BBC Releases P2P TV Client Test 292
evildeed writes "The BBC's Internet Media Player trial started today, and a few thousand lucky UK citizens now have a copy. The good news? Legal P2P downloads of quality shows. The bad news? Requires IE and Windows Media Player, and it's probably going to be UK-only. Oh well. One of the lucky few has uploaded screenshots and a brief review." The service was first announced back in may.
Before anyone asks.. (Score:5, Informative)
14. When will I get iMP on Mac & Linux?
Currently, our supplier is working towards supporting a Mac and Linux version.
Re:Before anyone asks.. (Score:5, Insightful)
I can certianly sympathize with you. I often wondered why we paid for the creation of the content but didn't have more rights to it. If you paid for anything else to be created you would naturally assume that you would own it at the end. Surely anyone who pays the licence fee should be able to give a copy of a show to anyone else who pays the fee (tax).
It doesn't bother me much any more though. I got rid of the TV 5 or 6 years ago and so have saved around £600 in license fees. I can't say I have missed it either. I have a decent sized DVD collection for those times when I really want to kick back and watch something. There have always been a few shows though that I have wanted to watch such as some of the nature pieces. They normally eventually come out on DVD but that's not quite the same. Hopefully this will mean I will be able to pick up such shows for a tiny price.
The thing that worries me, however, is that we will end up with an Internet tax in much the same way as they have in Germany. Be prepared to fight for you right to not pay the BBC.
Re:Before anyone asks.. (Score:3, Interesting)
With most programmes that have been created, the copyright is owned by the company that created it - which, thanks to the decision to "outsource" a lot of programme making, isn't always the BBC. Furthermore, writers and artists involved in programmes - actors, for example - usually have rights to additional money when a
Re:Before anyone asks.. (Score:2, Insightful)
*Shrug*. Well, if you'd like to volunteer to handle the negotiations with the many thousands of rights-holders that the BBC has to deal with, your help would no-doubt be welcome. And I suspect that, if you did, we'd see a BBC iMP in time for the next century - not this one.
"Yes, copyright is held by the ex-BBC employees who (purely coincidentally) get all the contracts."
Yes, isn't it terrible the way that the BBC acts as
Re:Before anyone asks.. (Score:5, Insightful)
Ahh, so basically you're one of those people who hate the BBC and will look for any old stick to bash it with? Fine - that puts your previous comments in a little more context. Have you ever thought you might have got the argument the wrong way round - that the fact that the BBC produces so many worthwhile programmes (much more than "free market" ITV) is actually evidence that it's not nepotistic or corrupt? Or would that be using logic instead of your own bias?
And if you think that programme makers aren't in a competitive market, you know nothing about media.
Re:Before anyone asks.. (Score:2)
Grab.
Re:Before anyone asks.. (Score:4, Insightful)
Re:Before anyone asks.. (Score:2)
How do you watch DVDs without a TV? (Score:2)
Unless you don't have to pay the license fee for computers or projectors. But if you don't, couldn't you just use a TV Tuner card?
Re:How do you watch DVDs without a TV? (Score:2)
As another poster pointed out you only have to pay the fee if you have a device capable of recieving the transmition. Hence, you would have to pay for a PC TV tuner card.
Up until the bulb blew I watched movies using a projector now I am back to using the computer :o(
Re:How do you watch DVDs without a TV? (Score:2)
Broadcast TV must be a lot better in Britain than it is in the US, for anyone to have trouble believing that someone would not want to watch it..
Re:Before anyone asks.. (Score:2)
Same way they did for all those years that DRM didn't exist for.
Companies do NOT need DRM to be able to make a profit (and if they do need DRM, then they're doing something dreadfully wrong all of a sudden as many companies out there don't need it and are able to make profits). The idea that they do need DRM is pure nonesense fostered by the companies in the
Re:Before anyone asks.. (Score:2)
Re:Before anyone asks.. (Score:2)
well, it is, or certainly was tied to the use of a television to watch broadcasts. if you only used one to watch DVD's or play PS2 games etc then you do not need a TV licence.
or have they "fixed" that by now?
dave
Re:Before anyone asks.. (Score:2)
I agree that the 7-day thing is crap, but you'll still need the DRM.
Grab.
Re:Before anyone asks.. (Score:2)
I'm certianly not defending DRM on a wide scale, but I would rather the BBC provided this facility with DRM than not at all.
And there went the chance for the rest of us to live in a world without DRMed content. DRM being just another way of saying "fuck the public domain".
