Raffin

What would we do without all these techie problems to deal with as expats?

Presently I'm engaged on two fronts - the first with our cable TV provider and its variable picture quality, but, more importantly, now with access to BBC iPlayer via the PC. Was happily using a VPN service for over 6 months to view and download the large choice of programmes on that wonderful site - then a week ago nothing would work. Then I tried their alternative Smart DNS Proxy. But it turns out not to be smart enough to beat the BBC's new detection system!

A Google search indicated that the BBC's purge on suspect UK IP addresses actually started last October. A report had claimed there were 60m people worldwide unblocking their iPlayer!

Have put in a complaint to the relevant company, which I did recommend to people here in a previous post...so will see what they say ... and wondering if I would get a refund for the unexpired 6 months. There seem to be some specialist DNS Proxy operations around at reasonable cost - one quotes about 35 pounds a year with a 7 day free trial, and I may eventually switch. But the Beeb might also catch up with them soon?

One can use other streaming sites and Bit Torrent - but you can't beat the iPlayer for the choice it gives for both catch up viewing and downloading.

Anybody here having the same problem?

InVinoVeritas

I've been using smartdnsproxy.com for a few months in Malaysia and haven't had any problems. They did a deal just before Christmas for 2 years at $49.95 but that has probably ended now.

mikelincs

Your problem is that you are trying to do something that is inherently illegal, so, no matter who you choose to use they BBC can, and will, close their access down. It's the same in the UK with torrent search engines, the major internet service providers keep blocking them, so there is always a battle between the internet providers and the website people who have to change domains regularly.

Raffin

Something is either illegal in a jurisdiction or not and it is only illegal to watch in the UK without a TV licence, not abroad. It is easy to watch live UK TV abroad if you know where and how and there are many services offering to unblock the iPlayer. The BBC may have stopped the users of some of the cheaper services only. All that will do is make it a bit more expensive for expats and people in the UK who like to use VPNs.

They are looking, apparently. at issuing British holiday makers going abroad with some sort of PIN code, so they do recognise one issue with them. Whether they would ever open up the UK iPlayer on subscription worldwide is debatable and anyway I'm not interested in watching Sherlock or Dr Who...more BBC2 stuff like Newsnight.

Could the iPlayer be blocked unless one can show one has a TV licence? Maybe, but clever people find ways and I am sure the torrent uploaders would then work overtime.

As for qualms ... I don't have any...people in the Netherlands,Eire etc have been watching the BBC for years.

InVinoVeritas

+1

If a law is not respected then the law is changed - it's called People Power. Copyright laws are currently way behind the curve of popular demand.

quiltman

A lot of the problem with iplayer outside the UK and the Beebs attempts to block access is often to do with the various licences that the Beeb have for their programmes. If, say, CBS have the rights to show Eastenders in Canada, then anyone using iplayer in Canada to watch it is detrimental to both the BBC & CBS. It matters not a jot whether you can find ways around it, the BBC have to (try to) stick to the terms of the agreements they make with other broadcasters. As internet here is fairly poor, a VPN in many cases still means stuttering when streaming. I and many other expats use Filmon.com . Perfectly legal, carries all the UK channels- plus around another 400 from around the world- and streaming is free. I pay £6 a month to allow for recording 11 hours worth of programmes at a time and it has worked well for me for over 2 years with only one hiccup which Filmon support sorted within 24 hours. The PIN you speak of for using iplayer when not in UK will I'm sure only be issued to people holding a current TV licence. Maybe the BBC will eventually come up with some form of subscription service but again, this may cause problems with overseas licencing of BBC programmes. Yes, there are the torrents and I have used them in the past since the VPN method was not very satisfactory.

InVinoVeritas

Filmon is not, by any means, perfectly legal and there are on-going proceedings and injunctions against them but this just illustrates that the legal problems lie with the broadcaster making programmes available rather than with an audience capable of receiving them. If Auntie blocks certain IP addresses it is to demonstrate some effort is being made to restrict access to their content in accordance with their licencing arrangements.

scot47

BBC Licence must be on the way out.

Raffin

An update. TV When Away as expected wouldn't admit their VPN has been rumbled, but suggested I try their Proxy, which is included in the package. The result was a weird half way house with the ability to watch live BBC but being blocked to download. Since my Broadband is lacking in width at peak times and it's often more convenient anyway to download, that is not any use to me. Don't think they will give me a refund, but I am trying.

Reading around it looks like the only resort is a Smart DNS and TV When Away's is not available for PCs. So I am trying SmartDNS's offering on a generous 14 day free trial - no credit card needed, and early indications are that In Vino Veritas was on the right track as it seems to work fine! Another operator, Unotelly, has a similar offering with a 7 day free trial - but their subscription rates are quite a lot higher than SmartDNS's - $47.95 pa against a very reasonable $34.90 for SmartDNS.

