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BBC head wants all iPlayer users to pony up the licence fee
The BBC's budget is getting squeezed, and as such, everyone who uses its service is going to be made to pay up. Lord Hall, the BBC's Director-General, has announced that he's pushing to close the famous iPlayer Loophole, adding around £72 million to the corporation's budget. Currently, only Britons who watch live broadcasts on TV or online have to pay the £145.50 annual fee -- but around 500,000 homes avoid the charge by only watching shows after they've aired. The move will require approval from government, but we can't see it resisting -- the other option to save money is to axe BBC Four, and that just won't do.
Xbox One gets gameplay broadcasting in March update (update)
Xbox One owners eagerly awaiting Titanfall should be glad to hear that the Xbox One's gameplay broadcasting functionality will light up ahead of the game's March 11th launch. Included in the second half of the first big Xbox One update is Twitch gameplay broadcasting, enabling users to share gameplay via Twitch.tv (similar functionality already exists in Sony's PlayStation 4). That update is expected just ahead of March 11th (and Twitch functionality is listed as coming directly on March 11th itself). Gameplay broadcasting on Xbox One was one of the tentpole features touted at the console's unveil event last year -- the service was delayed ahead of launch, with Xbox lead Marc Whitten telling us at CES to expect it before gaming's big trade show in June. No real reason is given for the delay; Xbox marketing lead Yusuf Mehdi told the AP that Sony's version of gameplay broadcasting is, "too limiting," and Microsoft wanted to take its time to get it right. It's not clear what that actually means in practice just yet, but rest assured we're asking Microsoft for more info. Update: Microsoft detailed the service a bit more this morning. Twitch on Xbox One has at least one feature unavailable on PlayStation 4: the ability to archive streams right from the console. There's also a video showing the service in action (that we've dropped below the break).
Call of Duty: Ghosts update improves Xbox 360 Broadcaster stability
Players who have suffered a game crash bug while broadcasting in Call of Duty: Ghosts on Xbox 360 should find the game is now more amenable after a new update. Broadcaster mode is Infinity Ward's take on the CODCast mode found in Treyarch's Call of Duty: Black Ops 2, allowing players to set up private matches and offer dynamic viewing angles for better spectating and shoutcasting. In addition to resolving the game crash bug in Broadcaster mode, this update adds a kill feed display to Broadcaster mode, restricts certain perks while playing in competitive matches and disables the third-person spectator camera in private matches.
Xbox One gameplay broadcasting delayed to 'the first part of 2014'
It sure is good that Microsoft's Xbox One controller doesn't have a "Share" button dedicated to pushing live broadcasts of gameplay to the internet, because that functionality is being delayed beyond the console's November 22nd launch date. Microsoft confirmed as much this morning in a cursory footnote in a larger piece about the Twitch.tv app, which reads, "We are working to ensure the initial Twitch on Xbox One broadcasting experience meets the expectations of the Twitch community." It sounds like, as it stands now, broadcasting via Xbox One isn't up to snuff for release. "While this feature won't be available right away, we'll let you know as soon as it is ready," the note continues. "Our goal is to deliver it during the first part of 2014." We've yet to use the Xbox One's broadcasting since first hearing about it during the console's debut event last May. To be clear, the Twitch.tv app is different from the ability to broadcast gameplay through Twitch. In addition to the delay news, Microsoft released a video of Twitch.tv's app in action, which enables viewing of gameplay broadcasts (it's below the break). Hilariously, this will allow Xbox One players to watch live gameplay from other game platforms, just not the one they're using. Womp womp.
CRTC to ask Canadians for help in adapting TV regulations to the internet era
The CRTC is eager to shake the cobwebs from Canada's TV regulations, many of which got their start before cable arrived, let alone Netflix or YouTube. Accordingly, it's planning a round of consultations in the fall that will ask both the public and the industry what rules they want to change. Chairman Jean-Pierre Blais expects the discussion to center around the CRTC's approach to internet content -- some of the old licensing restrictions might not apply when it's easier to both publish and watch online video. The agency isn't likely to create a utopia full of cord cutting and à la carte TV subscriptions, but its recent attempts at fixing a broken cellular market give us hope that at least a few broadcasting policies could change for the better.
