UK TV. Help Please
Jun 17th 2014 | 10:26 am
#76
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 1,471
From: Near the Northern Lights
Re: UK TV. Help Please
Here's our setup.
1) subscription for DNS via unotelly, programmed into our wireless router
2) desktop computer plugged into television with HDMI
3) wireless mouse/keyboard
So basically our television acts like a giant screen for the desktop, and we just navigate it using a wireless mouse and keyboard. The unotelly DNS server means we have all our media connections spoofed. If I go to anything BBC, including iPlayer, BBC News, etc, it thinks I'm in the UK. If I go to ITV, it thinks I'm in the UK. If I go to Netflix, it thinks I'm in the US. If I go to CBS, it thinks I'm in the US. If I go to Hulu, it thinks I'm in the US. If I go to CBC, it doesn't do anything so I show up as in Canada.
$40 for the year, works exceptionally well. The DNS settings are also built right into the router, so any device behind the router - laptops, tablets, computers, phones, etc - all work automatically. I can log into Netflix on any device behind the router, and it sets the country appropriately, so there's no need to "turn on" anything to get a connection or whatever.
1) subscription for DNS via unotelly, programmed into our wireless router
2) desktop computer plugged into television with HDMI
3) wireless mouse/keyboard
So basically our television acts like a giant screen for the desktop, and we just navigate it using a wireless mouse and keyboard. The unotelly DNS server means we have all our media connections spoofed. If I go to anything BBC, including iPlayer, BBC News, etc, it thinks I'm in the UK. If I go to ITV, it thinks I'm in the UK. If I go to Netflix, it thinks I'm in the US. If I go to CBS, it thinks I'm in the US. If I go to Hulu, it thinks I'm in the US. If I go to CBC, it doesn't do anything so I show up as in Canada.
$40 for the year, works exceptionally well. The DNS settings are also built right into the router, so any device behind the router - laptops, tablets, computers, phones, etc - all work automatically. I can log into Netflix on any device behind the router, and it sets the country appropriately, so there's no need to "turn on" anything to get a connection or whatever.
Jun 17th 2014 | 12:00 pm
#77
Oscar nominated
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 55,309
From: Moncton, NB, CANADA
Re: UK TV. Help Please
FIFA is like Pravda.
With ITV and BBC you take the rough with the smooth. For every Townsend or Savage there's Seedorf, Dixon, Henry, Hoddle, Vieira, Poyet.....even Shearer has upped his game.
NBC might be a better bet than CBC. If they have any games on the main channel. Their Prem coverage has been okay.
Jun 17th 2014 | 12:08 pm
#78
Oscar nominated
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 55,309
From: Moncton, NB, CANADA
Re: UK TV. Help Please
Move to Britain? 
Media streamers. Just as you have a computer 'connected' to your internet which may not be physically attached if you are wireless, you can do the same with your TV.
When people say Apple TV for example they don't mean a TV, it's a box that connects to your TV. In practice, that's no different to a digital/satellite/cable box.
As for watching on a computer screen rather than a TV screen they're virtually the same now.
Media streamers. Just as you have a computer 'connected' to your internet which may not be physically attached if you are wireless, you can do the same with your TV.
When people say Apple TV for example they don't mean a TV, it's a box that connects to your TV. In practice, that's no different to a digital/satellite/cable box.
As for watching on a computer screen rather than a TV screen they're virtually the same now.
Jun 17th 2014 | 12:17 pm
#79
Oscar nominated
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 55,309
From: Moncton, NB, CANADA
Re: UK TV. Help Please
most online TV that you can get in the UK you need to download software or install plug-ins
I haven't downloaded any software or plug ins and I get plenty of UK TV from numerous reliable streaming sites.
PS if you have a TV licence with the BBC i think you can access BBC content using your licence, but i am not 100% sure about that, check it out.
Channel 4, ITV and BBC sites all 'behave' differently in terms of whether you register, give a UK postcode etc.
Jun 18th 2014 | 7:05 am
#80
Concierge
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 8,320
From: Oakville, ON, CA
Re: UK TV. Help Please
It works really well for us. It's not free, but for $40/year and having it work reliably and across all devices really is worth the small fee.
Plus with the computer hooked up to the TV it works for all media... DVD, BluRay (as long as you have a compatible drive), UK TV, Netflix, Hulu, coughdownloadingcough, etc. All in one spot. Really simple. (BBC iPlayer downloading works as well!)
Jun 18th 2014 | 7:43 am
#81
Banned
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 5,154
Re: UK TV. Help Please
Nope, just a standard one, it's a Netgear one that I bought from TigerDirect. Previous to that it was a trusty Linksys WRT54G - only upgraded because the Netgear had a stronger broadcast signal, and my bedroom is far from the router at my parents' house. Most, if not all, routers have DNS routing options in the advanced settings. When you sign up for UnoTelly, it gives you your own DNS address, which you go put into your router, and that does all the routing for anything that's behind it.
Basic routers such as those from Netgear / Linksys can't perform these operations. You'd need something a little more advanced.
Jun 18th 2014 | 7:46 am
#82
Concierge
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 8,320
From: Oakville, ON, CA
Re: UK TV. Help Please
How do you deal with situations such as the Google Chromecast which has statically set DNS servers within their embedded OS? You would need to intercept the DNS request and DNAT it to your custom DNS server.
Basic routers such as those from Netgear / Linksys can't perform these operations. You'd need something a little more advanced.
Basic routers such as those from Netgear / Linksys can't perform these operations. You'd need something a little more advanced.
