# HULU in Canada?



## Dammacx

So not sure if everyone will agree that this question belongs here but since it sorta relates to iTunes I thought it was appropriate. 

So I had signed up for that HULU beta (that website with NBC, Fox, and whoever else is part of it) and too my surprise I actually got a email back with a temp password to sign up for an account. So I go ahead and do it which was easy, get to the front page - everything is looking interesting, decent layout, looks easy enough to navigate, seems to be working good on my Old G4. So I finally pick Scrubs to give it a try and when I click the big Play button I get the message that the service is not available in my area (Meaning suck it Canadian Boy - lol). Anyway I kinda figured it was going to happen and I understand about different rights in Canada and all that jazz, but what I was wondering was if there was a way to sneak around that? I just want to try it, so that when it gets out of beta and if it ever does become legit in Canada (Like the 360 service finally is) if it will be worth it.

I am also curious about any opinions on HULU, I don't think of it as competition for iTunes, but more of a nice compliment to it. In a way I think it is good for iTunes since now iTunes has to go look for new stuff to fill the void left by NBC and whoever else wants to jump iTunes. Who knows what could show up on iTunes.

Also has anyone checked out Canoe TV for some good old Canadian content???

Thanx


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## corey111

well now I don't feel stupid for letting my hulu temp password expire


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## MacDaddy

I signed up for Hulu on day 1. I have tried many different Proxy Servers in an attempt to view the content on the site, but for some reason I can't load the video on half of them (Doesnt even load the player), even though I can login just fine.

*sigh* Given we live in a digital age of the global villiage, these restrictions of what can be watched in what countries is very archiac (Along with so much more), of course, I don't expect it to change anytime soon. We are going to have to wait for all these old fogies who don't know how to use a computer to die so somebody younger can take over the conglomerates and make them more to the times.


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## Philly

*re-route IP address*

Solution: re-route the IP address... ?

Easier being said than done. I looked briefly on the net how to do this but no real solution (and easy I guess) is available.

Does anyone knows how to do it ?  

Cheers


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## MacDaddy

Philly said:


> Solution: re-route the IP address... ?
> 
> Easier being said than done. I looked briefly on the net how to do this but no real solution (and easy I guess) is available.
> 
> Does anyone knows how to do it ?
> 
> Cheers


That is what a Proxy does. Makes your IP the one of the Proxy server you are using. Mainly used by people for anon surfing. However, out of the 30 or so I tried, the player would not load at all for me 

If you find one that works, please let us know!


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## yurty

This seems to work fine for me.

Accessing Hulu, Pandora And Other Sites From Outside Of the United States


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## i4detail

I've kvetched about this a lot. Howcum I can watch it on TV for "free", but I can't watch it on the internet for "free"? It's not like, say, BBC, where it's not broadcast outside the states.

Of course, this works the other way, too. I was very happy to watch Dr Who on cbc.ca, but I know a bunch of American friends who had no such luck. 

HotSpot Shield looks interesting. I'll have to try it. Looks like they have a monthly usage allowance, so it might not be perfect, but it could be a start.


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## MacBookinToronto

Dammacx said:


> So not sure if everyone will agree that this question belongs here but since it sorta relates to iTunes I thought it was appropriate.
> 
> So I had signed up for that HULU beta (that website with NBC, Fox, and whoever else is part of it) and too my surprise I actually got a email back with a temp password to sign up for an account. So I go ahead and do it which was easy, get to the front page - everything is looking interesting, decent layout, looks easy enough to navigate, seems to be working good on my Old G4. So I finally pick Scrubs to give it a try and when I click the big Play button I get the message that the service is not available in my area (Meaning suck it Canadian Boy - lol). Anyway I kinda figured it was going to happen and I understand about different rights in Canada and all that jazz, but what I was wondering was if there was a way to sneak around that? I just want to try it, so that when it gets out of beta and if it ever does become legit in Canada (Like the 360 service finally is) if it will be worth it.
> 
> I am also curious about any opinions on HULU, I don't think of it as competition for iTunes, but more of a nice compliment to it. In a way I think it is good for iTunes since now iTunes has to go look for new stuff to fill the void left by NBC and whoever else wants to jump iTunes. Who knows what could show up on iTunes.
> 
> Also has anyone checked out Canoe TV for some good old Canadian content???
> 
> Thanx


have had the exact same problem..tried proxying but it's just wayyyy too slow...oh well

And had never heard of Canoe TV so will definitely check it out


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## Macified

i4detail said:


> I've kvetched about this a lot. Howcum I can watch it on TV for "free", but I can't watch it on the internet for "free"? It's not like, say, BBC, where it's not broadcast outside the states.
> 
> Of course, this works the other way, too. I was very happy to watch Dr Who on cbc.ca, but I know a bunch of American friends who had no such luck.
> 
> HotSpot Shield looks interesting. I'll have to try it. Looks like they have a monthly usage allowance, so it might not be perfect, but it could be a start.


