Hulu Still Trying to Keep Foreigners Out; Blocks Proxies
Posted 05/08/09 at 05:31:56 PM by Andy Salisbury
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Hulu is currently one of the hottest video sites available on the web. It’s about to take over the number two spot amongst streaming video sites (behind only YouTube), and it just signed a deal with Disney that will give it even more content. Though, these great features are only available to those that live in the US, and they’re making damn sure it stays that way.
In the past, if you weren’t living in the US and you wanted access to Hulu’s massive library of footage, you had to use a proxy server workaround. For a while, this worked without a hitch, but Hulu wised up to the tricky practices and began doing geo-checks. Still, a few VPN creators like Hotspot Shield would work by making your IP address anonymous. Sadly, these days have ended.
Hulu’s techniques for detecting location has once again changed, and they’re blocking all anonymous proxies. If you’re one of those looking to use the video site through a VPN, you’ll be met with this message: “Based on your IP address, we noticed you are trying to access Hulu through an anonymous proxy tool. Hulu is not currently available outside the U.S. If you’re in the U.S., you’ll need to disable your anonymizer to access videos on Hulu.”
Too bad, so sad.
Image Credit: Hulu
Oh well!
Submitted by maza13 on Mon, 06/01/2009 - 10:38pm
I hope that HULU, the Major Networks and other content providers that block people overseas realize that this is why (for me anyways) piracy is the way to go. Sure I could buy the TV shows on DVD when they come out, but if my fellow Americans can watch it for free why can't I? I am stationed overseas in the Middle East and would love to watch the TV shows from back home but can't, so now I go to a seedy store downtown and buy the TV shows and in some cases movies for about $2USD per DVD. So keep your holier than thou attitude about your content while I have my cake AND eat it too... douchebags!
Submitted by shdwdragon7 on Fri, 05/22/2009 - 11:47am
You think the USA is bad, you should try living in England...Sure they say you have "up to" 20Mbs, and you might...until ONE other person in you area starts surfing... GRRRR
Submitted by Tagge on Mon, 05/11/2009 - 4:47am
I noticed this 'issue' the other day, as I use AlwaysVPN to get my content from Hulu. i find this sort of international blocking a true shame, but it seems to be growing. Pandora is another great service people outside the US cannot use, and now Last.fm has added itself to the list of online services that filter based on location.
I ditched my cable tv hookup a few months ago for Hulu and some other online services. I perfered to use Hulu because it was atleast supporting the companies that produce the content with ads. I found myself wasting inordinate amounts of money on a cable tv connection to watch a handleful of shows, and get my news content (which I can get for free online). However, if given the choice between paying someone $50 + to watch a few shows every month and resorting to downloading torrents of said shows? I'll switch to torrenting them, I don't enjoy doing something like this in a less-than-honorable approach, but you've got to give the people what they want or be prepared for the consiqudences of your actions.
This just reminds me of what the music industry tried to do and failed. They attempted to stem the tied of download-based music services and it cost them dearly, and they capitulated in the end. The same thing will happen here. Just as usual you need to give the lumbering big business model a while to wake up and realize they're squandering a golden oppertunity.
Submitted by oceania68 on Sat, 05/09/2009 - 11:58pm
What the hell is HULU, who came up with a name like that.. sounds like a star trek character, hahaha....
Who cares about streaming video.. Most places around the world have crap broadband thus streaming would cost heaps and bad reception, on a crap broadband wave (unless you have something like 24Mb constant connection).. And why would you want to sit all day watching TV on the computer. Get a life.. That's what Televisions are for.. This whole idea is so crap, it's not world wide web at all. Its world segregated web... lmao..
Nothing beats a big screen and comfy arm chair with remote... Preferable with a maid and butler but we all can't be choosy... lol
haha
seriously..... read a book!
Submitted by comptech08 on Sun, 05/10/2009 - 10:14am
I am sorry but your incorrect. The united states has crap broadbrand. The USA is among the slowest in broadband speeds compared to the entire world. Our high speeds are low speeds in some countries.
Anyway I'll read an ebook :)
Submitted by Zeroblizzard on Sat, 05/09/2009 - 7:45pm
Somehow, someway (with more ads or longer ads or something for people outside the US), Hulu needs to fix the third-party problems and the "US only" thing. It's making things harder for people to watch the commercials that they desperately want to watch.
Seriously, though, Hulu is too popular at the moment to be only thinking about how this is going to make their wallets fat. If they allowed third party programs to access Hulu (like Boxee) and viewers from outside of the US to watch, they'd be rolling in the dough (a lot more than now) from advertisements.
By the way, I don't have cable and I probably never will. I have also never seen any of these pirate sites that have TV shows in good quality (360p or greater). To the poster that yelled about being able to watch TV shows on pirate sites, name your sources.
Carriers
Submitted by GreenTurtle on Sat, 05/09/2009 - 10:56am
Carriers outside the U.S pay for the right to show the T.V programs in their country. If Hulu was able to show the same content as those carriers, then those carriers would be pretty pissed I imagine. Again, all about maximizing profits.
Submitted by spentnickles on Sat, 05/09/2009 - 10:09am
You know, there are a LOT of American's that live outside of the United States, not by choice, but due to their job - I.E. THE US MILITARY. Fortunately, or unfortunately, HULU would be one option for those service members to watch stateside TV, instead of paying $400 for AFN - which is limited to about 8 channels (one of which is a "guide". All of you bashing on MPC for making comments, shame on you. I too am a tax payer and should be allowed to watch stateside broadcasting. From what I understand, Hulu blocking content is because of foreign laws and not wanting to get into legal troubles, but I'm sure there are ways around it - legally. It's a shame that most companies charge MORE to ship to APO (i.e. NEWEGG), it's a shame that the POST EXCHANGE prices are higher than in the states, and it's a shame that companies/websites like HULU don't try to make an attempt to provide a service without discriminating... It's also a shame that American's are so internally focused only on them selves - open your views and see that there is a WHOLE world out there, not just us. Just my 2¢...
