Setting up your Connection

1. Using a VPN

Works on any ISP

Pretty easy to setup

Not as fast as a DNS solution, HD doesn't always work

Routes all your traffic through the private network, so stuff from NZ will go to the US first then back to you in NZ etc.

Have to switch VPN locations to access content from different countries (eg US VPN for netflix/hulu and UK vpn for BBC iPlayer)

Popular VPNs include

Strong VPN

Astrill

Overplay VPN

Hide My Ass



You can also setup a VPN on some routers, a popular router firmware to do this is the



Note: setting up a VPN on your router means every machine on that network will tunnel all their traffic to that server, so internet banking will go to another server. I recommend you setup a second network that uses a VPN so only your HTPCs/ATV etc use the VPN. Most VPNs have their own client you can install on Windows or OSX or have guides how to setup a VPN in various Operating Systems.You can also setup a VPN on some routers, a popular router firmware to do this is the dd-wrt firmware, with this firmware you can setup a VPN connection on your router so all your devices/clients access the internet via this connection. You should be able to find a dd-wrt router on trademe or can buy a preconfigured one from various VPNs directly.Note: setting up a VPN on your router means every machine on that network will tunnel all their traffic to that server, so internet banking will go to another server. I recommend you setup a second network that uses a VPN so only your HTPCs/ATV etc use the VPN.

2. Use unblock-us which is a DNS service

Cheap

Easy to setup, just change your DNS settings on your client or router

Since its a DNS service and not a private network you get full speed, so its fast.

so its fast. Steams HD easily.

Doesn't work with all ISPs (TCL)

Testing Connection

Signing Up to Netflix

Signing Up to Hulu+

Sign up for a prepay Credit Card from http://www.buyfrompowerseller.com/hulu-plus-account-outside-us-25-prepaid-cards/ Wait for them to email your credit card details, usually a few hours. Follow the email instructions to setup the card Go to Netflix and sign up for Hulu Plus IMPORTANT: Choose Oregon as your state for you address, this way you avoid sales tax, otherwise the 3 months of Hulu plus CC won't be enough for 3 months. Just search for houses for sale in Oregon and select an address from one listed Done

Other Services

Vudu

Free Cable addon for XBMC

BBC iPlayer

So with quickflix coming to NZ, there has been a lot of discussions around netflix/hulu and how to use them.I really want quickflix to succeed and become a service as good as netflix, so please support it. It's only $9.99 a month, its cheap.There are basically two optionsA VPN is a Virtual Private Network, basically its a secure connection between your computer and another computer, and all your internet traffic will be request/sent via the other computer and then passed onto you. So the internet traffic from Netflix/Hulu perspective is coming from the US etcDNS stands for Domain Name Service, and its basically how you resolve an address on the internet. So when you type google.com into your browser it makes a request to your DNS server to find the IP Address for goolge.com and then connects to that IP Address.Unblock-us offers a 7 day free trial, so I suggest you try unblock-us out first.Using a DNS can suffer from the similar security issues as a VPN, e.g. your DNS server might say mybank.co.nz IP address is 1.2.3.4 where in fact its 9.8.7.6 and you are unknowingly taken to a different website and then you may provide the fake website with your banking information. So I recommend setting the DNS settings on a each client rather than your router, or on a separate network.Once you have setup your connection you should be able to go to hulu.com and watch a video or two to test it worksNetflix works with Paypal or Credit Cards, you should be able to use a NZ credit card to sign up (correct me if this has changed, when I signed up it worked). Just select any address for address and make sure you(otherwise they might send DVDs to your fake address :))Hulu Plus is a little trickier, you need an US Credit Card to signup.From the discussion on geekzone. Other services you might want to checkoutStreaming movies similar to netflix, but you pay per movie. They offer SD, HD(720p) and HDX(1080p) and they also have 3D titles. Vudu also let your rent TV shows the next day after they air in the US, so for $1.99USD you can watch the latest episodes of the walking dead. You can also buy movies from Vudu, but this just means you can stream it as many times as you want for free, you cannot download a copy.This is basically just an addon/plugin for XBMC which allows you to watch videos from TV studio websites, it skips the ads too. So instead of going to CBS.com for the latest episode of the Big Bang Theory, you can watch it from XBMC and it will skip the ads. Really nice addonHaven't used this much myself, but allows you to watch content from the UK.I'll do some follow up posts on how to setup Xbox 360 and PS3 clients.