While I’m on the topic of streaming video over the net, it’s worth noting - as I’m sure you have - the huge proliferation of major networks catching on to the idea. Sites like ABC, NBC, CBS and the like, have all taken to making many of their shows available for viewing free of charge (save for advertisements of course). Just think of all those idle and listless office types struck with cubicle l’Ennui! CBS even has a “boss button” that brings up a fake-out email form! zomg!

Outside of the ads, these sites offer video in relatively high quality, in fact NBC and ABC (and probably more by now) even offer select episodes in HD. Wicked!

There’s only one problem…

If you live outside of the USA you’re outta luck as they block (as far as I know) all international connections.

Ass Hats!

Well, how about some help for the international community? All that’s necessary is a working American proxy server. How do we find one? We Google! There are also many sites from all over the world just like Samair.ru that host regularly updated lists of working proxies...

Ok, so you’ve found some proxies… What do you do with them, you ask? You just plug ‘em into your browser! If you’re using Firefox just go to “tools>options” and select the “advanced” properties. Under the advanced properties click the “network” tab and under “connection” click the “settings” button. You should see something like this:

Most home broadband connections are generally set to “Direct connection to the Internet”, but in order to use a temporary proxy, you'll have to select “Manual proxy configuration” and then enter the proxy address in the first box and the port in the smaller one. I recommend going through the relatively minor trouble of hunting down a working anonymous usa proxy on port 80 generally. You’ll probably find a lot of fully functional usa proxies that work on ports like 3128 but these are most often proxies on the CoDeeN network and typically won’t hide enough of your geographical identity to access the major networks’ content.

So!

Find a working anonymous usa proxy (preferably one on port 80)

Plug it into your browser…

Watch your shows!

Oh! And remember to switch back to "Direct connection to the Internet" after you're finished watching...

Have a good weekend,

m.

p.s. I’ve tested this method with NBC, CBS, ABC and... ugh, do I really have to say it? Even the CW... They all work…

There are also other sites which have similar solutions for this issue too, so search around... In fact, the write-up at ghacks.net explains how to automate your proxy searching... Find a method that works for you!

*Update*
3/3/2009

See the 03/02/09 post for an even easier way to stream TV on the Web. Thanks!

Labels: streaming, tv, video