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[Ask HN]: Would you pay to easily access Hulu, Pandora, etc. outside the US?

18 pointsby andrewcrossover 13 years ago

16 comments

benwerdover 13 years ago
I might consider paying to access iPlayer in the US (I live here now but still have a valid UK license). But I don't think I'd be willing to stick my name on a list of people willing to break site T&Cs and licensing restrictions. That doesn't sound smart.
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porkover 13 years ago
Here's a solution: grab the smallest Linode for $20/month, on Windows, set up Putty to SSH into your box and forward the relevant ports (Google for instructions), enjoy Netflix, Pandora, etc. anywhere in the world! I've used this method to watch Netflix in many countries -- it takes about 5 minutes to pre-buffer, but Instant Watching works fantastically well.<p>EDIT: Flash used to have a problem where it wouldn't respect your proxy settings, not sure if they've fixed that.
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bradleylandover 13 years ago
I think the answer you're going to get is a foregone conclusion. This is like asking people if they'd like a free lunch... of course. If you plan to build a business on this model, you should consider that you'll likely be violating the Terms of Service for these services and, at a minimum, be blocked. In a worse case scenario, because you're profiting from the act, you'll be hauled in to court for damages. If you do manage to build a customer base, there's a good chance that this could be used to show that the owners of these services were "damaged" as a result of your actions once they shut you down. They'll argue that consumers were misled to believe that they were paying you for access to these services as an act endorsed by the service owners, and that the customer developed a negative view of these companies once their service was shut off.<p>Sorry to be so negative toward your idea, but this is a pretty scabby business model. Like it or not, the license holders of this media control its method of distribution.
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giliniover 13 years ago
I live in Brazil, and yes, not only I would but I do use a service like that: <a href="http://unblock-us.com/" rel="nofollow">http://unblock-us.com/</a><p>No complaints whatsoever so far, I'm three months in. Since the only thing you have to change is your DNS settings, I can watch Netflix in any gadget that connects through my router.
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jcateover 13 years ago
VPN services such as <a href="http://www.witopia.net/" rel="nofollow">http://www.witopia.net/</a> are perfect for getting around location blocks. These types of services are commonly used by people in the online ad business/online video business.
GFischerover 13 years ago
Sorry, I wouldn't.<p>And people over here (Uruguay) have become used to Cuevana (a dubious Netflix/Hulu replacement), Taringa (an Argentinean site that among other things is a link-sharing site), stuff in RapidShare, MegaUpload, various bittorrent clients and other peer to peer stuff (I can't keep track of them, I'm probably several generations obsolete).<p>The worrying thing is, most people don't even think it's illegal or think they're not the ones infringing. The inprisionment of the people behind Taringa being a bit of a wake-up call, but everyone thinks it's not going to happen to them.
lobster_johnsonover 13 years ago
Digression: Are Hulu et al still based on web browser streaming? How would you use something like that with a TV? Do you get 1080p HD quality or is it YouTube-style quality? (I currently use XBMC on a dedicated Mac Mini as a media player.)
bsenftnerover 13 years ago
You assume I pay to access Hulu, Pandora, etc...
j_camarenaover 13 years ago
Sure i will .. Jut no more than 15 or 20 per month.<p>TO include netflix to the list will be nice.
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grabbleover 13 years ago
No way. Too many options to turn to. It seems like everyone is offering streaming video now.
helipadover 13 years ago
My VPN costs £5.99 a month and the service is great. Can you get much cheaper than that?
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kenover 13 years ago
I would pay for the opposite, i.e., access to hulu.jp from the US.
jenhsunover 13 years ago
Anyone forget about Hotspot shield?? It's free VPN BTW.
jcfreiover 13 years ago
just for the sake of completion: I usually went for hidemyass.com as a vpn to get access to any service unavailable with my ip or country.
zfranover 13 years ago
If it's cheaper than a VPN or a VPS, yes.
jeffdechambeauover 13 years ago
Yeah, but how is this not illegal/in violation of the licensing/terms of service?
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