I can't believe how people time and time again seem totally oblivious of that consequence. DRM = Perpetual copyright, which in effect reverses the effect copyright was intended to have. For the record: Copyright doesn't mean right
Re:Before anyone asks.. (Score:2)
I am more concerned about the slipperly slope aspect of this, rather than this being BBC or whoever, and thus my reaction.
His atttitude towards it all seemed very much to lean against "I'd rather have DRMed content than none at all, if corporations aren't willing to provide us with what we are entitled to". At least that is how I read it.
If people have that kind of attitude, I can see the the suits smiling already.
Copyright-holders are entitled to copyright protection, given that the material will
Re:Before anyone asks.. (Score:2)
Lets seperate the medium that delivers the content from the content itself as the medium is secondary to the argument. By asking how it is different to a DVD I think you are really asking how is it different to a film made by an independent studio.
When making a film someone stumps up a big pile of money with the hope of recovering that money through the sale of the film (eg cinema / DVD sales). Providing the money to make the film is a risk and the person / people who do so have a right to expect to own t
Re:Before anyone asks.. (Score:2)
There is no comparison here. The author of a newspaper article (assuming the writer is freelance) is the one that has invested the money (and took the risk) into creating a given article. It is right and proper they should own the copyright to that article. The newspaper licenses the article, end of story (sorry bad pun).
This is comparable to the BBC licensing a show from another production company. I would never argue that they own the copyright on that content (unless they actually bought the copyright
Re:Before anyone asks.. (Score:2)
The licence payers do take a gamble. They put money into the pot and trust the people running the BBC (and oddly enough the people have no say over who runs the BBC) to produce quality programming that they want to watch and can be sold abroad. Sometimes it doesn't workout
Re:Before anyone asks.. (Score:2)
I'm interested about this — the guy in the article said he was hoping the DRM was only for the duration of the trial, and in the iMP help, you find:
Now, that either means that they're going to be using other DRM when the full system is released, or none at all. I'd really like to hope the latter (the likelihood is probably away from that though).
Genius, I tell you! (Score:4, Funny)
DRM-encumbered (Score:5, Insightful)
In addition, the media files themselves are DRM-encumbered, so it wouldn't even make sense to have them on a P2P network when the files would 1) stop working after 7 days and 2) may not work on other machines.
Is this really P2P? If they are opening up the archives, why would they want to put DRM on the files?
It doesn't make sense.
Re:DRM-encumbered (Score:2, Informative)
From the article:
iMP uses peer to peer distribution technology (P2P) to legally distribute these programmes.
Somebody is wrong, and I doubt it's the BBC in regards to their own technology.
Maybe they are just using it as a buzzword (Score:5, Insightful)
http://www.bbc.co.uk/imp/tour/tour7.shtml [bbc.co.uk]
Maybe the files themselves are hosted on a P2P network and the BBC saves on bandwidth costs by offloading the files onto that network. But it doesn't seem very "P2Pish".
Re:Maybe they are just using it as a buzzword (Score:2)
It is using a P2P system, kontiki.com appears to have details (those are the providers). From the pretty brief overview they give, it looks similar to BitTorrent.
Re:DRM-encumbered (Score:2, Insightful)
No.
Re:DRM-encumbered (Score:2)
Re:DRM-encumbered (Score:2)
The BBC are of course hosting the files themselves on their own servers, and these are high bandwidth seeds in the P2P network.
Re:DRM-encumbered (Score:3, Informative)
Just because the BBC are seeding the files and there are very few other users in the trial to connect to (let alone any that might have the show you're after) means it's not a P2P network? So by your logic bittorrent, edonkey, winmx, etc all were never actually P2P networks until they gained X number of clients? I think not.
Re:DRM-encumbered (Score:2)
Take a look at their technology provider's page [kontiki.com] — it looks like a similar system to BitTorrent, but with a specific content (and DRM) system built on top, as opposed to just being a networking system. It's certainly P2P, from what they describe.
Re:DRM-encumbered (Score:2)
Translation: If it comes from peers, it's p2p :)
Re:DRM-encumbered (Score:2)
So, what if I change the date on my computer? What if I download the software from someone else? What if I reverse engineer the softrware to discover the key?
This doesn't sound like a very strong system, regardless of whether or not it's distributed by P2P. I believe on the of the other posters who said his wife works for this company and said that they are only instituting a half-hearted DRM scheme because they're required to do due diligence by the content owners.
