Our TV viewing and movie habits have changed drastically in the past few years. Do you remember the good old days of the Betamax and VHS? How about going to the movie house months after the movie has been released? Recording TV shows manually so that you can watch them again later?
These were common practices back in the day, and for those living in countries apart from the United States (and the United Kingdom), it still can be a pain to keep updated on the latest TV series and movies – sometimes.
One can argue that torrenting has made a huge difference, especially in terms of convenience, but we can’t really deny the fact that the law has been going aggressive on this activity. While torrenting has not stopped at all, there are other ways to get your fill of TV shows and movies from the comforts of home without running the risk of getting caught for breaking the law. Isn’t that much better?
Content delivery services such as Hulu and Netflix have exploded in the US for a reason: they do deliver practically all the movies and TV shows you can watch – even more. Of course, you have to pay a fee, but the pricing schemes are very affordable and makes for a better entertainment experience than scrambling about to get hold of the latest episode or movie release.
How can you subscribe to these services if you’re in a country where they are not offered?
One word: VPN. (Well, technically that’s three, but it’s acronymized so…)
A VPN, or Virtual Private Network, provides its users with an IP address that is different from the “real” one. This new IP address depends on the type of VPN service you subscribe to, and is assigned to you once you connect to the VPN via your own ISP.
So, for example, you subscribe to a US VPN, you will show as being in the US, allowing you to take advantage of all the online services offered in the US. From Hulu to Netflix to Spotify – your entertainment meter will certainly always be filled up!
How do you get a VPN service, though? A quick Google search will show you tons of options, but it is best to also look at resources which pre-screen them, such as this list: top vpn services 2014. You will then have the benefit of others who are more knowledgeable perhaps on the topic, giving you the luxury of choosing from a narrower field.