watch i-player for free in France

montgolfiere · Post by **montgolfiere** » Sun 11 Oct 2009 09:24

I have just discovered this (at the moment) Free service that enables watching the BBC 'i-player' / channel4 catch-up etc. on your computer without it being blocked.

here is the Link

http://www.iportal.me/

for any further info on receiving FTA or Sky Subscription UK (or Eire) Satellite TV
please look at my website www.british-tv-in-france.co.uk or email oneworlddreaming@aliceadsl.fr or tel: 0468698376
Cheers
the Skyman

polremy · Post by **polremy** » Sun 11 Oct 2009 10:20

Thanks.
I'll give that a try later on.

Roger O · Post by **Roger O** » Sun 11 Oct 2009 19:56

OK so I tried out
http://www.iportal.me/
signed up, got a beta user name and password
downloaded the soft and tried to get in!
Keep getting rejected due to "invalid domaine"
So, I use Wanadoo (Orange) what domaine am I supposed to use except fr or .fr???

or did your words I have just discovered this (at the moment) Free service above
not mean free as in gratis but Free as in Freebox?
I did get at some stage a box with "Orange (xxx) inaccessible"

mrob343 · Post by **mrob343** » Sun 11 Oct 2009 21:19

Roger O wrote:OK so I tried out
http://www.iportal.me/
signed up, got a beta user name and password
downloaded the soft and tried to get in!
Keep getting rejected due to "invalid domaine"
So, I use Wanadoo (Orange) what domaine am I supposed to use except fr or .fr???

or did your words I have just discovered this (at the moment) Free service above
not mean free as in gratis but Free as in Freebox?
I did get at some stage a box with "Orange (xxx) inaccessible"

Same here Rog's
Zero access !!
Just thought i'd give this a whizz with my french ip address just to see if it works?? ET NON !!

I can access i player without going through this,you just need to change your ip address to a UK based one.It does take a little knowledge but it's possible !!

Thanks
Rob

Roger O · Post by **Roger O** » Sun 11 Oct 2009 21:49

No, Rob, it's OK thanks, I don't really need it - was more curious to see if it worked.. I'll keep my French IP and my French Vista (till W7 comes along, perhaps...)

cheers,
Roger

Elliott99 · Post by **Elliott99** » Sun 11 Oct 2009 21:56

I have Windows 7 Professional! I got it free from University! Oh yeah!

They restrict who can view iplayer by looking at the location of the IP address.

You can around this by finding a 'UK Proxy' but they are normally slow and unreliable.

Or... move back to UK

polremy · Post by **polremy** » Sun 11 Oct 2009 22:01

i tried too but had problems cos i am a mac user! - not windows.
sort of had a try with crossover but couldn't manage it.
i'm just a girlie you understand as well as being a woman of a certain age.

mrob343 · Post by **mrob343** » Sun 11 Oct 2009 22:03

Elliott99 wrote:

Or... move back to UK

Rather take my chances with the proxy mate or there's always sky+

Allan · Post by **Allan** » Sun 11 Oct 2009 23:29

I tried it but when it installed the connection details, it failed to tick the box to say I am already connected to the internet.

WIth Windows choose Start/Connect to then right click on iPortal and choose properties.

Tick the box that says I am already connected to the Internet ( assuming you are ). It then works fine.

I can't see it lasting however, BBC don't allow access to programs from outside the UK because of licensing requirement. This site just relays the data to you, so the BBC thinks it is sending it to someone in the UK.
As someone else pointed out you can do the same with any UK based proxy server. BBC can kill them at any time just by blocking their ip address. They are effectively transmitting copywrited material and the BBC has lots of lawyers.

It isn't possible to change your ip address to a UK one, ip addresses control how the data gets to you, you can't just choose one

mrob343 · Post by **mrob343** » Mon 12 Oct 2009 00:28

Allan wrote:I tried it but when it installed the connection details, it failed to tick the box to say I am already connected to the internet.

