ITV Player with no Adverts

After looking at removing 4od adverts I thought I’d have a look at removing adverts from playing on the ITV player. I found out that it was significantly easier than 4od.

How To

Here is the how-to to disabled/skip adverts on ITV’s player. It is only for Windows Visa and Window 7. If you are using another operating system and you don’t want adverts then you should BLOCK 213.199.175.157 (itv.adbureau.net) with your firewall, either on your computer or router.

1. From the start menu select Control Panel
2. Within the control panel select System and Security
   
3. Select Windows Firewall
   
4. Select Advanced Settings
   
5. Say yes on the UAC security warning.
6. Select Outbound Rules
7. Select New Rule
8. Select Custom
9. Select Next
10. Select All programs
11. Select Next
12. Select Next
13. Select These IP addresses
14. Select Add
15. Type -> 213.199.175.157
16. Select OK
17. Select Next
18. Select Block the connection
19. Select Next
20. Click Next
21. Type -> Block ITV Adverts
22. Click Finish

Your Done! Now watch ITV online without adverts, yay!

How this was uncovered

1. Run Wireshark
2. Set a capture filter: tcp port 80
3. Start a capture and goto ITV Player
4. Play any program on ITV player
5. Once the adverts start stop the capture
6. Filter the capture results for “http.response.code == 200”
7. Towards the bottom requests for itv.adbureau.com were made, hmm adbureau, looks good.
8. I first tried to redirect this with an entry in the hosts file but this didn’t work, maybe a static ip is being used?
9. Tried blocking communication to itv.adbureau.com ip address : 213.199.175.157 worked. Yay!

Point of interest

• The XML file provided by itv.adbureau.com contains the URLs for mp4 files that can be downloaded without any cookie information or referal eg:
  http://itv-73.vo.llnwd.net/d1/broadband/ads/MUM-GFED001-030_ITV_AdOps_MP4.mp4

A better solution

If you know how to, then set your router to block traffic to 213.199.175.157, then all wireless and network pc’s will not require configuration, and if something changes, there is only place to update.