Can you watch French TV channels in America?

How could I watch American and British TV channels in a foreign country?

• For example Bloomberg, BBC, CNBC, Sky News, CNN, etc. Is it possible to watch these channels on my TV somehow? I do not own a 'smart' TV currently but are those devices capable for this? I mean can I install an app or on the TV to be able to watch the above mentioned TV channels?

• Answer:

  Technically - yes you can. Try and google for OTT (Over The Top), look for services like https://aereo.com/channels  or even try googling "torrent TV". All these usually work either on SmartTVs (as an app or widget or application), on your PC (even VLC player can do it), or you can try and use one of $50-100 android devices - these are either boxes, or look more like small usb flash drives that plug into HDMI slot of your TV and get power from USB and voila - your TV has android. The biggest problem are legal and copyright issues. Most of the official channels have broadcast rights for some geographical area - so they artificially limit the ability of their reception for specific geographic areas (countries) and request the same from their distribution networks (read cable, satellite, OTT, IPTV or else) - either using blocking based on your IP address or some other means (require resident ID to subscribe, selling special encryption cards, or by contract means) Of course there are myriads of ways to circumvent these limitations both by technical and methodological means. But the whole issue is in somewhat in grey area (even if it looks logical - like if you are legal resident and live in London - why can't you watch your favourite TV channels, while on vacation?) - and there are currently battles for that in courts - I do not think discussing these means here is appropriate. Hope you will find a solution that would suit you somewhere there online...