You can't watch this on TV for free. You can pay for a cable subscription. Paying for internet doesn't cover the royalty fees and broadcasting fees. You might be able to pick up some over the air broadcasting but possibly not the content on Hulu.

EDIT: Hotspot Shield worked for me.


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## scootsandludes

I've been using sidereel.com which links to hulu.com and can watch their shows no problem. Only thing is no full screen.


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## i4detail

Macified said:


> You can't watch this on TV for free. You can pay for a cable subscription. Paying for internet doesn't cover the royalty fees and broadcasting fees. You might be able to pick up some over the air broadcasting but possibly not the content on Hulu.



Thus the large quotes around the word "free". But the idea is once I've paid my access, it's all you can eat, just like Foody Goody.

Anyway. The service is available to anyone in the states, whether they pay royalty fees and broadcast fees. Someone like Alex Lindsay is famous for not having TV or cable service, yet he can access it. I can't, even though I pay for it in one form, and he pays for it in no form. 

It's the paying for the same content multiple times argument. Is there not some way that we could verify that yes, I am a paid subscriber to this in one form, so yes, I can get access to it in another.

Well, no, actually, it's not. Which bites. But it wouldn't be that hard, would it? Get Bell to give me a subscriber code that I could type into Hulu?

Anyway, I believe the model for Hulu is ad supported, not based on the assumption that I pay broadcast fees. It seems like that's an even stronger argument to open it up to Canadians. You can check my IP address and play ads for the local Dragon Palace, if you really want to. You'll make more money, too. 

Ah well. I eagerly await the day when iTunes Canada has the selection of iTunes USA. Then I will ditch my cable service. However, the lack of content there is even more difficult to wrap my head around.

I want to pay you. Directly. For watching this show. You don't have to take the pittance spread across my entire cable service. I will pay you more per show than you currently make off me all together, for all the shows combined. And you won't let me? Explain the logic underlying that one?


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## Macified

Since by "free" you didn't mean free, I'm with you. In full agreement actually.


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## harpoon

openhulu.com is your friend, friend.


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## i4detail

harpoon said:


> openhulu.com is your friend, friend.


Openhulu doesn't like me.  

Whatever did I do to it?


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## Dammacx

harpoon said:


> openhulu.com is your friend, friend.


Yeah no luck for me either. Guess I'll have to figure out how to fake my way in when I have time. I was hoping to catch up on a few shows I have been missing.


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## Macified

Try HotSpot Shield. It seems to be working well enough for me. I've watched a couple of Family Guy episodes and a movie with only a couple of buffer hiccups along the way.


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## CaptainCode

Try Hotspot Shield to get around the IP restrictions.


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## Dammacx

CaptainCode said:


> Try Hotspot Shield to get around the IP restrictions.


Yeah Hotpsot works for me now. It wasn't available for a while but I downloaded it last week and it seems to work. Will update on speed when I have more time to test on a decent computer.


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## Macified

HotSpot Shield is hit and miss for me. Works great when I can connect but it seems to go down for as much as days at a time. Can't connect to it right now. Connected fine yesterday.


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## TripleX

I have not been successful with Hotspot for quit awhile now, very frustrating.


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## SINC

Hotspot works fine for me.

Just remember to turn it off after you leave the any US restricted site or your e-mail won't work to send mail, or at least it does not on my MBP. I suspect the program makes your IP address unrecognizable to your own ISP.


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## RISCHead

*copyright, IP etc blah blah*

don't really mean to derail this, but have to comment, that whether you've paid for content or not, it still doesn't give you unrestricted/unlimited access to the way you wish to use that content - all it gives you is whatever is defined in the fine print you've implicitly or explicitly agreed to about usage of said content.

We're often overly liberal in our interpretation of such law. Of course, it makes complete sense that I should have full flexibility in how I choose to watch the content I've paid for - but that doesn't equate to my legal right to do so.