Sony unveils Anycast Touch all-in-one production system at NAB
In addition to announcing pricing for its 55- and 65-inch 4K TVs at its NAB press event, Sony unveiled updates to its Anycast studio-in-a-box. Sony has been offering its live broadcasting all-in-one for quite some time, but the Anycast Touch (AWS-750) unveiled today features several updates, including sliding dual touch displays. (The product looks more like a beefed-up Duo 11 than a bulky suitcase, which can't be said about earlier models from the Anycast line.) A tilt-screen function lets you split audio- and video-editing functions between the two panels, and you'll be able to bring up video sources just by tapping their thumbnails on-screen. Aside from the new touchscreen design, the Anycast Touch offers all the A/V essentials: a video switcher, audio mixer, a special effects generator, an encoder and a scale converter. Video output tops out at 1080p with 10-bit processing, though other specs, such as display size, are TBA. Sony hasn't discussed pricing yet, but it did reveal that the Anycast Touch will go on sale in September -- we imagine additional details will surface before that far-off date.
BBC commissions first iPlayer-exclusive drama, sees which way the wind is blowing
A few weeks ago, the BBC began to ask "Where Next?" and just like magic, it's now revealing its future direction. The corporation is commissioning its first strand of original dramas that'll air exclusively on its iPlayer VOD service. The deal's rather minor, given that it'll feature six short films in two years that are aimed at BBC Three's "youth" audience, but we can't imagine this won't be followed by something meatier down the line. Perhaps we could see the corporation remaking its seminal series House of Cards... oh.
BitTorrent Live now in open beta, brings live webcasting to the masses
Last November, BitTorrent put out a call to all "qualified broadcasters," seeking to build out a solid based for Live, its new P2P streaming protocol. Now, just four months later, the company's opening the beta service up to all users, giving a real-time platform to anyone with a webcam, a pulse and a broadcasting dream. The live streaming service works mainly the same way traditional BitTorrent does, utilizing BitTorrent clients throughout its user base to deliver a more solid and "resilient... stream." Effectively, the more people sign up for BitTorrent's virtual soapbox, the better quality your broadcast will be. So, if you've got a decent internet connection and a burning urge to express yourself, hit up the source and start sharing live.
BBC Two HD replaces BBC HD channel on March 26th
The BBC has decided it can do without an HD channel just to showcase its gorgeous nature documentaries. As such, it's turning BBC HD into a high-definition simulcast of BBC Two, starting March 26th. As it's already been doing that job for a while now, it's hardly surprising -- but does make us wonder where HD shows from BBC Three and Four will be housed in the future. The corporation did tell us that it's evaluating adding more HD channels, but we don't imagine that'll be happening in the near future. BBC Two HD will remain on the same channel as BBC HD, Sky: 169, Virgin: 187, Freesat: 109, Freeview: 102 -- so you don't need to rescan your box to keep watching Eggheads.
Aereo opens its streaming TV to Mac and Windows web browsers
If you'd wanted to watch Aereo's unique antenna-to-internet TV streaming until today, you had to tune in from an iOS device or Roku box. That's not a lot of choice for placeshifting, is it? A fresh update to the company's streaming service has widened the choices considerably for New Yorkers to include all the major browsers on Macs and Windows PCs. As long as you're using a recent version of Chrome, Firefox, Internet Explorer, Opera or Safari, you can catch up on Ion or Telemundo while you're checking email. About the only restrictions left are the continued lack of Android support and occasional lawsuits from traditionalist broadcasters.
BBC News Channel conducts live video interview over smartphone, goes where satellites can't (update with video)
We usually associate smartphones in news reporting with citizen journalism, not full-time journalists. However, a confluence of events has just led to the BBC's Nick Garnett becoming a pioneer for mobile broadcasting on the professional level. When a shortage of satellite trucks prevented Garnett from getting the usual video feed for the BBC News Channel, he successfully arranged the British network's first live video interview piped through a smartphone. The key, Garnett says, was Dejero's Live+ iPhone app: while live streaming apps are already commonplace, Dejero's let him merge the 3G and WiFi connections together, getting enough bandwidth to make a TV-worthy broadcast in a country where LTE is still very new. Combined with some very ad hoc staging and help from the BBC's technical teams, the coordination resulted in a surprisingly smooth interview about flooding in northeastern England with relatively few hints of the extra-tiny recording equipment involved. It's unlikely that broadcast crews will reach to their pockets for live coverage solutions before anything else, but the BBC is actively testing Dejero and other apps that could make smartphones as much a part of the field reporting arsenal as a camcorder and an eye for a good story. As we can't embed the clip, check the source link to see it for yourself. Update: We've now managed to embed the clip after the break.
