Geo-blocking isn’t fun for anyone, but it’s the reality we face here in Canada, since copyright and licensing issues preclude us from enjoying all the content that’s on tap with popular online TV show repositories like Hulu in the U.S. and BBC iPlayer in the U.K. Thankfully, there are ways to get around this. If you’ve already tried going to Hulu or BBC iPlayer, you no doubt encountered a message indicating that you’re cut off because each service offers its content to Americans and Brits, respectively. They may be a bit cryptic about it, but the reason why this happens is because there are distribution deals in place with Canadian broadcasters that give them first dibs on American and British programming, which means that the licensing has to be reworked in order to allow Hulu and BBC iPlayer to start operating unimpeded here.

There is a free app called Hotspot Shield, which worked seamlessly in tunneling under the restrictions by using a virtual private network (VPN) to provide you with a U.S. IP address. This is all it took to gain access to sites with U.S.-only content like, Hulu, Fancast, Joost and even music sites like Pandora and Slacker.

But Hulu caught on, and it’s now very difficult, if not impossible, to access the site in Canada using Hotspot Shield.

Despite the setback, there are plenty of shows that you can watch through Canadian networks’ sites. CTV’s Video Page offers up full episodes of American shows like, Mad Men, Fringe and Gossip Girl, as well as all the homegrown shows it airs. But there’s also access to Comedy Central’s lineup, which includes the popular The Daily Show with Jon Stewart and The Colbert Report. And CTV has added “mini-episodes” of retro shows like, Starsky and Hutch and The Partridge Family.

Global’s video page also offers full episodes of shows like, Family Guy, 24 and The Good Wife. The only problem is that there’s a lack of organization with some of the shows in that you’re not sure what order they come in. Others, like 90210, only have a couple of episodes available. Classics like, Who’s the Boss?, Good Times and Dawson’s Creek are also up for grabs, but episode lists seem a bit random.

The same is true of CityTV’s video lineup, which offers a bunch of different shows, but with no real set order or number of episodes.

CBC’s video site also offers a list of shows that include The Tudors, The Border and Coronation Street.

But these sites may not be enough to satisfy your on-demand needs for your favourite shows, especially when certain shows are only available at certain times or in certain quantities. That means that you would need to find a way to circumvent the geo-blocking restrictions imposed on you. Unfortunately, I couldn’t find an option for the Mac that was both free and consistently effective, but I did find one option that works well with minimal fuss, despite the fact that you have to pay for the service. There are also a couple others that I’ll point out as well.

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There’s also Toronto-based Blacklogic, which costs $100 per year, but I did have to get help from tech support, as it wouldn’t recognize the password given to my test account. The process to get up and running is nicely detailed

Source:

http://whatsyourtech.ca/2009/12/03/how-to-watch-hulu-and-bbc-iplayer-in-canada/

The internet has definitely connected the far corners of the world and brought us as close as the nearest computer, but some ISPs try to withhold information and some entertainment sites from us through geo-content blocking.

What Is Geo-Restriction of Online Sites?

Used regularly almost anywhere in the world, the internet connects us to our friends, families, and motherland. However, if you are in Brazil and want to watch Hulu or BBC, you will be disappointed to discover that you simply cannot access them. These sites, along with many others, are blocked for use outside of their native region.

This problem persists all over the world. Some of the most popular destinations online can only be accessed in very limited locations. These include Hulu, BBC, Netflix, Pandora, and even some parts of Nat Geo and YouTube. Even the Twitter Olympics hub was found blocked according to Canadian reporter, Mathew Ingram, thanks to geo-restrictions. What  a shame!

How Can You Access Geo-Blocked Online Video Channels Using a VPN?

Popular online video libraries like Netflix and Hulu, media channels like BBC, and media players like M6Replay and Pandora have limited or no access outside of their country of origin. This may be due to any of several reasons, foremost among them lack of broadcasting rights by the channel provider.

Fortunately, there is a way around this dilemma! If you want to watch BBC outside of the UK or catch up on your favorite TV show, How I Met Your Mother, all you have to do is opt for a VPN. This is the most reliable and recommended method of accessing blocked video sites.

VPN Features That Help Unblock Video Sites:

A VPN offers a secure solution to blocked video sites by using advanced features, including the following:

• IP-Masking

IP-Masking is a technique adopted by VPNs to ensure total anonymity of the user while using a public network. By issuing the user an anonymous IP for the desired country, the user can easily access the restricted online video channels like Netflix, Hulu, BBC iPlayer, Pandora radio etc.

Another major drawback in accessing online sites is that their appearance in local languages or with local subtitles that are not understandable to the user. VPNs provide an IP address from the user’s home region, allowing for language adjustment as the user requires. Now you can watch your shows outside the country in your own language, all thanks to your VPN!

• Data Encryption

Using fool-proof data encryption up to 2048 bits, a VPN can protect your data. Now you can safely upload videos to YouTube or download TV clips of your favorite flicks without being spotted.

• VPN Tunneling

VPN tunneling is the transfer of data securely through a dedicated VPN network to hide it from public view. In this way you can stream videos to your system from any country. A VPN liberates online video clips to enable worldwide access.

A VPN is the best solution to bypass geo-restrictions and access your favorite online video channels. Enjoy the freedom of unrestricted worldwide internet access!