Netflix's Watch Instantly Doesn't Work Outside of the USA
SSgt Clifton writes from Korea about being unable to use Watch Instantly overseas:
As a military member I have been accustomed to a few "perks", if you will, for being away from my family and serving my country. Things like paying slightly less for calling cards to call home. There are many services who really appreciate us doing what we do and help us out to either communicate with our families at home or pass the time on our time off work. I guess the movie studios aren't included in those. They are so greedy they won't even allow me to watch my videos instantly while I am away and can't get DVDs by mail, yet I still am paying full price for the service. I would just turn off the service but my family is still in the states and are still using it. It was just extremely disappointing to me to find when I got to Korea that the Watch Instantly service doesn't work here. I am not requesting special treatment, more equal treatment. I am paying the same for a service I can't get full use of. It's no wonder pirated copies of movies are flying off the shelves here. When will this DRM nonsense stop!
Has anyone found a way to use Watch Instantly from outside of the US? VPN? Proxy server?
http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/01/06/accessing-hulu-pandora-and-other-sites-from-outside-of-the-united-states/
Posted by: bc | May 22, 2008 at 10:08 AM
How about that new Roku box attached to a slingbox? Sounds like it'd work.
Posted by: Tom | May 22, 2008 at 10:39 AM
This is not new news. It is only valid in the 50 States. This is controlled by the studios and not Netflix. It is called out in the T&C's of Netflix.
Posted by: hebby | May 22, 2008 at 01:27 PM
Why can't he get his DVDs by mail? Just ship it to his APO address. Soldiers in Afghanistan have Netflix accounts, why not Korea?
Posted by: Galofree | May 22, 2008 at 01:42 PM
I dont mean to sound harsh, but this is the rules. It has nothing to do with the "greedy movie studios", but more to do with the fact that if a studio's content is allowed to float freely on the web, it will get snatched up and exploited overseas. At least when it is playable in the United States, it can be watched over by the FBI and US copyright laws.
ALSO, did you know if a company doesn't enforce its protection on copyrights, it can be subject to LOSING the copyright? All this DRM protection is for the better of the business.
And considering how LITTLE movie and TV studios are actually making right now, i hardly see how it is "greedy" of them to protect what they put so much money into creating.
In other words, QUIT COMPLAINING. Netflix is only like 15 bucks a month anyway. You and your family are getting a steal on DVD rentals.
Posted by: m.e. | May 22, 2008 at 08:39 PM
This guy should talk to some Mac users that live inside the US.
Posted by: Travis | May 23, 2008 at 08:58 AM
As a Mac user, sometimes it is frustrating to not be able to see certain content online.
Do i blame netflix though for the fact that I bought a Mac? NO.
Just as this guy shouldnt blame netflix for the fact that he has to be overseas right now.
Posted by: mike | May 23, 2008 at 09:37 AM
Geez, I've never seen people so ungrateful, especially on Memorial Day weekend. Remember what Monday is about...it's not about BBQs and swimming pools, it's about remembering those who serve and have served.
Yes it is in the Terms and Conditions. Does that mean it's right? No, one does not follow the other. And Mike, I didn't read into it that he's blaming NF for being stationed overseas. He is just saying that the service should be opened up for Netflix users worldwide...I agree with him. As was stated earlier it may not be NF's fault, but that does not mean the complaints are illegitimate.
Posted by: dcs315 | May 23, 2008 at 10:55 PM
"He is just saying that the service should be opened up for Netflix users worldwide"
This seems pretty straightforward to me:
Netflix DVD service will only work for those whose mailing address is considered within the United States; APO addresses are considered 'within the United States', as the USPS will deliver to any of these, so he is allowed to get DVDs.
Netflix Instant Movies service will only work for those whose IP address is considered within the United States; APO IPs are not considered 'within in the United States', as the studios require as such, so he is not allowed to get Instant Movies.
Again, seems pretty straightforward to me. Movie studios own the content rights, so they dictate how that content is distributed; Netflix is a distributor, ergo they have no say insofar as overriding the wishes of the content's owner.
Take your complaints to Hollywood, officers and gentlemen.
...Get it, get it?
Posted by: Ishtar | May 24, 2008 at 09:31 PM
No, take your complaints to whoever supplies Internet service on-base. US bases, US embassies, US Navy ships, etc. -- all should logically have US IP addresses.
I never could figure out what we're doing in Korea anyway. I know it's for historical reasons, but that's decades ago. South Korea is rich enough to pay for their own defense now.
Posted by: Economist | May 29, 2008 at 05:50 PM
He can always get any "Hide IP" program that can mask his IP to whatever country he needs.
I use one to mask my IP to an over seas IP for certain sites that wont allow US IP's.
Posted by: Friend_OfThe_Military | June 02, 2008 at 06:56 PM
Also, TOR can be used to connect through an IP in a specific country including the US.
Posted by: andy | June 18, 2008 at 05:56 PM