TVAddons, one of the leading add-on libraries for the Kodi platform, has disappeared:
TVAddons, the leading library for unofficial Kodi add-ons, has mysteriously disappeared. The site's domain names have become unresponsive after the DNS entries were removed. It's unclear why these drastic actions were taken, but since TVAddons was sued last week, some fear the worst.
Last week we broke the news that third-party Kodi add-on ZemTV and the TVAddons library were being sued in a federal court in Texas. Since then, the 'pirate' Kodi community has been in turmoil. Several popular Kodi addons decided to shut down, and now TVAddons itself appears to be in trouble as well.
TVAddons is one of the largest repositories of Kodi add-ons, many of which allow users to watch pirated content. The site has grown massively in recent years and reported that nearly 40 million unique users connected to the site's servers in March.
[...] Based on the current downtime issues, it's no surprise that people are getting worried. If TVAddons doesn't return, the Kodi-addon community has lost what's arguably its biggest player. The site's extensive library listed 1,500 different add-ons, of which the community-maintained Exodus addon was one of the most popular. Now that the site is no longer available, people may run into issues while updating these.
Previously: Kodi Panic in the UK and Popularity in North America
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Kodi, previously known as XBMC or Xbox Media Center, is being used "fully loaded" with add-ons (such as TVAddons.ag) by millions of households in North America:
New data published by Canadian broadband management company Sandvine reveals that close to 9 percent of all North American households have at least one Kodi device. Roughly two thirds of these actively use pirate add-ons, which is good for millions of families in total.
[...] Sandvine analyzed a dataset from multiple North America tier one fixed-line provider, which covers over 250,000 anonymized households throughout North America. Using this data, it was able to estimate how many households actively use at least one Kodi device. "The Kodi application itself does not generate much data, but it is easy to detect within a household due to its 'heartbeat' traffic which can easily be identified," Sandvine reports.
Overall Sandvine estimates that 8.8% of the households with Internet access across North America have an active Kodi device. This translates to several millions of households and many more potential users. [...] Looking at the various traffic sources for the streaming data, including file-hosts, the company determined that 68.6% of the households with Kodi devices also use unofficial, or "pirate" add-ons.
Meanwhile, UK tabloids are running stories (tall tales?) about Kodi:
You know a technology's gone mainstream when the tabloids start yelling about it. This year the Sun, the Mirror, the Express, and the Daily Star have run splashes ranging from "Kodi Crackdown" through "Kodi Killers" to "Kodi TOTAL BAN!". It's not that they've stumbled on an underground hack scene; the stories have been briefed by copyright owners and law enforcement agencies.
[...] Illicit use of Kodi has reached a point where the UK government's Intellectual Property Office issued a "Call for Views," which closed in April, to find out how law enforcement agencies were dealing with infringing use. They use the term "IPTV," but also refer specifically to Kodi. No conclusions have yet been published, but three basic enforcement approaches are possible: shutting down suppliers of boxes, cutting off illegal streams, and going after end users.
Roku has refreshed its lineup of TV streaming sticks and boxes, shortly after Apple and Amazon released similar products. Roku now has a device that supports 2160p resolution and high dynamic range:
Roku just announced updates to five of its TV streaming products, as well as a new operating system that marries access to over-the-air TV with video streaming services. The announcements from Roku come after both Apple and Amazon have revealed updates to their own video streaming boxes in recent weeks, with all three companies pushing further into the home with things like 4K, voice control, and improved search functionality.
Roku's low-cost streaming sticks are getting the most interesting updates. The basic Roku streaming stick, which at $49.99 is priced the same as last year's model, is getting a processor update that Roku claims is 50 percent faster. The remote is also getting voice control functionality, along with power and volume buttons to control those functions on your TV set.
Then there's the Roku Streaming Stick Plus, which now supports HDR and 4K Ultra HD. It also has four times the wireless range of the basic stick, which is partly enabled by the wireless module being built directly into the cable, rather than the stick itself. The idea is that moving it away from the television reduces interference. This one, which effectively replaces last year's Roku Premiere 4K box, will cost $69.99.
Also at Ars Technica and Roku.
Previously: Roku OS 7: Developer Highlights
Roku Media Player Maker Seeking IPO
Related: MPAA Chief Focuses Attention on the Kodi Platform
Kodi Panic in the UK and Popularity in North America
Kodi Add-on Library "TVAddons" Disappears After Lawsuit
Apple Investing $1 Billion in Acquiring and Producing TV Shows
The Kodi media player has re-entered the Xbox ecosystem. But can it be "fully loaded"?
