I'm in the states for a while and want to watch Match of the Day. iPlayer won't work here, but I'm sure I can get it if I have the necessary program installed on my laptop.
Anyone know anything about this?
Anyone know how to get BBC iPlayer to work abroad?
A proxy is probably your only hope and the free ones tend to be hard to find.
The radio stuff works great, but I've never found something that works for the TV portion and I've tried a bunch of stuff. The best I can think of is the Box online.
Paid proxy servers should work, but I've never tried one. If it's worth £10 per month to you, check out something like http://www.ukproxyserver.co.uk.
I've heard about using proxy servers, but like Dabutt haven't used one.
A Slingbox might be a good bet for the future (unless you can get someone to install it now while you're away). It's a box that plugs into your router and chosen device, and streams the programmes across the internet (the software connects your slingbox).
Basically plug the Slingbox into, say, a Freeview box in the UK, install the software on your computer, and you can watch what's on the Freeview box (there are infra-red attachments which you put on the device at home so can change channels from abroad. It worked well for my family when they went abroad.
I think it might work with PVRs too so can record and watch programmes (if watching stuff live is difficult due to the time difference - though I haven't tried that)
The BBC are missing out on a good (if not massive) source of revenue by not offering paid subscriptions to iPlayer for people outside of the UK.
Quote: DaButt @ September 13 2009, 12:17 AM BSTThe BBC are missing out on a good (if not massive) source of revenue by not offering paid subscriptions to iPlayer for people outside of the UK.
I agree. It would be a great move for them.
Quote: DaButt @ September 13 2009, 12:17 AM BSTThe BBC are missing out on a good (if not massive) source of revenue by not offering paid subscriptions to iPlayer for people outside of the UK.
Oh I'm sure it'll come, now there's, BBC America.
Quote: DaButt @ September 13 2009, 12:17 AM BSTThe BBC are missing out on a good (if not massive) source of revenue by not offering paid subscriptions to iPlayer for people outside of the UK.
It'd cut down their revenues from other sources though, and no doubt be seen to potentially damage rights-purchasing deals/chances overseas.
Plus it would make the licence fee (paid only by us) a harder sell.
Quote: Godot Taxis @ September 13 2009, 2:14 AM BSTPlus it would make the licence fee (paid only by us) a harder sell.
Wouldn't it be nice if they applied the subscription payments to the budget and reduced your license fee?
Ah, but the other consideration is that then the non-UK subscribers would (rightly) have an influence or mandate to demand what they want from the BBC. At the moment the BBC primarily only has to consider the programming needs of the UK. This way all sorts of madness lies. I would imagine it would also break some anti-trust/anti-competition laws in the US as well.
(Yes, the BBC does provide worldwide radio and news services, but these are a "gift to the world" rather than part of its main commissioning remit. And the BBC World Service, for example, is actually paid for by the Foreign Office, not the licence payer. BBC America is an arm of BBC Worldwide, the BBC's global commercial company, which owns parts of non-BBC companies.)
They already sell their DVDs in the U.S. market and offer programming on BBCA for a fraction of the hypothetical ($10/month?) subscription fee. All they'd be doing would be collecting additional money for recordings already funded and paid for that would otherwise be unavailable. "If people are willing to pay for it, sell it to them" seems like a sensible business approach to me. That's probably why it'll never happen. 
Quote: Tim Walker @ September 13 2009, 2:24 AM BSTthe BBC World Service, for example, is actually paid for by the Foreign Office
Oh reeeeeally? I did not know this. Very interesting.
Quote: DaButt @ September 13 2009, 2:30 AM BSTThey already sell their DVDs in the U.S. market and offer programming on BBCA for a fraction of the hypothetical ($10/month?) subscription fee. All they'd be doing would be collecting additional money for recordings already funded and paid for that would otherwise be unavailable. "If people are willing to pay for it, sell it to them" seems like a sensible business approach to me. That's probably why it'll never happen.
Fair points. There's always hope that BBC America might expand it's remit, I suppose.
Quote: Aaron @ September 13 2009, 2:51 AM BSTOh reeeeeally? I did not know this. Very interesting.
Pretty certain that this has always been the case. That's why the Radio Times never featured listings for the World Service. Technically, we're not meant to be able to hear the old LW broadcasts in the UK as they're not for our benefit. The fact that people can and did (prior to digital radio) was just a happy coincidence. (BTW I first learnt this fact years ago after reading a piece on the World Service written by Mr Stephen Fry!)