42244 1 3 econsultancy_xml <p>After coming under <a href="/blog/1554-bbc-trust-meets-open-source-group-over-iplayer">criticism from open source groups</a> over its decision to limit access to Windows XP users, the corporation made a deal with Adobe to stream iPlayer content through its website. </p> <p>The download service is still limited to Windows, but the streaming content is now available to all - but is it any good? </p> <p>We <a href="/blog/1571-bbc-iplayer-frustrating-and-promising">looked at the iPlayer</a> when it launched in July, and found a number of frustrating problems in setting the service up and downloading the latest version of Windows Media Player. </p> <p>In addition, the download times weren't too impressive - up to four hours for a one hour programme. </p> <p>The new streaming version solves this problem, and the best of the last week's BBC content can now be viewed almost instantly. </p> <p> <img alt="iPlayer" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2342/2120408550_9e01df8acf_o.jpg" /> </p> <p>However, there are problems with this new version. For instance, to watch programmes in full screen you first need to download the latest version of Flash player. </p> <p>This is fine, but having done this, I still couldn't use the full screen mode. Also, having watched half a programme without problems, I was confronted with this error message - not so good:</p> <p> <img alt="iPlayer error message" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2368/2119667967_5c05146391_o.jpg" /> </p> <p>The iPlayer is still in beta, so perhaps these are just teething troubles, but this is very frustrating for the user. </p> <p>When it works properly, the BBC's streaming service is more than a match for <a href="/blog/1807-itv-com-s-catch-up-tv-overeggs-advertising-cake">ITV's catch up broadband service</a>, which suffers from usability problems, as well as an excess of advertising. </p> <p>Teething problems aside, the iPlayer offers an excellent range of content and, by offering streaming video, takes away the waiting times associated with downloads. </p> <p>The BBC will begin marketing the iPlayer to the public on Christmas Day - hopefully it will have sorted out these issues before thousands more people start using the media player. </p> <p> <strong>Related stories:<br /></strong> <a href="/blog/1591-over-120-000-downloads-for-bbc-iplayer">Over 120,000 downloads for BBC iPlayer</a> <br /> <a href="/blog/1619-isps-concerned-about-the-iplayer">ISPs concerned about the iPlayer</a> <br /> <a href="/blog/1974-broadcasters-confirm-joint-video-plans">Broadcasters confirm joint video plans</a> </p> <FormattedContent xmlns="http://www.e-consultancy.com/schema/formattedContent/"> <Paragraph>After coming under <Link URL="/blog/1554-bbc-trust-meets-open-source-group-over-iplayer" Window="Self">criticism from open source groups</Link> over its decision to limit access to Windows XP users, the corporation made a deal with Adobe to stream iPlayer content through its website. </Paragraph> <Paragraph>The download service is still limited to Windows, but the streaming content is now available to all - but is it any good? </Paragraph> <Paragraph>We <Link URL="/blog/1571-bbc-iplayer-frustrating-and-promising" Window="Self">looked at the iPlayer</Link> when it launched in July, and found a number of frustrating problems in setting the service up and downloading the latest version of Windows Media Player. </Paragraph> <Paragraph>In addition, the download times weren't too impressive - up to four hours for a one hour programme. </Paragraph> <Paragraph>The new streaming version solves this problem, and the best of the last week's BBC content can now be viewed almost instantly. </Paragraph> <Paragraph Align="Center"> <Image AlternateText="iPlayer" Source="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2342/2120408550_9e01df8acf_o.jpg"> </Image> </Paragraph> <Paragraph Align="Left">However, there are problems with this new version. For instance, to watch programmes in full screen you first need to download the latest version of Flash player. </Paragraph> <Paragraph Align="Left">This is fine, but having done this, I still couldn't use the full screen mode. Also, having watched half a programme without problems, I was confronted with this error message - not so good:</Paragraph> <Paragraph Align="Center"> <Image AlternateText="iPlayer error message" Source="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2368/2119667967_5c05146391_o.jpg"> </Image> </Paragraph> <Paragraph Align="Left">The iPlayer is still in beta, so perhaps these are just teething troubles, but this is very frustrating for the user. </Paragraph> <Paragraph Align="Left">When it works properly, the BBC's streaming service is more than a match for <Link URL="/blog/1807-itv-com-s-catch-up-tv-overeggs-advertising-cake" Window="Self">ITV's catch up broadband service</Link>, which suffers from usability problems, as well as an excess of advertising. </Paragraph> <Paragraph Align="Left">Teething problems aside, the iPlayer offers an excellent range of content and, by offering streaming video, takes away the waiting times associated with downloads. </Paragraph> <Paragraph Align="Left">The BBC will begin marketing the iPlayer to the public on Christmas Day - hopefully it will have sorted out these issues before thousands more people start using the media player. </Paragraph> <Paragraph Align="Left"> <Emphasis>Related stories:<LineBreak /></Emphasis> <Link URL="/blog/1591-over-120-000-downloads-for-bbc-iplayer" Window="Self">Over 120,000 downloads for BBC iPlayer</Link> <LineBreak /> <Link URL="/blog/1619-isps-concerned-about-the-iplayer" Window="Self">ISPs concerned about the iPlayer</Link> <LineBreak /> <Link URL="/blog/1974-broadcasters-confirm-joint-video-plans" Window="Self">Broadcasters confirm joint video plans</Link> </Paragraph> </FormattedContent> 2007-12-18T12:13:00+00:00 1 1 econsultancy_xml <p> <strong>The BBC last week made a streaming version of its iPlayer available for the Windows, Mac and Linux platforms.</strong> </p> <p> <img alt="BBC iPlayer" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2003/2119628441_3d05b3fb74_o.jpg" /> </p> <FormattedContent xmlns="http://www.e-consultancy.com/schema/formattedContent/"> <Paragraph> <Emphasis>The BBC last week made a streaming version of its iPlayer available for the Windows, Mac and Linux platforms.</Emphasis> </Paragraph> <Paragraph Align="Center"> <Image AlternateText="BBC iPlayer" Source="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2003/2119628441_3d05b3fb74_o.jpg"> </Image> </Paragraph> </FormattedContent> false 2035 364773 BBC opens up iPlayer false 2007-12-18T14:11:00+00:00 bbc-opens-up-iplayer 2009-04-28T23:02:59+01:00 2009-04-28T23:02:59+01:00 709