Honestly, though, with a TV hooked up to the screen I don't have much need for Chromecast, though I did purchase two awhile back, I just rarely use them because of the computer hookup.
Playing with the custom firmware to do DNS re-routing to get Chromecast to cooperate is on my list of projects, though.
Jun 18th 2014 | 7:55 am
#83
Concierge
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 8,320
From: Oakville, ON, CA
Re: UK TV. Help Please
MUAUAHAAAH turns out my Netgear router is supported by DD-WRT.
I know what I'm doing this evening...
I know what I'm doing this evening...
Jun 18th 2014 | 11:51 am
#84
Oscar nominated
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 55,309
From: Moncton, NB, CANADA
Re: UK TV. Help Please
How do you deal with situations such as the Google Chromecast which has statically set DNS servers within their embedded OS? You would need to intercept the DNS request and DNAT it to your custom DNS server....
Playing with the custom firmware to do DNS re-routing to get Chromecast to cooperate....turns out my Netgear router is supported by DD-WRT.
Playing with the custom firmware to do DNS re-routing to get Chromecast to cooperate....turns out my Netgear router is supported by DD-WRT.
My head hurts
Jun 19th 2014 | 1:41 am
#85
Concierge
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 8,320
From: Oakville, ON, CA
Re: UK TV. Help Please
Haha.
I didn't end up playing with my router last night. As Husband (rightly) pointed out, my parents have about 0.1 seconds of tolerance for technological things not cooperating, so if I managed to break the router in the process, my parents would be far less than pleased. So I'm going to try next month when they're away, then at least if I break it I can get it replaced.
I didn't end up playing with my router last night. As Husband (rightly) pointed out, my parents have about 0.1 seconds of tolerance for technological things not cooperating, so if I managed to break the router in the process, my parents would be far less than pleased. So I'm going to try next month when they're away, then at least if I break it I can get it replaced.
Jun 19th 2014 | 2:40 am
#86
.
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 20,188
Re: UK TV. Help Please
Haha.
I didn't end up playing with my router last night. As Husband (rightly) pointed out, my parents have about 0.1 seconds of tolerance for technological things not cooperating, so if I managed to break the router in the process, my parents would be far less than pleased. So I'm going to try next month when they're away, then at least if I break it I can get it replaced.
I didn't end up playing with my router last night. As Husband (rightly) pointed out, my parents have about 0.1 seconds of tolerance for technological things not cooperating, so if I managed to break the router in the process, my parents would be far less than pleased. So I'm going to try next month when they're away, then at least if I break it I can get it replaced.
Jun 19th 2014 | 2:44 am
#87
Concierge
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 8,320
From: Oakville, ON, CA
Re: UK TV. Help Please
Jun 20th 2014 | 5:10 pm
#88
Éireann go Brách
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 2,932
From: White Man in Hammersmith Palais
Re: UK TV. Help Please
I've not noticed any change other than having to select watch in HD for the catch up stuff.
Watching live BBC on their site has always had regular interruptions for me. Very short ones about 5 seconds but regular enough to be annoying.
It's particularly noticeable with the world cup. I put ITV on and it's perfect. Once the on-line ad is out of the way it's just like watching telly. But a BBC match has so many interruptions I just watch the stream on wiziwig or something instead.
It's all very well having the WC on CBC but it's not good coverage. All those complaining about ITV coverage back in the UK should see CBC coverage of it to appreciate what they've got.
Watching live BBC on their site has always had regular interruptions for me. Very short ones about 5 seconds but regular enough to be annoying.
It's particularly noticeable with the world cup. I put ITV on and it's perfect. Once the on-line ad is out of the way it's just like watching telly. But a BBC match has so many interruptions I just watch the stream on wiziwig or something instead.
It's all very well having the WC on CBC but it's not good coverage. All those complaining about ITV coverage back in the UK should see CBC coverage of it to appreciate what they've got.
Jun 20th 2014 | 5:14 pm
#89
Éireann go Brách
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 2,932
From: White Man in Hammersmith Palais
Re: UK TV. Help Please
Tons of people have no problems with them Some work better for some people, others with others. MediaHint is free on firefox and works great. It's just a case of finding what works for you.
Streaming sites invite you to register and install things but you don't actually need to. There are usually enough links to find something that plays.
I haven't downloaded any software or plug ins and I get plenty of UK TV from numerous reliable streaming sites.
The BBC site asks if you are a licence holder but cannot or does not check.
Channel 4, ITV and BBC sites all 'behave' differently in terms of whether you register, give a UK postcode etc.
Streaming sites invite you to register and install things but you don't actually need to. There are usually enough links to find something that plays.
I haven't downloaded any software or plug ins and I get plenty of UK TV from numerous reliable streaming sites.
The BBC site asks if you are a licence holder but cannot or does not check.
Channel 4, ITV and BBC sites all 'behave' differently in terms of whether you register, give a UK postcode etc.
Jun 21st 2014 | 12:57 am
#90
Oscar nominated
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 55,309
From: Moncton, NB, CANADA
Re: UK TV. Help Please
I've noticed that as an option on the wiziwig site. Whenever I try it I get
The address wasn't understood
Firefox doesn't know how to open this address,
because one of the following protocols (acestream)
isn't associated with any program or is not allowed in this context.
You might need to install other software to open this address.
Firefox doesn't know how to open this address,
because one of the following protocols (acestream)
isn't associated with any program or is not allowed in this context.
You might need to install other software to open this address.
