BBC To Create 'Catch-Up TV Player'

grouchal writes "The BBC Trust (a semi independent regulator) has just approved the BBC's efforts to launch iPlayer (no new info on this link yet). This means that UK residents can watch broadcast BBC programs out of sync with the broadcast schedule by up to 30 days for free. The iPlayer will launch for the PC but is expected on Media Center, Xbox 360 devices in the near future. The approval also included some constraints." This would really have made my life a lot simpler when my tivo died a couple of weeks ago.

UK Resident

[Short Circuit]

This would really have made my life a lot simpler when my tivo died a couple of weeks ago.

Not really...You're not a UK resident.

DRM'd pile of crap

[MartinG]

Even though I am a UK BBC license fee payer, I won't be able to use this service I have paid for, because I don't use Windows and in and case I'm mot prepared to accept DRM.

I'll continue downloading DRM free BBC shows via bittorrent just as I have for a while now. I have no moral objection to doing this since I've paid for the content anyway.

How long are we going to continue in a situation where the unofficial channels of content delivery are superior to the official ones? Surely it can't be forever and DRM will soon have to die?

Re:An historic day

[Anonymous Coward]

A historic day. the h is not silent.

Re:Linux?

[Anonymous Coward]

Yes it's completely unacceptable that someone who knows absolutely nothing things they'll never ever ever make a Linux version of the iPlayer.

Are you kidding me? This hasn't even been released yet (for ANY OS) and you're already lighting up the torches. Give it time, in the meantime, just use a newsreader for christ's sake. Once the program is available for OSX it's not too hard to then port it to Linux in one way shape or form.

breathe deeply and repeat after me:

this is a good idea, let's see where they go with it before we boycott it. At least you're in the UK unlike most of the nay sayers....

Re:An historic day

[prefect42]

http://www.wsu.edu/~brians/errors/anhistoric.html [wsu.edu]

As such, most people consider both to be acceptable.

Re:DRM'd pile of crap

[MartinG]

1) copyright infringement is not theft.

2) I have, on occasion decided to download instead of buying because it's the ONLY WAY to get content without DRM. You say "stealing" causes DRM, but I think it's the other way around. I would be perfectly prepared to pay for non-DRM'd content and I accuse anyone who disagrees with my of judging me by their own standards.

Re:OS X as well...

[Anonymous Coward]

They make a lot of noise about how they can't release some material in some formats because it would create competition for private industry

I don't think that "they" (i.e. the BBC) did - I think that it was the BBC Trust. Personally I'd have expected the BBC Trust to represent the licence payers rather than the competition.

Re:OS X as well...

[TobascoKid]

Personally I'd have expected the BBC Trust to represent the licence payers rather than the competition.

They actually take both sides into account. I think they try to be biased towards the licence fee payer though.

Re:Anyone got a good UK proxy?

[TobascoKid]

requires a valid postal address (easily forged).

Seeing as the "armed wing of the BBC" (The TV Licensing Authority) has a database with every household in the UK on it, and the name of the Licence holder for that address, it may not be that simple.

Re:DRM'd pile of crap

[ajs318]

The BBC produce some of the world's finest television content, and this is mostly due to the way they are funded. If the BBC relied on advertising sponsorship, programmes would end up being made to suit the advertisers. If the BBC relied on general taxation, programmes would end up being made to suit the government.

The BBC is in the pockets of nobody but viewers. If that changes, the quality of programmes WILL worsen. Look to the communist system (where factories are run for the benefit of lazy workers) and the capitalist system (where factories are run for the benefit of rich shareholders) for examples of how things can go wrong when production is tailored to anyone other than the poor sod who has to spend their hard-earned on your products.