Having just sent out my Christmas Cards (e-cards) to all my users who are watching the BBC Ipayer abroad, I was amazed at how many have replied thanking me for the service. I only say this as I feel quite humbled, which makes me realise how worth while setting up the proxy server in the first place was.

Being an expat living abroad in Spain, it does make me realise how important it is to have a link to the UK. Even if it is only to watch the news in the morning, just to see how cold it has been this December 😉

So as we enter the Christmas week, I and many others will be able to enjoy all the Christmas TV Specials and the Queens Speech on Christmas Day, that is if I manage to finish cooking the Christmas dinner! Which reminds me I better think about preparing the Parsnips, which fortunately I brought back with me from the UK last week.

So if you are away this Christmas and want to watch the BBC IPlayer abroad then Iplayer Proxy 4u could just help give you a little British Christmas cheer where ever you are in the world

It has been a while since my last update in regards to the proxy, which you may or may not be using at the moment, but I thought I should mention a few changes that may be of interest.

Firstly I have changed my direct number from Skype to a Vonage number, a big move after 5 years, but the quality is so much better particularly if you work from home. If you are considering a change, I am happy for you to give me a call to test the quality. My new Vonage number is 0161 241 9499

Next up is a few changes in the way you access various channels, I suspect this is more down to changes in technology. One noticeable difference is that with the beta version of the BBC IPlayer, you can now download them to the BBC IPlayer desktop and watch them later. Please note you need to have the proxy set with Internet Explorer and once the download starts, take off the proxy to speed up the download. Then when you want to watch make sure the proxy is back on.

With the channels 4oD and Demand 5, the only way to watch these channels is via their YouTube channels, I assume to save on their bandwidth. I have to admit it is quite easy to navigate and the quality is very good too, well more so than some of the programmes 😉

4oD on YouTube is http://www.youtube.com/4oD and Demand 5 on YouTube is http://www.youtube.com/user/demandfive

On top of this I thought I would test out the Sky Player, up until know I assumed I wouldn’t be able to get their programming as I need to use a credit card and a UK address. Well as of Sunday I found that by using my Spanish visa debit card and my mother’s UK address, I was given access to their player. Although generally I am not a fan of their programming or so many channels, I did enjoy the live commentary of the Pope’s visit to the UK and the History channel and the various National Geographic channels.

One big advantage to the Sky Player is once you have logged in you can switch off the proxy and change channel to your heart’s content. I also tested Sky Sports and the movies package, although I am not keen on the price I was able to watch the matches live and their various movies.

Also one of the unexpected returns on offering the proxy to expats, is I was surprised how many of you have become friends, to the point a few have sent in a number of added support links.

One includes a video on how to set up the proxy on a MAC as I do not own one http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mV3uTYxXex8

Also I was sent a superb plugin for Google chrome https://chrome.google.com/extensions/detail/caehdcpeofiiigpdhbabniblemipncjj which in essence makes it easy to switch on and off the proxy with one click. Mind you there seems to be a clitch as although it works it had no effect on my Google chrome browser, but changes my Safari and IE easily, so it does make life a little easier for me but hopefully you will have more luck.   Last week I put together a video on YouTube on how to set up the proxy http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_0aOgxSRUyI&feature=player_embedded although you now shouldn’t need, but I have included in case it is of interest.

In regards to a VPN connection, I have almost decided against this as I find the proxy does cover most requirements, but if there is a keen interest please let me know and I will re consider.   A lot of information there but I hope some of it is useful.
And finally as a reminder you only need the proxy on at the start of the stream, by taking it off you will then get maximum download speed   Wishing you the best    Stephen Fowler

Fortunately most people seem to work out how to set up the proxy settings in their browser, but I have found a few who have struggled.

So just in case some people do not quite get the written description I have therefore produced a YouTube video, giving a better explanation on how to set up the proxy.

In the example I was using the Google Chrome Browser, but as you start the settings it is the same as if you were setting up in Internet Explorer.

Sometimes I think I spend too much time on the Internet, I suspect that is part of life as an expat. The upside is that you get to check out stories that interest you and for one it is documentaries that I miss most.

Every so often you get to see a programme that really hits home and one for me was today. It was broadcast back in 2004, when I was still in the UK and I can honestly say if I had seen it, not only would it have moved me but I think most people would have been in arms over it, as it showed the the British ride roughshod over a population of 2,000 island inhabitants of Chagos.

Why? Well so the Americans could build a military base camp and the UK get to sell a Polaris Submarine  but the result was 2,000 British subjects end up in poverty!

Obviously many people would have seen it as it was an award winning documentary by the prised Australian reporter John Pilger, but I wonder when exactly was it broadcast to save embarrassment to the Queen and Country.