NHK 8K Super Hi-Vision camera captures native 120Hz footage, we go eyes-on at IBC (video)
We've seen plenty of 4K cameras, and we've even heard a whisper or two about 8K, but the quality of a viewing experience isn't tied only to resolution -- frame rate also comes into play, especially with fast-moving subjects. NHK's prototype Super Hi-Vision camera doubles the capture rate from the standard 60Hz to a much speedier 120Hz, yielding sharper motion. While the difference isn't noticeable with static or slow-moving scenes, it certainly comes into play when filming rapid-motion sporting events or panning the camera. The Japan Broadcasting Corporation's latest model was on hand at IBC in Amsterdam, and the advantages of a 120Hz cam were immediately crystal clear. Filming a rotating image that paired ordinary objects and cityscapes with letters and numbers, you could see the difference instantly, with the 120Hz image on the right side yielding far shaper details, while the left side was often a blurry mess. There's no software smoothing on hand here -- because the higher frequency comes directly from the source, it appears perfectly natural, and much more pleasant. We captured a video demonstrating the expo floor rig, but because our camera doesn't sport the same spec, you won't notice a difference in the hands-on clip after the break. You can see the difference in our stills gallery below, however, and you can take us on our word -- the improvement is quite dramatic.%Gallery-164700%
Sony Stitch merges footage from two 4K F65 cameras to create zoomable panoramic with HD output (video)
Well, that's a mouthful of a headline. Going a bit more in-depth, a new professional solution from Sony allows broadcasters to capture side-by-side 4K video at, say, a sporting event, then use a standard camera zoom device to select small portions of each feed for 720p or 1080i output. On the receiving end, you'll see a live image that looks indistinguishable from something you'd capture with a moving camera, with a few extra benefits to boot. Sony demonstrated the system using feeds from an F65 4K camera earlier this year at NAB, but was only able to present a simulation at that point, with pre-recorded output cropped from larger-format footage. Now, as we saw today at IBC in Amsterdam, the technique works in realtime, so an adjustable smaller portion of the video is pumped out seamlessly and instantaneously. The 4K video can also be recorded at full resolution simultaneously, letting you change the framing long after an event takes place. Sony only had the demo configured to pull live video from the left portion of the feed, but eventually the entire capture will be enabled, giving producers access to an entire football field, as you'll see in the hands-on video after the break. We wouldn't expect this solution to replace human camera operators anytime soon, but it's certainly a viable method for adding angles and placing a bit more control in the hands of production teams, even after the fact.
ITU approves NHK's Super Hi-Vision as 8K standard, sets the UHDTV ball rolling very slowly
We'd heard that the International Telecommunication Union was close to approving Super Hi-Vision as an Ultra High Definition TV standard, and the UN agency hasn't waited long to confirm the rumors. The recommendation to use NHK's 7,680 x 4,320 format has gone unopposed and should define the parameters for incredibly detailed 8K video worldwide. This shouldn't lead anyone to return that 4K TV just yet -- once again, it's important to remember that NHK still won't start any kind of wider testing until 2020. That's also assuming that the first 8K sets are down to Earth instead of the incredibly expensive 145-inch variety.
