Channels & viewing

[atc98092]

Roku does not support VPN usage, and discussions about bypassing regional restrictions are not permitted here on the forum.

[Taxi13]

Hi. I was one of the orginal contributers to this thread.
The answer was quite simple. BBC is funded by everyone in the UK though a manditory licence fee, which is about $180 a year. So only Roku sticks which are specially made for the UK market are able to receive BBC programming (Ultra is not one of them), And even then you have to sign in and confirm you hold a licence.
I think that, if you have a VPN based in UK, you can watch BBC on the BBC website, but you still have to confirm you have a licence.

[Krobar1]

This issue is nothing to do with VPN and changing the Roku firmware would not really help either.

The restriction is applied directly in the BBC Iplayer app. The app checks the model number against a list of model numbers that the BBC approves for use. Trying to change or flash another models firmware will just cause loads more issues and VPN would not help. 

Around 2 years ago a version of the BBC app worked on all models for about 2 weeks before they stopped it again. This restriction is purely imposed by the BBC for no technical reason. I live in the UK and pay my TV license and behaviour like this pushes me to want the TV license tax removed and the BBC to fend for itself.

Outside of the BBC stopping this creppy behaviour the only way I can think of to circumvent this is to somehow side load a modified version of the Iplayer app. Most likely it would only need one of the model numbers within the app changed and the checksum corrected although I suspect code signing and various other measures would make this much more difficult.

[atc98092]

You cannot sideload apps on a Roku, nor can you load a non-standard OS in the firmware. The only unofficial channels that can be installed are official beta channels, which are limited in how many can be installed and they are time limited. 

[Five_Alive]

There has been no discussions about bypassing vpn usage 

please read what I wrote

You will find no discussion of how to bypass anything  or is it the fact that just the word vpn was used ?

[Five_Alive]

I’m inclined to agree about the bbc should fend for itself and indeed I raised a partition to parliament for just that, 

if you recall earlier this year the government was going to remove the license fee but have decided to hold of for a couple of years. 

I do think in this age of digital television that it’s easy to have pay per view services and let those who want it have it and those who are not interested not be forced to pay for something they don’t want. 
peesonally I rarely watch what you call normal tv these days it’s all streaming. 
but the bbc make sure they put a service on every for of media receiving device you have to ensure you carnt escape the license. 
this is 2020 and this is tantamount to been bullied into paying for something regardless of wanting it. 

[2pints]

VPNs will be of no use in this case, the simple fact is that the Roku Ultra is not officially sold in the UK or to be more precise the UK broadcast area by Roku. And anything that you can get to work on it in the UK should be seen as a bonus.

 If you want to get UK based services then you need to get a Roku device supported by Roku's UK arm.

 Some imported Rokus that have the same model number type ( ie roku express/stick/stick+ etc) are officially sold in the UK may work and download/update top the UK firmware but its a case of buyer beware, for what its worth you may as well buy a UK Roku

 Why should the BBC spend resources on a niche device?

[atc98092]

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@Five_Alive wrote:

 or is it the fact that just the word vpn was used ?

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Yep. 

[Five_Alive]

The answer to your question, Is because I pay a TV license. 
so I’m a subscriber, which means there method of validation needs to be better, the answer is definitely not Why should they. 

the person who chose this method of validation needs to be sacked as it just doesn’t work. 

if I put a method like this into my works IT structure I would face fierce criticism and it would definitely be put as a priority for change. 

if the bbc earned and wasn’t just given money they would be more partial to this model instead of the Lump It approach that your suggesting is ok. 

[Five_Alive]

Then your comments are unfounded