Thursday, December 14, 2017

GETFLIX: THE AUSTRALIAN ENTERTAINMENT ON YOUR FINGERTIPS


Getflix allows users from Australia, New Zealand and all over the world to easily access global video and music streaming services. Getflix uses Smart DNS and VPN technology to bypass the geo-blocking and open up this amazing world of entertainment. Getflix is a DNS-based workaround for tricking foreign services like Netflix and HuluPlus into thinking you're a local. Unlike a VPN you don't need to install special software to use Getflix, you just need to change the DNS networking settings on your device. This means you can use Getflix with a wide range of home entertainment gear such as Smart TVs, Blu-ray players, games consoles and various media players like the Apple TV. Alternatively you can alter the DNS settings in your broadband modem/router, rather than using your ISP's DNS settings, so Getflix applies to every device on your home network. This is useful for devices which don't let you edit their DNS settings, like Google's Chromecast. Unfortunately using a DNS workaround with your modem can cause problems, as every device in your home is relying on Getflix every time it needs to look up a a website. Lasy year I found Getflix's DNS servers were temperamental and often left my Mac hanging while loading a page. I switched from Getflix to rival UnoTelly, which improved the problem but didn't eliminate it. Eventually I gave up and switched my modem from UnoTelly back to my ISP's DNS servers, which are much more reliable. Instead I change the DNS settings on specific devices to UnoTelly – like the Apple TV in my lounge room. This setup worked fine until I also configured UnoTelly on a 2014 Sony Bravia Smart TV. The Netflix app shows up in the Australian app library and changing the DNS settings lets you into the US Netflix library. The trade-off is that the TV is now convinced that it resided in the US, offering up US apps like HuluPlus but crippling Australian Catch Up apps like iView and Plus7. While I could still see the Australian Catch Up apps like iView, clicking on them presented a "This application cannot be launched because it is no longer available" error. Interestingly the FreeviewPlus HbbTV green and red button apps kept working, presumably because they rely on different back-end infrastructure. You can tweak UnoTelly's Dynamo settings features to access different services in different countries, but I couldn't find a way to force the Sony TV to embrace the Australian Catch Up apps. The solution I found was to switch from UnoTelly back to Getflix, which has a specific setting to change the country for Sony Smart TVs. It has similar settings for the WD TV Live, which might come to your rescue if you run into similar problems. Now you can access the Australia video app library to watch iView, Plus7, TenPlay, SBS on Demand and Quickflix, but when you launch the Australian Netflix app you see the US library. As always your mileage may vary when it comes to geo-dodging, but Getflix offers a free trial so it's easy to check it out for yourself. It could be the trick you need to enjoy the best of both worlds. What's your workaround for enjoying the best of internet video from Australia and abroad?

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