jeremyb4

Thank you for your comments. That is very helpful. Appreciated.

Raffin

Just informing about a good alternative to TV Catchup, which I found when looking for a CNN live stream: TVPlayer.com.

It's got the main UK channels and CNN International News (USA edition) for free. Many others which you can pay for. Neat, smaller rectangular screen, which I'm guessing might consume less download than TV Catchup and BBC iPlayer for live viewing.

Philosophical 11

Raffin,

Just clicked onto your link and I got a message to say that its only available in the UK.

Regards

Pete

Shard

BBC iPlayer is definitely only available in the UK. Unless you use a VPN.

quiltman

Same here Pete, but using Hoxx set to UK it seems fine. I'll stick with what I've got as I get everything I want to watch . If you like documentaries etc try Board Message you need to register but it's a great resource for documentaries from all over the world and goes back many years. It says "forum" in the link but is actually a website.

quiltman

Or the Hoxx addon for Chrome/firefox - Free! Certainly works well here for me. Very little buffering. I watch programmes such as Andrew Marr and BBC breakfast quite happily using it.

Raffin

Oh yes,Pete, sorry didn't realise it's included in the SmartDNS Proxy sites listed as unblocked, along with the BBC iPlayer. Maybe an omission, but TV Catchup is not listed.

Quiltman: thanks, it's useful to know about that Hoxx addon. The SmartDNS can give you a VPN for no extra charge, which is useful when the Proxy fails, which it has done a few times. Although the Smart is cheap, I might try it in the future, although my previous experience with free or cheap VPNs hasn't been that good. They were often awkward to use and eventually rumbled.

Just wondered if it slows your computer down much, if eg you're downloading while watching video?

quiltman

It's a little slower than normal websites but I think that is because they restrict the download speeds a bit to allow for more folks to use it at once. You can't download from tvcatchup but it does have a choice of 3 streaming speeds - 1200 , 900 and 550KBs so can accomodate slower internet connections. There are programs that let you record from the screen in real time if you want . I only really use it now and then to watch live TV , like BBC breakfast at 4.00pm here or Daily Politics at 7.00pm.
So far as iplayer goes, hoxx has never failed to connect but there are odd bufferings - seems time of day dependent - but nothing major to spoil enjoyment.

Feidlimid

Shard, that’s what I thought until recently. I signed up to a new VPN (not a freebie) that came highly recommended for watching BBCiPlayer etc. Turned out that whilst I can access BBCiPlayer on my MacBook with the VPN, it does have problems streaming and therefore I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone. I decided to keep the VPN anyhow for other privacy issues such as online banking etc. My wife on the other hand really struggled getting access to BBCiPlayer on her iPad with the same VPN, despite all the ‘help’ from the VPN Company.

She was so frustrated that she purchased an app from the App Store for Php249 and hey presto, she can now access BBCiPlayer without a VPN. No signing in, nothing and she has access to BBCiPlayer, which we then connect to our TV. I believe the app was called BBCiPlayer for Travel.

FYI and purely out of interest, I decided to search for the same app in the App Store on my Mac, but it’s not there. My wife tells me she could get it on her App Store because she recently changed her apple registration details to show that she’s living in the Philippines. Seems that different apps are available depending on where your device is registered, which I suppose makes sense.

Bottom line: we can watch BBCiPlayer via this app without a VPN here in Ph. The picture is not as crystal clear as going via the VPN but very do-able. So far, she hasn’t encountered any problems; time will tell.

Raffin

My Smart service not at all smart today...both the Proxy and VPN not working on BBC iPlayer. It's been blocked a few times over the last couple of months, each time they restore it after a day or two off, but this is the first time the Proxy and VPN are both off at the same time.

They say they are working on it, but then I thought I would try that Hoxx with Firefox add on. However, it's the same story there for the free servers..no BBC iPlayer. TV Player is viewable, as it still is with Smart. Though I don't want to watch live. Seems that the BBC are having a go at these services.

quiltman

I'm away from home at moment. I'll try Hoxx when back. haven't used it since monday morning tho'.

Raffin

Smart Proxy and VPN now back on, but Hoxx still not working for me, at least.

Stokkevn

Hoxx was working OK with me around lunch time

Raffin

Hoxx still producing the "Rights issue" BBC notice this morning. Emailed them yesterday, no reply yet. Smart DNS Proxy and VPN still Ok,

Raffin

Have received email from Hoxx acknowledging problem with BBC and others countering anti-geoblocking solutions such as their VPN. They say they are developing a fix and will inform when it's ready. Hope that's not too long for those of you relying on it.

So far Smart seem to be able to reconfigure fairly quickly against these attempts by the BBC. Hope they can keep it up.

If anyone wants to go for Smart they are still advertising $40 pa for thee Proxy plus VPN with a two weeks free trial. I didn't respond to their emails to sign up, by accident, at the end of the first week. Then in the second week they suddenly came up with an $18 pa offer, which I accepted. Don't know whether that would work again for anybody, but it's worth a try. I can say after 3 months that their support is good.