Anyway, back on the topic of proxies and vpn servers - typically the free ones are bandwidth limited, making them extremely problematic for video.
Secondly, proxies are detectable and can therefore be blocked.

Thirdly, doesn't make it any more legal.


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## bsenka

RISCHead said:


> don't really mean to derail this, but have to comment, that whether you've paid for content or not, it still doesn't give you unrestricted/unlimited access to the way you wish to use that content - all it gives you is whatever is defined in the fine print you've implicitly or explicitly agreed to about usage of said content.
> 
> We're often overly liberal in our interpretation of such law. Of course, it makes complete sense that I should have full flexibility in how I choose to watch the content I've paid for - but that doesn't equate to my legal right to do so.


Completely disagree. If anything, it's the opposite. Content providers are trying to impose restrictions on publicly aired content that go far beyond their legal rights as copyright holders. If I can find a way to view content that is otherwise free, and has been publicly broadcast previously, it's perfectly legitimate to utilize that method.


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## shampoo

So to um bring this back to the original question, has anyone been able to find a proxy, free or paid that gets past this restriction ?

J


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## bitshiftr

shampoo said:


> So to um bring this back to the original question, has anyone been able to find a proxy, free or paid that gets past this restriction ?
> 
> J


Hotspot Shield. ONLY use it for your videos though.


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## chas_m

BTW, bitshiftr, I've been meaning to ask ...

Pedobear for your avatar? Really?


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## TeddyK

I've been using Hotspot Shield for quite some time and find it works great. I wrote an article about it on MacWorld Canada.

Weekly Download - Hotspot Shield

I use it with Firefox, and have an ad blocker that keeps those pesky banners at the top away.


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## Macincheez

Just got this today:



Been using hotspot forever... Now it seems that Hulu caught on. It's been a good year or so, at least.


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## pcronin

Heh, well if I miss a show on 'air time', I just turn to our old friend bit torrent. 

I can't be bothered with limited selection and inability to use them outside a specific player (itunes or flash). I want to use VLC, or Boxee, or *gasp* re-encode to watch on my non ipod media player (Nokia N-800).

The available downloads from torrent sites have no compatibility issues with any of those player, or my set top dvd/divx player. I have no moral problem because it's no different than a VCR or a DVR to me.


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## shampoo

It's somewhat sad that they aren't willing to accept a revenue stream from us in the form of advertising dollars. They know quite well that most of us will turn to P2P to get our TV fix as a result.

They really are clueless when it comes to business.

J


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## Macincheez

shampoo said:


> It's somewhat sad that they aren't willing to accept a revenue stream from us in the form of advertising dollars. They know quite well that most of us will turn to P2P to get our TV fix as a result.
> 
> They really are clueless when it comes to business.
> 
> J


I'm sure that Hulu isn't the culprit here. It's more often than not the music used in shows/ movies that holds more trouble than the movies themselves. WKRP in Cincinatti is a prime example of a show that had significant amounts of episodes just dropped from Canadian syndication because the music used could not be licensed in Canada.

And if it isn't that, then its the owners of the rights of specific shows who are holding Hulu back.

If everything was creative commons, life would be so much better.


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## keebler27

TeddyK said:


> I've been using Hotspot Shield for quite some time and find it works great. I wrote an article about it on MacWorld Canada.
> 
> Weekly Download - Hotspot Shield
> 
> I use it with Firefox, and have an ad blocker that keeps those pesky banners at the top away.


i 2nd hotspot, but I notice my internet really slows down.


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## spiralgirl

I've tried Hotspot Shield with Safari and Firefox and watched the youtube videos online explaining this. I get a message saying they are aware I'm using an anonymous proxy and shows aren't available outside the USA.

Has anyone tried this recently as all the posts I see about this were written back in March or January of 2009.


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## ertman

I believe your results are the norm now. The real question is whether there is another way to watch HULU. 

They have been saying they'll take it international for awhile now.


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## i4detail

Yeah, they've blocked the Hotspot Hole. Boo. Haven't heard of any other options.


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## spiralgirl

Thanks I've been on the internet all week-end looking for a solution but can't find anything out there.


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## Puccasaurus

I thought this thread was titled "Cthulhu in Canada" at first glance and panicked. This is my fault -- I've been reading Lovecraft all weekend


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## i4detail

Have you read a Study in Emerald by Neil Gaiman? Brilliant stuff.


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## spiffychristian

.


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## spiffychristian

.