WIth Windows choose Start/Connect to then right click on iPortal and choose properties.

Tick the box that says I am already connected to the Internet ( assuming you are ). It then works fine.

I can't see it lasting however, BBC don't allow access to programs from outside the UK because of licensing requirement. This site just relays the data to you, so the BBC thinks it is sending it to someone in the UK.
As someone else pointed out you can do the same with any UK based proxy server. BBC can kill them at any time just by blocking their ip address. They are effectively transmitting copywrited material and the BBC has lots of lawyers.

It isn't possible to change your ip address to a UK one, ip addresses control how the data gets to you, you can't just choose one

Yeah, thanks Allan,your suggestion worked

Just to say i have a UK based server so i route through that although its still not impossible to change your ip here.
Cheers Rob

montgolfiere · Post by **montgolfiere** » Mon 12 Oct 2009 07:02

glad you have all sorted getting registered ok now...i have been using this with no problems for a couple of weeks now..... i knew about other ways but found that this is easy to set up and very smooth to use.. obviously the BBC etc are probably trying to shut it down , but hey, they dont like us getting their services here either and may well one day try to restrict the satellite footprint.... but lets hope not!!!
Cheers
The Skyman

sue and paul · Post by **sue and paul** » Mon 12 Oct 2009 09:41

Sorry - must be a bit thick.....
Can you please explain the fix again - but in IDIOT terms.....
Paul.....

Allan · Post by **Allan** » Mon 12 Oct 2009 09:56

Assuming you are running Windows and you have installed the iPlayer software.

Click on the start button which is normally at the bottom left of your screen, it might just be a circle with coloured bits in it if you are running Vista.

A menu should appear and one of the choices is Connect to choose this and you should get a list of connections, one of which will be iPortal.

Point to this and click the right button of your mouse, you should get another menu with one of the choices being Properties, choose this and look for a box at the top of the screen which says something like I am already connected to the interned. Tick this box and then close the window, it should now work

sue and paul · Post by **sue and paul** » Mon 12 Oct 2009 10:23

Do not seem to be able to log on......
All I get is
(Server Error in '/' Application.
query did not return a unique result: 2000
Description: An unhandled exception occurred during the execution of the current web request. Please review the stack trace for more information about the error and where it originated in the code.

Exception Details: NHibernate.NonUniqueResultException: query did not return a unique result: 2000

Not sure what to do now !!!!!!
Paul.......

sue and paul · Post by **sue and paul** » Mon 12 Oct 2009 10:33

Sorry --- should have also said - useing...
Windows xp...
on laptop...
not beeing able to get as far as the download......
Paul...........

montgolfiere · Post by **montgolfiere** » Mon 12 Oct 2009 10:44

try their help
info@iportal.me
they seem keen to help!
the skyman

Serge · Post by **Serge** » Mon 12 Oct 2009 10:52

Nothing beats a bit of confusion to start the week off .................

sue and paul · Post by **sue and paul** » Mon 12 Oct 2009 11:02

You are quite right Serge------can not waste any more time with this...
May try again later...have now got the download but where did it put it ????????

Paul........

sue and paul · Post by **sue and paul** » Tue 13 Oct 2009 09:49

Thanks for the offers of help....

I needed to work it out for myself or it would have all gone wrong later

Works very well !!!!!!!
Sue will have no problems with the Corre - Catchup now.......Hope they dont close them down for a few years......

Paul of Sue fame.........

Allan · Post by **Allan** » Tue 13 Oct 2009 10:08

I just can't see the BBC allowing someone to run a business that facilitates people outside the UK watching programs that BBC have only licensed for UK broadcast.

Having said that, it does seem to work pretty well. There are a multitude of other proxy services that do the same thing e.g. http://www.ukproxyserver.co.uk/. If you Google 'UK based Proxy iplayer' you get more than 10,000 results so there is always a way.