Sill I have embedded the video below as you do not need the proxy to watch this 😉

Well it is hard to believe that my proxy has been going now for just over 12 months, considering it was just to see if I could set it up. Later I decided to make it available to other expats, to help with the maintenance costs.

What I didn’t expect was the number of new contacts I would make via the proxy. It has also surprised me with the varied backgrounds from students to corporate professionals and to pensioners. On top of this I have had requests from all parts of the world, even to find a Crystal Palace supporter out in Taiwan!

I suppose this is what makes it all worthwhile, in some way I feel I am offering a service that gives us expats a little bit of home when we are so far away. I even had one school teacher in Brazil who wanted it for the football during the English lesson, so they could pick up a bit of our language.  I also have had a number of users doing missionary work; at times I was amazed they could even get an Internet connection.

At some stage in the future there may be no need of a proxy, but when that happens I hope there will still be a reason to keep in contact.

Well it has been a little while since I have written here, partly because I have been busy with a recent change in job and I managed to forget my password to be able to update the blog, not something I should admit to though 😉

Still it has had been a busy month, but I did expect a higher demand for the proxy with the up coming World Cup in South Africa. As a result I was looking at setting up a VPN in case we were not able to watch the live matches via the Proxy.

In the end the stress of trying to get a VPN ready was not necessarily, as fortunately all games played superbly via the proxy, apart from the opening ceremony, which happened to be nothing to do with the proxy, but demand on the ITV Player or the BBC Player, which one I cannot remember now!

Watching the football on both sites you certainly noticed the quality on the BBC was a lot better than ITV, but fortunately most watchable.

Still the process proved worth while as to test a VPN,  I needed to purchase another server, which meant that during the world cup the proxy’s shouldn’t suffer, which proved to be the case.

So last week the world cup finished, with Spain winning and being an Expat and married to a Spaniard, I certainly felt part of all the emotional feelings you get when your team wins, lucky really as England managed to disappoint.

So I am now back to normality and watching Emmerdale and a superb documentary from the BBC on Rolls Royce Engines, which certainly made me feel safer when flying!

Normally I go to watch the champions league games at the local Irish Ex-pats bar, well when I say local it is a 25 minute walk, but Wednesday just gone I did not have the time. Fortunately ITV was broadcasting live the champions league game. So it was a good opportunity to test out the proxy for a football match.

The Champions League

Well I am pleased to say I was able to watch the game without interruption, only to see Arsenal squander the game by conceding two incredible soft goals, lucky I am not an Arsenal fan!

Still Wednesday I will be off to the pub on Wednesday to watch my troubled Crystal Palace try to stay in the FA Cup a tall order for the replay but none the less I am sure it will be a valiant effort.

Update on 4oD it seems after all this time it was just down to my settings on the server, so you should have no problem watching via the proxy, but if things change again there are the youtube channels who’s links are below.

Channel 4oD

Up until now it has been messy to watch 4oD via a proxy server if you are outside of the UK, but I am pleased to say that you can watch the channel 4oD via Youtube, in excellent quality, having just tested it out.

So if you have been missing Time Team, Hollyoaks or wanted to catch up on Shameless or maybe Celebrity Big Brother, that is your preferred choice of entertainment, then if so you can use this proxy and pop over to watch the 4oD Channel (4 on demand.)

I have to admit this is a huge relief and for me and fellow expats, so for now it is sorted until the next change in technology.

The site may only be running for a couple of weeks now, but I have to say I am surprised how it has been picked up from the 4 corners of the world.

I suppose the the best is from Haiti from one of the aid workers over there, it certainly makes me feel I am helping in someway. Which in truth has been how Iplayer4u was first envisaged, it is such a shame the BBC and ITV have to limit access to their Iplayers, but I can understand. On that point if you follow this link you will be able to give donations to help those in Haiti

The reason the UK broadcasters have to stop access from outside the UK is because they are technically not aloud to broadcast outside of the UK, which is fair enouph and infact Sky are not supposed to either, but it has not stopped the thousands of Expats over here having their own dish!

What I cannot understand is why a Spanish broadcaster has not bought the rights to broadcast all the Freeview channels or at least the main UK broadcasters, I for one would buy the package from Auna if it was available. I think they would be surprised how many would be interested, not only from Expats but also the young Spaniards who are trying to learn English.

Still I am sure things will change one way or the other that is for sure, particulary as a new EU directive says that there should be no restriction “Television without frontiers”, but of course the broadcasters have to be careful so as not to upset Hollywood.

So till then I am happy that am able to help in someway people like me who want to watch some UK tele.