BBC's iPlayer
 

Has anybody currently in Oz tried this out - can you receive the programs??

I tried Channel 4's version whilst on a trip last year but couldn't receive any programs due to some sort of international broadcasting restriction thingy??

Re: BBC's iPlayer
 

Just seen this http://www.sharewareplaza.com/Anonym...oad_14811.html

You can try 40 times before buying, or alternatively try www.tvcatchup.com you need to be a UK licence payer, but I'm sure you could create an account for say your parents or something ::D

Allan

Re: BBC's iPlayer
 

When you connect to the BBC site they check your IP address. This tells them if you are in the UK or elsewhere, due to licensing restrictions they cannot allow you to connect from outside the UK.
There is a relatively easy workaround, by using a proxy server. Basically this means connecting to the proxy server (with a UK IP address) then connecting to the BBC site to download or view the iPlayer content.

This is from a previous post on the subject:

Go to the following page and look for a UK server

http://www.proxy4free.com/page1.html

Then in Internet Explorer go to Tool>Internet Option>Connections>Lan Settings and enter the IP address and port number and this may do the trick for you. You may need to restart Internet Explorer before the settings take effect.

Hope this helps. :thumbup:

Re: BBC's iPlayer
 

This may get merged into a thread in The Lab that I started last week. Thanks for the info, will check it out.

Re: BBC's iPlayer
 

This type of thing is a good way to hide your IP address. The iPlayer actually needs to see that your IP is from the UK.
;)

Re: BBC's iPlayer
 

Nice 1 :thumbup:

Re: BBC's iPlayer
 

Have tried several ways with limited success:
1. The free Proxies (if you can find one that works at all) tend to die and offer a very patchy service at best.
2. VPN works for iPhone too (proxies don't work for iPhone), but they can be expensive.

Cheapest VPN that works, and is fast enough to stream video with no buffering interruptions, is probably UKiVPN.com It costs $75AUD for 12 months and works flawlessly.

I'm using it on an iPhone which I've hooked up to a plasma. Picture is roughly equivalent to a compressed cable channel and really quite watchable.

This also allows you to watch over a 3G signal - though there's less buffering delay via WiFi.

Re: BBC's iPlayer
 

Go try www.uknova.com as you can then download any programme you want hun. Free.

j x

Re: BBC's iPlayer
 

I've been following this thread with interest. I registered with uknova as i thought i would be able to download programmes but as I'm not very technical how do you actually down load a programme?:unsure:

Re: BBC's iPlayer
 

Signed up for a vpn effort (vpngates) told them I wanted a UK ip address rather than a US one - it seems to work fine on iplayer from sydney.

Check here:
http://www.thatstheplan.com/?page_id=211

Re: BBC's iPlayer
 

Use this software - yes you DO have to pay for it but it is cheaper than a TV Licence! It's $50 for 2 years which is about £20quid or £10 per year I mean come on its a no brainer. Its BBC TV and radio - NOT sure - even though its an IP hide whether ITV will download - I can not seem to get Corrie to stream so can't say if paying the money will give you ITV or not - but it certainly gives you BBC iPlayer FOR CERTAIN.

http://www.hide-ip-soft.com/purchase.htm

Re: BBC's iPlayer
 

I can confirm that this software works.

I used it to stream from BBC iplayer.
Can also download with the BBC iplayer download manager.

Streams from ITV and Channel4 as well.

This was using the three hour trial. So i will buy the full version.

Does anyone know if you can download from ITV and channel 4? like you can with the bbc.

Re: BBC's iPlayer
 

Channel 4 operate the 4oD service, which is much the same as iPlayer - download what you want, watch it within 7 days - DRM prevents copying. At the moment ITV operate only a catch-up service which enables you to watch online, but not download.

Could you tell me how solid the download stream was from hidemyip? Did it stutter or cut out much when you were watching - or did you just download things?

Re: BBC's iPlayer
 

Hi Hutch

My wife watched River City on iplayer(Tragic i know) streaming on iplayer. No stuttering but stopped to buffer a few times towards the end.