You might also think about Freesat, this is a satellite system on the same satellite as Sky but with only free to air channels. You can buy a Freesat receiver that does pretty much the same as Sky Plus, i.e. records all your programs for later play back. A bonus is that you can get ITV in high definition.

sue and paul · Post by **sue and paul** » Tue 13 Oct 2009 10:37

Well, a lot of us remember Radio Caroline, pirate radio etc. How that changed the attitude of the established broadcaster!!

Sue

Allan · Post by **Allan** » Tue 13 Oct 2009 10:51

sue and paul wrote:Well, a lot of us remember Radio Caroline, pirate radio etc. How that changed the attitude of the established broadcaster!!

Sue

Yes but it isn't anything to do with the attitude of the BBC, they buy the right to broadcast programs in a defined region, usually UK so contractually they can't broadcast them outside that region. A lot of programmes of the BBCs own making are broadcast worldwide and these are generally not restricted on iPlayer

sue and paul · Post by **sue and paul** » Tue 13 Oct 2009 11:08

well...anyway...I like it ! Thanks for the link.

Sue

sue and paul · Post by **sue and paul** » Sat 12 Dec 2009 13:05

Just an update ----

Yes... I did get it all working in the end. ...... BUT.......
Now they are asking for subscriptions -
As we do not use Iportal that much - I think it will Just be another one left to die on its feet......

Paul....... ( they all just want easy money in the end !!! )

collioure_bee · Post by **collioure_bee** » Sat 12 Dec 2009 13:38

I just get a blank page.

Roger O · Post by **Roger O** » Sat 12 Dec 2009 19:53

Received this today:

iPortal - Customer Services <info@iportal.me>
samedi 12 décembre 2009 11:35
Today's the day...

Hello again fellow iPortaler!

Further to our last email, today is the day that we are making changes at iPortal so that you good people can start to contribute a little towards the service. We've devised two option as we said, either monthly subscription (ideal if you're only out of the UK for short periods) and annual (for those lucky people who are abroad for a bit longer).

As you've all used iPortal before you'll probably be familiar with how to switch the service on and off. Today you will need to revisit our website at www.iPortal.me and choose your subscription package. Then our system will send you a new username and password (we've made the usernames the same as your email address to make it a little less complicated).

Now you'll have two choices:

1. Follow the instruction in the email and pretend you're a new user, or

2. Simply change the username and passwords in your existing logon screen without revisiting our site.

We're here to help if you get stuck and remember, even after subscribing today you'll get another 24 hours to make sure it all works for you before you have to pay anything.

By the way, we can also accomodate Mac users now so if you've friends with Mac's, let them into the secret!

Kind regards

Customer Services

iPortal.me

Looks as if it's a subscription at £50 per annum!

montgolfiere · Post by **montgolfiere** » Sat 12 Dec 2009 19:59

well....at least we had a couple of months 'free'!!!
as with everything else it is now a question of 'paying' if you think it is worthwhile...or NOT!!!
the Skyman

Allan · Post by **Allan** » Sat 12 Dec 2009 20:22

The problem in accessing the BBC iPlayer and many other sites is that they don't allow access from ip addresses outside the UK.

The solution is to use a proxy server based in the UK, the proxy server simply sends and receives data on your behalf. So your computer talks to the proxy server and the proxy server accesses the iplayer.

If you google

Free UK proxy server

you will see lots of options, some free, some chargeable. There are also enough free trials on offer to cover a year's programs.

Having said that, iportal seemed to work well and is fairly inexpensive

collioure_bee · Post by **collioure_bee** » Sat 12 Dec 2009 21:31

Fifty quid is fifty quid and a lot of money to me.

I have tried the proxy ip sites Allan, but am too stupid to get them working.

Allan · Post by **Allan** » Sun 13 Dec 2009 01:20

As a Leeds supporter.you'll get no help from me

Seriously though if you are using internet explorer just go into tools/Internet Options/connections then choose Lan Settings and add the proxy server.

If I get a chance I will connect via a proxy and post the settings on here.

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watch i-player for free in France

watch i-player for free in France