iPlayer
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BBC's iPlayer streams to Cello iViewer HDTVs, those iElsewhere get iNothing
Hopefully you haven't exceeded your daily allowance of the letter 'i' yet this morning; this post could push you into CamelCase overload. British electronics maker Cello has announced iViewer, a line of LCD HTDVs available in £399 ($650) 26- and £499 ($815) 32-inch models that will directly stream BBC's iPlayer, no silly gaming console or set-top box required. They'll also stream a variety of other digital channels, including YouTube and American CNN -- so why is it that Americans still can't stream content from the Beeb? Sets will be selling soon exclusively at Marks and Spencer stores, and would have been available months ago if not for a delay thanks to an unidentified but apparently American chip maker. Sure, blame the US. Everything's our fault.
BBC iPlayer for 360 indefinitely postponed due to disagreement with Microsoft
Though the BBC iPlayer is already available on the Wii and PS3 overseas, it seems a disagreement between the television corporation and Microsoft will keep the platform off of the Xbox 360 for the time being. According to a recent Telegraph article, sources close to the BBC's Future Media and Technology department claim that Microsoft's desire to make the iPlayer a Gold Subscriber-exclusive feature is "incompatible with the BBC's public service remit." An unnamed BBC representative reportedly explained, "this does not fit with the BBC's model and Microsoft will not budge at the moment. It is really frustrating for those involved on the BBC side who want to make sure iPlayer is rolled out on as many popular entertainment platforms as possible." We've contacted Microsoft to hear the other half of the story.
BBC redoubles its Wii efforts with dedicated iPlayer channel
The BBC's iPlayer streaming video / radio service has been available on the Wii in the form of a browser-based app for some time now, but it looks like it's now set to step up its game considerably with a full-fledged iPlayer Wii channel. Launching in the UK on November 18th, the new channel boasts a streamlined, Wii-friendly interface that was apparently the result of extensive testing, and includes a number of other smaller design touches, like some nifty background animations during radio programs, and some use of the Wiimote's rumble feature for added feedback. Best of all, the whole thing's completely free -- now, about that UK-only part... [Thanks, Lenny]
PS3 overtakes Mac, becomes second biggest iPlayer platform
UK residents are lucky enough to have access to iPlayer, a web-based service that streams BBC programming for free. Firmware 3.00 adds iPlayer to the Video section of the XMB (provided you live in the UK, and have a UK-purchased system). It seems the added spotlight of iPlayer has increased viewership significantly, as PS3 now accounts for 10% of all iPlayer viewing. In comparison, Mac accounts for only 8.5% of viewership.The success of services like BBC iPlayer and Vidzone show how important non-gaming applications are to PS3 owners. Hopefully, figures like these will convince other players -- like Hulu -- to join in on the PlayStation party.
iPlayer HD content on HDTVs through Virgin Media
Right on the heels of BBC launching iPlayer HD, now UK residents can watch the same content directly on their HDMI-connected telly on Virgin Media's V+ service. Check one off the list, now we're just waiting for iPlayer HD on Macs, PS3 and what else?
iPlayer HD now available
Missed the Dr. Who holiday special? It, and other BBC programmes will be available as previously rumoured in high definition via BBC's iPlayer, now featuring new adaptive bitrate technology plus a new BBC iPlayer Desktop and a cross platform download manager for access under Windows, OS X and Linux. The only bad news? All that HD doesn't seem to extend to set-top boxes or the PS3 just yet, you'll have to try it out for yourself under boxee to find out if that works.
Rumor: BBC iPlayer getting dedicated Wii channel
According to Cubed3, Nintendo has approved plans for the BBC to release a dedicated iPlayer Channel for the UK market. Sources tell the British tech site that the BBC plans to launch the Wii Channel in Q2 2009, and that the service will be comparable in quality to the current mobile iPlayer services. Improvements are allegedly planned for a future version.In October, the official BBC blog revealed it had optimized the iPlayer for the Nintendo Wii after previously mentioning the possibility of a dedicated channel for the service.Cubed3 also reports that the broadcasting channel is looking to expand into video game development, but no franchises were mentioned. Can anyone say Bargain Hunt: The Game?
iPlayer HD on the way
The BBC had big plans for its iPlayer immediately upon launch in 2007, and it may be ready for a resolution bump up to HD as soon as April. Director of BBC Vision Jana Bennett revealed that an HD edition is on the way during a panel discussion at the FT Digital Media and Broadcasting Conference. Of course, UK ISPs are apparently already unhappy with the squeeze iPlayer puts on their bandwidth, and HD will only make things worse. We don't know if a ZillionTV style deal is the answer, but here's hoping it gets by the bandwidth caps somehow.