One other thing I have noticed is that Unotelly's servers are in the USA, whereas SmartDNS has them in a number of countries and you pick the two which are nearest to where you are.Whether that makes a difference I don't know. Also very clear set up instructions with SmartDNS and good customer support.

So if SmartDNS keeps it up I will change to them and hope I can get at least another year's UK broadcasting.

Thanks for the reminder about Filmon, Quiltman, but I usually download much more than 10 hours a month and am only interested in watching the BBC or, occasionally, football on ITV, so their recording service is not for me.

Will report again in a couple of weeks

quiltman

Raffin, I was not obviously very clear! Filmon for £6 month gives you 11 hours of download space - 1hr free plus 10 hours paid. As soon as you download a programme, you delete it and that time becomes available again. It's not 10 hrs a month.
today I'm downloading 10.6 hrs worth as last night was a good night on UK TV , once downloaded I'll delete them from my Filmon account and reset it for the weekend recordings. There are lots of programmes we watch that never make it onto torrents since they have very limited audience appeal . Things like daytime quizes for example, some documentaries etc which is why I use Filmon. If you like documentaries then try mkvgroup.org as they have virtually all the BBC/ITV/USA documentary series.

Stokkevn

I don't know much about this, but the other day I caught the end of a news story saying something about geographical block may become illegal very soon and added that BBC amongst others were going to have to change the way they do business.

quiltman

It will likely cause complications for the BBC due to the licencing terms they have for their programmes with other countries. They may have to charge based on your IP and then pay the licencee something because you watch BC on iplayer and not locally.
The news I saw was that the EU wanted people to be able to view the iplayer anywhere in Europe when they travelled, say on holiday. The suggestion was that you'd register your UK address/IP with the Beeb and once abroad could input a code allowing you to watch. Seems a bit of a hassle. It's still all up in the air at the moment.

Raffin

Thanks for the clarification, Quiltman. Then Filmon could be attractive to some, with its movies on demand included in the package, though I have little interest in watching movies. But it seems to be $14.95 per month now, that's more like 10 pounds a month at the present exchange rate.
It's just that if my present DNS trial ends up a success I would only pay only about 2 pounds per month to unblock a large number of sites worldwide, though I am just interested in the UK ones.
I agree with you about the Torrents - they don't include many of the shorter and more UK oriented programmes. But someone did upload a nice programme about the Crickhowell tax revolt the other day, which I didn't expect.
The BBC Player has improved greatly over the last year and now gives a high quality playback. Did a comparative test recently with an episode of War and Peace from the MV group.and then downloading the same from the iPlayer. The iPlayer quality was much better.
Yes, Stokkevn, I saw that news item too - think it would apply to just the EU if ever,,,. but that would make it interesting because at present there are no regional BBC iPlayer versions..

quiltman

Raffin, You are partly correct. Filmon is $14.95 for HD streaming, but further down the page are prices for remote DVR.
FILMON TV FREE LIVE TV MOVIES AND SOCIAL TELEVISION

They show costs for recording. Streaming is free in standard definition but by some quirk, if you DOWNLOAD a programme it downloads in better quality. Certainly we have found the quality of downloaded programmes very good on our 46" Samsung.Maybe fast moving programmes such as sports might show some artefacts but we don't watch sports so it does not bother us! I tried using various VPNs but gave up as t'internet is a bit erratic here and the stuttering got on my wick a bit. Might try again if iplayer is that much better but only twice managed to get a programme to download. We don't stream much due to the time shift. My wife is not getting up at 3.00am to watch Emmerdale for example! Each to their own , find what works best for you and your lifestyle.

Raffin

Quiltman, Filmon is much too expensive for remote recording only at my level of downloading at around 20 hours a month!
Our internet here is also pretty ropey - bandwidth constricted in the early mornings and at coming home time, regular loss of internet, sometimes just for a few seconds, and, like yours, streaming is often on the margin - sometimes works, sometimes doesn't.
I also don't like to be watching at 3am - unless it is a promising football match and so also prefer downloading, Had no problems doing that with the VPN before and haven't now with the new DNS.
I think VPNs are now no good for unblocking - some slow up the computer and they are all subject to being rumbled, as mine recently was and some I tested last year were. But Smart DNS works just on selected sites in a different away to a VPN and the experts are saying that it is difficult to detect.
Well, let's see. Many of the articles one reads end up with a link to a provider - but at only $2 or $4 a month over a year it's worth a try to get all the UK downloading one wants in the simplest way possible.