When can I buy the service? (Score:5, Interesting)
What about The Daily Show? (Score:4, Informative)
I don't think thats true. You can watch Comedy Centrals The Daily Show on the Internet:
http://www.comedycentral.com/shows/the_daily_show
Yet its shown on CNN here and Comedy Channel and its coming to the UK soon:
http://www.boingboing.net/2005/10/04/daily_show_t
So I don't see how that can be true, especially since it would be sold rather than given away free (like Daily Show). But more to the point, I *can't* get BBC here, its not available, only BBC World is available, so its not competiting in many markets with itself. They could (at minimim) sell it to markets where they don't have distribution deals.
Re:What about The Daily Show? (Score:2)
Sorry, 21 today and feeling great!
Re:When can I buy the service? (Score:2, Interesting)
"UK only"? (Score:4, Interesting)
Oh wait, does it mean that it is legal to download it only if you're in the UK?
Re:"UK only"? (Score:4, Interesting)
I imagine an international version will be about sooner or later for all the BBC produced material - but probably fee based. The reason is that those in the UK have already paid the fee by already having (the vast vast majority anyway)a TV licence - so I can see a fee based version run by BBC worldwide as an option for those outside the UK.
Re:"UK only"? (Score:2)
In future they might well simply require some form of confirmation of your tv licence details to prove that you've paid for it - which is the real goal. Restricting the downloads to UK only is only an approximation - since not everyone in the UK has a tv licence.
Re:"UK only"? (Score:4, Interesting)
They'll use current (imperfect) IP geolocation stuff like everyone else.
No, they wont. They will use the internal peering arrangements that they have currently setup with a large number of UK ISPs. When you gain access to BBC content through one of these ISPs, you dont actually go out onto the internet but you are routed through private peering directly onto a BBC network with content servers. You cant access these content servers any other way (currently), they are not 'public'.
THe BBC provides highspeed peering for a large number of businesses and reasons, tehy have a pretty impressive network.
Re:"UK only"? (Score:5, Interesting)
No, they wont.
I rather think that they will. I know because my wife works for the BBC and showed me a preview of the technology roadmap - which is now public, and so I can talk about it here.
They're using GeoIP to do IP location, Kontiki to handle the P2P aspect and (at the moment) Windows WMV DRM to handle the encryption and license to view.
I suspect that this is only the initial technology - there is no way that MPlayer/VLC/etc will implement DRM (and even if they did, they're open source, so people could just dike it out anyway).
The DRM aspect is for due diligence - so that the Beeb can represent to the content producers (often non-BBC companies) that their content is being safeguarded against the legions of pirates, who, err.. download the stuff via DVB-{S,T,C} and then upload to Bittorrent. In other words - the guys at Kingswood Warren [BBC Tech HQ] know fine that the DRM protection is ultimately bullshit, but that they have to make some good faith effort to raise the piracy bar.
Back to GeoIP: I tried going out to my (German-based) Web proxy, then back via a UK HTTP proxy to test whether it would work. And it did - proving nothing, BTW, except that non UK people will get access to this content anyway.
--Ng
Re:"UK only"? (Score:2)
Re:"UK only"? (Score:2)
So how do they get away with none of the documentation (or announcements) mentioning the limitation to certain ISPs ?
Or is it because of trial stage is invite-only and they've limited the invites to those ISPs ?
What happens if you go via a different UK ISP (not cennected to that network) - maybe then it falls back to Geo-IP and a different route (or different auth servers) ?
Re:"UK only"? (Score:2)
Re:"UK only"? (Score:2)
13. Will internet users abroad be able to get iMP?
No. The BBC will be using Geo-IP technology to restrict usage to UK users only. [Top]
15. What do I need to use iMP?
FOR PC (and the High Definition tests):
A broadband connection at home - 512kbps or higher
So, Geo-IP and no mention of needing to use specific partner ISPs (I do vaguely remember this being a requirement for some free streaming content, possibly BBC, but that was some time ago).
Re:"UK only"? (Score:3, Funny)
Question.. (Score:4, Interesting)
Sri.
Re:Question.. (Score:5, Informative)
Once a broadcaster starts depending on advertising for revenues, the overriding concern becomes viewer figures, rather than quality of output; thus ITV (the BBC's main commercial equivelent) shows programs like 'Celebrity Love Island' and 'TVs Naughtiest Blunders 16' at the same time as BBC shows Newsnight (fairly serious news and current affairs program).
The licence fee, despite many people not liking it, makes for independent and high-quality broadcasting; IMO arguably the best in the world.
