# smart dns, vpn and itv player!



## oliveirinha

Hi all,
I'm hoping some of you more "technically minded" people might be able to help me.

I've recently bought a samsung smart tv and have signed up to smartydns to be able to access bbc iplayer, itv player etc online. Have changed the location on the tv to uk and have configured the tv as per instructions for smartytv. I can access bbc, channel 4 OD, and channel 5 ok.......but it will not work with itv player! I can access the itv player on my tablet using hotspot shield vpn, but not on my tv using smartydns!!
I don't want to keep paying 2 lots of subscriptions, so can anyone help? Am I doing something wrong, or is this normal??
Thanks


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## canoeman

Without a VPN it won't work simply because your current IPS address will show you are in Portugal and therefore block any bbc iplayer, itc player etc that requires a UK IPS address, if you can't get smartytv or the Samsung to accept a UK VPN then your options are to ignore the Smart or not so Smart options and use your tablet to project on TV which I find easier than using a laptop or computer as HDMI mini to TV HDMI plays direct


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## somanyhands

SmartDNS DOES work with ITV player, however, I confess that I have never used it on a Smart TV with ITV player so cannot comment on that specific combination. It works with ITV player on the iPad, but that doesn't help you, obviously. 

Unfortunately, some programs find your location differently, I think and just using a DNS service will not suffice. I have no problems with SmartDNS on any of the apps on my iPad but it won't fool some of the On Demand services on my laptop. I need a full blown VPN for that. 

If the VPN does all of them, why not just use the VPN service instead of SmartDNS?


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## somanyhands

canoeman said:


> Without a VPN it won't work simply because your current IPS address will show you are in Portugal and therefore block any bbc iplayer, itc player etc that requires a UK IPS address, if you can't get smartytv or the Samsung to accept a UK VPN then your options are to ignore the Smart or not so Smart options and use your tablet to project on TV which I find easier than using a laptop or computer as HDMI mini to TV HDMI plays direct


SmartDNS is good enough for the majority of services (at a significantly lower cost than most VPNs, I should add)

I am wondering if it is specifically the ITV player through the Smart TV (no relation to SmartDNS!) that isn't working.


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## oliveirinha

I am only having problems with itv player..........bbc iplayer and channel 4 and 5 on demand are all working ok on the tv!
I am happy to use a vpn for all, but can I download hotspot shield to the tv?

canoeman......I would use my tablet connected to the tv, but.......I have the samsung galaxy tab 2 which does not connect via hdmi to a tv, or even screen mirror. It would seem I bought the tablet that wont allow this!! 

Any other vpn's that I can use on a smart tv?


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## canoeman

Try asking smartytv why itv player won't work they might have a simple fix, have you tried SamyGO • Index page be worth registering to get full access, apparently is possible but tricky and how you do it depends on year & model


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## somanyhands

Overplay (who supply SmartDNS, unless you bought through a third party) are very good, in my experience, with their customer support. 
Worth giving them a try to see if they have any advice re. your specific issue of itv player/Smart TV combo


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## oliveirinha

Thank you both for your replies, I have just emailed smartydns about the problem......so will await their reply.
:fingerscrossed:


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## RichardHenshall

We've found SmartDNSProxy to be quite effective for UK TV catch-up services. It's not free but very reasonable compared to some VPN services.


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## oliveirinha

I have now had a reply from smartydns, and they do not unblock itv on a samsung smart tv!! At least I wasn't doing something wrong!!



RichardHenshall said:


> We've found SmartDNSProxy to be quite effective for UK TV catch-up services. It's not free but very reasonable compared to some VPN services.


Thank you, I will take a look at smartdnsproxy.


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## somanyhands

oliveirinha said:


> I have now had a reply from smartydns, and they do not unblock itv on a samsung smart tv!! At least I wasn't doing something wrong!!
> 
> 
> 
> Thank you, I will take a look at smartdnsproxy.


Just a quick thought, it's entirely possible that neither service will unblock it, so better to check in advance with any other service too.

The free trial should be enough to tell you though.


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## canoeman

One subscription to cancel and get a refund then


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## oliveirinha

Have just signed up to a trial with smartdnsproxy............and still not able to access itv player

I don't understand why bbc iplayer and channel 4 and 5 sites are all ok.......but I can't seem to get itv player to work at all?!!

