Amazon digital music downloads

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lchiu7

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#21096 15-Apr-2008 16:59

Tried to purchase some music from Amazon in digital form (selected songs from Broadway musical shows that are not available on iTunes). First time around got blocked by a message saying they could only sell music to US customers. Thought they might be doing IP checks so arranged to have a US IP and tried again - same message. Then tried my US credit card and it went through fine! So like iTunes they are only checking if your credit card is a US one - not checking if you are actually in the US. iTunes initially does put up a message saying their (US) service is only available to US customers but then allows you to purchase if you have a US credit card.; At the current exchange rate US99c for a song is a bit better than NZ$1.79 I think is what NZ iTunes charges.

As a matter of interest the music was DRM free, MP3 256kbs so pretty good quality.

Larry

Staying in Wellington. Check out my AirBnB in the Wellington CBD. https://www.airbnb.co.nz/h/wellycbd PM me and mention GZ to get a 15% discount and no AirBnB charges.

old3eyes

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#123785 15-Apr-2008 19:41

It's a pain in the butt that these companies do this. I bought quite alot from Amazon before they closed it off to non US residents. Then all you had to do was change your zip and state to a US one and it worked. Last time I tried I got to the checkout and it asked again for a US address. Maybe I'll tray it again one day. Also a pity that iTunes is so limited down here.

Regards,

Old3eyes

lchiu7

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#123790 15-Apr-2008 19:47

Hmm - must try using a US address and my NZ credit card. That might fail their online verification but can try. My daughter has a iPod that was given to her by US friends,. She also was given some iPod vouchers from the US store so just opened a US iTunes account. She just buys the songs there and I pay for them :-)

Staying in Wellington. Check out my AirBnB in the Wellington CBD. https://www.airbnb.co.nz/h/wellycbd PM me and mention GZ to get a 15% discount and no AirBnB charges.

grant_k

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#123802 15-Apr-2008 20:14

lchiu7: Hmm - must try using a US address and my NZ credit card. That might fail their online verification but can try.

Unfortunately that doesn't work; I've tried it

You need a US IP address and a US credit card, then you're in

BobW

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#123825 15-Apr-2008 21:17

I've used a US address and an NZ Post Prezzy Card to buy MP3s from Amazon. Haven't brought anything for a while, so if Amazon have changed the rules, it may not work any more.

lchiu7

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#123840 15-Apr-2008 21:47

grant_k:
lchiu7: Hmm - must try using a US address and my NZ credit card. That might fail their online verification but can try.

Unfortunately that doesn't work; I've tried it

You need a US IP address and a US credit card, then you're in

Well I used a NZ IP address and US credit card and US billing address. The same applies to iTunes the last time I checked

Staying in Wellington. Check out my AirBnB in the Wellington CBD. https://www.airbnb.co.nz/h/wellycbd PM me and mention GZ to get a 15% discount and no AirBnB charges.

steve98

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#123902 16-Apr-2008 08:14

How do you obtain an overseas IP address?? I'd love to be able to get a UK one so that I can use BBC iPlayer!!

lchiu7

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#123906 16-Apr-2008 08:38

Slightly OT but I hope the moderators will understand

1. Find a anon proxy server based in the UK (not so easy sometimes)
2. use a dialup service(!).

I actually use 2. via the iPass global roaming service. Call a US or UK ISP get connected and then after the IP check just hang up the phone and your PC will use your existing broadband connection. I had to use that technique last year when the TV show Vanished (I think it was ) was cancelled in the US and the remaining episodes streamed on the NBC web site - of course only available to US IP.

So I dialed up, got past the IP check and then hung up (can't really stream video over dialup :) )

Staying in Wellington. Check out my AirBnB in the Wellington CBD. https://www.airbnb.co.nz/h/wellycbd PM me and mention GZ to get a 15% discount and no AirBnB charges.