UK Channel 4 streaming service with a VPN and me

[nglodnig]

First off I'm in Europe (not UK) but both ALL4 and BBC IPlayer do geo-blocking so should be relevant wherever you are - that's the point of a VPN. I'm using Vyper (paid service) which I've found not too bad. Initially both of these services used to block me but recently BBC IPlayer has been working like a dream - looks like Vyper has got a new set of IPs that aren't on their blacklist yet, a bit of a cat and mouse game. But I've NEVER succeeded on ALL4. Saw great reviews for Aisling Beas' "This Way Up" and thought I'd do a bit of catch up before watching the current stuff (which I get fine via cable so no prob).

 

ANYWAY, I googled it and there was lots of advertorials saying this particular type of VPN is the best and sign up here and you get 10% discount (and they get a kickback presumably) and more gumpf where you have to set your PC (Windows) to be geographically located in the UK and the clock set to GMT. Well bollards to that.

 

THEN I tried it again and it magically worked! Sometimes just hangs there (no error message about being outside UK) and I give up and reconnect and eventually it works, takes a couple of attempts. Changed nothing on my PC.  But then, shock horror, it's still got the adverts, which you can't fast-forward! Ah well. Can't have everything you want. 

 

P.S. I get no commish from this VPN but maybe if you mentioned my name ???? .......

[bluezircon]

I use NordVPN, it's been working fairly consistently for over a year on All4 and iPlayer. My ad blocker (uBlock Origin) rarely works on All4 now a days.

 

I'd suggest people use topcashback or quidco when buying a VPN, they usually have quite large cashback offers going.

[delgarcon]

An aid to watching UK TV, if your VPN fails to connect directly, is a Swiss website called ZATTOO who stream UK channels. Obviously you need a VPN that can connect to Swiss websites, but if it can it's well worth it, the streaming is great.

[KannikaP]

22 minutes ago, delgarcon said:

An aid to watching UK TV, if your VPN fails to connect directly, is a Swiss website called ZATTOO who stream UK channels. Obviously you need a VPN that can connect to Swiss websites, but if it can it's well worth it, the streaming is great.

I found it only to do LIVE streams, no catch-up.

[IvorBiggun2]

Either Browsec or Hotspot Shield work perfectly well and both are free. No more to say.

[delgarcon]

1 hour ago, KannikaP said:

I found it only to do LIVE streams, no catch-up.

Yes, as I said, an aid to watching UK TV. No catch up unfortunately.

[Stocky]

4 hours ago, nglodnig said:

But then, shock horror, it's still got the adverts, which you can't fast-forward!

I use NordVPN which works fine with BBC, ITV and Channel 4, and if I use the Brave browser then the advert breaks disappear too. 

[nglodnig]

10 hours ago, delgarcon said:

An aid to watching UK TV, if your VPN fails to connect directly, is a Swiss website called ZATTOO who stream UK channels. Obviously you need a VPN that can connect to Swiss websites, but if it can it's well worth it, the streaming is great.

That's what I'm using I am a "Premium" customer - the service is pretty good but only goes back one week.

[nglodnig]

10 hours ago, KannikaP said:

I found it only to do LIVE streams, no catch-up.

It has about ten days worth of back history then you can go back to - handy if you missed something. No good for anything longer though

[KannikaP]

10 hours ago, delgarcon said:

An aid to watching UK TV, if your VPN fails to connect directly, is a Swiss website called ZATTOO who stream UK channels. Obviously you need a VPN that can connect to Swiss websites, but if it can it's well worth it, the streaming is great.

If your VPN has failed to connect to UK, what's the chance of it connecting to Swiss?

[nglodnig]

9 minutes ago, KannikaP said:

f your VPN has failed to connect to UK, what's the chance of it connecting to Swiss?

It does help I'm living in Switzerland ???? And the VPN connects pretty much perfectly all the time - it's just BBC and C4 have a list of blacklisted IPs that bounce it sometimes when trying to watch something - but it's connected fine. My point was that the advice given on these (frankly advertorial) sites about change clocks and geographic locations on your PC is NOT TRUE

 

[Digitalbanana]

Never had a problem with BBC or All4 using VPN here. I use Surfshark.

[delgarcon]

On 7/21/2021 at 5:45 PM, KannikaP said:

If your VPN has failed to connect to UK, what's the chance of it connecting to Swiss?

Sometimes the VPN is detected by UK TV, but up until now, never by Zattoo and the streaming on some sporting events is much better on Zattoo.

[KannikaP]

22 minutes ago, delgarcon said:

Sometimes the VPN is detected by UK TV, but up until now, never by Zattoo and the streaming on some sporting events is much better on Zattoo.

https://www.wizcase.com/top-post/how-to-watch-zattoo-from-anywhere/?keyword=zattoo&campaignID=13138995074&matchtype=p&adgroupID=123560881603&extension=&kwd=kwd-3688096180&location=&geo=9047140&matchtype=p&device=&ad=529137715143&placement=&adposition=&gclid=CjwKCAjwruSHBhAtEiwA_qCppsj2xaEvEOFlTEjKnFd_3G9JNP7fLEa2bbgTEJc1CHlajwqnpUmYZRoCJmIQAvD_BwE

 

So I must have Express VPN on Switzerland. Got the FREE version. 

[sammieuk1]

I always found the problem was the 6-7 hours time difference in watching any live TV but when I need a vpn its android all the way quick and easy ????

[delgarcon]

4 hours ago, KannikaP said:

https://www.wizcase.com/top-post/how-to-watch-zattoo-from-anywhere/?keyword=zattoo&campaignID=13138995074&matchtype=p&adgroupID=123560881603&extension=&kwd=kwd-3688096180&location=&geo=9047140&matchtype=p&device=&ad=529137715143&placement=&adposition=&gclid=CjwKCAjwruSHBhAtEiwA_qCppsj2xaEvEOFlTEjKnFd_3G9JNP7fLEa2bbgTEJc1CHlajwqnpUmYZRoCJmIQAvD_BwE

 

So I must have Express VPN on Switzerland. Got the FREE version. 

You could try Browsec premium, which is much cheaper and seems to work pretty well. I'm going to give it a try when my subscription to Express runs out.

[KannikaP]

Just now, delgarcon said:

You could try Browsec premium, which is much cheaper and seems to work pretty well. I'm going to give it a try when my subscription to Express runs out.

Hey, 100 USD a year is not expensive, and it works 99% of the time.

[delgarcon]

4 minutes ago, KannikaP said:

Hey, 100 USD a year is not expensive, and it works 99% of the time.

Browsec is $40

[KannikaP]

1 minute ago, delgarcon said:

Browsec is $40

Yeh, but does it have a server in Guatemala like Express does?   LOL   555