VOD : Netflix/Streaming Services

[passingbat]

Originally Posted by OLD BOY

I think the days of logging into systems through different countries and the piracy that has been going on for years are numbered.

There is a difference between piracy and VPN use; people using VPN's pay for the content, pirates don't.

Netflix have consistently squashed rumours on restrictions on VPN use

This is what the Netflix head man thinks on the subject:

http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/tv/news/...paurkZBnvvpSVl

[vincerooney]

Originally Posted by theone2k10

I think it's smart dns users getting caught out as all smart dns does is spoofs your location, your ip is still visible.
A vpn hides both your location and your ip.
I use a vpn and smart dns combo myself only costs £4.70p/m and always get speeds of 21.9mbs from my vpn which is good as my actual speed is 37.6mbs anyway lol.
Using smart dns i get my full speed.
Regarding HBO from what i'm gathering they seem to be catching people out by their credit card registered address. I always recommend using entropay which is a virtual credit card that you can set up for various locations for example you want HULU+ you set your entro settings to usa this will give you a USA address linked to your virtual card.

the master of these things speaks! i knew you'd be able to explain it to me! so it seems like you'll be safe!

[OLD BOY]

Originally Posted by theone2k10

I think it's smart dns users getting caught out as all smart dns does is spoofs your location, your ip is still visible.
A vpn hides both your location and your ip.
I use a vpn and smart dns combo myself only costs £4.70p/m and always get speeds of 21.9mbs from my vpn which is good as my actual speed is 37.6mbs anyway lol.
Using smart dns i get my full speed.
Regarding HBO from what i'm gathering they seem to be catching people out by their credit card registered address. I always recommend using entropay which is a virtual credit card that you can set up for various locations for example you want HULU+ you set your entro settings to usa this will give you a USA address linked to your virtual card.

Here's the thing, though. Netflix always remembers where I am in a series, so it can identify me. If they really wanted to do something about vpn use, is it really the case that they couldn't find a way to track you down?

[passingbat]

Originally Posted by OLD BOY

If they really wanted to do something about vpn use, is it really the case that they couldn't find a way to track you down?

Of course they could track you down if they wanted to. The fact that they don't, speaks volumes.

[theone2k10]

Originally Posted by OLD BOY

Here's the thing, though. Netflix always remembers where I am in a series, so it can identify me. If they really wanted to do something about vpn use, is it really the case that they couldn't find a way to track you down?

To clear things up vpns are perfectly legal and a lot of businesses and consumers use them to protect their systems and their company.
Companies like hbo, netflix will not block VPNs as they know consumers use them to protect their systems, if they started to block vpns there would be questions asked and no doubt hbo,netflix etc would gain bad publicity in the process.
Smart dns is a different matter altogether whilst they are perfectly legal there is a grey area surrounding the whole smart dns scene.
I had a chat with one of comcasts (xfinity) ceos and they said these exact words "it wouldn't be in our best interests to stop vpn users from accessing our service, we are working on a online only service that we will trial in the USA first with a vision of rolling it out globally and having all content available in all regions we launch in."

[spiderplant]

Originally Posted by theone2k10

vpns are perfectly legal

That's like saying kitchen knives are perfectly legal. It all depends what you do with them.

[steveh]

Originally Posted by theone2k10

I think it's smart dns users getting caught out as all smart dns does is spoofs your location, your ip is still visible.

It's the IP address that is used to determine the location, there isn't another way of spoofing the location.

For those confused on what these services do:

Each time you go to netflix.com it will use a database to convert your broadband IP address into a country so it knows what territory to serve you up. What a smart DNS does is act like a normal DNS server but replace the DNS entries for the streaming service you want to access with a proxy server located in the country that the streaming service serves.

So instead of a lookup for netflix.com resolving to (say) 1.2.3.4 as normal, it will now resolve to (say) 5.6.7.8, which will be the smart DNS company's proxy server. That proxy will then relay your HTTP requests to 1.2.3.4, making netflix.com think that the request originated at the proxy server and serving up the territory for the country where it thinks the proxy server is located, not where it originally came from.

