Considering Netflix, should I use a VPN?

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David321

127 posts

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# 243791 1-Jan-2019 17:30

Hi all,

My wife and I are paying to much buy renting movies from the google play store on our new Sony A90f smart TV so we have thought about getting a streaming service, after looking online it seems Netflix could be the best option as opposed to amazon prime and the others (is that what people reading this would agree with?).

So in reading about Netflix I have also found out many people say that using VPN so you can access the US content is also a good idea.
I'm not really to keen on paying for a VPN but have herd you can have add based VPN's which I dont think I would mind, the thing is I know NOTHING about how to get a VPN nor which one should I get, and how to get the VPN onto my TV also (this could be the hardest part).

So if I were to download a VPN that is recomended to me, how would I put it on the TV etc?

Thanks!

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# 2153039 1-Jan-2019 17:35

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Where to start here.... There are a few parts to your question.

Probably the main issue is content. US Netflix will not solve your movie problem. It will give you access to a larger library of content but US Netflix does not have the latest and greatest movies.

Netflix also have moved their model to their own content production so a lot of the content is appearing in multiple countries at once as NF own the content. They definitely don't pay loads of money for the latest movies.

As for the VPN it is not a downloadable piece of software. It is a setting in your router. Someone could walk you through that at some stage if you wanted to go down the VPN route.

Why don't you start with NZ Netflix and see how you go? It's better for TV series than movies.

Cheers, Matt.

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David321

127 posts

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# 2153041 1-Jan-2019 17:40

Hey thanks for the quick answer, we actually want the best streaming service for the latest and biggest selection of movies would you have any recommendation for that? Thanks

Hammerer

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# 2153042 1-Jan-2019 17:42

hairy1:

As for the VPN it is not a downloadable piece of software. It is a setting in your router. Someone could walk you through that at some stage if you wanted to go down the VPN route.

I didn't think that was what he was asking.

Isn't the OP, David321, asking about subscribing to a free/paid VPN service to bypass the Netflix geo-restrictions? If so, then there is often downloadable software to install.

michaelmurfy

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# 2153043 1-Jan-2019 17:53

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Ways to bypass georestrictions are not to be discussed in public - please refer to https://www.geekzone.co.nz/forums.asp?forumid=151&topicid=192306

freitasm

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# 2153092 1-Jan-2019 23:24

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If you want movies, the latest and greatest then Google Play Movies. Or Apple iTunes. There are lots of movie services available in New Zealand for use without VPN or other services.

If this is an Android TV then your best option is Google Play Movies and NZ Netflix for a good combination of movies and TV series.

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jarledb

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# 2153101 2-Jan-2019 00:26

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Just a general note about US Netflix: Netflix have been very aggressive in fighting circumvention of their geo blocking (probably pushed by rights owners).

I have given up that fight and use NZ Netflix these days, its not really worth the effort to try to circumvent their geo blocking.

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Dial111

677 posts

Ultimate Geek

# 2153107 2-Jan-2019 06:44

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jarledb:

Just a general note about US Netflix: Netflix have been very aggressive in fighting circumvention of their geo blocking (probably pushed by rights owners).

I have given up that fight and use NZ Netflix these days, its not really worth the effort to try to circumvent their geo blocking.

Its still very achievable and easily done without any problems, I haven't had any issues for quite a while now as with a few people here too. as per above I won't disclose any information on how to do it publicly.

I have an Android TV but rarely ever use Google Play Movies, Apple Movies on the ATV is far better IMO.

driller2000

725 posts

Ultimate Geek

# 2153113 2-Jan-2019 08:22

As others have said I reckon try NZ Netflix first and see if that's enough for you.

Worth noting NZ Netflix has the 8th largest Movies database and 6th for TV shows (better than 92% of other territories) based on the link below - so it is actually pretty good - and certainly better than it was on release.

https://witchdoctor.co.nz/index.php/2018/06/eight-is-enough-how-nz-fares-for-netflix-content/

dafman

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# 2153131 2-Jan-2019 10:08

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driller2000:

As others have said I reckon try NZ Netflix first and see if that's enough for you.