I downloaded stephen frys america on iplayer. I was surprised that it worked but it did.

Was going to watch taggart on Itv but it buffered a fair bit. Didnt try it long though.

I then watched Grand Designs on channel 4. No stuttering at all.

Then I switched to an american IP nd watched the simpsons on fox.com no stuttering.

Its incredibly easy to change between american and UK IPs it just refreshes the browser when you do it.

The one downside was it was quite slow to navigate the websites when using the software. so it migh be useful to navigate to the program you want, bookmark it and then turn on the program.

Re: BBC's iPlayer
 

UK NOVA issues:
1. It's a file-sharing network, so you serve up content once downloaded to maintain a specific ratio
2. Blocked by some ISPs
3. Needs you to run a separate BitTorrent client
4. Has lots of bogus / risky content - beware viruses

OINK:
1. Was pretty good till it collapsed under law suits.

HideIP Software Issues:
1. Need to run special software on your machine
2. Not available for iPhone or similar mobile devices
3. Needs lots of upgrades and patches - is still a bit buggy

VPN Solutions:
1. Are expensive (cheapest is $75AUD)

Free Proxies:
1. Are flaky at best - too slow / intermittent
2. 90% don't work
3. The rest die after a few hours
4. Tend to be slow
5. Serious privacy issues

Best / most reliable option looks like having to shop around for the cheapest VPN solution. If you find one cheaper than above, please post.

Re: BBC's iPlayer
 

No disrespect for all of your research or anything but HideIP is extremely reliable for us here in Port Mac. Yes - software is installed on the PC but its simply click it - it hides the IP then go on to BBC iPlayer and watch whatever. YES - best to download as the streaming rates are very slow but have not had a problem downloading so far. Have not encountered any patches or upgrade messages so far!!!!!!!

Re: BBC's iPlayer
 

I've updated the guide to watching UK TV that is linked in my signature. I was recently given the opportunity to test drive a new VPN company's connection and was blown away - full streaming, no hiccups or restreams whatsoever - on the High Quality stream. $10AUD a month and a US IP thrown in for good measure.

Re: BBC's iPlayer
 

....or, get OH to get a new job working from home which comes complete with company VPN so he can access corporate stuff in the UK;):p.

Great article Hutch, thanks for taking the time to do that.

BTW, how come I "sometimes" get jiggy with the UKNova vicar's son (so to speak) but my score is in the blue and they never complain???:confused::thumbsup:

Re: BBC's iPlayer
 

Ah yes - but corporate networks usually block inbound data like streaming video content. :sneaky:

And as to UKNova - yea - my account is seriously in the black with them too. In fact:Uploaded 20.18GB
Downloaded 98.39GB

:lol:

Re: BBC's iPlayer
 

I'm afraid my XFactor and River City addiction have had a serious impact on my stats.......

Uploaded17.28GB
Downloaded156.35GB
:lol::ohmy::lol:

Re: BBC's iPlayer
 

Haha! Man - if the won't ban us - who will they ban?

Re: BBC's iPlayer
 

HideIP has some serious issues:
1. It isn't fast enough to stream video real time
2. Only works on a PC
3. Not Mac or iPhone compatible
4. One of the main complaints is patches and updates - have you looked for newer versions?
5. Have to reconfigure your firewall to allow HideIP to access the web
6. It Hangs Firefox browser

I think it currently has too many issues to be usable by most people. Perhaps when all the bugs are ironed out and they upgrade their servers to handle video streaming it might be viable - until then it's not going to deliver what I want. VPN has none of these problems.

I went for Dave the Expat's solution http://www.ukivpn.com , as that's the cheapest of the vpn solutions. And it's working really well.

Re: BBC's iPlayer
 

lol, absolutely.

Actually, I hadn't looked at my stats for ages and am shocked that I've actually uploaded over 17Gb - that's about $80 worth on my current plan :ohmy:. Note to self - must do better:lol:

Re: BBC's iPlayer
 

http://www.news.astraweb.com/signup.html

then

http://nzbmatrix.com/index.php

$18 a month and great for pretty much everything you need.

