North Korea 'Netflix' device unveiled | Hacker News Reader

North Korea 'Netflix' device unveiled

bbc.com

42 pointstonteldoos23 comments

> "If a viewer wants to watch, for instance, an animal movie and sends a request to the equipment, it will show the relevant video to the viewer…this is two-way communications," said Kim Jong Min, head of the centre in charge of providing information and technology, according to NK News.

Hong Gildong wants to watch a funny cat video, the request is sent to the central server, processed, and a video displaying the achievements of glorious leader will be displayed.

Hong Gildong wants to watch an action movie, the request is sent to the central server, processed, and a video displaying the achievements of glorious leader will be displayed.

Hong Gildong wants to watch an award winning drama, the request is sent to the central server, processed, and a video displaying the achievements of glorious leader will be displayed.

Hong Gildong wants to watch a movie about a rebel insurrection, the request is sent to the central server, processed, and a video displaying the achievements of glorious leader will be displayed to entertain him until the delocation squad arrives.

Seriously though, with all the crap that we give to internet companies for gathering data and using it for ad targeting, imagine all the other kinds of "targeting" that could happen.

The best on demand is on progressive peoples demand.

I wonder how much telecom infrastructure suitable for streaming is there in NK, outside central Pyongyang. Would that be basically a glorified hotel entertainment system?

I think I remember reading something about how the network inside NK was basically running off one (edit: a few) IP addresses with an enterprise local network.

I think that was posted on HN, I'll try to find the link.

edit: was it this one? https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=12123888

From further down the article, this implies more than one address: In May security researcher Doug Madory discovered a social network - resembling a crude clone of Facebook - on a North Korean internet address. "I don't believe it was intended to be accessible from outside North Korea," Mr Madory told the BBC.

Telecom infrastructure can be easy, just use RF/MW :) Outside of Pyongyang you are lucky if you have access to electricity ;)

John Smith wants to watch a funny cat video, the request is sent to the central server, processed, and a video displaying a cat food product will be displayed.

John Smith wants to watch an action movie, the request is sent to the central server, processed, and TEN videos displaying how copying movies will make you go to jail will be displayed.

John Smith wants to watch an award winning drama, the request is sent to the central server, processed, and TEN videos displaying how copying movies will make you go to jail will be displayed.

John Smith wants to watch a movie about a rebel insurrection, the request is sent to the central server, processed, and TEN videos displaying how copying movies will make you go to jail will be displayed.

You might like Dear Leader, which is a party card game about the awfulness of dictators. The kickstarter for it ends tomorrow.

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/timh/dear-leader

It's video on demand! The leader demands, and you watch the video!

If there's no deviant material available on the service (and let's assume there won't be), it's not necessary to track who's interested in it.

I bet there is: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honeypot_%28computing%29

Is anyone else wondering why North Korea is even attempting to build their own "Netflix". I get that they're not going to open up for the real Netflix, but why do they feel they need an alternative.

Who's the target audience for this product.

People in NK in lieu of other entertainment watch smuggled South Korean soaps and other non-DPRK material [1]. If this gives the populace acceptable entertainment then maybe they’re less likely to watch illegal content?

[1] http://www.reuters.com/article/us-northkorea-change-insight-...

The favoured class close to the leadership, who have better living conditions and want a more Western, luxurious lifestyle.

The current leader lived quite a lot in western countries didn't he? Before his father died.

Having some fun imagining what films would be available.

Godzilla, because he's the people's monster for destroying Tokyo.

The Sound of Music, where a family escapes an oppressive regime - probably not.

What are the chances the device contains a pinhole camera(s) and microphone array to act as a surveillance device?

In North Korea, there's no need to masquerade surveillance devices as anything else.

Those poor people :(

Speaking of North Korea, my favorite source of "fake" news is DPRK News twitter.

https://twitter.com/DPRK_News

"The box, called Manbang"

Oh come on, I can't be the only one

Appropriate username is appropriate.

Ha ha ha ha ha. No you are not.

I'm laughing at the name "Manbang". What do you want to do tonight? Let's Manbang and chill. :-)

Reply on news.ycombinator.com