Boxee opens up alpha, adds iPlayer support for UK users
It isn't just about Macworld; shockingly there is some other tech news happening this week as well. Our pals over at boxee have just announced a new version, some love for UK users and some great news: no more invites needed! Instead of hounding me (I kid, I never minded) for a boxee invite, you can sign-up yourself at boxee.tv/join and get downloads for the Mac, Apple TV and Ubuntu. The Windows alphas are still in closed testing, but progress is moving quickly. Here's a run-down on what's new and improved: iPlayer support for UK users -- no more crying over the lack of overseas Hulu; you can now get the iPlayer via boxee Joost support MTV Music support dual-screen support Netflix improvements search in Hulu updates to the SMB library Netflix is still only working on the Mac and not on the Apple TV, but this is a great update. I've been seeing some of the private builds and the improvements are nice. A reminder, boxee is still in alpha, but the development process is on a tear!
boxee announces widened availability, iPlayer / Joost support
boxee has come a long way from its humble beginnings, and you knew it wouldn't just show up in Vegas without a little something new to share. In fact, a lot to share. Unless our memories are far worse than we imagine, this is the most substantial update on the media software since its inception. After receiving 200,000 sign-ups for its private beta, boxee has announced that it's opening its alpha to all Mac, Ubuntu and Apple TV users. Better still, the Windows flavor is sliding into private beta, and for UK users, they'll certainly appreciate the addition of proper BBC iPlayer support. Additionally, Joost support was added along with MTV Music, and a few new keyboard shortcuts were thrown in for good measure. Finally, a whole slew of bug fixes are included in the public alpha, so we're really wondering why you're still here and not downloading. Hmm? Full release is after the break.
BBC iPlayer finally available for Mac, Linux
In October 2007, the BBC said that the iPlayer would be available for Macs and Linux by the end of the 2007. Two weeks shy of the end of 2008, the BBC finally delivers. Maybe their developers accidentally took a trip in the TARDIS.Using Adobe AIR technology, the BBC has developed a version of the iPlayer that is compatible with OS X and Linux. The press release states that the player has entered beta as of today and a final release is scheduled for February 2009.The beta testing of the Mac-compatible iPlayer is being conducted through the BBC iPlayer Labs. The application download itself can be found here. The beta version of the BBC iPlayer Desktop requires OS 10.4 and above. The site does not indicate if the download is a universal binary. The BBC iPlayer is only available for UK citizens.Thanks to all those who submitted the tip!
Sky admits that HD Sky Player is coming, just not yet
Sky's web-based Player is a fine tool for catching Premiership football and the like, but the omission of HD is a sad one. With tons of other online video portals out there making the jump to high-def, there doesn't seem to be a valid excuse for Sky to wait hesitantly on the sidelines. According to Director of OnDemand Griff Parry, HD streaming channels via the internet "are coming," but the current player will remain SD only for the "foreseeable future." When asked why that was, he proclaimed that Sky couldn't "deliver it reliably to the majority of people." In other words, it would rather play things safe and deliver a consistent product rather than field the scads of troubleshooting calls from folks unable to remedy dropped frames. Sigh -- another opportunity pushed aside for the sake of convenience.
PS3 now fully supported by BBC iPlayer
We've been waiting for native iPlayer support on our PS3 since a cunning coder created their own workaround site back in April. Finally our wait is over and PS3 everywhere (well, in the UK at least) can enjoy the BBC's latest offerings through their PS3s. Simply head on over to the official website and you will be shown the new, specially made PS3 version (also accessible from your PC, if you so wish). Now catching up with Merlin, Nevermind the Buzzcocks and Heroes has never been easier.[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
BBC optimizes iPlayer for Wii
Over at the BBC blog, they've let loose images and info on their new version of the iPlayer for Wii. Further optimized to take advantage of the large Wii audience, they've added some polish to what used to be a barebones interface, increasing the resolution and taking down the clutter with big, friendly buttons. Basically, it's what you see above.While we'd like to check out the new and improved iPlayer (and maybe watch an episode of Dr. Who or something), it's for UK residents only. Supposedly, they're working on worldwide acccess, but we've no idea when that will happen.[Via Digital Spy]
WiiPlayer optimizes iPlayer for Wii
It still puzzles us that the BBC was so keen to make its (admittedly excellent and very popular) iPlayer catch-up service compatible with the Wii. Are there really that many Wii owners out there with internet-ready PCs who would opt to use the service on the Wii's slightly clunky Opera browser? Why not just use your PC to watch the latest editions of Gavin & Stacey and The Apprentice? You know: the one you're using to read these words, right at this very second?Not only that, but the iPlayer on the Wii is hardly user-friendly. Text is so small that it's almost unreadable, loading times are hardly ideal, and the low resolution of the Wii's browser makes navigation awkward. Cue the intervention of WiiPlayer, a hacked version of the iPlayer that has been optimized for Nintendo's console, and is now available for use at http://defaced.co.uk/wiiplayer.It won't work on your PC, and it goes without saying you'll still have to reside in the UK to use this, but WiiPlayer does do a sterling job, replacing the iPlayer's teensy text and browser-taxing layout with pleasingly chunky, Wiimote-friendly icons and a cleaner, less cluttered appearance. %Gallery-24519%[Via Tech Digest]
Hacker puts BBC's iPlayer on PS3; official version coming "in due course"
Not willing to wait for the BBC to get its act together and release a PS3-compatible version of it's iPlayer streaming video web site, an enterprising hacker has pieced together his own version and put it out for the world to share. PS3iplayer.com works by making the PS3's web browser pretend it's the Wii's Opera browser, tricking the BBC web-site to serve up the official version designed for Nintendo's system. Compatibility is reportedly a little spotty, but the site does seem to show how easy it would be to port the web site over to the PS3's built-in web browser, despite vague complaints of Sony's controlling imposition.For his part, the BBC's head of digital media technology, Anthony Rose, writes in a blog post that the hack is impressive but not necessarily "the best possible iPlayer proposition for that console." Rose assured readers that his team is looking into creating an official version of the player for the PS3 "in due course." Like when someone on the digital media team gets a free lunch hour, perhaps?