Submitted by Morete on Sat, 05/09/2009 - 3:57am
I agee with the person who commented that Hulu's video quality has declined. I read about Joost at Joost.com and I find their video quality to be much better, more full video selection and less short video content that are not that popular. Maybe with Disney acquiring Hulu, their video player will improve along with their content.
Submitted by Balgaroo on Fri, 05/08/2009 - 10:19pm
All I can say is why? Are other countries that are forced to watch Hulu ads not affected by the corporate brainwashing? Why not place adds for international products on these "bad IPs". I don't know? I live in the U.S. and I only go to Hulu when I have too. The pirate sites offer their content several days if not weeks earlier. Seeing how I do not own a TV, (well I do but my 52" LCD HD is in abox sitting in my closet. Why? b/c I prefer to watch everything on my 30"Gateway. I even have a HD Homerun Tuner for my sports). I just do not see why they can't charge the advertisers more for foreign viewers. Maybe they are in negotiations for such a thing. As far as the too bad, so sad. . . well it is sad that the US is given privy to anything, people everywhere should be given equal opportunity on such things. As much as you might not think it, little things like these are the reasons why a lot of foreigners get irritated with the US. Not the only thing, but one more checkmark on a list that keeps building.
For those of you that hate my opinion, I was born in the U.S.A. and I have served to defend my country and apparently your egotistical opinion. Don't make a comment on any other nation unless your ass has been there.
Submitted by arkweld on Sat, 05/09/2009 - 8:20am
If people hate the US just because they can't watch 24 on their computer then their opinion isn't worth noting. Especially when every country in the world exercises the same control over all their online video production. Just as you can't watch BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and 5 shows outside of the UK, go to Channel 9 in Oz and only Australian viewers can watch their content, go to Canada and CTV isn't visible to anyone beyond their borders - even though it's mostly US content etc. etc.
In this case the English-speaking entertainment world is based in the US so the US gets priority with the shows they make. But privy to everything? Hardly. You only have to look at Asian internet services to see how far this country is behind in some areas.
They get 100Mbps with no caps for about $30. We get House the day after it airs.
Yeah, I think that's fair.
Submitted by mesiah on Fri, 05/08/2009 - 9:01pm
Has anyone else noticed the video quality on hulu took a dump like a month or so ago? Sound is fine but the video has gotten very choppy. Commercials still look great though... I found using the pop-out player to solve some of the problem, but only on the lower res setting. I also noticed when they made the change that you now need a newer version of flash player, so I am no longer able to watch videos at work >.< It seems like to me their new code isn't supporting any kind of hardware acceleration. Anyone else having the same problems or found a fix for this?
Submitted by comptech08 on Sat, 05/09/2009 - 6:31am
hmm must be you. Might wanna clean up or comp or check your net. I am not having problems at all. Same quality for me.
Submitted by arkweld on Fri, 05/08/2009 - 7:55pm
I'm completely fine if they block every other country. Hulu is the one site that gets streaming TV content right and if that means nobody else can see it so be it.Too bad so sad? I don't think so.
MPC stop lamenting the fact that some users are trying to fuck up the one good service on the internet just because they don't live in the US. Given time Hulu might actually go international by having localized ad support and greater server capability, but until then let them keep doing whatever is necessary to make it a great free viewing experience and long term success.
I'd like to watch UK content, but that is locked to the UK for advertising supported networks and the BBC Player is locked to UK citizens who support the BBC with their TV license fee.
That's the way it is. I'll survive.
A frustrating circle
Submitted by chaos.13037 on Fri, 05/08/2009 - 6:14pm
Since I live in Canada I cannot access the amazing shows offered by Hulu legitimately. I would gladly use it if I could but I'm forced to use 3rd party streaming sites.
I don't want to be a pirate but I'll be damned if I can't access the shows I want the same way the Americans can.
A frustrating circle jerk
Submitted by b3ar on Sat, 05/09/2009 - 9:43pm
I'm Canadian too, and I've tried watching streaming video from the States - I don't know if my ping is too high or what, but I hate it. Too choppy.
I dl all my shows from isohunt. If I didn't, I'd find myself watching crap like American Idolatry, instead of, say, ALL EIGHTEEN SEASONS OF THE SIMPSONS whenever I want. Or the first season of In Treatment. Or Battlestar Galactica. Or Rumpole of the Bailey. Or the Prisoner. Or Breaking Bad. Or any of the hundreds of movies out there.
No commercials, either.
Isn't it obvious?
Submitted by nmanguy on Fri, 05/08/2009 - 4:47pm
They are forced to by the people who give them the content and/or money in the first place. Same reason they had to get rid of Boxee (did XBMC also get kicked?).
Submitted by spplutchok on Fri, 05/08/2009 - 3:24pm
Why is Hulu blocking everyone outside the US? And why can't I used the BBC Player from the US?
Submitted by arkweld on Fri, 05/08/2009 - 7:56pm
Same reason you can't watch HBO without a subscription.
You don't pay for the BBC. Everyone in the UK does.
Submitted by comptech08 on Fri, 05/08/2009 - 2:59pm
and the big wigs wonder why piracy is very high overseas :/
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