With the ever-busy lives of their viewers getting busier all the time, major UK TV broadcasters must ignore on-demand TV at their peril. The BBC has been slow on the uptake, but has finally pushed the BBC iPlayer into the virtual world, to try and seize the time back for viewers who simply don’t have time for ‘live’ TV anymore, and to jump on the competition, including Channel 4’s 4oD.
BBC iPlayer homepage
Having tried and been impressed with 4oD a few months back, I thought it was about time I gave the Apple-sounding iPlayer a go. Good reports about the newcomer were widespread over the Christmas period, with quality and ease of use being the major attractions. I’d missed the first episode of the BBC’s new frothy and dark drama, ‘Mistresses‘, and so settled down to watch it while I worked last night.
One of the main differences between the BBC and Channel 4 services is that the BBC’s service is totally cost-free, and programmes can be streamed online, meaning no downloads and no third party software. Selected programmes on 4oD are available at minimal cost (usually 99p), whereas content on the BBC version doesn’t cost you a penny.
The only catch is that the programme selection is only from the last seven days. However, programmes can be watched online by streaming, or they can be downloaded to your computer where a 30-day watchable window is exercised.
It certainly hasn’t put people off. The BBC reports that over one million viewers have used the service since the Christmas Day launch, and states that over 3.5 million programmes have been streamed or downloaded, averaging 250,000 programmes a day. Impressive figures. Is the service as good, though?
I’ll admit that I haven’t tried to download any programmes to my system yet, so can’t directly compare the iPlayer and 4oD’s similar service, but the streaming content is certainly up to the job if you have a fast computer.
The programme was easy to find through the homepage, and could be searched by the day of broadcast, category, or by its title in an A to Z index. Pressing ‘Click to Play’ started it straight away, with minimal buffering. The screen can be default size of the viewer itself, or can made full screen, for the ultimate TV-like viewing experience.
Like 4oD, the picture was very clear, the sound sharp, and enjoyed very little interruptions, even when buffering was needed again when returning to viewing from a pause. A wholly enjoyable experience then, and I would have no hesitation in using it again, especially as most of my TV-watching habits tend to favour Auntie’s (or Channel 4) programmes.
Fuss-free streaming playback with the BBC iPlayer
Are there any bad points?
If comments from users using the Beta version are to be believed, then yes. Rather mistakenly, the BBC iPlayer can only download programmes to a PC running Windows XP or Vista, due to the digital rights management issues and software, but it is ‘aware of demand to expand this to other operating systems’. It was a foolhardy and shortsighted decision to leave out Macintosh support, although Apple disciples can watch content if they stream it.
In reply to the decision, the BBC states that it hopes that by providing high quality programmes over the internet legally, easily, and at no cost, it will discourage illegal downloading. It says that it ‘uses streaming and DRM software to prevent illegal copying and distribution of BBC programmes to protect the rights of the people who make and appear in them’. That’s all very well, but it can’t monitor every download on every computer.
The Download Manager application has to be downloaded to your computer through Internet Explorer, too, due to Active X controls. But again, the BBC is ‘working on ways of making the Download Manager available on other browsers’.
I only hope that I don’t experience the same sorts of duplicate registering and slow download issues which affected many Beta users, and gave the long-awaited iPlayer a bad reputation among users before it was even launched on a patient and hungry public.
Not one to rest on its laurels, the BBC plans to develop the service further, extending the format choice, and bringing its radio programmes available on the BBC Radio Player into the iPlayer format, so that all the content is in one place.
And, if you don’t fancy sitting at a computer screen connected to the internet and have an old-fashioned TV, then the iPlayer will come to a cable platform near you soon. Just make sure Virgin is your provider, though, as it’s touching down on that first.
Finally, listen up international users. You will also get the full iPlayer experience as soon as possible. BBC Worldwide is fighting for your rights and is working on an international iPlayer so that you can enjoy the programmes which are currently only available to users in the UK.
Then, and only then, will the clever ‘Making the unmissable, unmissable’ campaign message be truly meaningful. But, overall, an impressive first, if a little late, effort.
(The first of ‘Mistresses’ was very good by the way, the lives of the four women developing darkly and nicely, with plenty of potential for drama. A welcome frothy addition to Tuesday nights.)