What's the best proxy service for viewing BBC iplayer in the U.S.?

May 8, 2013 12:49 PM

I'm looking for a reliable, easy to setup service to use iplayer and 4oD in the U.S.

There seem to be a million choices, some shadier than others.

I'd like something that works without a software install if possible. I can install a firefox/chrome extension, but please no extraneous toolbars, etc. I can also configure VPN if necessary.
The machine will likely be Windows XP or 7.

As it will be for video, a place with decent bandwidth is appreciated.

Personal experience is preferred, but impartial reviews are also good.

Since it always comes up, this is for UK natives who are visiting the U.S. for several months and don't want to be out of touch. They have paid the TV license fee for this year (and, in fact, for the previous 20+ years).

posted by madajb to Computers & Internet (8 answers total)

Using a UK VPN often works and is fairly reliable, though each streaming service can behave a little differently.
posted by kendrak at 12:52 PM on May 8, 2013

Have had good results with Unblock-Us.
posted by juiceCake at 12:54 PM on May 8, 2013 [1 favorite]

Best answer: I've been using Witopia for about six months now, having recently switched from StrongVPN. I've been very pleased with Witopia, the added benefit being that you have a wide variety of regions to select from.

I primarily use it for US services (Netflix), however I've used it for BBC's iPlayer for Doctor Who and Formula 1 recaps.

My mother has since signed up for Witopia so that she can watch Swedish content, and that's been very foolproof and easy to manage.
posted by smitt at 1:03 PM on May 8, 2013 [2 favorites]

Best answer: Witopia user for a number of years. Recommended. You don't need to install their software: just use the standard VPN login.
posted by holgate at 2:05 PM on May 8, 2013 [1 favorite]

Best answer: I also have been using Witopia for a few months now and really enjoy it- easy to use and a very reasonable price.
posted by Bibliogeek at 5:11 PM on May 8, 2013

I use watchuktv.com. £5 p/m from a UK bank account, set up the VPN on your network settings, away you go. I think the £5 per month gets you 5GB of data transfer per month, but you can pay more to get more. Thing I found was that you can't get free ones if you want reliability, you have to pay...
posted by Scottie_Bob at 5:54 PM on May 8, 2013

You have to install TunnelBear, but it is really easy to use and worked perfectly for me.
posted by scottatdrake at 7:02 PM on May 8, 2013 [1 favorite]

Response by poster: Update: I went with Witopia on the strength of multiple recommendations here and their comprehensive setup instructions. Also, they have a 3 month deal, which is perfect for my guests.

I gave it a quick test on my linux machine, and was able to watch iplayer programs in decent quality with no buffering problems.
I have not tried their bundled VPN software for Windows.
posted by madajb at 3:51 PM on May 10, 2013