The popular Kodi media player software returned to its roots today. The team just announced that Kodi for Xbox One is available worldwide through the Microsoft and Xbox store. This means that the project, which once started as the Xbox Media Player, has come full circle. [...] The roots of Kodi are directly connected to the Xbox, as the first iterations of the project were called the "Xbox Media Player." As time went by XBMP became XBMC, and eventually Kodi. The last name change made sense as the software was no longer being developed for Xbox, but for other devices, running on Linux, Windows, OSX, and Android.
While the broader public was perfectly happy with this, the sentimental few were missing the Xbox connection. For them, and many others, Kodi has a surprise in store today after returning to its roots. "Let us end the year 2017 with a blast including a nostalgic reference to the past," the Kodi team announced. "It has long been asked for by so many and now it finally happened. Kodi for Xbox One is available worldwide through Windows and Xbox Store."
Also at Engadget.
See also: Our 'Kodi Box' Is Legal & Our Users Don't Break the Law, TickBox Tells Hollywood
Previously: XBMC Is Getting a New Name: "Kodi"
Five Arrests in 'Fully Loaded' Kodi Streaming Box Raids
MPAA Chief Focuses Attention on the Kodi Platform
Kodi Panic in the UK and Popularity in North America
Kodi Add-on Library "TVAddons" Disappears After Lawsuit
Hollywood Strikes Back Against Illegal Streaming Kodi Add-Ons
Netflix, Amazon and Hollywood Sue Kodi-Powered Dragon Box Over Piracy
Several major Hollywood studios, Amazon, and Netflix have filed a lawsuit against Dragon Media Inc, branding it a supplier of pirate streaming devices. The companies accuse Dragon of using the Kodi media player in combination with pirate addons to facilitate mass copyright infringement via its Dragon Box device. [...] In recent months these boxes have become the prime target for copyright enforcers, including the Alliance for Creativity and Entertainment (ACE), an anti-piracy partnership between Hollywood studios, Netflix, Amazon, and more than two dozen other companies.
After suing Tickbox last year a group of key ACE members have now filed a similar lawsuit against Dragon Media Inc, which sells the popular Dragon Box. The complaint, filed at a California federal court, also lists the company's owner Paul Christoforo and reseller Jeff Williams among the defendants.
According to ACE, these type of devices are nothing more than pirate tools, allowing buyers to stream copyright infringing content. That also applies to Dragon Box, they inform the court. "Defendants market and sell 'Dragon Box,' a computer hardware device that Defendants urge their customers to use as a tool for the mass infringement of the copyrighted motion pictures and television shows," the complaint, picked up by HWR, reads.
According to TorrentFreak (TF) entertainment coalitions such as the Alliance for Creativity and Entertainment (ACE) are continuing to threaten developers of Kodi addons:
The MPA, Netflix, Amazon, and dozens of other content companies are ramping up the pressure on a third-party Kodi addon developer. Last year, JSergio123 was warned by the Alliance for Creativity and Entertainment to cease his activities and sign a confidential settlement agreement. He did not and now he's coming under pressure to comply. But what are ACE's demands?
[...] JSergio123's reluctance to sign an agreement with ACE hasn't gone unnoticed by the anti-piracy group. In a letter dated March 5, 2018 and signed by Kelly Klaus of US-based lawfirm Munger, Tolles & Olson, the developer is reminded of what transpired last year and what is expected of him moving forward.
"I understand that ACE counsel have discussed with you various of your "Addon" software applications and related software and services, including URLResolver (collectively, the "[redacted] Addons") and other actions you have undertaken to induce and contribute to the mass infringement of the ACE members' copyrighted works," Klaus writes. "I also understand that ACE counsel have provided you with a proposed settlement agreement, pursuant to which you would end your infringing activities and provide cooperation and other consideration in exchange for ACE agreeing not to pursue legal action against you arising out of your infringing activities. To date, you have not signed the settlement agreement."
JSergio123's precise reasons for not signing the settlement agreement aren't being made public. However, TorrentFreak understands that some of the terms presented to addon developers last year have caused considerable concern. In some cases they are difficult to meet, not to mention unpalatable to the people involved. They include promises to ensure that specified addons and indeed any developed in the future can no longer infringe copyright. For those that scrape third-party sources, this could prove impossible to absolutely guarantee. This could effectively put developers out of the addon game – legitimate or otherwise – for good. TF is also informed that ACE demanded a high-level of cooperation, including that the developers should supply what amounts to a full confession, detailing all the projects they've been involved in, past and present.
Meanwhile, Dish Network is continuing to pursue a lawsuit against TVAddons and ZemTV.
Related: MPAA Chief Focuses Attention on the Kodi Platform
Kodi Panic in the UK and Popularity in North America
Kodi Add-on Library "TVAddons" Disappears After Lawsuit
Hollywood Strikes Back Against Illegal Streaming Kodi Add-Ons
Kodi Returns to its Roots With an Xbox One Release
Two New Lawsuits Against Makers of "Pirate Streaming Devices"
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday June 15 2017, @09:55PM (3 children)
This is what happens when you are visible. You become a target they can hit. Everyone needs to get off the 'opennet', today.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday June 16 2017, @12:44AM (1 child)
In fact both seem to have lower content and activity levels than ~2012ish.
