Streaming Satellite TV Service to Another Country?

streamViewer asks: "I'm planning to move in the near future from the US to Singapore where private satellite dish ownership is against forbidden and all television service is delivered by a state-owned monopoly. However, in this particular country, while English language television programming is limited and highly censored, Internet service is plentiful and for the most part unregulated To get around this problem, I'm considering installing a dish on a friend's house, paying for DSL service there and setting up a computer to allow me to both control the dish/receiver and to stream video to me in Asia. Video could either be real-time, or probably more realistic given the nature of overseas Net traffic, stored using a software-based DVR. What hardware/software solution would you envision for this task? Are you aware of anyone else doing this? Do you have any thoughts on which satellite services would have the most permissible licensing restrictions to allow me to do this? And finally, am I a fool to think this is really a loophole in their regulatory policy? Are there any other reasons why I shouldn't do this? Thanks in advance."

Comments

All this just to watch TV...

[joto]

I've got a better idea. Don't watch so much TV, it will hurt your eyes (insert obvious Monty Python reference here).

Or, as an alternative, you could try learning the language while you are there, and try to watch local TV instead.

And being an asian country, maybe you'll find an abundance of cheap DVD's there. That while surely give you more quality entertainment than the option of the usual stuff they send on TV.

And what's wrong with books? Newspapers? Magazines? Having a social life instead? IMHO you should be happy to have a reason to cut down on TV.

Re:Ya

[NoMoreNicksLeft]

They have serial ports in the back.

echo "command chars" > /dev/ttyS0

usually works.

DirecTivo with a turbonet card is the best option, btw. Wouldn't need tivo service, either. Or for that matter, wouldn't need directv service, if he was willing to run a cam emulator.

Bad Idea...

[duffbeer703]

Remember the incident a few years ago with the smart-ass kid who got caned? Smuggling the internet into Singapore is unlikely to be well received.

While you may be able to tunnel some sort of encrypted VPN solution via DSL, I'm sure the authorities and/or network folks at the ISP will notice the massive amounts of encrypted traffic heading into your computer.

When that kid was caned for chewing gum or whatever "crime" he committed, the US Dep't of State was unable to do anything. So when you are facing years in an asian prison for importing Western TV, you'll be safe to assume nobdoy in the US is going to help you.

If a company is sending you to Singapore, ask for a hardship-tour pay differential or do not go at all. Otherwise, go somewhere else or learn to do what you are told in foreign lands.