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I am running Ubuntu GNOME 16.04 with GNOME 3.20 and want to watch programs on 4od, but I am just met with a never ending spinning loading thing when trying to play a video there.

I did some further research into it and found out that I needed the HAL package (I tried the steps here but it didn't work: 4oD (UK) - Can't stream). Then I found out that the HAL package had been made obsolete. I finally then found this guide to another HAL repository that many had reported had worked: http://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2013/10/fixing-amazon-prime-streaming-drm-protected-flash-13-10

But once I had installed that HAL, I found that it still did not fix the problem.

Someone recommended that I should get VLC player, but I have been trying to get it to work somehow with that for some time now and it just doesn't.

So I am wondering if anybody has any advise?

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1 Answers1

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The short answer is : the DRM required by 40D to prevent you skipping their adverts is not compatible with linux because it has not be implemented.

I haven't managed to get 40D to work on linux for several years, there are hackish workarounds involving running windows plugins in your browser but the performance hit is huge and using wine is cumbersome and tricky. https://community.linuxmint.com/tutorial/view/2028

You can get a free windows vm images here for testing browsers : https://developer.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-edge/tools/vms/linux/ if you run them in virtualbox or vmware you can get reasonable performance but you still can't skip the adverts.

There are plenty of torrents of 40D programs available that have no adverts and will play with far less load on your system and a lot less bother on your part. It's a shame 40D is pushing people to piracy with its DRM when they could offer people who want to pay a subscription model instead of advertising. If you are in the uk you have already paid for channel 4 content via your taxes. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Channel_4#Funding

Amias
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