Worth noting NZ Netflix has the 8th largest Movies database and 6th for TV shows (better than 92% of other territories) based on the link below - so it is actually pretty good - and certainly better than it was on release.

https://witchdoctor.co.nz/index.php/2018/06/eight-is-enough-how-nz-fares-for-netflix-content/

I'm always surprised when people complain about the Netflix NZ library. I am constantly surprised how deep the movie library is once I start searching options. And there is also great depth in quality TV series as well.

Maybe I subscribe to a parallel universe NZ Netflix?

BlakJak

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# 2153168 2-Jan-2019 12:03

dafman:
driller2000:

As others have said I reckon try NZ Netflix first and see if that's enough for you.

Worth noting NZ Netflix has the 8th largest Movies database and 6th for TV shows (better than 92% of other territories) based on the link below - so it is actually pretty good - and certainly better than it was on release.

https://witchdoctor.co.nz/index.php/2018/06/eight-is-enough-how-nz-fares-for-netflix-content/

I'm always surprised when people complain about the Netflix NZ library. I am constantly surprised how deep the movie library is once I start searching options. And there is also great depth in quality TV series as well.

Maybe I subscribe to a parallel universe NZ Netflix?

No.. for some even good isn't good enough.

My peeve these days is the move from big content (read: Disney) to take content off large aggregators (read: Netflix) in order to control the streaming themselves. Thereby forcing consumers (read: us!) to subscribe to multiple services in order to get to the content we want.

Kiwis without Sky or Neon who like Game of Thrones will know this pain all too well. Netflix gradually losing the Marvel catalogue (which Disney own) is another major sign of things to come.

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rb99

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# 2153172 2-Jan-2019 12:16

This is QI...

https://www.theguardian.com/media/2019/jan/01/is-this-the-end-of-netflixs-golden-age

will Disney be able to get other content apart from their own stuff...

rb99

David321

127 posts

Master Geek

# 2153379 2-Jan-2019 17:22

freitasm:

If you want movies, the latest and greatest then Google Play Movies. Or Apple iTunes. There are lots of movie services available in New Zealand for use without VPN or other services.

If this is an Android TV then your best option is Google Play Movies and NZ Netflix for a good combination of movies and TV series.

I have google play movies on the TV, but at around $7 per movie we can only watch about 3 movies per month before spending more than a Netflix subscription, would Netflix not be much cheaper if we wanted to watch more than 3 movies per month?

Jase2985

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# 2153400 2-Jan-2019 17:33

depends on weather you want to watch fresh new movies or wait around a bit for new titles

BlakJak

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# 2153408 2-Jan-2019 17:35

David321:
freitasm:

If you want movies, the latest and greatest then Google Play Movies. Or Apple iTunes. There are lots of movie services available in New Zealand for use without VPN or other services.

If this is an Android TV then your best option is Google Play Movies and NZ Netflix for a good combination of movies and TV series.

I have google play movies on the TV, but at around $7 per movie we can only watch about 3 movies per month before spending more than a Netflix subscription, would Netflix not be much cheaper if we wanted to watch more than 3 movies per month?

Depends entirely on what you're watching. Netflix's movie catalogue is a real scattergun of content, but not much of the new-release or what you might've called new-to-weekly onceuponatime seems to feature. Some do. Basically Netflix is more TV-series oriented than Movie-oriented IMO, but it does have some good movies. Just not the catalogue you might want.

I've been evaluating an Amazon account entirely for rental content I can't get via Netflix.

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TENKAN

222 posts

Master Geek

# 2153412 2-Jan-2019 17:40

Well unfortunately Netflix (USA and NZ) is just full of b and c grade movies that you would have seen many times before, you really need to take out a couple of streaming sites to get what you want plus a unblocker, this would still work out cheaper the Google play ( $7 per movie is just crazy)

Get Netflix for tv series and documentaries and sign up with spark and get light box for free just to start off, go to the private forums and find a unblocker for as little as $30 for 6 months and you can then get BBC iPlayer and ITV as well, you now will have to much to choose from, ( sorry but the latest quality Blockbuster movies you'll just have to pay for as freitasm has pointed out)

tenkan

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