Free (& legal) online television

johnnyskeleton

Southparkstudios.com is a great website because you can watch any episode of southpark that you want, provided you sit through the ads. It is watchable quality, and obviously if people want better quality they can buy the DVDs.

A number of UK & US TV channels allow you watch their shows online (provided of course that you live in the UK or US respectively). NBC have also set up a website www.hulu.com (again, US only although they are trying to have it worldwide).

Most of these will I'm sure already be known to regular posters here. My question is though, does anyone know of any such websites that are available in Ireland? I think it's a great idea that you can watch TV shows for free provided you sit through some ads. It's no different to television, better than having to buy the dvds, and is also on demand, so if I have the inclining of a tuesday evening to watch say 24, I could watch it from my computer without having to wait to buy it in the shops.

I've looked at TV shows on iTunes, but these are too expensive (i.e. $2-3 per episode, which can add up to way more than a DVD).

Alternatively are there any plans for such websites in Ireland? I think this type of model is the future for a lot of US & UK shows, but I fear that yet again Ireland will be behind the curve and they won't be available here.

EDIT: I'm not looking to find out about sites for illegal downloads or streaming, so please don't post any links to same.

dmcg90

Only thing I can think of is using a blanketyblank for services like Hulu and BBC iPlayer, something I can't figure out how to do!

johnnyskeleton

dmcg90 wrote: »

Only thing I can think of is using a blanketyblank for services like Hulu and BBC iPlayer, something I can't figure out how to do!

Can we discuss such things on this forum? I fear the wrath of Bond!

Headshot

dmcg90 wrote: »

Only thing I can think of is using a blanketyblank for services like Hulu and BBC iPlayer, something I can't figure out how to do!

I think i tried that blanketyblank thing

no point, it really slows down the broadband speed alot

sprinklesspanky

{(-_-)}HeadShoT** wrote: »

I think i tried that blanketyblank thing

no point, it really slows down the broadband speed alot

Yeah, what you need is a truly high speed broadband connection and a VPN account with a U.S. or U.K. provider.

For example, for €95 per month I had a 50 meg dedicated fibre residential connection through Magnet.ie and I had a U.S. VPN connection via my employer who was sitting on some major bandwidth of it's own, I could then watch LOST online via ABC.com

When I tried this setup from a friend's gaff who was on one these 2 meg broadband connections all I got was buffering.

Also, RTÉ 1 and RTÉ 2 have some locally produced shows free to watch online using Realplayer. For example Langerland is available to watch online but Killinaskully isn't.

I moved apartments in December to be closer to the City Centre only to find that I couldn't even tune in any free to air stations so I started searching online as well, not much out there that's legal... and they wonder why people use peer to peer services.

Also, Magnet.ie have a service for thier customers that allows them to stream some stations to thier computer, but again you need a customer with them.

There is supposed to be an international version of the BBC iPlayer coming "soon", you'd think that with money they saved putting Jonathan Ross on ice they could have pulled a finger out.

Mossy Monk

sprinklesspanky wrote: »

There is supposed to be an international version of the BBC iPlayer coming "soon", you'd think that with money they saved putting Jonathan Ross on ice they could have pulled a finger out.

The BBC are under no obligation to provide non UK people with anything so I wouldn't expect them to pull a finger out.

Mr E

Munsterforever's streaming site post deleted and infraction given.

Read the charter.

I'm opening this at the request of the OP (it is a valid discussion). One more mention of illegal streaming sites, or ways to trick your browser into thinking you're in a different country, and I'll lock it back up.

johnnyskeleton

Mossy Monk wrote: »

The BBC are under no obligation to provide non UK people with anything so I wouldn't expect them to pull a finger out.

It's a shame though that Irish subscription services like NTL or Sky don't campaign for them to allow access to subscribers in ROI. If you have NTL/Chorus etc you are indirectly paying money to the BBC, and it would cost them nothing to allow us to access it as well.

Mr E

I think one of the main problems here is our restrictive broadband - slow speeds (compared to US/UK), contention ratio and the dreaded download caps are all prohibitive to good streaming services.

johnnyskeleton

Mr E wrote: »

I think one of the main problems here is our restrictive broadband - slow speeds (compared to US/UK), contention ratio and the dreaded download caps are all prohibitive to good streaming services.

The way I would see myself using these services is:

1) hear about a good show that's not on TV or no longer available
2) watch the first few episodes in poorish quality for free
3) if you like it, buy the DVD (that DVDs are too expensive for TV shows is another gripe of mine)

OR:

you miss an episode of a programme because you're out drinking. You need to know what happens before watching the next episode (e.g. the wire). Thus, you watch the episode you missed and then go back to the TV.

It would be great to watch whole series' on the net, but even broadband service that allowed you to test shows or catch up on what you missed would be enough for most people (i reckon).

J-blk

Isn't Sky starting to offer something like that here though? I remember awhile back it was only open to existing Sky customers, kind of a "catch up" service more than anything but I thought I read somewhere that they will start selling online-only packages, which new customers could purchase, even with no "proper" satellite-based subscription to Sky... Now where did I see that though? (Could've dreamt it up I guess )

Mossy Monk

Mr E wrote: »

I think one of the main problems here is our restrictive broadband

That's not true for everyone though.

The main problem I would think is programming rights.

Random

www.sky.com/anytime

You can get it on your Sky+ box, on the website (I think re website) and also download an app to your PC.

To use the app on your PC I think there's some freebies and others you can pay for. I don't think you have to be a Sky customer.

Dman001

There's 4OD too. Lot's of free content on it too.

elshambo

Dman001 wrote: »

There's 4OD too. Lot's of free content on it too.

They still install that p2p software that is riddled with bugs without telling you?

They still turn your turn your pc into a server (even when you have 4OD closed) without telling you and ruin your connection?

lets say ive had problems in the past with 4OD :mad:

I only ran it once (if at all)

Chanell 4 catch up has no such problems (as far as i know)

qwertplaywert

elshambo wrote: »

They still install that p2p software that is riddled with bugs without telling you?

They still turn your turn your pc into a server (even when you have 4OD closed) without telling you and ruin your connection?

lets say ive had problems in the past with 4OD :mad:

I only ran it once (if at all)

Chanell 4 catch up has no such problems (as far as i know)

There's a great program http://odmonitor.blogspot.com/ that prevents 40d [and BBC iPlayer, which also has similar leeching problems] from running anything on your computer when the program itself is not running.

Elmo

TV stations really need to get their head around the Internet for International shows/events.

E.G. I am watching Top Gear on BBC 1 or Dave, however RTE own the right to the show in ROI then the Top Gear video site either on BBC.co.uk or uktv.co.uk should redirect to RTE's top gear video site, to avoid rights issues. RTE would be required to prevent international customers from viewing Top Gear on RTE.ie, and redirect them to their home broadcaster.

So when TG4 organises the rights to The Wire, the HBO site should direct irish viewers to TG4.tv AND TG4.tv should redirect UK viewers to fx.co.uk

It needs to be part of the contracts signed by international buyers and sellers of programming.

By redirect I mean putting a link to the other broadcasters website, not an actual redirect.