How do I access iPlayer on iPad outside UK

TWHH · Mar 21, 2011

Firstly, let me state that I am a UK resident and I pay my licence fee. Why the iPad app doesn't allow you to register your TV Licence with it I do not know -I'm sure there must be some way to mitigate against people selling Licence numbers on ebay. But until then I would quite like to be able to access the BBC content I have paid for when I am travelling.

As I understand it a VPN or proxy is needed for this.

I've been doing a lot of searching around on the various services, and I have to say that I am a tad confused, and slightly nervous. Nervous because I have no real way of working out which of the outfits that feature in Google searches are legit or not, and confused becuase I am still unsure if I need to take a VPN or proxy route. It feels like the proxy and VPN sector has not quite made it from techie to mainstream - some of the language and assumed knowledge is a bit above me.

Question:

Can anybody recommend a service that will give me access to iPlayer from outside the UK. Of course, I would love this to be a free service, but appreciate that you get what you pay for, so prepared to pay (as long as the service is good). But of course a free service is better.

I'd also like to know if the same 9or perhaps a different) service will also be able to hide my other online activity when using my iMac. Reading all these sites on proxies and VPNs kinda got me thinking that being anonymous is a bit safer for a number of things (including when acquiring BBC content on my iMac from other sources when iPlayer is playing up)

Caveat: I do not want to jailbreak my iPad.

Amonst other services I've looked at hidemyass.com and ukproxyserver.co.uk

Thanks

Pressure · Mar 21, 2011

I am successfully using StrongVPN to view Netflix from Europe.

You can read this guide, hope it helps

If you have any questions, ask away.

The Phazer · Mar 25, 2011

But until then I would quite like to be able to access the BBC content I have paid for when I am travelling.

You haven't paid for it. The BBC doesn't nearly cover the costs of making most of the content it shows.

The BBC buys a limited window of rights to that content in the UK.

You're doing no better than torrenting it.

Phazer

fritzov · Apr 16, 2011

Pressure said:
I am successfully using StrongVPN to view Netflix from Europe.

You can read this guide, hope it helps

If you have any questions, ask away.

The question i have is how to access the US app store from your iPad?

AVR2 · Apr 16, 2011

I can highly recommend WiTopia's PersonalVPN. I've been living in Dubai for the last 6 years and it's been essential for getting round the government net censorship and also allowing me to stream iPlayer (and the ITV and C4 players and the American broadcasters' TV streaming sites) direct to my plasma via my Mac mini HTPC.

It's a paid-for product but I don't mind that; the annual subscription is more than worth the value I get from it. I guess it's probably overkill for your purposes though, unless you travel a lot.

If you're only ever going to use it on your iPad you'd only need their PPTP VPN, which costs $40 per year compared to $60 for their SSL VPN (or $70 for both). SSL is the most powerful and hardest-to-block form of VPN, but you can't install it on any iOS devices. I have the combo package, with SSL on both my Macs and PPTP waiting to go when my iPad 2 arrives

If you want to give their PPTP VPN a try you get a 30-day free trial and the installation instructions are here.

AVR2 · Apr 16, 2011

The Phazer said:
You haven't paid for it. The BBC doesn't nearly cover the costs of making most of the content it shows

I might be missing something here, but what are you talking about? In straightforward balance sheet terms, the BBC's annual outgoings are lower than its income. For the year ending March 2010, for example, total income was £4,790m and total expenditure was £4,268m.

You can see that particular income statement here.

Adam-Jobs · Apr 16, 2011

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU iPhone OS 4_1 like Mac OS X; en-us) AppleWebKit/532.9 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/4.0.5 Mobile/8B117 Safari/6531.22.7)

I'd be really interested in this for viewing Netflix. Except when signing up it asks for a US postcode which I don't have

Anyone know a work around please let me know

you will be loved forever

fritzov · Apr 16, 2011

Adam-Jobs said:
Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU iPhone OS 4_1 like Mac OS X; en-us) AppleWebKit/532.9 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/4.0.5 Mobile/8B117 Safari/6531.22.7)

I'd be really interested in this for viewing Netflix. Except when signing up it asks for a US postcode which I don't have

Anyone know a work around please let me know you will be loved forever

From what i read a random Zip code (must be existing) and a fake adress will do.

Adam-Jobs · Apr 16, 2011

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU iPhone OS 4_1 like Mac OS X; en-us) AppleWebKit/532.9 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/4.0.5 Mobile/8B117 Safari/6531.22.7)

Thanks fritzo. I'd give you a hug if I could! I'll be trying to set this up next week. Will update on how I get on.

benb69 · Jan 24, 2013

Was using http://www.uktvabroad.tk for the Beeb & ch4 while back.

darngooddesign · Jan 24, 2013

The Phazer said:
You haven't paid for it. The BBC doesn't nearly cover the costs of making most of the content it shows.

