Video Not Available In Your Country Fix - Sometimes

So you just made friends with somebody cool like Paul Bond . Even though he works for Brix , which is "only" the 4th largest workwear store in Monaghan, he's still got great taste in 'artsy fartsy' stuff. Unfortunately, he's not that bright  aware, when he sends out links sometimes.  Consequently, he sends out links to really cool stuff that YouTube says  'aren't available in your country'. Well, that's simply not true. It is available, and I have no idea why they even want to make you think it isn't. Connectivity is what all this stuff is about.  Or at least that's what I thought when I signed on almost 30 years ago. I'm pretty sure it's not the band that doesn't want you to hear their music, unless of course they are Lars Ulrich.  So what do you do? How to get around this? Read on...

What's The Fix?

Use a web proxy to access YouTube video you're trying to view. Yeah, I know.  I said that like it's just so simple.. right?  But if you're like some people, the only proxy you've ever heard of is the one that stands up for you at the arraignment.  That's OK. I'll make it even easier.

Let's say things go terribly bad one day, and some how you find yourself on the Brix website. You're looking around and the only thing you see of any interest at all is some link to a band called "The Stone Roses".  You click on it and you get this , instead of this  . Why did that happen?

Somebody Actually  Believes They Control The Internet

OK.  So if you're Paul, and apparently your newest "Internet For Dummies" (affiliate link) is focused on how to use "Netscape Communicator"  here's what you need to view the video.

1. Copy the url to the video that's unavailable. In this case it's http:://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NSD11dnphg0
2. Delete the www in the url.  So now it would be http:://youtube.com/watch?v=NSD11dnphg0
3. Add ss in front of the URL.  So now it would be http:://ssyoutube.com/watch?v=NSD11dnphg0
4. Click on the little preview of the video to watch it. (or download it)
5. If that doesn't work, add the www back in so that it becomes http://www.ssyoutube.com/watch?v=NSD11dnphg0

If that doesn't work... then try going to a different Proxy Servers to view the Video. They are all pretty much self explanatory. All you'll have to do is copy and paste the original YouTube URL into the place where it says "Paste URL Here".   Here are a few I like.

• hidemyass.com - solid option, but doesn’t let you skip inside the video
• proxy.org - lots of available proxy servers
• unblockyoutube.us

Why does this work?

Because a proxy server is 'acting in your behalf' from a different location in the world.  It goes and gets the page 'as if' you were in Spain, England, or even a country with a bunch of roustabouts like Ireland. It no longer thinks you're in 'whatever country you're really in'.

Why Doesn't This Work?

In no particular order

1. You didn't follow instructions.
2. You made Al Gore mad.
3. You have all the luck. 

The truth is...I really don't know why it wouldn't work for you...but sometimes it just doesn't.

What Do I Want You To Do Now?

Click on this link to go to the Brix website. Help them go from a measly fourth largest workwear store in Monaghan to maybe something like 'Third Largest". Order a bunch and maybe they will move to Number Two. If ordering isn't an option, then at least go to the Contact Us page on the Brix website and leave a message for Paul that you appreciate his efforts. Tell him he has great taste in artsy fartsy stuff.  Tell him to upgrade his operating system to at least Windows 98. And let him know that he's damn lucky to have a friend like me watching his back.  Suggest to him that no monetary recompense is in order. Just being available to him is what I live for.