Sounds pretty cool. I wonder if the iPlayer will be available outside of the UK?
Ryan Jarrett
· 2 years ago
I hope it will, in some form, but the licensing issues are complex. Maybe an ad-supported version for some of its programs will be available, but I don't think a service as fully featured as the UK iPlayer will ever be available overseas. From what I understand, they make a considerable amount of money licensing their programs in other territories, plus significant DVD sales revenue - certainly in the short- and medium-term they wouldn't want to harm this. However I dare say that in the long-term these sorts of issues will soften and more homogeneous products will be available worldwide.
Jeremy
· 2 years ago
Greeeaaat!
This sounds even worse than the stories already published about the iPlayer. Not only is it proprietary, DRM filled and against the mandate of the BBC itself, not only are you forced to use Windows, you are also forced to download IE7, Windows Media Player and several sets of other commercial applications? What a nightmare!
And now to realise that it only will work in the UK? WTF?
I am an English citizen, I use a Macintosh and I don't live in the UK. Even if I used Windows or wanted to use my wife's Windows laptop or something, I sure would not download all that commercial junk just to watch Dr. Who. And people wonder why illegal downloading continues?
All of this content has been paid for already by the British public. The idea that I can't see it because I refuse to buy into Microsoft's crap software is outrageous.
Steve Barnes
· 2 years ago
I have access to this beta as of a couple of days ago but I can't use it at all, as I use Ubuntu. This frustrates me, especially because this software has been in production for a number of years and I have been looking forward to using it, but also because I pay my license fee like the rest and can't access a service my money, and other users's money whom are excluded from usage because of their respective operating system choices, has been spent on creating. And I can't see why its only compatible with Windows XP, not even the latest Windows.
Adam
· 2 years ago
There are 3 things about the iPlayer that I have noticed
1) The programs are automatically recorded off the telly and therefore have some bits before and after the program. I downloaded "The Real Hustle" and there was 10 mins of the programme before at the beginning and 10 mins of the programme after at the end. Come on BBC, surely YOU have access to the original video files, and don't therefore have to record them off of your own channel!
2) The Konitiki software is a constant irritation, because it is always running. There is a Konitiki process called KService.exe that annoys me. I play online games. When my ping is around 150, I don't go and hack my internets to try and fix it. I don't have a problem with high pings. Usually. But when KService makes my ping go from 14ms to 590ms, then I get annoyed. Now, every time I want to play an online game, I have to press Ctrl-Alt-Delete, and Kill KService.exe
3) It's not avaliable on Macs. I don't care about Linux, and frankly I don't think they should port it to Linux, since the number of people who SOLEY use Linux is minimal. The number of people who soley use Macs is much greater, and is viable for a Mac port. The BBC Trust, however, has forced the BBC to port it to both the Mac and Linux, and the Mac port will be released in the Autumn, with the Linux version by the end of the year
The idea of the iPlayer is superb. Now I wish it was implemented correctly
John
· 2 years ago
How depressing! I may as well just mail some of my (heard-earned) money off to Micro$oft.
David Mills
· 2 years ago
Adam:
You may not care about Linux support, I do, also, I care about Mac support, even if I don't own a Mac. By your logic the 3% Mac population doesn't deserve a port eather, since the number of people with only a Mac in their house is really small (you included).
David
Kylde
· 2 years ago
Adam, simply set the Kontiki service to MANUAL in services.msc, and disable any khost.exe entries in msconfig, then you only have to CAD after actually using the program. And I don't think it SHOULD be available outside the UK, I pay a hefty licence fee annually for the privilege of using this program :)
Rob
· 2 years ago
I wish commentators would stop complaining about the iPlayer not being available for Linux resulting in them not being able to get "the full BBC experience". The truth is, it is not viable to port it just for the minority of people who use Linux (in the UK Joe Average hasn't even heard of Linux, the only reason that it's getting so much attention is because a large number of Bloggers, Diggers etc. are not Joe Average when it comes to computing)
To get the full BBC experience you need the right equipment like Windows (Mac soon), a colour TV, a digital reciever etc. Not everyone has all these but I rarely see someone who doesn't have Sky digital/Cable digital/Freeview complaining.
Neil Boothman
· 2 years ago
I tried the iPlayer out and found much of the same frustrations as you have, the quality of the video you are provided with is somewhat poor I thought. To give the BBC credit though, the iPlayer simply would have never been possible without DRM and they have to be creditied with at very least making an attempt to making all their content available online and some people will no doubt find this service useful once they have managed to set it up.
Adam
· 2 years ago
Joe, you are a cock. That's like saying that the 'UK Joe Average' (?) isn't deaf, so why bother adding subtitles.
