I was lucky enough to get a free m1. That thing uses 10w or so when you remove the stupidity and install Linux on it. But even if you have to buy a Pi - it’ll pay for itself in a few months of not paying for streaming service.
Let’s go crazy and say $. 20/kWh. 10÷1000×8760×.2=$17.5/year. Not free, but pretty damn close.
It did not. I think you and OP are feeling this based on anecdotal/singular experience. I can get any old movie I want and am able to download all the latest stuff very quickly using two private trackers. Been on one of them for over a decade and the other one is TL and I hardly ever use TL. 90/10 ratio.