-Chris
Re:Question.. (Score:3, Insightful)
Once a broadcaster starts depending on advertising for revenues, the overriding concern becomes viewer figures, rather than quality of output
Would you say this has happened with PBS? My feeling is that it hasn't, but I'm not completely sure about it.
Ironically, having an overriding concern of viewer figures probably makes more sense if the program is supported by taxes than if it's supported by advertising. If everyone has to pay, then you should try to benefit the most people.
I'd also question your
Re:Question.. (Score:5, Informative)
The BBC isn't allowed [bbc.co.uk] under it's charter to make money from advertising. They are supposed to form a neutral point on everything, including corporate interest.
That hasn't stopped some companies muscling into the popular TV shows to get their product placed - and recently are increasingly underfire [timesonline.co.uk] about the whole thing.
That said - if you do pay the BBC TV/Radio licence - doesn't that entitle me to use of any content that they carry? For example if Radio 1 play a song on the radio - since my licence payment has already reembursed the artist for it - shouldn't I be allowed to listen again and again?
Re:Question.. (Score:3, Informative)
We have no adverts on the BBC. We pay a license fee for the right to watch TV and our reward is good quality programmes, no adverts and probably the worlds strongest news agency.
Re:Question.. (Score:2, Insightful)
Comment removed (Score:4, Insightful)
Re:I wonder how long it'll be... (Score:2, Funny)
Where art thou?
Re:I wonder how long it'll be... (Score:2)
Yeah Monty python lacks and comedy brilliance , don't get me started on Fawlty towers.
Also those dammed awful documentaries and shows like the sky at night .
Also some low rated sci-fi like Dr Who and Red Dwarf
BBC certainly is the worst .
Now I'm off , Its time for the men in white coats to give me my injections and warm coat with straps .
TV problem (Score:3, Insightful)
I don't kwnow how exactly this laws work in the US, but in my country TV channels have a lot of political influence.
So we are not going to see BBC outside UK any time soon.
Re:TV problem (Score:2)
I guess these [bbcworld.com] people may have a problem then!
The BBC have two channels that are on worldwide sat distribution, BBC World and BBC Prime. You won't be allowed to see them in some places like Iran, but then only if your dish is visible.
Huh? (Score:2)
So what do you think BBC World is then?
Re:TV problem (Score:2)
Besides, we're talking internet here, not broadcast over the airwaves.
Re:TV problem (Score:2)
Missuse of license money (Score:3, Insightful)
I can't see how distributing huge DRM-infected files, using bandwidth from the BBC's own servers, that then destroys itself in 7 days is efficient use of resources. Add to that the obvious cost of the delivery technology from Microsoft and we're looking at a potential waste of money.
Of all media organisations, the BBC are in the best place to lead the way with the use of open source technology and "risk" the use of unencrypted files.
Heck, it's easy enough for them to charge those outside of the UK for it too, by offering a proportional "license fee" to them. That would have the added benefit of helping ex-pats too.
Re:Missuse of license money (Score:4, Interesting)
I can't see how distributing huge DRM-infected files, using bandwidth from the BBC's own servers, that then destroys itself in 7 days is efficient use of resources. Add to that the obvious cost of the delivery technology from Microsoft and we're looking at a potential waste of money.
I think its a great use of my money, why? Simple:
Even the BBC is required to protect its content, as it may not own the full rights to all its shows, since the production of those shows are often subletted to other production companies. Thus it shouldnt 'risk unencrypted files' just because you want them to. Opensource is not a be all end all solution.
Re:Missuse of license money (Score:5, Insightful)
But what they are doing is to use people's money - the license fee paid by the people - to support Microsoft's illegal monopoly. Yeah, it's almost a cliché by now, but by forcing people to use IE and WMP instead of relying on open, cross-browser/cross-platform technologies, they are basically forcing people back to IE and thereby contributing to cementing Microsoft's dominant position in the market.
They are apparently looking on Mac and Linux solutions in the long term. Will they force people to use a certain browser/media player there, too?
Re:Missuse of license money (Score:2)
This is a proof-of-concept release, and may or may not contain
Re:Missuse of license money (Score:2)
If the BBC are bound by licensing constraints to enforce conditions (prevent use by unauthorised (i.e., non-license-fee-funded) users, delete after 7 days, or other), they will need a DRM container format to lock the files in. Desktop Linux (as opposed to embedded appliance systems based on Linux) does not have any marginally secure DRM formats in the way that Windows a
Re:Missuse of license money (Score:2)
Is there a cross platform video codec with DRM that runs on multiple players they could use?