:thumbsup:

Re: BBC's iPlayer
 

Totally - news groups all the way. Those of us who use Internode as our ISP have full unrestricted access to a Giganews feed - complete with 240 day retention and *all* the binary newsgroups. ;)

Re: BBC's iPlayer
 

For what it's worth....I tried the Hide IP deal last night for the 3 hour trial, it was brill. I do have a very decent internet speed, and I normally use torrents for watching UK TV.
Regards your issues identified - none applied to my experience-as yet.
1. It is fast enough to stream video realtime
2. Yes, on my PC, but then hooked up to full screen on my flat screen TV
3. Don't have either, so not a problem to me.
4. Can't comment as yet, but the version I now have bought (same as trial version) is working just fine, simple operation.
5. My firewall was fine, no changes - maybe due to previous torrent use?
6. I use IE

All in all, this is great, at this time. Maybe the whole thing will get shut down in a short time frame but in the meantime I'm watching all ITV stuff on their catchup page, BBC IPlayer and Channel 4 - without any problems, buffering or other issues.....it's like being in the UK again -yeh.

Re: BBC's iPlayer
 

Stuck inside watching Dickinson's Real Deal on the telly?

Re: BBC's iPlayer
 

Never caught that one I'm afraid, and don't think I'll be trying it either by the sound of it:p
If you saw the crap TV we get here in Canada (only my opinion, but the one that matters eh?) you'd understand why being able to watch all the equally crap Brit TV is such a refreshing change.:thumbsup:

Re: BBC's iPlayer
 

Oh believe me - it's every bit as shit here in Oz - hence the guide in my signature. ;)

Re: BBC's iPlayer
 

Here's another site worth a look..... http://www.tvcatchup.com

Use it to watch BBC 1 2 & 3, ITV 1 2 3 & 4, channel 4, More4 and E4, Channel 5 and 5 US.

It won't let you signup from here in Aus, but works fine if you get someone in the UK to signup for you.

:thumbsup:

Re: BBC's iPlayer
 

I agree with LUCKYONE
1. it IS fast enough to stream and linking the PC to the LCD TV it will play up full screen
2. I have a PC so that's all I'm worried about
3. Don't own and Mac and wouldn't want to watch it on an iPhone anyway
4. Version I have works fine not interested in upgrades - no messages on patches
5. Have not touched my firewall and its McAfee
6. Use Internet Explorer and have no probs

Re: BBC's iPlayer
 

I've tried every which way to get iPlayer working, with little success, before I found this thread. I couldn't get on with HideIP, it kept hanging my browser and I had to restore the computer and hack about in the registry to get rid of it. I've since tried free trials for VPN services, as they don't require me to download anything or run any programs ... and they actually work. Any recomendations for the cheapest?

Re: BBC's iPlayer
 

If you click on the first link in my signature and then read the comments at the end of the article, you'll find a couple of recommendations for cheap VPN hosts.

Re: BBC's iPlayer
 

any latest updates to this thread please

Re: BBC's iPlayer
 

Or sign up using a VPN.....

Re: BBC's iPlayer
 

So if i join tv catch up in the uk,when i get to australia we can watch live tv off there?
Or am i missing vital cogs? :D

Re: BBC's iPlayer
 

The guides in my signature, which cover *all* eventualities, are up to date. :)

Re: BBC's iPlayer
 

Unfortunately theres no free solution in the links it all costs money, I would rather have a free hack !

Until I see one its back to torrents for now I guess

Re: BBC's iPlayer
 

You only need to splash the cash if you want to watch live TV.

Re: BBC's iPlayer
 

My media extender doesn't support H.264 though so I can't use IPlayerDownloader, which means I still need to pay for DRM removal software right?

What's the native format of the video file when the iPlayer downloads on a Windows (non-mobile) platform?

Cheers.