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## chas_m

Hotspot Shield (despite its disadvantages) does still work for some services; I am listening to Pandora Radio right now in fact. It just doesn't work for Hulu anymore (I was never that impressed with Hulu, but people need it for Heroes and such I suppose).


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## MrNeoStylez

works for me still


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## i4detail

Odd. Hasn't worked for me the last few times (that could be my slow interweb speed), and I've heard a lot of people say that it isn't working. Maybe HSS did something to mask their IP from Hulu....


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## VpnWarp.net

*VPN access*

There is a new Pay-As-You-Go VPN service available at VpnWarp Network they look like they may have some great potencial, and the system is VERY easy to use.

Works great to get around the Hulu country lock, and because there entire infrastructure is based off VPS servers in various datacenters, it will be very hard to block perminatly.


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## Macified

VpnWarp.net said:


> There is a new Pay-As-You-Go VPN service available at VpnWarp Network they look like they may have some great potencial, and the system is VERY easy to use.
> 
> Works great to get around the Hulu country lock, and because there entire infrastructure is based off VPS servers in various datacenters, it will be very hard to block perminatly.



Spammer.


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## VpnWarp.net

*hmm granted, but with argument.*

I agree that the source of the message qualifies it as spam, however considering it is "on topic" the post likely, yet arguably can be considered more helpfull than not. Thus therefore not SPAM.


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## Ants

been trying to get into and create a free account with this service but space is limited. will keep trying.... 
as for me, HSS has not been working with Hulu for months.


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## Guest

Hulu will just keep blocking the VPN services as they crop up. I personally don't find it worth the hassles of chasing things down. They can keep their terribly low quality TV in a browser and commercials 

They also actively go out of their way to block apps like Boxee, Plex, etc that are not even breaking their terms of use.


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## Trevor...

I use AceVPN with a dedicated WRT-DD router, totally seamless with no client software on the computer.

Speed is good enough for streaming Hulu and Pandora.


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## Macified

VpnWarp.net said:


> I agree that the source of the message qualifies it as spam, however considering it is "on topic" the post likely, yet arguably can be considered more helpfull than not. Thus therefore not SPAM.


Except that the poster doesn't make any effort to suggest that he/she is a shill for the product. The poster writes about it as a third person which would lead one to believe they are merely a mac user who has tried the product.

I wouldn't mind the post provided the poster approached the post from a positive direction rather than that of scumbag spammer troll. I'm not usually this harsh in posting but this really isn't the way to introduce yourself or your product to to ehMac (or anyone else). First post none the less.


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## HowEver

Here's a review from another site they spammed. ONE server, $360 per year. I don't think so, considering that free services outperform them, have more servers, and are *free.*

Proxies and Watching Hulu from Canada




> Thanks for letting me know about the vpnwarp service.
> 
> I did check it out and here are my thoughts.
> 
> They have some very short term payment schemes which is a good option if you just want a few hours.
> 
> But the cost seems very expensive - for one server the cheapest is $360 for 12 months, next is $480 for vpn access to a single US server. The cheaper option is available only if you choose auto-renewing (my pet hate - if a service is any good the customer will renew themself!)
> 
> To contrast I pay $115 for 12 months access to 3 US servers, 2 in Canada, 4 in UK and loads more in other European countries. Also a professional custom application which I can run on a USB stick or my home computer.
> 
> Also the one server they do have doesn't even have a proper SSL certificate, they appear to be using a self signed one ?
> 
> It might be a good option for downloading torrents with the unlimited access but their server is going to be crippled/banned if they let lots of torrent downloaders on.
> 
> Sorry to be so negative - they are using openvpn which is good, but overall it doesn't look good value to me.
> 
> But choice is good so it's worth checking out people, so have a look.


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## VpnWarp.net

*Thanks for the helpful critique people*

First of all I would like to apologize to the forum for my misuse of the board, and misrepresentation of myself, I am not a web-marketer by trade, actually.. I HATE IT!!!. 

I would also like to thank the last two posters for their healthy comments.

I see I am dealing with some intelligent people, so I would like to take a moment to explain what’s going on here. First and foremost the VpnWarp.net service was created for me, and my friends as a proof of concept, and never really was intended to be heavily commercialized.

You see one day I discovered Hulu, and was pissed when I realized I couldn’t use it in Canada, furthermore my Pandora account no longer worked for the same reason. Being someone heavily involved in networking and de-centralized virtual systems, I came up with the idea of creating a RADIUS based VPN service that is based on low cost virtual private servers. Not only could I quickly spawn a server anywhere I wanted in a matter of minutes, the system would be impossible to block perminatly, and should bandwidth become a problem, the system can easily be placed on dedicated systems, and still easily moved around when IP's get blocked.

