If you use Firefox or Google Chrome for your browser, there are extensions you can add on that will allow you to choose what country your proxy is coming from. So you can act like your accessing things like tv catchup from the UK.
The one I have used is Hola Better Internet

when you are watching UK TV through 'Hola' is it coming in from Filmon or somewhere else?

Anyone using navi-x (xmbc add on) for US tv stations?

update latest filmon with the active TV guide - select & watch from the guide

FILMON TV FREE LIVE TV MOVIES AND SOCIAL TELEVISION

I'm not sure exactly how it does it but all the Hola extension does is change your proxy, so as far as the page your viewing is concerned you are in the UK. So you can go on tv catchup, iplayer, 4od or what ever and select your proxy to say you viewing from the UK and all the content should be viewable

thanks

after a bit of fiddling around & installing the iplayer - its good

added to filmon & viewtelly (up thread links) its about all we need

On a reversal of 'not to buy it', I decided to give the magical XMBC box a try also, which I can purchase locally

I recently started watching FilmOn and really like the free version. Although it's only SD the quality is pretty good even when I connect my iPad to my TV. I also like how you can see upcoming Program listings and can record ahead

I've just recently got a Roku 1 box, which in conjunction with Unotelly VPN does a good job of streaming in HD from BBC iPlayer on one of our TVs that wasn't 'Smart'.

Other TVs in the house can access iPlayer via SmartTV functions and over the internet via a mini PC, the latter of which enables iPlayer downloads.

Successful streaming does depend on the bandwidth of the VPN, your own internet connection and your home wifi or Ethernet connection to your media player.

We have a 25Meg (available up to 50Meg for more money) fibre optic (to the house) connection from Telus.

Nerd alert.

UnoTelly isn't a VPN, though. It's a DNS.

A VPN is slower because it actually re-routes your traffic through a server somewhere - it's a separate network. So your traffic goesfrom your computer in Canada, to a server in the UK, to BBC's server... then BBC sends the data back to the UK server, which relays it back to you. That's why speeds for streaming etc can be unreliable with VPN services. In addition, all your traffic is routed through the VPN - any internet traffic coming from your computer goes through that UK server.

A DNS service is a bit different. The basic version is it just tells a big fat lie. When BBC says "Hey, what country are you in? I can only give content to the UK!" UnoTelly basically just provides a smokescreen and says "I'm in the UK, promise!" and then BBC responds "Sure, sounds good, enjoy Lord Sugar!" and off you go. The connectionis still direct. DNS services only spoof specific websites, and can do the spoofing dynamically - so it can tell BBC you're in the UK, but Netflix you are in the US, and TVNZ that you are in NZ, without you having to change anything. It's basically just a big lying service. But the connection is still direct, so the speed of your stream is entirely dependent on your own internet connection.

We have a 25MBPS ADSL service from TekSavvy for $40/month (plus $5/month for a dry loop as we don't have a phone line). I've been streaming iPlayer all morning (yay MasterChef Professionals) and I had US Netflix all day yesterday, great quality, no problems with any of it.

They have (and are) both...

You are correct though, I meant the DNS.

For the Roku to work, I had to apply the DNS routing at router level and not on the Roku (because it has no means of doing this), whereas on a PC you can apply it at PC-level.

The VPN we use for things that can't bee fooled by a DNS, such as Tesco Clubcard, National Lottery and a few others.

Well yes, VPN only works if the site is supported. Most of the main TV networks are, since that's what 99% of the usage is for, but if you need stuff like you've listed above the the VPN is the option.

DNS setup in the router is way easier anyway, means any device behind the router automatically just does what it's supposed to do.

We use this all the time now BUT its impossible to watch direct via streaming or even through their servers once recorded, there is way too much freezing up of the service. Tried boosting the wifi, using 5ghz dual band and still not really watchable without getting frustrated.
However if i record then download to PC and onto a memory stick i can plug that into my Canadian blue ray player's USB and watch perfectly whilst being able to pause, rewind or fast forward from the comfort of my chair.
Downside is we are way over our supposed monthly data allowance.