sky movies v netflix
Discussion
Bullett said:
Right, figured it out. Those DNS setting are from a company called unblock-us.com you need to register (and pay) after a week.
There are instructions on the site, but I've put the settings into my router and all my devices (ipad, PS3, PC) are seeing the US site now. Iplayer and everything else is still using the uk sites. No problems so far and as it's not VPN my traffic still goes direct. I'll watch Senna or something later and see what the streaming from the US is like.
Wouldn't happen to be a Sky router would it? Is it easy enough to change the DNS for a router then, I am interested in doing this also so that all my devices see the US sites and I don't have to set it for each thing. Is it easy enough to go back to default DNS, or won't there be a need?There are instructions on the site, but I've put the settings into my router and all my devices (ipad, PS3, PC) are seeing the US site now. Iplayer and everything else is still using the uk sites. No problems so far and as it's not VPN my traffic still goes direct. I'll watch Senna or something later and see what the streaming from the US is like.
Cheers in advance for any help.
andrewrob said:
Iplayer shouldn't be able to work through it, that could be why. It should pick you up as being outside of the UK.
What is the point of it then? I thought it was like expat shield? I can open the iplayer page, even thought I am in Bulgaria. It still took minutes to open up. TheHeretic said:
What is the point of it then? I thought it was like expat shield? I can open the iplayer page, even thought I am in Bulgaria. It still took minutes to open up.
Yes but this one routes through an American vpn server, so iplayer, 4od etc probably won't let you play content, but, netflix then thinks you are in America so gives you their content. andrewrob said:
Yes but this one routes through an American vpn server, so iplayer, 4od etc probably won't let you play content, but, netflix then thinks you are in America so gives you their content.
Ah, it's American! Gotcha. (Still, it should load a page up pretty quick, which it didn't).Bullett said:
Mine is a netgear, took about 30s to set up. You can change the dns on individual devices or on your router. Go the site I mentioned, instruction for lots of devices.
Thanks for that, I looked on the site, I think I need to have a look at the Sky router and see if there is anything on it that resembles one mentioned on the site. I am just trying to weigh up changing the DNS at the router as oppose to changing it on one of my devices, then I can have, for example, UK netflix on my Apple TV and US netflix on my BluRay player and leave my TV on default DNS, then I can still watch iplayer etc through it.I've had Netflix (UK) for a few months now, and it's a mix of good and bad. Initially I really liked it but it's wearing very thin now I've worked my way through the thin veneer of good content and realised that most of what lies beneath it is toss. The most notable update to their content recently is 'Keeping Up Appearances', yes, that god awful toss that was bad when it first aired in your gran's living room 20 odd years ago.
Basically, they've got a nice framework in place for it to be strong, and if you've seen their US service you'll see what they're trying to replicate is something fantastic (the US version is really ace). But, it ultimately feels like they've launched it a year too soon before they could get a decent amount of content that's worth watching in place, and instead have had to resort to scooping up the rights to bargain basement stuff to keep as a placeholder and give the impression that they've got lots of content. If they can add more stuff, they're onto a winner. If it stays as it is, it'll stagnate fast.
The good -
- it's better than Lovefilm for TV show content, I've discovered quite a few that I've not previously seen on there
- the resume feature is ace, start watching on iPad, switch to Apple TV, and it picks it up where the other device stopped.
- Layout etc is really good, perhaps aside of the XBox client which isn't so great
- There's quite a lot of stuff on there overall
The bad -
- As said, they don't do new content. I'm guessing there's all sorts of deals in the pipeline and rights agreements that need be set in stone which takes ages before they can roll out lots of new content, but they've added very little content in the months I've been a subscriber, and what little they have added is garbage.
- There's very few, if any, good new films on there - it's all old titles, and if it's not old, it's usually a sh*t B-movie like 'Hobo with a shotgun' or 'Nude Nuns With Big Guns' (i kid ye not, and no, it's not porn). Most of the TV shows are older, but there's a few more recent gems in there that just about save it (South Park, Dexter, Breaking Bad etc)
- The ratings based recommendation system is as good as useless. The amount of drivel it's suggested as being perfectly suited to me is beyond belief.
- As mentioned, the audio track is poor, doesn't seem to have DD, and because the production values of vast swathes of its content is about on par with the change you'd find lost down the back of the sofa, it's probably the least audiophile friendly way to watch stuff. Torrented AVIs sound better for the large part.
- Lovefilm knocks it into a cocked hat for movies content. Which says more about Netflix than it does LF.
Until recently you could tweak your XBox DNS settings to access the US version, but they seem to have closed that loop now (
). I've yet to try using tunnelbear or a VPN to try and get it on the 'puter, but if you can it'll be worthwhile. Otherwise, give it a 30 day trial. It might get better soon, but I can see it getting cancelled once this month's out.