The BBC buys a limited window of rights to that content in the UK.

You're doing no better than torrenting it.

Phazer

I'm not a UK resident so maybe there isn't an angle I'm picking up on, but he is paying what the BBC says he should pay to watch it's content. Torrenting the content would mean he is downloading paid (paid for with the tv license) content for free.

MRU · Jan 24, 2013

Just download the FILMON app. Done.

numbersyx · Jan 24, 2013

The Phazer said:
You haven't paid for it. The BBC doesn't nearly cover the costs of making most of the content it shows.

The BBC buys a limited window of rights to that content in the UK.

You're doing no better than torrenting it.

Phazer

Where do you get this idea from? He is paying the licence fee and that entitles him to a television and to watch what's on it whoever provides the content. That content extends to iPads and the like. The fact that he wants to watch something that he has paid for is not torrenting simply because he wants to do outside the UK.

mctroki · Jan 24, 2013

Hi

I have a diamond account at Giganews (a binaries servers provider) and it included many other services such as a VPN access. They have about 8 servers including France (which I need to watch TV abroad) and UK.

I am very satisfied with it and watching tv on Ipad works like a charm. Of course you need a good Internet speed.

You can sign for a free trial.

jw12345678 · Jan 24, 2013

If you've a computer plugged in at home you could easily set up your own VPN to connect to your home broadband. Either install mac server on the computer at home or you could buy a Nas thingy (like Synology make) and run it with that. Then you could access your home files too when you are away, or even backup to it.

zappymac · Jan 24, 2013

jw12345678 said:
If you've a computer plugged in at home you could easily set up your own VPN to connect to your home broadband. Either install mac server on the computer at home or you could buy a Nas thingy (like Synology make) and run it with that. Then you could access your home files too when you are away, or even backup to it.

Would this not require a fast upload speed too? Most domestic ADSL connections in the UK have very slow upload compared to download, by definition. Would it have the bandwidth to make iPlayer watchable?

Gav2k · Jan 24, 2013

zappymac said:
Would this not require a fast upload speed too? Most domestic ADSL connections in the UK have very slow upload compared to download, by definition. Would it have the bandwidth to make iPlayer watchable?

Nope bad idea

jw12345678 · Jan 24, 2013

zappymac said:
Would this not require a fast upload speed too? Most domestic ADSL connections in the UK have very slow upload compared to download, by definition. Would it have the bandwidth to make iPlayer watchable?

It seems to work for me. My virgin upload speed is over 4mbps though. I'm sure you are right, it won't be as high for everyone.

zappymac · Jan 24, 2013

jw12345678 said:
It seems to work for me. My virgin upload speed is over 4mbps though. I'm sure you are right, it won't be as high for everyone.

Wow! That sounds pretty good. I guess that is fibre ?

I get around 8mbps down, but less than 1mbps up

MacUser09 · Jan 24, 2013

I use HideMyAss, and have managed to watch/stream BBC iPlayer in Asia, albeit with a lot of stop start due to bandwidth restrictions.

turbotoes · Jan 24, 2013

I've set a few people up with "Watch UK TV Abroad" and they seem happy with it.

The Phazer · Jan 25, 2013

numbersyx said:
Where do you get this idea from? He is paying the licence fee and that entitles him to a television and to watch what's on it whoever provides the content. That content extends to iPads and the like. The fact that he wants to watch something that he has paid for is not torrenting simply because he wants to do outside the UK.

He has paid to view the content *inside the UK*, not outside, as that costs more money.

So yes, it's exactly the same as torrenting.

numbersyx · Feb 3, 2013

The Phazer said:
He has paid to view the content *inside the UK*, not outside, as that costs more money.

So yes, it's exactly the same as torrenting.

Costs who more money? What are you on about? And no his licence fee goes directly to fund the BBC and its content. He should be entitled to watch it wherever he is.

smoking monkey · Feb 3, 2013

The Phazer said:
You haven't paid for it. The BBC doesn't nearly cover the costs of making most of the content it shows.

The BBC buys a limited window of rights to that content in the UK.

You're doing no better than torrenting it.

Phazer

Rubbish.

OP, A good VPN should work well for you. Just depends on connection speeds.

sim667 · Feb 4, 2013

jw12345678 said:
If you've a computer plugged in at home you could easily set up your own VPN to connect to your home broadband. Either install mac server on the computer at home or you could buy a Nas thingy (like Synology make) and run it with that. Then you could access your home files too when you are away, or even backup to it.

This is what I do.

----------

the phazer said:
you haven't paid for it. The bbc doesn't nearly cover the costs of making most of the content it shows.

The bbc buys a limited window of rights to that content in the uk.

You're doing no better than torrenting it.

Phazer

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How do I access iPlayer on iPad outside UK

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