Media Hint content unblocker becomes a paid subscription

Like most DVD and Blu-ray titles, content provider websites such as NBC, RTÉ Player and BBC iPlayer are region locked.  For example, users located outside of the UK get an error message if they try playing any BBC iPlayer TV content.

There are several ways to evade these region restrictions, with Media Hint being a popular browser plug-in for Firefox and Chrome to do so.  With the plug-in installed, websites such as Netflix, NBC and Pandora appear just like visiting the website within the US and BBC iPlayer appears as if the user is in the UK.  It is as if no region restriction is in place, like using a multi-region DVD player.

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At the start of April, Media Hint has decided overnight to become a paid subscription, priced at $3.95 per month or $39.50 per year, similar to a paid VPN provider.  To make matters worse for its fans, this subscription requirement is not revealed on the website until the unsuspecting user creates an account or logs in to activate the plug-in.  The updated plug-in requires additional permissions such as "Access your data on all websites", which also raises privacy concerns.  Newly registered users are offered a 7 day trial period.

Media Hint Logo

Their Chrome plug-in has already received a backlash from its fans with pages of 1 to 2 star reviews complaining about the unexpected subscription requirement and the high cost.  Even its Facebook page has harsh comments, with some pointing out alternatives.

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Going by the reviews, several potential alternative products pointed out include ZenMate, ProxMate and Hola Better Internet, although all are reported to have limitations or issues.  For example, ZenMate is reported not to work with Netflix, while ProxMate requires repetitive "donations" to access some services such as NBC and BBC iPlayer.

Besides a browser plug-in, there are several other ways to get around the regional restrictions.  A VPN subscription is a popular method that proxies the user's traffic through a foreign IP address, giving the impression that the user is located in that country.  The big advantage with a VPN subscription is that most providers allow their service to be used with many handheld devices and even certain routers, where as Media Hint only works as a Firefox and Chrome browser plug-in.  While the vast majority of VPN providers charge a subscription, there are many available for less than what Media Hint are charging.

Another popular method involves changing the DNS settings to those of a provider that unblocks content.  One advantage over a VPN is that it is possible to change the DNS settings of many set top boxes, which otherwise do not provide the ability to connect to a VPN.  Up until recently, Tunlr was a popular free DNS proxy that provided this ability, but unfortunately they decided to shutdown completely.  While there are some websites and comments posted around claiming to offer DNS settings that unblocks content, we strongly advise against trying such settings randomly posted about, as malicious DNS servers can just as easily redirect users to booby-trapped websites, such as Facebook, Gmail, etc. showing up an imitation page that steals logon details without any clear sign that something is wrong until it is too late.

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