NHK and other Japanese broadcast TV stations

[TheAppleFairy]

I am looking for an easy, high quality way to bring NHK into my home. The only Japanese TV I have here in the USA is crunchyroll through Apple TV and Roku.

Is there a way to get Japanese TV through some sort of box like Roku or ATV. I'd be happy with just NHK, but other channels would be nice too. I am actually considering sending out HDHomerun with a computer preconfigured to my in-laws in Japan to record TV that I can download to my server if I can't find a good option. I had a slingbox there but that died last year, and I want to try something different.

 

[neutrino23]

I can only think of two solutions.

Get a cable channel of Japanese programing. I know there are some around.

Second, get a proxy server that makes it look like you are in Japan. Then you can access streaming content in Japan. My wife has been looking at this but hasn't tried one yet. It seems you have to pay for some of them.

According to my wife (Japanese), the Japanese content providers are very strict about licensing and restrict availability to very small areas.

Your best option might be to put some sort of gadget in Japan that will let you access content as you did before. We've been thinking about this. I could put a Mac Mini with a tuner (like Eye TV) at a relative's home and access it from here.

 

[hiddenmarkov]

NHK I imagine is more local and not trying to expand thier markets. If only because they have a tighter budget. At least based on on the frequency they send out thier people to try and get money from me.

For those not from japan imagine if PBS (or the non broadcast network funded by advertising in you own country if it exists) instead of pledge drives on tv sent out personnel to hard sell you at the door. that would be NHK.
I have had my "fun" times with them.

 

[TheAppleFairy]

Thanks for the replies, I saw a couple of other threads recently with this topic. After I posted my question, but there didn't seem to be an option. My wife is Japanese too and wants some Japanese programming besides crunchyroll. We have the $10 a month cable (broadcast channels). I see TimeWarner has an option, but you have to have digital cable first, then pay out the ass to add the Japanese programming.

I will probably just purchase a new slingbox, I really wish there were an app store on ATV so I can control the slingbox from the Apple TV.