Now im not going to lie and say that the VpnWarp.net website wasn’t created as a commercial service, obviously I have some profitable ideas, but I want you all to realize this is as much a business venture as it is an experiment with cloud computing and de-centralized systems.

My goal is to gauge the bandwidth needed to provide such a service while maintaining a premium service. Which is why im currently allowing a 6 hour trial for $1, which I’m pretty sure I will loose on. 

As for my Canadian system, I want to assure the person concerned that I have a very powerful system with a 100Meg dedicated line, and over 3000GB of bandwidth available per server, I am not concerned about speed, and since torrents are "still" legal in Canada, we don’t have to worry about blocks. The problem im having at the moment is I am unable to get OpenVPN to work properly on OpenVZ, so I may have to setup a system on XEN. Anyway...

I want feedback, there is no reason why this service cant be the fastest, most affordable, hardest to block VPN system available, and with your help I would like to make it happen.

This part is for Macified, HowEver thanks much for your critique, if you would like... Head over to the site, setup and account and send me the username you used in a PM on this forum, and I will activate 12 hours for free. Then if you like maybe you can send me some more private comments.


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## mwillems

MacDaddy said:


> We are going to have to wait for all these old fogies who don't know how to use a computer to die so somebody younger can take over the conglomerates and make them more to the times.


Agreed. Though I am 51 which many might think qualifies me as an old fogie. But at this advanced age I know html, I have Linux as well as Mac and even an old Windows computer; I can even write command line scripts. And I read xkcd.

So not all old people are clueless.


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## eshm.assist

MacDaddy said:


> I don't expect it to change anytime soon. We are going to have to wait for all these old fogies who don't know how to use a computer to die so somebody younger can take over the conglomerates and make them more to the times.


lol  by the time our old folks are gone, we'll be those "old fogies."
and people like you will look down upon us.


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## gordguide

" ... and since torrents are "still" legal in Canada, we don’t have to worry about blocks. ..."

"Torrents" are legal everywhere. It's the content of the torrent that matters.

In Canada, only torrents that are comprised of music alone are legal. All unauthorized video recording, trading, sale or sharing is a crime in Canada. In fact, the law regarding video content in Canada is much stricter than similar law in the US.

Even recording a TV show to watch later is, strictly speaking, still a crime in Canada; a PVR from your provider or the use of authorized content via an AppleTV is only legal because they secured the rights to make it authorized for you to do so.

Circumventing restrictions to watch Hulu in Canada is identical, legally, to pirating satellite TV broadcasts, and sharing torrents of anything that is not music alone (no video track, no books, etc) is still against Canadian law.

I'm not interested in making moral arguments; I personally don't care what anyone else does. But I didn't want anyone to be under the impression that you can do whatever you want and still remain within the law.


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## gmark2000

Gnutella vs. torrents vs. Rapidshare/Megaupload vs. Usenet vs. Proxied Streaming

Content aside, what are people's preferred methods?


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## mgmitchell

gordguide said:


> " ... and since torrents are "still" legal in Canada, we don’t have to worry about blocks. ..."
> "Torrents" are legal everywhere. It's the content of the torrent that matters.
> In Canada, only torrents that are comprised of music alone are legal. All unauthorized video recording, trading, sale or sharing is a crime in Canada. In fact, the law regarding video content in Canada is much stricter than similar law in the US.
> Even recording a TV show to watch later is, strictly speaking, still a crime in Canada; a PVR from your provider or the use of authorized content via an AppleTV is only legal because they secured the rights to make it authorized for you to do so.
> Circumventing restrictions to watch Hulu in Canada is identical, legally, to pirating satellite TV broadcasts, and sharing torrents of anything that is not music alone (no video track, no books, etc) is still against Canadian law.
> I'm not interested in making moral arguments; I personally don't care what anyone else does. But I didn't want anyone to be under the impression that you can do whatever you want and still remain within the law.


I'm dense. I downloaded Vuze. I've watched some cool Nat. Geographic videos and shown them in my classroom. So that's illegal? I can't watch a "Damages" episode? Anything I grab from Vuze is illegal?


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## Bjornbro

gordguide said:


> Even recording a TV show to watch later is, strictly speaking, still a crime in Canada...