BBC criticizes Sony, Microsoft's approach to streaming video on consoles
Why does the hardly-home-theater styled Wii have BBC's iPlayer, and not the much more media player-focused Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3? A note from a BBC employees blog details the troubles of getting things set up with Sony and Microsoft (although with a little tweaking, a PS3 owner has already set up PS3iPlayer.com to give the console iPlayer access) officially, since "they want control of the look, the feel and the experience". Sure BBC's iPlayer is Flash-based (and not the good 1080p Flash either) but their issues could indicate how difficult it will be for other interested parties like Netflix to gain access to the walled garden.[Via Joystiq]
BBC iPlayer comes to the PS3 with PS3iPlayer.com
How ironic that while the PS3 is easily the best console for multimedia content it gets beaten to the iPlayer punch by the Wii. Not for long though. An unofficial website, PS3iPlayer.com, has been set up by a very clever coder known as Ixalon. This allows PS3s to access iPlayer content directly on their TV. Unfortunately the PS3's browser does not allow the videos to be shown at full screen, but after a bit of zooming the same effect can be achieved. For those of you who don't know, the BBC iPlayer is an online video player which allows you to see a large variety of BBC content that has been shown on TV in the past week. Unfortunately it's only available for UK residents at the moment. The fact that PS3iPlayer.com was set up in only a day demonstrates how simple it would be for the BBC to create an official player for the PS3, as they have done with the Wii. Get on it, BBC. We want to watch Doctor Who on our PS3s![Thanks Marc]
BBC: Sony, MS wanted to "control" streaming video on their consoles
A day after the BBC announced a version of its iPlayer streaming video service for the Wii, an obvious follow-up question arises: "Why isn't a similar service available for the PS3 and Xbox 360 as well?" A partial answer from BBC Future and Technology Group Coordinator Erik Huggers, who said in a BBC's dot.life blog that Sony and Microsoft weren't willing to open up their infrastructures to the iPlayer. "If you want to get on the PlayStation or Xbox, they want control of the look, the feel and the experience; they want it done within their shop, and their shop only," Huggers said.The BBC blogger uses this as a leaping-off point to declare that the Wii's deal with the BBC "makes something of a mockery" of the multimedia capabilities of the Xbox 360 and PS3. Never mind that the Wii can't even play DVDs (much less Blu-ray discs) or that the system offers no way to download video for permanent, offline viewing. According to the BBC's blogger, Nintendo is "bridging the gap between the web and the TV" in a way that its competitors aren't.Regardless, the implication that Sony and Microsoft are unwilling to accommodate online video outside the walled garden of their narrow, profit-generating shop services is a little upsetting. The beauty of having a machine connected to the internet should be the ability to access the wide array of free content on that internet, not just the opportunity to buy things from the console maker and its partners.
BBC iPlayer takes the Wii by storm
Now we know what makes you people tick: the BBC. Our inboxes (and comments) have been flooded with news about the BBC iPlayer in one of our most-tipped stories ever.If you're one of the five people who didn't send us this tip and don't know what's up, the BBC (British Broadcasting Corporation) announced today that their iPlayer, which allows viewers to catch up with BBC shows online, is now compatible with the Wii. And yes, that means you'll be able to watch Dr. Who, EastEnders, and other such programmes on your TV to your tea-drinking heart's content.Should this venture by the BBC become successful (which we think it will -- after the news was announced, the number of people using the iPlayer rose significantly), we wouldn't be surprised to see other major networks adopt their services to Nintendo's console. That's not to say that the BBC isn't running into some problems with the idea, though. Right now, the network is quarreling with ISPs over who should pay the extra service costs. Even so, the player can be used as soon as today, with more polished video quality promised in the future. You'll probably also be relieved to know that the service is free, although it will cost you money to download Nintendo's internet channel if you haven't done so already.The other catch? The BBC iPlayer is only available in the UK, for the time being, but BBC Worldwide is apparently working on getting an international player up and running.[Via TVSquad; thanks to everyone who sent this in!]