Have some new darknets sprung up to replace them?
(Score: 2) by cykros on Saturday June 17 2017, @10:36PM
More like their reputations preceded them as hotbeds of underage porn and other activity that is not only illegal but actually considered undesirable by the majority of people.
Combine that with the various successful attacks on them (okay, they're attacks on browsers to make them leak, but how many people get the difference?) along with some of the Snowden revelations pointing out to those who were paying attention how limited the darknets could actually be, and frankly interest largely fell off. Besides, when people are getting away with live streaming murders on FACEBOOK, you start to feel silly when you're routing your encrypted traffic all over the world so that you can infringe on copyrights (very slowly, I might add).
(Score: 2) by cykros on Saturday June 17 2017, @10:18PM
At best the solution using darknets would be to incorporate darknet functionality into Kodi for acquiring plugins while actually using those plugins over the clearnet. Considering the Kodi team doesn't particularly approve of piracy oriented plugins, don't expect this to be streamlined any time soon. And while it's probably POSSIBLE to do this all without any major changes, remember that Kodi plugins as a piracy method are popular not because they do anything new, but because they make it painfully convenient and easy. Take that out of the equation and most of the allure evaporates as the userbase goes back to Netflix or BitTorrent.
Meanwhile, it should go without saying that actually trying to stream the content these plugins provide over darknets is absolutely the height of folly. You're lucky if some of the sources can maintain a stream even on a direct cable connection let alone after bouncing it around the globe a few times.
(Score: 2) by hendrikboom on Thursday June 15 2017, @10:41PM (5 children)
This is what happen when you centralize resources.
I imagine that many of those add-ons still exist, but almost no one knows how to find them.
I imagine that github is also vulnerable to attack.
-- hendrik
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday June 15 2017, @10:53PM
If anyone has the original download link it just might still be there even if the main website is unavailable. This happened a long time ago with another app (A game), the website was taken down but the download link still worked.
(Score: 4, Interesting) by KGIII on Friday June 16 2017, @12:49AM (1 child)
I'd actually be a bit surprised if someone didn't have a mirror copy. Maybe browse through the Wayback Machine, find a few unique keywords, and search for those? Google may even still have some of the pages in their cache.
A quick Google led me to here:
Link [addonhq.com]
And, there's some left in the Google cache - I just checked. So, you may be able to use that to dig deeper.
If you're using Chrome, Chromium, Opera, and probably anything similar, just go to:
https://www.tvaddons.ag/ [tvaddons.ag]
Change https:// to cache:// and it'll load the homepage. The links don't work (of course), but you can probably search for some of the more unique text and find what you're looking for.
"So long and thanks for all the fish."
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday June 16 2017, @06:32AM
This is the true purpose of digital surveillance and control, stop technologies from spreading that undermine XYZ Profitologies.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday June 16 2017, @06:29AM (1 child)
In this new world of content and creativity it is economically preferable to make information easily free. Come up with support and creative content to sell (don't mind the hackers who steal yo shit, they are like mosquitoes) and stop wasting time and money on protections that only harm your users. Make an awesome user experience that people pay for instead of trying to lock shit down like a viper squeezing the lifeblood out of its userbase.
The Kodi Library is an example of users voting out a content delivery model that is an artificial limitation, and then the law cracks down on something it deems as "wrong". Fix the model, don't punish the innovation.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday June 16 2017, @06:45PM
A viper has fangs and poisonous spit.
They don't need to hang on; they strike and wait for the poison to take effect.
"Constrictor" or "serpent" or "snake" would have been apt.
-- OriginalOwner_ [soylentnews.org]
(Score: 2) by opinionated_science on Friday June 16 2017, @11:49AM (1 child)
It's a good thing I am paranoid - I clone the source for many things that might "disappear".
Not sure I have this one, but I've not updated kodi in a year, so maybe....
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday June 17 2017, @10:31PM
Considering that the backend of this all is a lot more complicated than just "keep an old copy of something that worked a year ago", I doubt you'd have much luck. For one, as the actual streaming sites moved from http to https, unupdated plugins stopped working in droves. On top of that, new sites pop up and old ones die out all the time, and the automatic updates for the plugins are why that isn't a general issue for the average Joe. And don't even get started on things like plugins that rely on plugins (which may in turn rely on plugins)...the soccer watching world panicked when Sports Devil went AWOL during the FA Cup Finals last month, killing various live TV plugins which relied on the latest version of it.
That all said, don't let me stop you from seeing what your backups may allow you to keep in terms of functionality. I'm just saying don't be surprised when it turns out to be fairly little.