Of course there are technical limitations, I can't get TV on my radio (duh!), but this is like saying only Sony TV's will be able to show BBC content, not Toshibas or Samsungs... the BBC just wouldn't get away with it.
It's not it's not possible to do this on Linux, it's just that the BBC have made some very bad technical decisions that have resulted in alienating a portion of it's paying customers and denying them a service, which is not only bad practice but I believe illegal for them to do under their own charter.
Adam
· 2 years ago
...oops, meant Rob not Joe, you're still wrong though ;)
Cal
· 2 years ago
Rob: I know you think that everyone uses windows and shows as little wit as you, trust me - some of us don't: Calling Microsoft "The right equipment" is disingenuous at best. I wonder if other things were marketed as effectively as MS which brand of beans you would find yourself disgustingly loyal to.
I use Ubuntu Linux (and many other LICENSE PAYING CUSTOMERS do too) which means that I can't use this monstrosity. I'm most unhappy that a portion of my license fee seems to have found it's way to Redmond, though not surprised.
Neil: The internet is amazing piece of work - accessible through many different platforms: DRM kills this - it just doesn't work. People who are unable to use the legal services because of DRM will inevitably turn to the shadier methods of media acquisition. This will bolster the 'illegal' services by filling their pockets with advertising cash, filling up file-sharing networks with seeds/peers and providing money for physical bootleg media. The BBC programmes are broadcast on terrestrial media - but I don't see anyone screaming about sharing old VHS cassettes or DVD-RW.
Kylde: fair point - though we've already paid for it, i personally don't have a problem with people oversees reaping the benefit of that. The beeb could be a great ambassador for us, and already is with much of it's programming, like the world service.
Adam: precisely. A cock. Indeed.
I will never watch the BBC again, I hope they go under, they don't deserve to survive. Alas, they were a shining example, now they're just a burning train wreck.
Peter White
· 2 years ago
At least you could get it to work! I could login through Firefox however when i tried to login through IE it just kept loading the same page. Seems the BBC have a long way to go to get it right.
Fusen
· 2 years ago
If the DRM is such a nuisance to you, check out this flash video;
good old, delays and limitations that in the end are completely pointless
Cal
· 2 years ago
Fusen: hahahaaaa!!!!!! that simple. kudos.
jo
· 2 years ago
"I will never watch the BBC again, I hope they go under, they don’t deserve to survive. Alas, they were a shining example, now they’re just a burning train wreck."
what a drama queen. i'm really fed up of whiny spoilt noobs you get on the net these days who always want everything now & for free, the false sense of entitlement these people have is nauseating.
how many times do people have to be told that THIS IS A BETA. they pushed out a beta version for the most popular platform so it can be tested quickly & fully. mac & linux versions will be coming out at the end of the year.
Steve O'Hear (editor)
· 2 years ago
@jo
I agree that never watching the BBC again is overreacting but at the same time they've had years to sort out a cross platform strategy, and I'm very skeptical that they'll have a Mac or Linux version by the end of the year. I hope I'm wrong.
Simon
· 2 years ago
I have to say, I reviewed the BBC iPlayer beta and hated it. Forget about the DRM limitations, which another commenter rightly pointed out don't need to be there, but the application itself was a mess. Unstable and not a single ounce of thought had gone into usability and interface design, they obviously thought it was more important to make everything shiny. Not to mention the confusing DRM restrictions they've decided on.
jo
· 2 years ago
Jo: Spoilt: not at all.
Noob: speak for yourself.
Whiny? Yes, thanks for noticing.
I don't want it for free - check this: I Already paid. My real problem is with drm, and my sense of entitlement is far from false, again: I, along with everyone else in the U.K. who has a television, paid for this.
As for Drama Queen, check out the spelling and grammar on the bbc website, the quality of the news that they are peddling these days and the attitude of the administration.
People will obtain the media any way they can - it's a fact, suck it up princess. I have no problem paying for the media I enjoy, but when paying for it becomes more difficult and tedious, nay, even dangerous (a la sony rootkit) than using less legal alternatives, people will do the obvious.
I loved the beeb, but it has gone downhill, though I guess I'll try harder to control my diatribe, as some people don't have a sarcasm detector (must not be compatible with windows).
All Comments
This sounds even worse than the stories already published about the iPlayer. Not only is it proprietary, DRM filled and against the mandate of the BBC itself, not only are you forced to use Windows, you are also forced to download IE7, Windows Media Player and several sets of other commercial applications? What a nightmare!
And now to realise that it only will work in the UK? WTF?
I am an English citizen, I use a Macintosh and I don't live in the UK. Even if I used Windows or wanted to use my wife's Windows laptop or something, I sure would not download all that commercial junk just to watch Dr. Who. And people wonder why illegal downloading continues?