How does that square with VHS machines and their ability to record? Wasn't the intention to record TV programs? Even "TV Guide" printed record codes in their listings for VHS plus+ owners.


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## lpechersky

*Hulu and US Netflix on Mac and Apple TV*

I am using usvideo.ca service to watch Hulu and US Netflix. Works perfectly on my Mac Book Pro and Apple TV. 
They say they support Pandora and Amazon VOD as well but I have not tried it.


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## flashPUNK

Any VPN service will allow you to use these services in Canada.


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## Guest

flashPUNK said:


> Any VPN service will allow you to use these services in Canada.


Not correct. Hulu constantly chases down these types of services and bans the servers they use. It's a non-stop cat and mouse game and it's honestly not worth it to chase it down, at least for me.


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## Macified

flashPUNK said:


> Any VPN service will allow you to use these services in Canada.


+1 on the not true response. Hulu doesn't accept anonymous connections. You might be able to do this with a more expensive VPN plan where you are given a specific ip address but not with the typical free/cheap vpn services.


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## Guest

Even the more expensive/paid have their machines blocked out constantly so you have to keep changing configs around. The last setup I tried for this I had to change to a new server config every couple of weeks or so and finally decided it just wasn't worth the hassle. At the end of the day you're still paying for the access AND jumping through hoops to watch TV with commercials in it and if you're going to do that just get cable and a PVR. Personally I'm much happier just buying the shows either online or waiting for them to get released on DVD/Blu-ray and buying them that way.


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## haber

I understand that when there is a Canadian source for the same content, the U.S. content is blocked so the Canadian company gets the ad revenue. But what about when there is no legal online source in Canada? Who is it hurting to let us watch the U.S. version then? The one time I've turned to a bit torrent source is when I absolutely couldn't get a legal Cdn source.

I also drives me crazy when someone posts a link on a messageboard to a TV clip (ie. SNL or the Daily Show) and it won't work for me. Their link would have taken me straight to the start of the clip. Instead, if I'm really desparate to watch it, I have to go to Global or the Comedy Network, find the proper episode and search through the entire episode to try to find the skit. Guess how often I go to that much trouble for a 2 minute video? tptptptp


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## DynamicOverride

haber said:


> I understand that when there is a Canadian source for the same content, the U.S. content is blocked so the Canadian company gets the ad revenue. But what about when there is no legal online source in Canada? Who is it hurting to let us watch the U.S. version then? The one time I've turned to a bit torrent source is when I absolutely couldn't get a legal Cdn source.
> 
> I also drives me crazy when someone posts a link on a messageboard to a TV clip (ie. SNL or the Daily Show) and it won't work for me. Their link would have taken me straight to the start of the clip. Instead, if I'm really desparate to watch it, I have to go to Global or the Comedy Network, find the proper episode and search through the entire episode to try to find the skit. Guess how often I go to that much trouble for a 2 minute video? tptptptp


I have to agree with this. I've decided to go legit when it comes to my TV/movie watching. I stick to the network sites (SpikeTV, Global, etc..), Netflix and iTunes for just about everything. The only time that I torrent anything is when there's no way that I can watch it online. 

It does bother me that networks like Fox don't allow their player to be played outside the US. There's been talk about the BBC iPlayer going worldwide for a small fee and I'm really hoping that it happens soon. Then I can at least get my Dr. Who fix without torrents. :love2:


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## Adrian.

Agreed.

I have no problem watching stuff on legit sites (Global, CTV etc.) but when it is impossible to watch it, I have to turn to Torrents.

I am living without Cable and am loving it!


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## Lawrence

I'm just starting to get into Boxee right now,
Why didn't I know about this sooner?

Just about to combine it with Netflix and I'll be good to go,
TV shows and movies on my computer, I love it.


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## Macified

Adrian. said:


> Agreed.
> 
> I have no problem watching stuff on legit sites (Global, CTV etc.) but when it is impossible to watch it, I have to turn to Torrents.
> 
> I am living without Cable and am loving it!


The only reason I am willing to torrent is because I pay for cable. I control the urge to download shows for which I have not payed (ie. Warehouse 13 which runs on a channel for which I don't pay). If it's not on a channel that I pay for, I try to find a way to purchase it or I watch it on the channels website if they have one. I won't take content for which I have not payed or the owner is not freely giving.


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## VNJ85

Jeez, torrents was so 2008. 