Without the DRM they probably won't be able to do this.
Cookies... (Score:4, Interesting)
Your iMP registration may no longer work if you (accidentally) delete your Internet cookies. If you have deleted your cookies after installation of iMP, please uninstall and then re-install iMP. If you have used up your permitted number of installations then please get in touch with the BBC's iMP support at: Imp-help@bbc.co.uk
Re: (Score:2)
IE and WMP (Score:3, Informative)
14. When will I get iMP on Mac & Linux?
Currently, our supplier is working towards supporting a Mac and Linux version.
However, having realised I'd jumped a step in the system, I found out that I can't get in anyway, because they're doing a trial first. Points:
1). I thought the whole point of p2p was to have more people able to carry the load? Tie that in with
2). With a trial of 1000 users, the chances are damn slim that two of them will pick the same program to watch while they're both online (hence nearly everything will be downloaded from the central server during the trial anyway.
3). In response to an earlier point about the 7-day limit - this is a workable idea, because the DRM on the program being 7 days long means that it can be downloaded at any point in those 7 days - whether from the server or others - and becomes inviable after that limit. That fits with the original intention of a week-limit on viewability.
Re:IE and WMP (Score:2)
Has anybody got DVD Jon's phone number? (Score:4, Funny)
Left hand not knowing what the right is doing (Score:4, Interesting)
Instead, we get a single platform-only affair. I'm aware they claim they're working on Mac and Linux clients, but unless they're going to a) switch formats or b) strong-arm Microsoft into developing their DRM restrictions for the Mac and Linux (!) then I can't really see that claim as being believable.
My initial reaction then is one of frustration. A really nice idea, something I really want to see, but built on the wrong foundations right from the start. I doubt I'm going to be able to use this anytime soon (UK-based OS X user) despite the platitudes.
As an aside, I'm aware that this has all been done by an external contractor rather than the BBC. That figures, because if there's one media organisation anywhere in the world that really seems to 'get' the internet, it's the Beeb.
Cheers,
Ian
Re:Left hand not knowing what the right is doing (Score:2)
In case you haven't noticed, Dirac is not yet ready for widespread use, and so it makes no sense at all to use it for a trial system - once they have it working, reliable, and nicely packaged[1] I am sure they will start using it.
[1] e.g. As a DirectShow filter, a QuickTime CODEC and a VLC/MPlayer/GStreamer plugin.
Re:Left hand not knowing what the right is doing (Score:2)
Yes, the linked review says they're using WMV and WMV-HD.
Cheers,
Ian
Re:Left hand not knowing what the right is doing (Score:3)
http://www.bbc.co.uk/complaints/make_complaint_st
Protecting Content (Score:2)
UK? (Score:2, Insightful)
I assume they mean UK proxy users, since you can't really check whether the person is or isn't in the UK.
Re:UK? (Score:2)
Dear Beeb (Score:5, Insightful)
But can you imagine the arguments that are going on inside the BBC at the moment?
The licence fee is pretty reasonable at the moment (well I think it is) and a large part of that is due to additional funds that are created when the BBC sells DVDs of archive and popular shows. The nice thing about DVD sales is that licence fee payers benefit, because the BBC gets a cut, but also the underpaid BBC talent gets a chance to make some money. The other source fo revenue is global syndication. I simply don't see how this won't cut into DVD sales.
I hope the BBC has the foresight to see that this really shouldn't be a problem. People are used to paying a subscription for TV, let non-uk citizens pay their $17.50 a month and let the money roll in. Sure there will be illegal copies of the shows rolling around bittorrent sites, but thats happening already.
What the BBC really need to do is get into bed with Apple on this. Just open up the archives, explain that it needs to be sold as a subscription ($15 a month has a nice ring to it), all you can eat service and let Apple do the rest.
Re:Dear Beeb (Score:3, Interesting)
Re:Dear Beeb (Score:2)
BBC kicks (Score:4, Interesting)
I'm suggesting we be careful about treating the BBC like it is a private media conglomerate like Time-Warner-MSNBC-AOL-Haliburton rather than a publicly funded, commercial-free, national broadcast network. Will there be DRM? Maybe. Will there be Mac and Linux versions? Certainly. Will we need to use IE or WMP? Very, very doubtfully. Aside from the fact that there is no IE for Mac anymore, the BBC is developing an open source video player (or is it a codec).
