NightShift, Netflix timeshift?

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Sidestep

1013 posts

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Lifetime subscriber

#176896 15-Jul-2015 13:25

One of our wireless RBI providers - Wireless Nation - has offered us a trial of their "Nightshift" service.

They describe it as "a dual-band router that plugs into the back of your RBI router"

It'll let us make use of the 50GB free Off Peak (night time) data - that we don't currently use- to download Netflix shows, watch them later.

So it makes a temporary local copy of video content.. wasn't there some discussion of that potentially breaking Netflix's DRM?

Google shows me it's likely Aterlo's Nightshift product which has been available in North America for a while, so any problems - and it's legality - must have been ironed out.

Has anyone tried it?

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5809 posts

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#1344673 15-Jul-2015 13:30

Good idea if it works

I assume you have to tell it what you want to watch on Netflix somehow? Not sure how you'd do that.

pdath

252 posts

Ultimate Geek

#1344674 15-Jul-2015 13:30

Netflix is a 100% streaming service. If they wanted you to be able to download and keep the content they would provide the service directly.

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DizzyD

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#1344748 15-Jul-2015 14:18

pdath: Netflix is a 100% streaming service.

Not quiet. In the US they offer a DVD by mail service. Similar to Fatso NZ

pdath

252 posts

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#1344781 15-Jul-2015 14:25

DizzyD:
pdath: Netflix is a 100% streaming service.

Not quiet. In the US they offer a DVD by mail service. Similar to Fatso NZ

Yes, but they don't offer it so that you can take a copy of the DVD and send it back. It's purely a "rental", much like streaming - you pay to watch it - not keep it.

Try my latest project, a Cisco type 5 enable secret password cracker written in javascript!

Bee

732 posts

Ultimate Geek

#1344804 15-Jul-2015 14:54

https://gigaom.com/2014/11/21/aterlo-networks-wants-to-put-a-netflix-cache-in-your-router/

Vaguely says that it is legal yes...

" Services like Netflix are contractually bound to only make their titles available for streaming, which is why they typically don’t like products that promise consumers to download or record permanent copies. However, Nagelhout insisted that Nightshift does none of that.

The product doesn’t break Netflix’s DRM, he said, but instead just caches content temporarily, much like ISPs are already doing today."

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wellygary

8312 posts

Uber Geek

#1344818 15-Jul-2015 15:30

Bee: https://gigaom.com/2014/11/21/aterlo-networks-wants-to-put-a-netflix-cache-in-your-router/

Vaguely says that it is legal yes...

" Services like Netflix are contractually bound to only make their titles available for streaming, which is why they typically don’t like products that promise consumers to download or record permanent copies. However, Nagelhout insisted that Nightshift does none of that.

The product doesn’t break Netflix’s DRM, he said, but instead just caches content temporarily, much like ISPs are already doing today."

As long as the Aterlo "cache" requires a connection to Netflix to unlock the DRM its probably alright, (this would ensure that were still a customer and that netflix still had the rights to the show)

Where it gets interesting is , if you are able to access the shows if you leave netflix, or netflix removes that title from its library....

khull

1245 posts

Uber Geek

#1344825 15-Jul-2015 15:45

Off peak is still a thing?

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DizzyD

523 posts

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#1344832 15-Jul-2015 15:54

pdath:
DizzyD:
pdath: Netflix is a 100% streaming service.

Not quiet. In the US they offer a DVD by mail service. Similar to Fatso NZ

Yes, but they don't offer it so that you can take a copy of the DVD and send it back. It's purely a "rental", much like streaming - you pay to watch it - not keep it.

\

Found this article quiet interesting

Netflix declines studios' requests for 'buy' button

nathan

5695 posts

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#1344843 15-Jul-2015 16:13

why don't you just give it a go, sounds like a cool solution and if it doesn't work as it states you would be able to get your money back

nathan

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#1344844 15-Jul-2015 16:13

khull: Off peak is still a thing?

trolling much?

grant_k

3539 posts

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#1344909 15-Jul-2015 17:14

khull: Off peak is still a thing?

Absolutely! Check out the plans here which are typical of ISPs offering RBI connections:

Ultimate Broadband RBI plans

Most of the plans have an extra 50GB of free off-peak data. In the past I've made use of this by scheduling BBC iPlayer to start downloads at midnight. With the plans having recently been upgraded to 60GB and now 80GB I currently don't need to bother, but it is definitely worth remembering Aterlo's solution if I end up joining Netflix.

Gerrit

2 posts

Wannabe Geek

#1371903 22-Aug-2015 06:12

wellygary:
Bee: https://gigaom.com/2014/11/21/aterlo-networks-wants-to-put-a-netflix-cache-in-your-router/

Vaguely says that it is legal yes...

" Services like Netflix are contractually bound to only make their titles available for streaming, which is why they typically don’t like products that promise consumers to download or record permanent copies. However, Nagelhout insisted that Nightshift does none of that. The product doesn’t break Netflix’s DRM, he said, but instead just caches content temporarily, much like ISPs are already doing today."

As long as the Aterlo "cache" requires a connection to Netflix to unlock the DRM its probably alright, (this would ensure that were still a customer and that netflix still had the rights to the show)

Where it gets interesting is , if you are able to access the shows if you leave netflix, or netflix removes that title from its library....

I am one of the founders of Aterlo Networks and just came across this thread. NightShift does indeed require a valid connection to Netflix at all times. The data pre-loaded by NightShift is still DRM protected and needs a valid Netflix player and subscription to play it. This means that if you leave Netflix you can no longer watch the movie. Same for when Netflix removes it from its library. I'd be happy to answer any other questions on how it works.

DarkShadow

1647 posts

Uber Geek

#1372244 22-Aug-2015 23:52

Do you need to flash the router with your custom firmware? How do you specify which movies you want it to download?

Gerrit

2 posts

Wannabe Geek

#1372255 23-Aug-2015 02:12

DarkShadow: Do you need to flash the router with your custom firmware? How do you specify which movies you want it to download?

NightShift runs on most ASUS routers with ASUSWRT. They don't need to be re-flashed because ASUSWRT can run software directly from the USB drive (as an add-on).
To schedule a movie for download, you watch a few seconds of it from your Netflix player (Roku, Apple TV, PC, etc). It will then automatically download it to the USB drive at night and the next day you just play it from your Netflix player (same as always). For TV shows, NightShift will automatically download the next episodes as you watch more.

geekiegeek

2513 posts

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#1372258 23-Aug-2015 05:24

nathan:
khull: Off peak is still a thing?

trolling much?

I was thinking the same thing, surely it would be simpler (and possibly cheaper) to just get an unlimited plan?

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