With the average user on high-speed everything is stream/download now. Ninjavideo (a website that was recently shut down) started a revolution of high quality stream/download for tv shows. Take your pick there's a number of websites out there now that are very accessible and tv shows come out almost as soon as the tv shows end on tv. I currently have been using icefilms.info for all my tv show needs.

No more upload ratios to worry about, and no more throttling either, those worries are in the past.


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## MacMagicianJunior

Macified said:


> The only reason I am willing to torrent is because I pay for cable. I control the urge to download shows for which I have not payed (ie. Warehouse 13 which runs on a channel for which I don't pay). If it's not on a channel that I pay for, I try to find a way to purchase it or I watch it on the channels website if they have one. I won't take content for which I have not payed or the owner is not freely giving.


I tend to agree, the only caveat is something I literally can't find to pay for legally, either on cable or via iTunes or on hard media. In these rare instances I don't feel too much remorse over downloading it then. Admittedly these are often obscure shows but it has happened a few times to me.


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## unotelly

Sorry for bumping up this thread but I think this is for the best for the community.

We have an application called UnoTelly which allows anyone outside of USA to watch Hulu and other blocked channels.

Awhile ago, we offered free BETA invites to some ehMAC users of our service to watch Hulu outside USA: http://www.ehmac.ca/anything-mac/95447-can-some-mac-users-test-out-my-web-app.html

Here is another review How To Get Neflix USA in the UK, unoTelly is the answer. | EssentialMac.co.uk


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## Adrian.

*Apple to buy Hulu*

Apple is rumoured to be considering purchase of Hulu. This would probably be towards allowing subscriptions to TV shows instead of purchases.

Article here: Apple eyes TV website Hulu - The Globe and Mail


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## unotelly

I wonder how Hulu will be if Apple takes ownership. Would they stop or cut-back on the free version and focus on subscription? The second problem is the tv show licensing issues. So they could have guaranteed for 5 years in total but TV broadcasters might jack up the licensing rate - based on the current business model, they are barely making any returns on TV rights.

NetFlix is already starting to jack up its price so Hulu probably won't be too far behind. I believe Netflix's strategy is the worst nightware to any business person - uses unsustainable low-price to obtain subscribers .


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## Tech Elementz

unotelly said:


> I wonder how Hulu will be if Apple takes ownership.


Perhaps they could replace there whole collection of TV shows on the iTunes Store and put them on stream via Hulu. That would be a good idea for Apple to do. And then to access the content, you could use your Apple ID. At that point, there would be the free content with ads. And then there would be premium shows with no ADS for lets say, $8-$10 per month. A guy can dream with what Apple would do if they owned Hulu.


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## unotelly

Tech Elementz said:


> unotelly said:
> 
> 
> 
> I wonder how Hulu will be if Apple takes ownership./QUOTE]
> 
> Perhaps they could replace there whole collection of TV shows on the iTunes Store and put them on stream via Hulu. That would be a good idea for Apple to do. And then to access the content, you could use your Apple ID. At that point, there would be the free content with ads. And then there would be premium shows with no ADS for lets say, $8-$10 per month. A guy can dream with what Apple would do if they owned Hulu.
> 
> 
> 
> I believe the current low-price unlimited offering by Hulu or Netflix is not sustainable unless everyone in the entertainment industry all take a massive pay-cut on content production.
> 
> Either Internet TV has to increase its prices or content producers has to lower its production cost by 3-5 times.
Click to expand...


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## SINC

If Netflix thinks they will retain my membership at double the price they are dreaming. Seems to me that people who hold the rights to movies have a decision to make. Do they want millions of subscribers at $8 a month or a few hundred thousand at $16 a month and make decent profits at $8, not obscene profits at $16? I know which way I will move if they make the wrong choice.


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## unotelly

SINC said:


> If Netflix thinks they will retain my membership at double the price they are dreaming. Seems to me that people who hold the rights to movies have a decision to make. Do they want millions of subscribers at $8 a month or a few hundred thousand at $16 a month and make decent profits at $8, not obscene profits at $16? I know which way I will move if they make the wrong choice.


In the long-run, I don't believe Netflix can make any profit on $16 subscription let alone $8 a month. The current net profit margin of netflix is less than 10% which is horrible for any tech company.

Think about it, cable charges at least $40/month for limit access of channels or movies. On the other hand, Netflix charges 1/4 the price yet provides more contents. This begs the question, where does the 3/4 of savings come from? I don't believe cable companies are making 300-400% more profits than Netflix.