UK one doesn't seem to - the US version is like a completely different service altogether - many orders of magnitude better.
Basically, they've got a nice framework in place for it to be strong, and if you've seen their US service you'll see what they're trying to replicate is something fantastic (the US version is really ace). But, it ultimately feels like they've launched it a year too soon before they could get a decent amount of content that's worth watching in place, and instead have had to resort to scooping up the rights to bargain basement stuff to keep as a placeholder and give the impression that they've got lots of content. If they can add more stuff, they're onto a winner. If it stays as it is, it'll stagnate fast.
The good -
- it's better than Lovefilm for TV show content, I've discovered quite a few that I've not previously seen on there
- the resume feature is ace, start watching on iPad, switch to Apple TV, and it picks it up where the other device stopped.
- Layout etc is really good, perhaps aside of the XBox client which isn't so great
- There's quite a lot of stuff on there overall
The bad -
- As said, they don't do new content. I'm guessing there's all sorts of deals in the pipeline and rights agreements that need be set in stone which takes ages before they can roll out lots of new content, but they've added very little content in the months I've been a subscriber, and what little they have added is garbage.
- There's very few, if any, good new films on there - it's all old titles, and if it's not old, it's usually a sh*t B-movie like 'Hobo with a shotgun' or 'Nude Nuns With Big Guns' (i kid ye not, and no, it's not porn). Most of the TV shows are older, but there's a few more recent gems in there that just about save it (South Park, Dexter, Breaking Bad etc)
- The ratings based recommendation system is as good as useless. The amount of drivel it's suggested as being perfectly suited to me is beyond belief.
- As mentioned, the audio track is poor, doesn't seem to have DD, and because the production values of vast swathes of its content is about on par with the change you'd find lost down the back of the sofa, it's probably the least audiophile friendly way to watch stuff. Torrented AVIs sound better for the large part.
- Lovefilm knocks it into a cocked hat for movies content. Which says more about Netflix than it does LF.
Until recently you could tweak your XBox DNS settings to access the US version, but they seem to have closed that loop now (
). I've yet to try using tunnelbear or a VPN to try and get it on the 'puter, but if you can it'll be worthwhile. Otherwise, give it a 30 day trial. It might get better soon, but I can see it getting cancelled once this month's out.Famous Graham said:
Dr Doofenshmirtz said:
Netflix = no Dolby Digital soundtrack.
Fine if you've only got stereo speakers, but no good if you've got a surround sound setup.
Possibly the UK one - the US one certainly does have DD content.Fine if you've only got stereo speakers, but no good if you've got a surround sound setup.
megy said:
Thanks for that, I looked on the site, I think I need to have a look at the Sky router and see if there is anything on it that resembles one mentioned on the site. I am just trying to weigh up changing the DNS at the router as oppose to changing it on one of my devices, then I can have, for example, UK netflix on my Apple TV and US netflix on my BluRay player and leave my TV on default DNS, then I can still watch iplayer etc through it.
I thought the Sky router was pretty much locked down. However, if you want to use UK on one device and US on another the best method is to change the individual devices. If you change at the router then all connected devices will use the US version. Even with the router using those DNS settings I can still get BBC iplayer on any device and if I use a test site it still thinks I'm in the UK. It's only the US streaming sites it seems to be effecting, which is pretty clever.
Bullett said:
megy said:
Thanks for that, I looked on the site, I think I need to have a look at the Sky router and see if there is anything on it that resembles one mentioned on the site. I am just trying to weigh up changing the DNS at the router as oppose to changing it on one of my devices, then I can have, for example, UK netflix on my Apple TV and US netflix on my BluRay player and leave my TV on default DNS, then I can still watch iplayer etc through it.
I thought the Sky router was pretty much locked down. However, if you want to use UK on one device and US on another the best method is to change the individual devices. If you change at the router then all connected devices will use the US version. Even with the router using those DNS settings I can still get BBC iplayer on any device and if I use a test site it still thinks I'm in the UK. It's only the US streaming sites it seems to be effecting, which is pretty clever.
Stu R said:
Famous Graham said:
Dr Doofenshmirtz said:
Netflix = no Dolby Digital soundtrack.
Fine if you've only got stereo speakers, but no good if you've got a surround sound setup.
Possibly the UK one - the US one certainly does have DD content.Fine if you've only got stereo speakers, but no good if you've got a surround sound setup.
(sorry, can never resist that particular Airplane gag
)Good to know that the UK is sub par though - what I've experienced of the US one has been great and I was planning on getting a UK one on the strength of it when I return next year. I'll proceed a bit more cautiously now, though, and review the...well, reviews, next year.
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