(I still don't get what he problem with the universal format MP4 is. My best guess in MS didn't want a universal codec that will play on any player and has modified their 'version' of MP4 so that it doesn't work on anything. Still, you'd think it might work with WMP
In any case, the BBC kicks! If you want TV to take advantage of the technology afforded by digital communications, look to the BBC. Commercial broadcasters, in contrast, will likely take a route most resembling the RIAA and Hollywood. That's the context in which they operate, and that is their weakness. As an outsider in London, I think the BBC is one of the UK's best assets. It's like a high powered version of Canada's CBC.
Re:BBC kicks (Score:2)
Simple, MP4 is heavily patent encumbered. BBC is developing a codec which is supposed to be free of software patents. Your best guess is very, very wrong and very much against the BBC philosophy. Their codec will be open source and cross pl
Or perhaps advert supported (Score:2)
That would be one hell of an idea, but perhaps advertising supported, they would need a platform to insert the appropriate Geo advert into the download on the fly. They already run adverts on the international services, so UK could have it ad free, rest of us have to watch our local market adverts. Either way I could watch BBC stuff instead of this Fox crap and they could get more money.
Re:Or perhaps advert supported (Score:4, Insightful)
Don't look at the BBC as a business. Look at it politically. Think cultural imperialism. The BBC is the outside world's most important window on British culture. Suppose now that they put their programming on the internet for free to the whole world. Bandwidth costs to the BBC, nil: hell, the ISPs of the world would pay the BBC fees for high-speed access to that resource.
That could do for British culture overseas what Hollywood did for America. Of course, if the BBC tried anything of the sort then Murdoch would have a fit and probably order Blair to put a stop to it...
Windows Only? Not for long, I guess... (Score:2)
Don't grouse here - tell the BBC what you think (Score:4, Insightful)
http://www.bbc.co.uk/complaints/make_complaint_st
Make it reasonable and intelligent.
Point out that:
1. Their DRM'd system has considerably less utility than a video recorder at a much greater cost (many UK ISPs have bandwidth quotas). Point out that the utility of the BBC's iMP is so inferior compared to what the pirates offer, it will not help reduce piracy at all - it'll just be a giant waste of license payer's fees to support a crippled service.
2. The EU has convicted Microsoft of monopolistic practises specifically over Media Player - the BBC should NOT be promoting this with license fee payers money.
3. The BBC have developed their own codec. They should be creating an open solution based on this that ALL broadcasters can use - a genuine public service, rather than help consolidating a foreign monopoly.
Re:Don't grouse here - tell the BBC what you think (Score:2)
I rather have Windows Media than some format like Real.
Take off your hate cap.
DRM (Score:2, Informative)
Odd (Score:2)
Re:How much did MS paid them ? (Score:4, Interesting)
Re:How much did MS paid them ? (Score:2)
Re:Who is this service for? (Score:5, Informative)
No, watch any TV
>... but only watch BBC programmes
No, watch any BBC programmes
>... and don't want to archive their favourite programmes
This is not unusual at all. Very few people archive TV.
>Have a fast internet connection
Lot of people have broadband, few know about/can be bothered with existing P2P.
>Are into new technology and gadgets
Again, no. It's *have access to IE and Windows*, not *only use*.
Very weird post indeed.
Re:Who is this service for? (Score:2)
I have used the streaming TV service a few times, and I
Re:Proprietary requirements (Score:3, Insightful)
Strangely enough, that's what you're perfectly entitled to do.
I don't quite get why you don't understand that, without DRM, this service would not happen. While that means *you* miss out - which is your choice - it also means that the majority of people don't miss out on a service that provides real value to UK TV viewers.
Re:Proprietary requirements (Score:2)
If you choose not to use DRM that's your choice, but you can't blame the BBC for excluding you when you choose to exclude your self. You are choosing to be excluded because you choose to exclusively use free software and won't even use anything with DRM.
You may as well complaining you are being excluded because you won't buy a PAL TV and the BBC broadcast in PAL.
If they wanted software you had to pay for that would be excluding you, but if its free to use, and you won't use it on and obscure point of pr
Re:Why should it not be UK only? (Score:2, Informative)
Re:Why should it not be UK only? (Score:2, Interesting)
Re:stfu! (Score:2, Informative)
Before calling someone an idiot, I always advise people to check their facts. Such as in your case, where you seem to believe that the BBC gets tax money as well as the license fee. In fact, the only thing that the BBC does that is funded directly by the government is the BBC World Service, which isn't connected to any of this.