Daily Update for August 9, 2012
It's the TUAW Daily Update, your source for Apple news in a convenient audio format. You'll get all the top Apple stories of the day in three to five minutes for a quick review of what's happening in the Apple world. You can listen to today's Apple stories by clicking the inline player (requires Flash) or the non-Flash link below. To subscribe to the podcast for daily listening through iTunes, click here. No Flash? Click here to listen. Subscribe via RSS
Samsung demos its take on LTE Broadcast, edges closer to TV over 4G
There must be a resurgence of mobile TV in the works at Samsung. Just hours after it brought out the TV-equipped Galaxy S Lightray 4G, the company has confirmed (through partner Anritsu) that it's successfully testing LTE Broadcast technology. As the name implies, the standard and its evolved Multimedia Broadcast Multicast Service (eMBMS) pipe software-independent services like TV over a 4G network's ample bandwidth rather than requiring dedicated networks and the costs that come with them -- we all know how that last strategy panned out in the US. Unsurprisingly, Samsung isn't saying what its long-term plans might be at this early stage, although we'd note that it isn't alone. Qualcomm was showing LTE Broadcast back at Mobile World Congress, for example. While it's far too soon to tell if there will be any American revival, Samsung's help puts the writing on the wall for conventional mobile TV formats like T-DMB.
Padcaster and Lenscaster streamline iPad video production workflow
While iPhone photographers and videographers can add lights, lenses, and other accessories to their devices with special cases like the Phocus, those planning to use the iPad for video journalism, livestreaming, and filmmaking have been left out. That's about to change, with the imminent arrival of the Padcaster (US$149.00) and Padcaster/Lenscaster combo ($189.00) from The Padcaster, LLC. We first posted about the Padcaster when it debuted at NAB this past April. In order to provide a way of placing the iPad and accessories onto a tripod, Padcaster CEO Josh Apter and his design team realized that they'd need a large, rigid frame that still protects the iPad from shocks and bumps. They did that by creating an aluminum frame riddled with threaded holes for mounting accessories, then cradling the iPad in a flexible urethane insert. That frame and cradle makes up the Padcaster, which is used with the built-in iPad camera for basic filmmaking. %Gallery-161272% But what if you want to use other lenses, like those that come with traditional news and film video cameras? No problem -- that's where the Lenscaster piece comes in. It's a separate add-on that can be used with readily available adapters to connect your existing lenses to the iPad (no lenses are included). I had an opportunity to test a pre-production version of the Padcaster / Lenscaster combo, and I have to say that I'm impressed. I put the Padcaster atop a Manfrotto monopod/tripod that I have, screwing it into one of the many mounting holes around the exterior or the frame. The iPad slips securely into a hard-backed shell with a rubber lip that holds it in place. Around the sides of the Padcaster I attached a small Sima LED light and a mount for a microphone; you could load it up with much more equipment. Padcaster supplied me with a Lenscaster and several sample lenses as well so I could see how they work for shooting video on the iPad. The aluminum frame is quite rigid, and feels like it can hold up to any amount of weight from accessories dangling hither and yon. And seriously, there are a lot of threaded mounting holes on it -- fourteen 3/8-16 holes and ten 1/4-20 holes. The aluminum frame and interior "case" also have gaps for access to the iPad's headphone port, the power switch, speakers and Dock connector. The Padcaster folks note that you can remove the urethane iPad insert, which turns your Padcaster into a DSLR cage. Although I didn't try this for the purpose of the review, I can see where the additional utility provided by the design really adds to its value for professional videographers and photographers. Choice of your favorite filmmaking app is up to you. I used both the iMovie app and Ustream livestreaming app to shoot some video, and with the borrowed wide angle lens, the Padcaster / Lenscaster duo did a great job. Apter noted that Manhattan Edit Workshop will soon be offering online and in-person training on the use of the Padcaster for video production; we'll be sure to let you know when those classes begin. Conclusion Anyone who is interested in using an iPad for filmmaking or broadcasting -- either as an amateur or professionally -- should consider getting the Padcaster. It's a brilliantly conceived and well-built accessory that should be extremely popular with the video and filmmaking crowd. Pros Rigid aluminum frame allows attachment of an array of accessories and mounting on tripods, monopods, or shoulder mounts Flexible urethane insert cradles the iPad and protects it from shocks and bumps Optional Lenscaster accessory lens mount allows use of your own existing lenses for wide angle or telephoto videography and will not distort even when used with heavy lenses Reasonably priced, especially in light of traditional camera accessory pricing Thin enough to be easily packed into an equipment case for transport Cons None to speak of Who is it for? Professional or prosumer videographers and photographers who want to use their iPads for capturing video and photos or as a mobile broadcast station.
Engadget will be broadcasting live outside of Apple's iPad event tomorrow!
