MikeJ

I'm sure you're right in your personal experience with VPN - but have a read of the story linked in post #105 where attempting to block VPNs (using current technology) is likened to the old game of Bat-a-Rat. Every time you knock one down then another will pop up. These days smart VPN providers have automatic IP switching as part of the offer - this makes it virtually impossible to block effectively (with current technology).Anyway, smart DNS is usually a better option.

bobd22

Saxy is right I have tried connecting to Tvcatch up with a free VPN turned on and it will not let you view it.

MikeJ

I'm not saying Saxy is wrong but............
If you were to try 100 different VPNs then I bet you will get through on a few of them, particularly recently inceptions. VPN proxies can be blocked if you know their IP Address. Frequently used VPNs (eg free ones!) with static IP Address can be easily identified and blocked. But as the article says, pop-up IP addresses and frequently/dynamically changing IP Addresses will be almost impossible to identify and block in time to be effective before they change (with current technology).

Saxy

I used Astrill VPN, which is about as good as it gets.

MikeJ

Also well known and therefore easily blocked. I think you make my point. If you tried a VPN which nobody had ever heard of then you'd stand a good chance of getting through. In theory it would be quite easy to construct a VPN between your Spanish PC and your PC in the UK. Then when you accessed TV catch-up services over this route they would have no idea that you were'nt in the UK.

Saxy

Interesting, but the point of my post (94) was that apart from TVCatchup, none of the UK TV companies, BBC, ITV, Ch4 etc, appear to worry, or can be bothered to do anything to block the use of even free VPNs which most people use.
Personally, I used Europa TV for live viewing, which was better by far than FilmOn sd, FilmOn HD for recording progs (no adverts), and Netflix for other progs. like 24Hrs.

Fred James

Many reports suggest otherwise.

https://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=e...ta=&gws_rd=ssl

bobd22

They bring in iPlayer etc to allow you to watch TV anywhere etc then block it making the whole system very unfair for those that do have a UK TV licence in the UK that happen to be abroad. You could argue that it is only meant for the UK good point but then why put it on the web ? Also in the UK if you do not watch live TV as broadcast then you do not require a licence so no different to expats realy. I believe that is why Tvcatch up filmon etc have the inbuilt slight delay so not actually live TV? Different I agree with pay to view like sky or Netflix.

The Guy

With the EU rulings, Iplayer and other online / catch up services from the UK, will be available for UK TV Tax payers who are holidaying outside the UK soon.(Same goes for other catch up and paid services around the EU).But it will have some form of "out of the uk limit" - in other words will only be allowed to be accessed outside the UK for a certain amount of days. It will not be available for people who LIVE outside the UK.That is when you need hope BBC.com will open up and sell more programmes for expats, or look to vpns etc.ITV already have a "holiday makers" TV scheme, itvessentials. This is also due to change, with the licence set to cover catch up and "non live" tv also.
Presumably they will use the TV Licence number to try and control this.

Saxy

I haven't seen any complaints on the forum yet, suggesting that there has been a change and that people can't access UK iPlayer progs. So let's wait and see shall we.

Fred James

Your comment, which I quoted, was that the BBC etc. can't be bothered about VPNs, which, according to various sources, is not the case.

The fact that they have not yet worked out how to do it successfully, and as a result, no forum members have commented on it, is not the point.

They are clearly trying to do something to stop out of UK use. Hopefully they will continue to fail in that objective.

amideislas

Really, it's a cost issue. They could implement the same encryption sky uses on satellite broadcasts, but then, they would have to manage and issue cards, and probably, boxes too. Expensive.

As far as internet TV, again, how do you fight this? IP address checking is one way, but not very effective. Setting up a team and resources to fight vpns and proxies costs money. The profits from TV licences just aren't enough to pay for all of that AND pay for other projects too. A bit like the NHS in that regard.

I find it a bit laughable that they choose to spend so much money on enforcing the TV licence nonsense. That only makes TV licences more expensive...

bobd22

For anyone with an Android box that wishes to watch Tvcatch up you can download for free from playstore cloud VPN. When you open the program before connecting look in the top corner there is a box with a flag click on that and choose the UK server. Then connect to VPN. This allows you to then use TVCatch up as if in UK. If using Kodi you can actually add Tvcatch to Kodi but will still need to download and connect to Cloud Vpn

Saxy

As you know, TVCatchup were able to block a VPN years ago. So why didn't the UK iPlayers do the same? If a small company like TVCatchup could block, I'm sure that had they wanted to they could have done the same!
MikeJ, in post 125, claims that VPNs (paid for), like Astrill are easily blocked, but my version works fine, so I rest my case.

MikeJ

I'm sorry Saxy but you have me confused. You have just spent half this thread saying that TVCatchup blocks VPN access including Astrill and now you say that it works fine. Which?
I think you fail to understand the nuances of VPN access. Remember that VPNs are perfectly legal and most corporates will use them in their corporate networks for security reasons. A generic technique which can identify that a particular IPA is being used as a paid for (or even free) proxy to avoid geoblocking and to do this continually and dynamically in line with dynamically changing IPAs is, I think, a long way from fruition. This seems to be what Netflix is attempting to develop. They are also putting a lot of effort into global harmonisation of IPR, which suggests that they see this as the more viable option, since technology to avoid blocking and Rights Control is almost always one step behind the legal controls. This is why it's like bat-a-rat. Eventually the hacker industry will find the means to bypass.