General question for all. Downloading games. music and other copyright material is ILLEGAL. But, are we allowed to download television rips of episodes, since they are free to air on cable.?

I mean, you can use your VCR to record all day on VHS if you chose and that is your right and no one willl come after you for it . So is download some else recordings illegal?

I know this has nothing to do with XBMC as it sounds, but i do use it to watch my tv.

Any thoughts.

no its still illegal. the programs, although freely (or not so in the case of pay tv) available are still copyrighted. When you download it will most likely not have the ad's that the tv companies put in there. They are making no money from you downloading it.

Kinda dodge i know.

I could use the same analogy to say i'm allowed to download music because i could have just as easily taped it off the radio. Not going to happen.

Courts ruled that you are allowed to tape of the radio and have your own copy in the 80's when tape recorders came out with that option.