Image used with permission of the copyright holder
If you’ve ever felt like you’re paying too much for your TV, you’re not alone. Whether it’s constant price gouging or the simple fact that all television used to be free (albeit ad-supported), people are always looking for ways to pay less for their TV time. Then comes an enticing platform like Terrarium TV, which offers seemingly unlimited free viewing of just about anything you’re looking for. The problem, of course, is when things seem too good to be true, they often are.
Terrarium TV in brief
A few years ago, Popcorn Time was all the rage. Under the guise of BitTorrent, Popcorn Time allows users to watch movies and TV shows for a low, low price. Unfortunately, since it essentially allowed users to pirate content on demand, it wasn’t long before ISPs (Internet Service Providers) and Hollywood came knocking and the service was gone.
When Terrarium TV arrived on the scene, it seemed very similar to Popcorn Time, offering content sourced from the Internet in a sleek user interface only available for Android devices. Although it worked a little differently behind the scenes, Terrarium TV was pretty much the same idea in a nicer looking package, but like Popcorn Time, its days were numbered.
Is there even more?
Before, it was quite clear where to download Terrarium TV: Go to the official website and follow the instructions. Then the website suddenly disappeared, and then the Terrarium TV project on GitHub disappeared. No reason was given — the creator of the project seemed to have simply given up.
Terrarium TV has always had a troubled life, and while its users remained doggedly determined to keep watching even after its developer seemingly abandoned the app, the saga has finally come to an end. On September 11, 2018, users noticed a message from the developer of the NitroXenon app saying that it was shutting down Terrarium TV, and that the app would close automatically from the end of September. He also said there are no plans to open source the app so no other developers can take over the reins. Bad news for Terrarium TV users doesn’t end there either.
Looking at the legality
As mentioned above, Terrarium TV currently exists in something of a legal gray area. Similar to torrent sites, Terrarium TV didn’t actually serve pirated content, it just collected links to videos already available online. This is technically legal, but your ISP might not like it, making it nearly impossible to search for anything related to Terrarium TV without seeing ads for VPNs.
Instead of directing users to torrents, like Popcorn Time used to, Terrarium TV would “scrape” video links from all over the Internet, including those found on legitimate video services. When you chose what to watch, the app collected the links and used them to start streaming.
“Terrarium TV only contains links to other sites on the Internet,” the Terrarium TV website said. “It does not host or transmit any videos, movies or media files. It does not store media stream links on any of its servers. Terrarium TV brings the connections together in a convenient, user-friendly interface.”
Image used with permission of the copyright holder
This is good in itself. The real problem is that Terrarium TV didn’t bother to check whether these sources are legit or not. That means you might be watching something that’s on a TV network’s website, or a rip uploaded to some video service you’ve never heard of.
Despite being “technically” legal, that didn’t mean content providers and various bodies were thrilled about Terrarium TV’s existence. Although NitroXenon never mentioned it when they announced the shutdown of the app, it’s easy to imagine that increasing pressure from the authorities led to the shutdown. It also gets even weirder as users who kept the app installed started seeing notifications warning them to uninstall the app immediately and that their IP address and location were being tracked.
When contacted by TorrentFreak, NitroXenon said that Terrarium TV does track users’ IP addresses and that it would do so if requested by authorities to hand over user information.
Alternatives to Terrarium TV
Pluto TV is similar to Terrarium TV in many ways, but it differs in one important way: it is completely legitimate. Pluto curates content from all over the internet, offering it in a simple, easy-to-navigate interface, presented as live TV channels. On-demand content is also available, although limited, it rotates quite often. You won’t find the wealth of content available on Terrarium TV here, but Pluto is simpler, cross-platform, and still 100 percent free. For more information, see our Pluto TV guide.
Then there are sites like Crackle and Tubi. Both offer free movies and TV shows in a Netflix-style schedule. Unlike Terrarium TV, these services actually show movies and shows legally. You won’t find nearly as much content, but you also won’t have to worry about getting a virus or any other type of malware. It is entirely possible to use the above services for all your entertainment needs – we know from experience.
These are not your only options either. Kodi (formerly XBMC) can offer many of the same features as Terrarium TV when you use the right add-ons, and while it can occupy the same legal gray area – depending on how you use it – at least there’s an official website so you can be sure you’re downloading the right app.
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Categories: GAMING
Source: newstars.edu.vn