Re: [tlug] Recommendation on watching European/American/Independent movies/TV programs in Japan?

[Raymond Wan <rwan.kyoto@example.com>]

Hi Yasu,


On Fri, Oct 6, 2017 at 11:59 PM, <yasu@example.com> wrote:
>
> My wife wants to know how to watch European/American/Australian/International/Independent movies/TV programs in Japan in a “legit” way while willing to pay whatever the enterprise for the “rent” they seek.
>
>
>
> We don’t have any foreign (US) credit card, nor address
> We want to avoid the cat-and-mouse game tinkering with VPN
> Linux (NixOS) please.  No Windows, Macintosh, tablets, or phones.
>


I am curious...what's wrong with walking into a Tsutaya and joining as
a member and renting a physical disc?  I think their selection is very
good in terms of foreign films (ok, depends on where in Japan you
live) [1].

Excluding that, then NetFlix isn't too bad.  Yes, you will get content
for Japan...I think the "cat-and-mouse tinkering" you're referring to
are people who want (for example) USA content in Japan which I think
is a bit silly.   The only catch for Linux is that you can't use
Chromium; you have to use Google Chrome or Firefox because of video
encryption [2].

Ray

[1]  Ok, minor gripe.  I think brick-and-mortar video stores are way
under-rated.  NetFlix, Hulu, whatever are convenient but one downside
is that movies and tv shows are usually available for just one of them
due to licensing agreements.  If you want to get a large selection,
you have to subscribe to multiple providers.  i.e., one might have
things from Disney, another from Paramount, etc.  Video stores don't
have that problem...I must be alone in wishing they'd come back.  ;-(
So annoying to find the show or film you want is available but from
another provider.

[2]  https://www.engadget.com/2017/03/22/netflix-firefox-linux/