So I have started looking in to using Netflix to get most of the TV I currently watch. I recently got back from 6 weeks in America and was exposed to how awesome Netflix is and thought it might be a better solution than my current one and incredible value at 8$/month.

Is anyone using one of these DNS redirection type services to do this? I have done a bit of research into these and they seem a bit patchy. I'm not sure how exactly they work, either by DNS redirecting to their own content reflectors, or just getting around the GEO block on the DNS servers that are used for the particular streaming services, but either way I am concerned that they would eventually be blocked as they rise in popularity.

I was thinking more along the lines of US VPS + VPN for the VLAN I put my media device(s) on to so all. Combined with a static routes on the gateway of the VLAN to get to my local content server or local services such as ABC iview.

I use unblock-us.com for netflix access. $4.99 a month and you get access to their dns server which allows you to access netflix and hulu etc.

*sigh* if only my speeds were fast enough to have such a choice.

constantly chasing that little grey progress bar.

someone build me an NBN

*/sigh*

Yeah, I just use unblock-us at the router to take care of Netflix and Hulu Plus. Was also using it for a US iTunes account too which was very handy.

I use https://www.privatetunnel.com/

found it to be very reliable and have never had streaming problems.

I tried out Unblock-US & Netflix on my 5mbps ADSL2 (hhhaha 2, asif!) connection and it was rubbish. Poor quality, streaming issues, etc.

I have Unblock-US set up with Hulu+, Netflix on my Roku 2. Netflix is straight forward to setup really and like Zak said, you just take your existing post code an add another digit. Hulu+ is another story and there are places you can buy pre-paid debit cards from and let you set up fake addresses and so on, so its a bit harder to get working but doable.

Netflix when it first loads a show will be s*** quality and stays that way for about a minute but after that the quality goes up and improves a lot and i'm on still on ADSL1 with like 700kb down at most. Hulu+ works on and off. sometimes it's great sometime it sucks. It's not just me as many others have complained about the Roku app for it sucking balls and locking up even in the US. Well worth the odd $20 a month since everyone in my houses uses this stuff every night. Usually if I'm going for an older TV series and I want watch from scratch I boot up Netflix and then for current episodes i'll Hulu those.

+1 for mediahint

So do you need a US payment method to hook up Netflix?

I have Unblock-US set up with Hulu+, Netflix on my Roku 2. Netflix is straight forward to setup really and like Zak said, you just take your existing post code an add another digit. Hulu+ is another story and there are places you can buy pre-paid debit cards from and let you set up fake addresses and so on, so its a bit harder to get working but doable.Netflix when it first loads a show will be s*** quality and stays that way for about a minute but after that the quality goes up and improves a lot and i'm on still on ADSL1 with like 700kb down at most. Hulu+ works on and off. sometimes it's great sometime it sucks. It's not just me as many others have complained about the Roku app for it sucking balls and locking up even in the US. Well worth the odd $20 a month since everyone in my houses uses this stuff every night. Usually if I'm going for an older TV series and I want watch from scratch I boot up Netflix and then for current episodes i'll Hulu those.

DM. What sort of data usage are you looking at per month to do this? I'm considering cutting the Foxtel cable off and moving the net plan to 500gig per month instead.

I average about 250 - 300gb a month. That's with at least 4 hours of Netflix and Hulu every night. If you have access to better speeds than what I do then I would imagine that to be a bit higher. So perhaps around 400gb or so maybe? I cut foxtel off awhile back and don't miss it at all.

Cheers DM. I imagine you use your net for stuff other than Hulu and Netflix, so thats sounds promising..

I've got it working sweet, only thing is it doesn't seem to be doing HD

I have an Apple TV v2, which is literally 3 metres clear line of sight from the wireless router, surely it should be able to hit 720p?

