BBC iPlayer

[billbullock]

I have 2 problems trying to view BBC TV from Portugal. Firstly, BBC iPlayer opens up in Firefox and allows me to select a catchup programme but only plays the sound. Where is the video?

Secondly, when I go to live TV and select a channel, I am directed to the Google Play Store to download the BBC Media Player app. However, this will not download because "it is not available in my country". So Play Store is detecting that I am in Portugal. How can I get BBC Media Player?

I am frustrated but I am sensing that I am quite close to my aim which is to get live and catchup TV from the BBC on my Android Smart TV box in Portugal. Can anyone help me through this next hurdle?

 

[billbullock]

I’m getting closer. Having set the header in Firefox to 212.58.241.131 as recommended, I get the following results:
1. In Firefox, BBC iPlayer gives me sound but no video and the screen cannot be expanded to full size.
2. In Google Chrome, I get the message that I need to download BBC Media Player app from the Google Play Store but the latter detects that I am not in the UK and therefore cannot download the app.
3. In Android Browser, BBC iPlayer plays video and sound but the screen cannot be expanded to full size.
Conclusions:
1. The recommended IP address of 212.58.241.131 is fooling BBC iPlayer that I am in the UK and once set in Firefox, applies to Chrome and Browser.
2. BBC Media Player app is needed but I have to be in the UK to download it.
Action Plan:
When I go back to the UK at the end of the week, I will take my Smart TV box and leads and download the app. I will let you know the results.

 

[eugenerudenko]

You may use proxy plugin for FF and set your IP for the UK from the Portugal. Thus you will be able to download the app.

 

[billbullock]

I'm in the UK now and have successfully downloaded the BBC Media Player app from Google Play Store.
1. In Firefox, BBC iPlayer gives me sound only. Where is the video?
2. In Chrome, BBC iPlayer insists that I install BBC Media Player even though it is already installed? It will not progress any further. I suspect that the BBC has a problem with Google Chrome.
3. In Android Browser, BBC iPlayer works perfectly for catchup and live TV. I hope it works when I get back to Portugal at the weekend.
Does anyone else have similar problems in Android?

 

[billbullock]

I

 

[Laffette]

More about this in my next post.

 

[Laffette]

Subscribe to a VPN service and you become instantly anonymous. Auntie won't have a clue where you are. I use MPN at www.my-private-network.co.uk. Brilliant service and competitive pricing. Good luck!

 

[billbullock]

Thanks Lafette. I will probably subscribe to a VPN service eventually but I currently use the free service offered by tunlr.net. It works well in Windows 7 and I can get live TV as well as catchup TV. Android is different though and I suspect the BBC is blocking Android users from outside the UK very effectively. The tunlr support service has yet to crack the problem which is why I am asking for help elsewhere.

Is anybody else working on this problem?

 

[mikedt]

Going to give tunlr.net a try tomorrow. I'm in China and I'm using Linux.

 

[billbullock]

I look forward to your findings mikedt. I've come up with a brick wall now and will gladly share my findings. Cheers, Bill.

 

[mikedt]

I tried it with Linux Mint on my laptop following their instructions. I don't use Windows. The BBC website and iPlayer seems to believe I'm in the UK, it no longer gives the UK only messages. However when it tries to play a TV programme, nothing happens. Also tried Hulu, which is US, it seems to believe I'm in the States, but like BBC iPlayer nothing seems to be streaming. However I tried Pandora, which is a US only music service, that works OK.

Not tried it with an Android device yet, might do so in the next few days.

 

[billbullock]

Hi mikedt. Have you tried Firefox and the modified header mentioned in a previous post for streaming live BBC programmes? It works on my Windows 7 PC but not on my Android Smart TV box. Bill.

 

[billbullock]

BBC Media Player for Android suddenly works for me from outside the UK. Eureka!

I entered the tunlr.net recommended DNS 1 & 2 again today and this time I was able to save the settings and modify the WiFi connection to Static IP. Following a reboot of my Android Smart TV box, BBC Media Player played catch-up TV programmes in the Android Browser but not in Google or Firefox. Live TV does not work with Android devices outside the UK, not yet anyway.

 

[mikedt]

It worked for a while for me last night, I was able to watch Newsnight. But all of this morning iPlayer is just giving "This content doesn't seem to be working." messages. Not sure if that's a problem with the iPlayer itself or it's the proxy service doing that.

Thing is this is a free service, and maybe the servers are just getting overloaded, which can often happen with free proxy and VPN services. I've found paid subscription services tend to be much better in this respect.

Bill I did try the modified header with Firefox, using Linux, but that didn't seem to make any difference.

 

[billbullock]

BBC iPlayer is still working for me on my Android Smart TV box using the Android Browser and tunlr.net settings.

My next problem is getting my netbook running Windows 7 to play live TV on the BBC site. I get the message "This content does not seem to be working". Catch-up TV works well in Firefox, Chrome and Internet Explorer 10 using the tunlr.net settings. My desktop PC gets live TV to play so what's the difference?

 

[Pfh]

Hi,

If you're outside the UK you can download the latest BBC Media Player
BBC iPlayer, ITV Player and TVCatchup Player Android apps from my site.
I recently got them from Google Play and uploaded them to this site so people from around the world can download and install them on their Android devices and enjoy UK TV channels.

 

[Slug]

[...]so people from around the world can download and install them on their Android devices and enjoy UK TV channels.

A couple of points here.

1. Without express permission of the developers, redistributing even free apps is a beach of copyright.

2. Using such apps outside the UK may breach both the developers' and the Play Store's T&C.

 

[mikedt]

A couple of points here.

1. Without express permission of the developers, redistributing even free apps is a beach of copyright.

2. Using such apps outside the UK may breach both the developers' and the Play Store's T&C.

Something else to add, just having the apps won't work anyway, because they require that you have a UK IP address. Which I've already covered in previous posts in this thread.

FWIW I have the UK Play Store, as well as travelling to the UK a couple of times a year, and so it's no problem for me to download BBC iPlayer etc.

 

[Pfh]

Hi Slug,

Thanks for your comments they have been duly noted.

I am aware that providing these apps outside of the UK is breaking the Play Store's terms and conditions, but I was just trying to help someone on this thread who was trying to get them outside the UK. And on my site I also provide a VPN country IP changer solution as I know this is needed to use them

P.S This thread is mainly about using VPN to change the IP address to use these apps outside of the UK which is against their usage terms and conditions laid down by the BBC.

Cheers.

 

[dynomot]

Hi Slug,

Thanks for your comments they have been duly noted.

I am aware that providing these apps outside of the UK is breaking the Play Store's terms and conditions, but I was just trying to help someone on this thread who was trying to get them outside the UK. And on my site I also provide a VPN country IP changer solution as I know this is needed to use them

P.S This thread is mainly about using VPN to change the IP address to use these apps outside of the UK which is against their usage terms and conditions laid down by the BBC.

Cheers.

I'm no lawyer, but accessing the BBC without paying a license fee for live (as in broadcasting this instant) is illegal. See here :

BBC iPlayer Help - TV Licence - Using BBC iPlayer

 

[Slug]

P.S This thread is mainly about using VPN to change the IP address to use these apps outside of the UK which is against their usage terms and conditions laid down by the BBC.

Incorrect. Use of the app outside the UK isn't against the BBC T&C, only accessing certain content via it. UK television licence holders such as the OP also have more right to content, hence my use of the word "may" and why AF doesn't simply blanket-ban discussion of VPN. We do, however, frown on copyright breach.