Sky's catch-up service & EPG software updates

That was on BBC iPlayer in Wales?

I hope iPlayer does series catch up on the Sky version. That might not happen though as it would mean downloading and with the online version only the most recent episode in a series is downloadable.

How easy is the BBC iPlayer to use and get in to without a Sky subscription? Do you have to go through various nag screens or have Sky made it difficult to use in some other way without a subscription?

I wonder if C4 are deliberately delaying 4oD in an effort to make 4seven not seem such a stupid dated idea.

I've used 4 Seven three times in total. I just don't bother with it and once 4OD comes to Sky I can see what viewers it does have plummeting.

No. The service is being overhauled.

A non disclosure agreement prevents me saying anything further.

Can you say if it means the online version will be changing too?

I'm sorry, I cannot.

I understand. Quite a few NDAs while Sky test their new offerings.

Surely in the case of ITV, C4, C5 and Sky themselves they've ultimately got to get their on demand services to be attractive to advertisers however nice it might be for us viewers to watch content ad free as on demand becomes more common and more widely available direct to TV it isn't a revenue stream they can cut off long term.

Would also be interested to know as we've got the Sky+ HD box, but never resubbed after moving house. Did read that iPlayer was available regardless, but how?

I imagine BBC iPlayer will become available as soon as the box detects an internet connection. Due to the TV license it can't legally be behind the Sky "pay-wall", which is why iPlayer was not available on Xbox until Microsoft backed down about enforcing their Xbox Live "pay-wall".

On the 4oD side of things, I imagine they are having to revamp their encoding process for launch on Sky, as the current setup as we all know provides less than broadcast quality streams, which not only look rubbish on TV but aren't supported at all by the Sky boxes (they can only decode streams compatible with the DVB-S2 standard).

4oD already provides broadcast quality streams, for Virgin (and BT Vision?).