Originally Posted by ovbg:
“Thanks aviz_now, I am wondering if I set it up on a router, how would that affect normal internet usage? Would everything I visit see a UK IP address?
On the other hand, if I set up a dedicated net top just for this (and had the router as normal) would the Humax, presuming it is similar to the PS3 here for this purpose, just pipe through the net top and via the VPN? I guess I would need a net top with two ethernet ports, but is that all it needs (and two straight throw ethernet cables?)
@alcockell, sadly the BBC refuses my money. And yes, it is against the BBC's policy, but then, the BBC is breaking EU law by having that policy which was recently shown in court with another broadcaster.
Seriously, I would pay if they let me.”
Actually I am not sure you are correct re the law, here is the reply I got from the EU recently regarding this issue (long)...
however recent events may change this, lets hope so
Thank you for your E-Mail of 30 August 2010 regarding the cross-border access to Internet TV services.
The European Commission is aware of the fact that many TV services, in particular over satellite and the Internet, are territorially limited, although the technical conditions would allow a wider, cross-border reception.
The reason for such restrictions is generally that content is licensed only for a specific transmission area, on the basis of which the licensing costs are determined. In addition to that, as regards public service broadcasters – such as the BBC -, it has to be noted that their offers are predominantly financed by licence fees from the viewers in their country of origin, to whom the offers are directed. This limits a territorial extension of public service offerings in cases when this would incur higher licence costs. Hence, it may also depends on the remit of the public service broadcasters whether they can make their offers available abroad.
In the case of territorial restrictions, the providers commit themselves to respect existing exclusivity agreements for other territories, e.g. by selling of smart cards and satellite receivers only in the transmission area for which they have acquired the rights or – in the case of Internet transmission – by "geo-blocking", as it is the case with the BBC, as you have mentioned.
There are no instruments to require operators to distribute their services Europe-wide or in a given area. This "principle of territoriality" is compatible with EU law; and due to international conventions, it is binding for the EU.
The European Commission considers that the current situaton with the territorial restrictions of content offerings is not satisfactory as it contradicts a major objective of the European Union's audiovisual media policy which is to make creative content available across borders.
All these issues and others need to be considered in light of the potential of cross-border markets. They are genuine single market issues, and that is why the Commission addresses them in a broader context, in the "Digital Agenda for Europe" that was adopted on 19 May (
http://ec.europa.eu/information_soci...a/index_en.htm <http://ec.europa.eu/information_society/digital-agenda/index_en.htm> ) as a flagship initiative of the EU 2020 strategy (
http://ec.europa.eu/eu2020/index_en.htm <http://ec.europa.eu/eu2020/index_en.htm> ). One of the main priorities will be to tackle the main obstacles to a genuine digital single market and to enhance consumer confidence. In the Digital Agenda for Europe, and as a result of discussions over the last few years, the Commission has identified the need to simplify copyright clearance, copyright management and cross-border licensing.
In addition, since 2007 the European Union has been funding video-on-demand-projects with innovative solutions for cross-border licensing in the framework of the European MEDIA programme.