Obviously it would be trivial for Netflix to cut out smart DNS services if they wanted to as they can easily spot the IP addresses of the proxy servers where there are way more subscribers than a normal broadband connection. However, that would impact on their sales and as long as the content owners don't put pressure on them they're happy just to ignore them.

[OLD BOY]

Originally Posted by steveh

It's the IP address that is used to determine the location, there isn't another way of spoofing the location.

For those confused on what these services do:

Each time you go to netflix.com it will use a database to convert your broadband IP address into a country so it knows what territory to serve you up. What a smart DNS does is act like a normal DNS server but replace the DNS entries for the streaming service you want to access with a proxy server located in the country that the streaming service serves.

So instead of a lookup for netflix.com resolving to (say) 1.2.3.4 as normal, it will now resolve to (say) 5.6.7.8, which will be the smart DNS company's proxy server. That proxy will then relay your HTTP requests to 1.2.3.4, making netflix.com think that the request originated at the proxy server and serving up the territory for the country where it thinks the proxy server is located, not where it originally came from.

Obviously it would be trivial for Netflix to cut out smart DNS services if they wanted to as they can easily spot the IP addresses of the proxy servers where there are way more subscribers than a normal broadband connection. However, that would impact on their sales and as long as the content owners don't put pressure on them they're happy just to ignore them.

Can't they just require a login and find your location/status from their records?

[theone2k10]

Originally Posted by OLD BOY

Can't they just require a login and find your location/status from their records?

ABC use location technology to determined where you are for their live stream of ABC, this is tricky to get around but a good vpn soon sorts it.

[OLD BOY]

Netflix must know who you are to verify you've paid. I do believe they could prevent access to different locations if they wanted to.

However, I do understand that it is being made clear in their revised terms and conditions that watching their material in other jurisdictions will be prohibited. I think a crackdown is imminent.

[theone2k10]

Originally Posted by OLD BOY

Netflix must know who you are to verify you've paid. I do believe they could prevent access to different locations if they wanted to.

However, I do understand that it is being made clear in their revised terms and conditions that watching their material in other jurisdictions will be prohibited. I think a crackdown is imminent.

Not going to happen those terms have been in their t+cs for mnths, netflix themselves have clearly stated they will not block vpn users.

[muppetman11]

Originally Posted by theone2k10

To clear things up vpns are perfectly legal and a lot of businesses and consumers use them to protect their systems and their company.
Companies like hbo, netflix will not block VPNs as they know consumers use them to protect their systems, if they started to block vpns there would be questions asked and no doubt hbo,netflix etc would gain bad publicity in the process.
Smart dns is a different matter altogether whilst they are perfectly legal there is a grey area surrounding the whole smart dns scene.
I had a chat with one of comcasts (xfinity) ceos and they said these exact words "it wouldn't be in our best interests to stop vpn users from accessing our service, we are working on a online only service that we will trial in the USA first with a vision of rolling it out globally and having all content available in all regions we launch in."

I had a race with Usain Bolt and beat him by a clear second.

[johnathome]

Originally Posted by muppetman11

I had a race with Usain Bolt and beat him by a clear second.

Back of the shed!

[theone2k10]

Originally Posted by muppetman11

I had a race with Usain Bolt and beat him by a clear second.

A drink race?

[passingbat]

Originally Posted by OLD BOY

Netflix must know who you are to verify you've paid. I do believe they could prevent access to different locations if they wanted to.

However, I do understand that it is being made clear in their revised terms and conditions that watching their material in other jurisdictions will be prohibited. I think a crackdown is imminent.

You seem to keep saying this, and, to me, it seems to have a hint of wishful thinking on your part.

We get that you disapprove of these things and don't use them and that's fair enough, but you've made your point.