Any other suggestions, I really would rather have 1 service that I pay for that will cover both my tablet and tv!


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## somanyhands

To be honest, it's probably just something about the way ITV player assess your location compared to the others.
It's very likely that all DNS-type options will be the same.
Your better bet will be to use a full-blown VPN and find out how to use that with your SmartTV (presuming that works/is possible - again, a trial would be necessary to see)


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## RichardHenshall

According to the ITV Player website it puts cookies on your TV, which are persistent. If those cookies track where you are you may need to delete them (by deleting the ITV Player app and then reinstalling it) so that your TV gets a cookie to tell ITV Player that you are where you want it to think you are.  Just a thought.

Remember that if you reboot/restart your router you may need to reregister your new IP address with SmartDNSProxy. It's possible to make this an automatic process using services such as no-ip.com etc.


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## dstump

Oliverinha, there might be a relatively simple solution to this enigma within a conundrum. Have you thought about connecting your Galaxy Tab 2 to the TV via the 'Samsung Galaxy Tab HDTV Adapter'? This way you get everything through the VPN on your tab. 

How do I connect my Samsung Galaxy Tab® 2 (10.1) to my TV? : Verizon Tabs | Samsung

Or you can try FilmOn through the Smart TV browser to watch ITV. Although this is only useful if you want to watch live ITV progs.

I must admit I bought a Samsung Smart TV thinking that I had cracked the age old expat dilemma of watching UK TV. However, I soon learned that the Smart TV is too smart for its own good. First off, you can load apps on the TV ONLY from the Samsung Web Store, which does not include a VPN. Plus the SmartTV browser will not permit add-ons or extensions, so the free and very useful addons of ‘Media Hint’ and ‘Hola’, will not work. 
Next I thought I’d cracked it by loading the ‘Hola’ app on to my Samsung smartphone and use mirroring to the TV. WRONG! Because VPN uses IP tunnelling it bounces mirroring. 

Last point, I’m lead to believe those cunning South Korean guys in Samsungland lock down various apps by the TV model number, which differs depending on where it was purchased, hence, DNS doesn't come in to the picture. I think this may be the cause of the missing ITV Player.

So, how have I got around the problem? I have an old cheapo laptop, I have Chrome browser running on it and have the ‘Media Hint’ addon loaded (took all of 10 seconds and it’s free), I connect the laptop via wifi to the InterWeb and connect to the TV with a common or garden HDMI cable Bingo! Plus I torrent a whole bunch of stuff on to the laptop and watch that as and when I feel like.


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## oliveirinha

Unfortunately I cannot connect to any tv with the samsung HDTV adaptor ( a well documented problem with the gt p5110!!) so have been trying out many different things......reinstalling itv player, trying out various other vpns/smart dns trials, etc

It looks like I may have found my solution............I have a trial for Unotelly.com and it seems to be giving me access to everything on my tablet and tv, so I will continue with this for the rest of the week and if it works will cancel my other subscriptions :fingerscrossed:

Thank you to all that replied.


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## MrBife

Can confirm similar experience of exactly the same problems with only ITV player

If you want to send Video to a TV from Tablet its easy enough with a Chromecast or Miracast device - they cost about 20 quid (Amazon or Ebay) and plug into a spare HDMI on the TV - you should find a 'send video' option in the tablet menu to link the two. That idea may open some other options for you as its a lot easier to add different apps to a tablet than it is to a Smart TV browser as they are all rather limited.


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## oliveirinha

Smartydns have just sent me another message...........they have now unblocked ITV on samsung smart tv's.
I can't watch live programmes on the tv, only the catch up, but, I can now get the live tv on my tablet using itv player android app............so I'm happy with this. 

I now only need to use smartydns for both my tv AND tablet


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## dstump

oliveirinha said:


> Unfortunately I cannot connect to any tv with the samsung HDTV adaptor ( a well documented problem with the gt p5110!!) so have been trying out many different things......reinstalling itv player, trying out various other vpns/smart dns trials, etc
> 
> It looks like I may have found my solution............I have a trial for Unotelly.com and it seems to be giving me access to everything on my tablet and tv, so I will continue with this for the rest of the week and if it works will cancel my other subscriptions :fingerscrossed:
> 
> Thank you to all that replied.


Thank you for this - we had not heard of Unotelly.com, and are now using it here in Dubai! This is why I just love the forums!

Denise


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