We did it for WWDC 2011 as well as last year's "Let's Talk iPhone" event, and we'll be doing it again before and after Apple launches its next-generation iPad. Tim and Darren will be live in the streets of San Francisco tomorrow, broadcasting video to the known universe on this very site. We'll be set up just outside of the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, with both a pre-event rumor round-up as well as a post-event wrap-up analyzing how the next Apple slate will impact the tablet market at large, your own wallet and the overall molecular makeup of our atmosphere. Keep an eye here on the homepage for our pre-show (we should be live between 6:30AM - 7:30AM PT) as well as our post-show (which should go down between 1:30PM - 2:30PM PT). In between, of course, you can catch our liveblog from the inside at this link right here, given that video streams aren't allowed from the inside. Also, SF -- good weather, alright? Alright.
Wirecast Pro for Mac 4.1.3: A close look at a powerful webcasting tool
Over the past few weeks, I've been getting up to speed on using Telestream's Wirecast Pro for Mac to broadcast the weekly TUAW TV Live show. In this review, I'll describe some of the features of the latest version (4.1.3) of Wirecast Pro, and how it will be streamlining the production of the show. For those of you who don't watch the show either live or in recorded form, let's start with a description of how it used to be done. In the past, I launched LineIn (sound), Soundflower (sound), BoinxTV (video), CamTwist (video), Adobe Flash Live Media Encoder (video), and a number of other apps that were used to capture video from other devices. I used the built-in FaceTime camera on my iMac for face shots and an IPEVO P2V low-resolution cam for shots of iPad and iPhone screens. When I have guests, they'd join me via a Skype video call and were brought into the video mix through CamTwist.Once the show went live, it was streamed through Ustream.tv using Live Media Encoder and recorded locally to disk for upload to our CDN (Castfire) and to YouTube. The YouTube upload gives the show a wider distribution, while Castfire is used to feed the podcast of the show. As you can tell from the second paragraph in this post, there were a lot of apps running on my iMac. Sure, it could handle it, but I often had issues switching gracefully between applications, cameras, and demonstrations. On occasion one of the apps would decide to crash (usually just as the show was going live), necessitating a quick "please stand by" tweet and a reboot of the iMac. Since it's a one-man show, I don't have the luxury of having a technician running the software -- I have to do it all by my lonesome. I needed something that would ease my duties while still offering video that was as good or better than what had been produced earlier. That's when I heard about Wirecast from friend and ace blogger Rene Ritchie of iMore. During the broadcast and recording of a podcast a while back, he did some tricks that totally amazed me, so I asked what he was using to produce the show. Wirecast was the answer, and now I'm a happy owner of Wirecast Pro (US$995). %Gallery-148457% It's not an inexpensive application by any means. There is a less expensive but almost equally capable standard version available for $449 -- the Pro edition adds 3D virtual sets, audio controls with sync delay, integrated scoreboards for people who are livestreaming sports events (which could be useful for a head-to-head Apple trivia contest!), and support for additional cameras including wireless IP and HDV cameras. For those of you who are familiar with Ustream Producer, Producer Pro, or Producer Studio, you'll manage Wirecast or Wirecast Pro very quickly. Ustream partnered with Telestream in 2010 to make Ustream-specific versions of Wirecast available. If Ustream is your primary streaming service, then you may wish to look at Producer Pro ($149) or Producer Studio ($549). The differences in Ustream Producer and Wirecast versions are found in this document. Wirecast Pro presents a very streamlined and compact user interface to the producer. The primary display can show a preview of shots that are about to go live as well as the current live stream, and then lists different layers and the shots on those layers in a logical layout. Shots consist of live or pre-recorded video, sound, logos, or static graphics, and Wirecast Pro provides a simple way to gracefully transition between the shots. Layers consists of a number of different shots that can be transposed on top of each other. For example, if I want a logo to appear on screen regardless of what else is currently showing -- video of me, a demonstration screen, or a running IRC chat -- I can put that logo in a higher layer and then turn it on so that regardless of what's showing in a lower layer, it's visible. There are fine controls for just about every shot -- you can adjust position and opacity of a shot or add a matte, crop a shot, add titles (many with colorful