All of this content has been paid for already by the British public. The idea that I can't see it because I refuse to buy into Microsoft's crap software is outrageous.
1) The programs are automatically recorded off the telly and therefore have some bits before and after the program. I downloaded "The Real Hustle" and there was 10 mins of the programme before at the beginning and 10 mins of the programme after at the end. Come on BBC, surely YOU have access to the original video files, and don't therefore have to record them off of your own channel!
2) The Konitiki software is a constant irritation, because it is always running. There is a Konitiki process called KService.exe that annoys me. I play online games. When my ping is around 150, I don't go and hack my internets to try and fix it. I don't have a problem with high pings. Usually. But when KService makes my ping go from 14ms to 590ms, then I get annoyed. Now, every time I want to play an online game, I have to press Ctrl-Alt-Delete, and Kill KService.exe
3) It's not avaliable on Macs. I don't care about Linux, and frankly I don't think they should port it to Linux, since the number of people who SOLEY use Linux is minimal. The number of people who soley use Macs is much greater, and is viable for a Mac port. The BBC Trust, however, has forced the BBC to port it to both the Mac and Linux, and the Mac port will be released in the Autumn, with the Linux version by the end of the year
The idea of the iPlayer is superb. Now I wish it was implemented correctly
You may not care about Linux support, I do, also, I care about Mac support, even if I don't own a Mac. By your logic the 3% Mac population doesn't deserve a port eather, since the number of people with only a Mac in their house is really small (you included).
David
To get the full BBC experience you need the right equipment like Windows (Mac soon), a colour TV, a digital reciever etc. Not everyone has all these but I rarely see someone who doesn't have Sky digital/Cable digital/Freeview complaining.
Of course there are technical limitations, I can't get TV on my radio (duh!), but this is like saying only Sony TV's will be able to show BBC content, not Toshibas or Samsungs... the BBC just wouldn't get away with it.
It's not it's not possible to do this on Linux, it's just that the BBC have made some very bad technical decisions that have resulted in alienating a portion of it's paying customers and denying them a service, which is not only bad practice but I believe illegal for them to do under their own charter.
I use Ubuntu Linux (and many other LICENSE PAYING CUSTOMERS do too) which means that I can't use this monstrosity. I'm most unhappy that a portion of my license fee seems to have found it's way to Redmond, though not surprised.
Neil: The internet is amazing piece of work - accessible through many different platforms: DRM kills this - it just doesn't work. People who are unable to use the legal services because of DRM will inevitably turn to the shadier methods of media acquisition. This will bolster the 'illegal' services by filling their pockets with advertising cash, filling up file-sharing networks with seeds/peers and providing money for physical bootleg media. The BBC programmes are broadcast on terrestrial media - but I don't see anyone screaming about sharing old VHS cassettes or DVD-RW.
Kylde: fair point - though we've already paid for it, i personally don't have a problem with people oversees reaping the benefit of that. The beeb could be a great ambassador for us, and already is with much of it's programming, like the world service.
Adam: precisely. A cock. Indeed.
I will never watch the BBC again, I hope they go under, they don't deserve to survive. Alas, they were a shining example, now they're just a burning train wreck.
http://www.fusenn.com/movies/bbciplayer.html
good old, delays and limitations that in the end are completely pointless
what a drama queen. i'm really fed up of whiny spoilt noobs you get on the net these days who always want everything now & for free, the false sense of entitlement these people have is nauseating.
how many times do people have to be told that THIS IS A BETA. they pushed out a beta version for the most popular platform so it can be tested quickly & fully. mac & linux versions will be coming out at the end of the year.
I agree that never watching the BBC again is overreacting but at the same time they've had years to sort out a cross platform strategy, and I'm very skeptical that they'll have a Mac or Linux version by the end of the year. I hope I'm wrong.
Noob: speak for yourself.
Whiny? Yes, thanks for noticing.
I don't want it for free - check this: I Already paid. My real problem is with drm, and my sense of entitlement is far from false, again: I, along with everyone else in the U.K. who has a television, paid for this.
As for Drama Queen, check out the spelling and grammar on the bbc website, the quality of the news that they are peddling these days and the attitude of the administration.
People will obtain the media any way they can - it's a fact, suck it up princess. I have no problem paying for the media I enjoy, but when paying for it becomes more difficult and tedious, nay, even dangerous (a la sony rootkit) than using less legal alternatives, people will do the obvious.
I loved the beeb, but it has gone downhill, though I guess I'll try harder to control my diatribe, as some people don't have a sarcasm detector (must not be compatible with windows).