I can cable it if I have to

I've got it working sweet, only thing is it doesn't seem to be doing HDI have an Apple TV v2, which is literally 3 metres clear line of sight from the wireless router, surely it should be able to hit 720p?I can cable it if I have to

That's your problem i read somewhere you must have Apple TV3 to get HD as the device must support 1080


Edit: https://support.netflix.com/en/node/8731

Questions about Hulu. I just signed up for a trial, but I cant see how you get to earlier episodes. Is there a way?

Ie. Arrow. They have up to EP22 but my missus want Ep 3,4,5 ect

so just an update.

signed up with unblock-us, hulu and netflix for a trial.

all worked fine on my wdtv live streaming but using the unblock-us dns servers for everything on my desktop to access hulu and netflix slowed down general browsing.

after messing around with using their dns servers via a dnscache i ended up setting up a second squid server on my linux box, and then running it as a sibling with unblock-us dns servers as its resolvers. Then i shunted hulu and netflix domains and geolocate services over to it with some acls.

now it works perfectly and no issues streaming at full HD on the desktop without impacting general web browsing speeds.

So lets be clear about this - its not legit, right?

For example, you wouldn't run a netflix/hulu region dodger on company-owned gear?

The only thing that is naughty is giving a false US address

Any other input?

Choice is a private entity though. "should be exempt' is hardly reassuring.

Part of the decision to go fully legit is that I'm using my internet at home more and more for work so its being claimed as an expense. I'm interested in legit sources of content but as noted in your quote its a grey area and some shouldas from a magazine isn't reassuring enough.

Its probably good enough for a normal home user but for my circumstances its a little too grey and I don't want to find myself a convenient test case :)

Yeah, but violating T&Cs isn't the same as copyright infringement, either.

I do think it is funny though. People complain about no streaming/on demand type services being available in Australia at a reasonable price and therefore turn to NZB/Torrents for access to content. And then when one is, they don't use it because the way to get access to it is a bit grey.

woah woah woah, I'm not downloading any pirated media, you may have missed the thread where I said I was going clean and got foxtel etc?

I'm legitimately asking whether Netflix via geo-circumvention is legal or not because I want to buy a subscription - but the internet service is paid for by my business so I'm super paranoid about legalities.

Not everything is about you dude. I saw your other thread about going legit and I think it is fair enough you don't want to risk your company's rep by using something that may be on the fringe of legality at work.

Everything is about me!

Your comments about the 'too grey' seemed pointed at me, since I'm the person who raised it as a problem and we're basically talking to each other here.

That sort of trivialises the actual "naughty" part, which is falsifying your identity information and manipulating computer networks in such a way so that (I assume) it violates the Terms and Conditions that you have to agree to when signing up for the service.

Is any of that actually illegal in Australia?

IANAL but as far as I know a violation of T&Cs may see your service ended but it's not illegal to violate them and the way most are written it can even be impossible to use a product without violating the T&Cs. Same thing with providing false information about your identity. Perhaps it's illegal to do so to the police, maybe the bank but I don't think a foreign company on the internet can expect the same privileges.

However, I think it may still be a violation of copywrite since they are only licensed to give access to that media to customers in the countries they have paid the licenses for. Whether that is the responsibility of the provider like Netflix or the end user I'm not sure.

id stick with torrenting rather than this grey area

Yeah, I am also unsure who, if anyone, would come after you, netflix for paying for their service? Or the local content license holders for accessing their content locally from another licensed content holder?

yeh it seems massively unlikely. The worst case scenario I suspect is them just killing your account.

As for legality, I think NZB/Torrents would be considered much worse as far as infringing on copyright is concerned.

Completely agree!

I do think it is funny though. People complain about no streaming/on demand type services being available in Australia at a reasonable price and therefore turn to NZB/Torrents for access to content. And then when one is, they don't use it because the way to get access to it is a bit grey.

Well, that and the fact that it is a giant massive series of f*****g around just to get it!

I have enough Lunix skillz to get it working in a similar way, but only just - in fact until about a week ago I was going to get Netflix just for AD. But having to go to such ludicrous lengths to give them money and then STILL not being truly legit anyway... headdesk!