The cost advantage of Netflix is a lot different other technology innovations like Skype vs traditional telephone. Skype's low-pricing is sustainable because the technology of Internet telephone is the major cost saver. The only major cost for Skype is the infrastructure cost. On the other hand, while Internet distribution of movies and TV shows might be potentially cheaper than the traditional distribution channels, the saving is not as great as one might think. The major cost to Netflix is movie/tv licensing rights.

The reason Netflix is able to operate right now is that it had negotiated several below-market-price deals with short-sighted studios. Sooner or later, studios will realize how big of a hole they are digging themselves into and will pull the plug on Netflix.

Netflix either has to increase its price dramatically or produce its own contents because I don't see Hollywood taking a pay-cut anytime soon.


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## Tech Elementz

Tech Elementz said:


> I believe the current low-price unlimited offering by Hulu or Netflix is not sustainable unless everyone in the entertainment industry all take a massive pay-cut on content production.
> 
> Either Internet TV has to increase its prices or content producers has to lower its production cost by 3-5 times.


I am dreaming of the impossible...


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## Guest

The netflix pricing is not changing in Canada AFAIK .. the price adjustments were for the US customers who now have to pay for the streaming as a separate fee .. the US folks used to get discs delivered to the door AND streaming for one price but no longer do. In Canada we only get streaming so the pricing is not changing.


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## greydoggie

unotelly said:


> In the long-run, I don't believe Netflix can make any profit on $16 subscription let alone $8 a month. The current net profit margin of netflix is less than 10% which is horrible for any tech company.
> 
> Think about it, cable charges at least $40/month for limit access of channels or movies. On the other hand, Netflix charges 1/4 the price yet provides more contents. This begs the question, where does the 3/4 of savings come from? I don't believe cable companies are making 300-400% more profits than Netflix.
> 
> The cost advantage of Netflix is a lot different other technology innovations like Skype vs traditional telephone. Skype's low-pricing is sustainable because the technology of Internet telephone is the major cost saver. The only major cost for Skype is the infrastructure cost. On the other hand, while Internet distribution of movies and TV shows might be potentially cheaper than the traditional distribution channels, the saving is not as great as one might think. The major cost to Netflix is movie/tv licensing rights.
> 
> The reason Netflix is able to operate right now is that it had negotiated several below-market-price deals with short-sighted studios. Sooner or later, studios will realize how big of a hole they are digging themselves into and will pull the plug on Netflix.
> 
> Netflix either has to increase its price dramatically or produce its own contents because I don't see Hollywood taking a pay-cut anytime soon.


A big part of cable costs is the hardware getting it to your house. Then you're also paying for a lot of shows and channels whether you want them or not. Studios weren't being short sighted at all. It's either be paid by netflix for their shows & movies or not get that money at all because people would be downloading illegally or copying discs off their friends instead.


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## gmark2000

Any recent news on the Hulu front? Success stories with certain proxy or VPN services?


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## CescoMtl

Gary,
After getting Netshade from MacHeist I've been able to access Hulu via NS' proxy servers. When the free subscription is up I'll be renewing.
NetShade anonymous proxy and VPN software for Mac and iOS


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## gmark2000

Thanks. Looks like it will work with five devices in the house. I wonder how I can take advantage of the proxy with my AppleTV for Netflix??


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## Bjornbro

gmark2000 said:


> Thanks. Looks like it will work with five devices in the house. I wonder how I can take advantage of the proxy with my AppleTV for Netflix??


If you have Mountain Lion and a supported Mac, just mirror to your AppleTV.


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## johnnydee

Or just get a VPN compatible router for the whole house!


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## imnothng

Or just get www.unblock-us.com/

It's worked great for me for about a month now. I have Hulu plus on all my iOS devices with no issues.


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## Bjornbro

imnothng said:


> Or just get Unblock Us - smarter faster VPN
> 
> It's worked great for me for about a month now. I have Hulu plus on all my iOS devices with no issues.


Yes, this works very well. No problems either.


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## Fox1971

imnothng said:


> Or just get Unblock Us - smarter faster VPN
> 
> It's worked great for me for about a month now. I have Hulu plus on all my iOS devices with no issues.


I have been using this service for about a year and a half to access US Netflix. A few months ago Hulu Plus subscriptions became available through US iTunes so that is another way to access it. I got rid of my cable a few months ago so the Hulu Plus membership has been a good alternative but I do have to say that it isn't really needed if one has even just basic cable.


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