BBC's iPlayer

[bbloke]

The BBC has published an article which states "BBC iPlayer now available on Mac." After a long wait, it seems the BBC is finally catering for Mac and Linux users... Mind you, the DRM remains controversial and some will find the BBC's relationship with Microsoft to be perhaps a little too cosy.

Originally Posted by BBC

The iPlayer is the BBC's online media player that lets viewers stream programmes for up to seven days after broadcast or download and watch them for up to 30 days.

When the iPlayer first launched the BBC was criticised for producing versions that only worked with Microsoft's Windows XP and which used Microsoft's digital rights management (DRM) system to enforce viewing restrictions.

The BBC's head of digital media technology, Anthony Rose, who is responsible for delivering the next generation of BBC iPlayer, said the structures put in place by the BBC Trust on how the iPlayer can operate meant DRM was a necessity.

"The BBC Trust said we could make content available for seven or 30 days after broadcast," he said. "The ability to take things away after some time requires DRM."

The new version of the iPlayer has been written with Adobe's AIR technology which aims to make it possible to create applications that can be downloaded to your computer, rather than just embedded in browser web pages as is possible with the widely used Flash software.

Those who want to try the new version can get a trial version after they sign up to be an iPlayer Labs tester via the iPlayer site.

A beta version of the BBC iPlayer Desktop that uses the Adobe AIR technology was made available on 18 December with a finished version likely to be released in February 2009.

...

Mr Rose said the iPlayer now supported three separate DRM technologies: Microsoft, Adobe, and the OMA standards for mobiles.

"We may embrace other DRMs as needed," said Mr Rose, adding that putting the iPlayer on phones, game consoles and many more computers was helping to drive the success of the application.

[Rhisiart]

I wonder how many overseas visitors can use it?

[bbloke]

There's a help page which addresses this and it seems they are working on an international version. In the meantime, those outside the UK should have access to a number of radio programs, podcasts, news items, and sports highlights.

[ora]

To be honest I only use the web player (on my mac and my pc) anyway as the drm means the download is available about as long as the file is available in the web player. Especially as they have a high quality option now too.

[Spiritinthesky]

It all works OK for me. I go to the BBC News site most mornings for a news fix.

[FlashMac]

I was watching it on my Mac a long time before this announcement, I thought it was just that the 'download' button now works for Macs, but I've yet to find anything that I can physically download rather than stream.

[Rhisiart]

Originally Posted by FlashMac

I was watching it on my Mac a long time before this announcement, I thought it was just that the 'download' button now works for Macs, but I've yet to find anything that I can physically download rather than stream.

Same here. I can't work it out.

[sgould]

I don't think the BBC are saying that you can actually download a TV programme to watch later. They are saying that it will allow streaming by some other form of software other than a web browser. All that is needed is someone to develop the application!!

Whether the application will eventually be developed to allow the programme to be downloaded and replayed for the week, with that application controlling the time period & DRM etc, is not clear.