BBC i Player

Is anybody still using the BBC i Player Beta? I've tried again reccently and still no luck from my computer. Anybody bothering to still attempt to use it?

I am using it, and I have Vista , it works for me.

As I can only receive a BBC2 terrestrial signal which varies between zero and unwatchable, and no BBC Freeview channels at all except Four/CBeebies and Parliament, I've been using iPlayer quite a lot lately. It's the only way I can see many of my favourite programmes at all. On the whole I'm satisfied with it; the picture is okay even on full screen and the download speeds are generally reasonable (and once or twice downright astounding).

There are a couple of weird glitches, most notably when the player window freezes but the video continues to play with an error message mosly hidden behind it . This is only really a problem if you want to use full screen, of course.

The iPlayer website has been more of a problem for me, a triumph of flashy design over usability: last week, for instance, the search function denied the existence of QI although if you went through the comedy menu it was there on the fourth page. Meanwhile, Top Gear was illustrated as an available programme but clicking it brought up a message saying 'this programme is not available'.

I suppose any improvements are now unlikely if the BBC is going down the 4oD route instead.

It appears that the PUBLIC RELEASE of the BBC iPlayer is planned for Christmas Day ...

It seems a pretty stupid day to launch it - surely better on a working day when more people are around to sort out any issues that arise.

Anyone got any ideas when the streaming service is due to start? The posted press release hints towards it but I can't see it anywhere on the iPlayer site - even when logged in.

The iPlayer BROKE my hard drive - after only three months!

It's not, it's a very clever and smart move. Think about it... When audience figures are at their highest throughout the year, special one-off Christmas specials, plus people are most likely sitting around with nothing better to do at home because the shops are shut so when when the family's gone, why not let them play about with iPlayer.

And with those slightly larger than normal, bored, audiences, you can bombard them with iPlayer trails and ECPs with 'Watch again on iPlayer' etc.

And when it all goes wrong, you can blame it on higher than estimated demand due to the holidays and that all the problems have now been fixed in a press release a few days later without actually having to do anything. :

The streaming service has started for all you Macheads out there ... I'm so happy ... !

Fantastic! Working fine on my mac. So this is iPlayer eh? Can't see any need to download stuff if it's all available to stream. Thanks beeb!

I think I'll dig out my ageing Blue & White PowerMac G3 and see how it copes with BBC iPlayer streaming!


Later that evening . . .

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/greg.mitchell3/misc/BBCiP-flash-stream-Mac-NN9.png


Works OK (if somewhat choppy on an old Mac like mine) running in Navigator 9.0.0.5 on Mac OS X 10.4.11.


Meanwhile ... the same BBC iPlayer stream within SeaMonkey 1.1.7 on Windows XP:

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/greg.mitchell3/misc/BBCiP-flash-stream-SM.png