The Australian reports that executives at Harvey Norman are considering their position on selling the McTivia media streamer, due to concerns over its potentially copyright-infringing promotion of VPN services to access overseas video content.
The basics of the McTivia are solid enough, but it’s the inclusion of a flyer that promotes a specific VPN service and its ability to deliver services such as Hulu even though they’re geoblocked for Australian users that has Harvey Norman execs in a tizzy, according to the paper. It quotes Harvey Norman senior electronics brand manager Gary Brown as stating that the VPN isn’t a key selling point:
We are simply selling it as a device that allows you to network your computer and I don’t think we’ve sold one box under the proviso of circumventing any network or access to content or whatever”
I’ve reviewed the McTivia, and while Harvey Norman specifically might not be plugging that feature, the leaflet that describes it is very front and centre when you do open the box. McTivia’s local distributor, Inspire technology is quoted in the article, with managing director Robert Bonanno stating that
the whole issue may upset a few of the networks because they will probably strive to make additional revenue out of the content with paid advertising locally but otherwise there is no copyright breach”.
simon
Monday, September 12, 2011 at 10:25 AMits frustrating having consumers gaining access to more content. outrageous
Bloomy
Monday, September 12, 2011 at 10:35 AMNot hard to circumvent these silly rules and use these kinds of VPN services anyway. Whats all the fuss about?
Oliver
Monday, September 12, 2011 at 11:05 AMCan u please Provide some direction on how to do this easily? I havent been able to get hulu to work for a few years.
Bloomy
Monday, September 12, 2011 at 2:36 PMHave a look at http://strongvpn.com/packages_australia.shtml
$55 per year, and allows you to establish a VPN to 3 different countries or 3 different cities.
I have never used them, but apparently good to deal with and easy to use.
poedgirl
Monday, September 12, 2011 at 4:06 PMI personally use witopia.net, $39pa and a lot of connection locations.
Oliver
Tuesday, September 13, 2011 at 6:11 PMThanks for the suggestions
EckyThump
Monday, September 12, 2011 at 11:15 AMWouldn’t buy it from ‘Harvey Norman’ if I was after it anyway! #]
vpn'er
Monday, September 12, 2011 at 11:29 AMA lot of routers these days have VPN client capability, I use a Linksys myself that connects to StrongVPN so I can access content off catchup websites in the UK and US, have done so for years. Cancelled my $120 Foxtel account and now I get shows the day they’re released, usually in better quality than Foxtel.
Stephen
Monday, September 12, 2011 at 11:51 AMOh no, we’re selling something that might give consumers in Australia access to stuff that their overseas counterparts can access!
Mike
Monday, September 12, 2011 at 12:34 PMLol, so basically even though nearly all routers released today have to support VPN (workplaces often implement them, I know I did for mine), they’re gonna stop sales on this because they mentioned you could use it to access overseas content?! Man, I’m just tired of this…
Terry
Monday, September 12, 2011 at 1:33 PMWhile I’d never buy from Hardley Normals for any reason whatsoever.. EVER!
I still say they’ll carry on selling them.. There’s a buck to be made after all eh Gerry?
And since when has Gerry Harvey ever given a damn about anything else.
Patrick
Monday, September 12, 2011 at 2:21 PMIts not against the law in Australia to stream from Hulu is it?
Why do Harvey Norman care at all? I’m confused? Are they planning on not selling computers any more because you can watch copyrighted material on them?
Bloomy
Monday, September 12, 2011 at 2:39 PMPatrick, its not against the law. Its just that Hulu and many other content providers like to control who can view their content based on the country (IP Address range) you are connecting from. If you are in Australia, you simply cant view their content. However, if you connect to a VPN server in USA, then your IP Address looks will be in the US range and therefore they will let you view it.