frames designed by Telestream), set up chroma key shots (green screen -- useful with the virtual sets), set builds for different sources (like fading in and out), set attributes for playback of pre-recorded video, and add video filters. Those filters are like what are found in CamTwist, which means that they are applied in the app instead of needing to run CamTwist. Likewise, I used to use CamTwist to "pick up" windows on my iMac screen (for instance, video from an external camera or Skype) -- now I can do this with the free Desktop Presenter app from Telestream. What's cool about Desktop Presenter is that I can run an instance of it on another Mac, capture a screen, and send that to Wirecast Pro on my iMac. That's very useful for doing app demos. As for recording and broadcasting, I have preset both the location of the recorded video file as well as the settings for the Flash stream to Ustream. To start up TUAW TV Live, I used to switch to the Adobe Flash Live Media Encoder window, start up the stream and recording (and hope that the app didn't crash), then switch to BoinxTV to start the show. Now I just click a recording button and broadcast button -- both located prominently at the top of the Wirecast window -- and I'm on the air and recording the show. Wirecast and Wirecast Pro both support QuickTime and Flash streaming servers, Ustream, justin.tv, Livestream, Stickam.com, Sermon.net, Brightcove, Akamai, Limelight, BitGravity, Wowza, and other streaming services. As noted, the app can simultaneously record the stream to a local file for archiving or editing, and broadcast to a remote monitor. I'm still using LineIn and Soundflower for capturing audio; they do a great job and use relatively little in terms of the resources of my iMac. CamTwist and Adobe Flash Live Media Encoder are both gone now, making my life a lot easier while I'm producing and hosting the show simultaneously. Telestream's free Desktop Presenter app makes capture of app or video windows a piece of cake, even if the app or video is running on another Mac or PC. I find Telestream's tech support to be excellent. They provide an online tutorial for learning the basics of Wirecast, there's a forum that features good input from Wirecast support personnel, and most of the questions that I've had have been answered by the materials in the FAQ section of the website. When I first started using Wirecast, I was having difficulty using a Logitech C910 HD webcam as an input -- it would work, but the video was distorted. I had the same issue using that camera with Boinx TV. The latest version of Wirecast (4.1.3) responded to user complaints about not being able to use this popular (and fairly low cost) webcam, and the Logitech C910 HD now works flawlessly with the app. One other cool feature, for those of us who want a way to use multiple cameras with Wirecast, is the ability to see exactly what bus your USB cameras are attached to. Using this tool, I was able to see a conflict between two cameras that was causing issues; I moved the second camera to a different USB port that appeared to change the bus the camera was on, and it resolved the problem. What's missing from Wirecast? I'd love to see a way to automatically assign Skype video calls as video sources, a title "designer" feature would be lovely for creating custom title overlays, and as far as I'm concerned there can never be too many virtual sets and screen layouts. One cool feature of Boinx TV that I never used and that is missing from Wirecast is animated titles. They truly provide a professional look, and if they were available in Wirecast I'd be using them. I highly recommend Wirecast for anyone who is considering creating their own live streaming video broadcast. For those who are tight on money, you can start by acquiring the relatively low-cost Ustream Producer app to learn the ropes, and then move up to Wirecast Pro as your abilities and needs grow. I found the UI and built-in capabilities to be designed in such a way that I can now produce my broadcast with fewer apps running. It's perfect for a one-person operation like TUAW TV Live, yet has the features and power for just about size video streaming operation.
Aquos SH-06D and Medias Tab N-06D are waterproof, Nottv-ready and official in Japan
NTT DoCoMo has launched two waterproof Android devices in the glare of the rising sun, and interestingly both are compatible with Japan's new "V-High" broadcasting service -- which means they'll receive the much-hyped multimedia Nottv channel once it starts transmitting on April 1st, as well as the usual one-seg transmissions. We already peeped the Sharp Aquos SH-06D in an FCC filing, but now we know a couple more tidbits: namely that there's a 4.5-inch HD glasses-free 3D display on top of a 1.2GHz dual-core processor. The NEC Medias tablet has a similar processor and also sports a seven-inch WXGA HD display, a thickness of less than 10mm (0.4-inches) plus compatibility with DoCoMo's "Xi" LTE service. Not bad for a morning's work.
