version

[Funky Squirrel]

If buying isn't owning, piracy isn't stealing!

[IanH755]

I like to have my own "copy" of anything I buy but which is held online by the seller rather than directly being held by me i.e. streaming etc.

So for example (and I know this may not make much sense but.....) lets say I buy access to Andor Season 1 & 2 on Disney+ I will then also make a digital copy which I store on my PC until the Blu-Ray becomes available at a reasonable price.

My main reason is that, whilst I really want to see the whatever movie I buy straight away, I also have a lack of trust in any of the streaming services to allow me to keep "access" available to my "good" 24/7 no matter what, and as no streaming service can do that, and quite a few will remove access to "goods" I have purchased, should the streaming company lose access rights themselves, then I believe it only makes sense to have a "copy" of what you've purchased (some links below of when this has already happened).

https://nofilmschool.com/warner-bros-deleting-purc...

https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2023/jun/...

https://cecritic.com/news/streamers/amazon-sparks-...

[Gt6turbo]

Funky Squirrel said:

If buying isn't owning, piracy isn't stealing!

You buy a licence to watch it.

Old skool ways are better as you could own the physical object then copy that .

They say why gen X is so miserable, we used to be able to own our music and films.

[Condi]

IanH755 said:

I like to have my own "copy" of anything I buy but which is held online by the seller rather than directly being held by me i.e. streaming etc.

So for example (and I know this may not make much sense but.....) lets say I buy access to Andor Season 1 & 2 on Disney+ I will then also make a digital copy which I store on my PC until the Blu-Ray becomes available at a reasonable price.

How do you make your own copy? There isn't a "download" button, so do you have some separate software?

[elyuw]

I think they probably acquire a digital copy. Rather than make their own.