ITV has been busy promoting its newly rebranded video player lately, as it attempts to improve take up of its online catch up service.
While video views on ITV.com have risen over the past year, it still lags behind the iPlayer. It has updated again though, and now the ITV Player looks more of a match for the BBC's online video offering.
I've criticised the ITV online video offering in the past as it has failed to match the BBC in terms of usability; it previously lacked a dedicated homepage which made finding content hard work, while the small size of the video player was not well suited to viewing full TV programmes.
Both these things have been improved: a menu page was added a few months ago, which means users can search for programmes through an A to Z menu, by most popular, and a drop down menu featuring all content:
More importantly, the video player screen, which now uses Microsoft's Silverlight technology, has been enlarged. Though still not as big as the iPlayer's video, it is almost twice the size of the previous version, much better for viewing programming online. The picture quality on the full screen option has been improved as well, but it is still far from perfect.
ITV Player now has a couple of advantages over the iPlayer: it is not restricted by the same conditions as the BBC, so it can offer a 30 day catch up service, while much iPlayer content is available for only seven days after broadcast, unless you download it. This means viewers can get a whole month's worth of content on ITV.com.
Also, now that ITV has the rights to broadcast the FA Cup, it can offer football highlights online, something the BBC is unable to do with Match of the Day:
The iPlayer is still the one to beat in terms of usability, but ITV has a good range of video content on its site, and has now made it much more accessible for users.
Graham Charlton is Editor at Econsultancy. Follow him on Twitter or connect via Linkedin or Google+.
10:31AM on 6th January 2009
I tihnk considering ITV have 10% of the internet resources of the BBC in terms of people and cash they have done a great job. The BBC spent £136 million on online services in 2008 ITV spent something less than 10% if this. It makes me wonder if we really are getting value for money from our licence fee, if ITV can offer a comparative service for 10% of the moeny??
5:27PM on 6th January 2009
Surely there is no serious competition between the multi-device iPlayer (phones, consoles, linux, mac, pc) and ITV's offering...and you have to dig deep to find ITV content that competes with the BBC's.
All that can be said for ITV is their site has improved, but they should hope that the Competition Commission allows them to throw in their lot in with the Beeb on the project previously known as Kangaroo...after all, in the current marketplace they are competing internationally as much as with one another.
6:28PM on 20th January 2009
A regular user of BBC's iPlayer, I recently attempted to catch-up on the new ITV show "Demons" on the ITV Player. After 2 episodes I gave up and resorted to "other" options for viewing the show for 3 reasons:
Firstly, the quality of the video on full-screen was revolting - very pixellated and jumpy. Secondly, the video frequently stopped to buffer - very frustrating, especially during a fight scene. Thirdly, while I appreciate the inclusion of ads to monetise the sight, having to view the same 3 ads, repeated at least twice each during each of the 4 ad breaks was beyond the bounds of my boredom and patience levels.ITV really need to life their game to compete with not just BBC but other viewing options that are of superior quality.
9:40PM on 19th May 2009
I find the ITV player thoroughly frustrating. It stops and starts far too often and I find myself pausing regularly to build up a few minutes play. BBC's iPlayer and Channel $'s 4oD are leagues ahead, the quality of both is far superior and play faultlessly.
ITV might look to offer a download option which might reduce strain on their servers for those streaming and give the rest of us a viewing we can enjoy.
I expect watching TV to relax me not leave me more tense, to that end I avoid ITV player whenever possible. Keep up the good work BBC and 4oD!
12:33AM on 28th July 2009
The itvplayer is a long way behind the offerings of BBC and Channel 4's On Demand service both of which work fine for me.
I find it infuriating that they use flashplayer for the content selection but then use Silverlight/Moonlight for playback! Madness, just use flash throughout. ITV helping vender lockin?
Silverlight is a Microsoft technology, so you got to use a Microsoft operating system to use it. Microsoft are on record, paying plenty other companies to use it who have promptly dropped it once the deal was finished, the Olympic coverage being one of the biggest of such deals in the US. With the trouble itv are in denying people access to their content is the last thing they should be doing.
9:25PM on 26th November 2009
Well I don't know what they've done but the current offering is vastly improved. I've been watching it on Firefox and since the revamp it's only paused about 3 times in total on the two programs I've watched instead of every 3 seconds likw it used to before I gave up watching it completely (if i hadn't I'd have ended up hurling my laptop against a brick wall in frustration). I'm just amazed that it was so so bad to begin with. Surely a company like ITV have the resources to have done something about it sooner? Anyway, well done ITV you're on the right track at last despite your management problems.
3:07AM on 30th December 2009
Simon
I found you so ignorant about the Silverlight. Silverlight is a cross-platform technology, meaning you don't have to use Microsoft OS to use it. Also, tell me how Flash is better than Silverlight in terms of accessibility? Flash is owned by Adobe just like Silverlight is owned by MS. I didn't see any difference.
7:59PM on 23rd February 2010
The best thing to do when watching itv player is to pause it at the start of the program for a few minutes it normally works ok after that.
5:57PM on 11th April 2010
Surely there is no serious competition between the multi-device iPlayer (phones, consoles, linux, mac, pc) and ITV's offering...and you have to dig deep to find ITV content that competes with the BBC's. All that can be said for ITV is their site has improved, but they should hope that the Competition Commission allows them to throw in their lot in with the Beeb on the project previously known as Kangaroo...after all, in the current marketplace they are competing internationally as much as with one another.
3:51AM on 20th July 2010
The biggest benefit of the ITV player to me is the fact that it is able to store clips a lot longer than iPlayer is. I may not always have time to keep current within the week that iPlayer stores the videos for.