Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Multimedia, Odds and ends, Freeware, Apple
Channel Four on Demand: Sorry, Mac users
Mac users in the UK have been waiting a long time (like, years) for Channel 4's Video on Demand "Catch Up" service to come to their platform, and finally, after long last, the day is here. And they're sorry, Mac users -- they say so with the cute video above. Of course, the reason why it's now compatible is because it's the Flash-based web version linked above, and not actually the desktop app that Windows users had. But late and web-based is still better than never, right? Right?
At any rate, it's nice to know they care enough to make a funny video. The site features Channel 4 content for up to 30 days after broadcast, so if you happen to miss Hollyoaks, Skins, or Fat Pets (I'm just kidding -- being an ignorant American, I have no idea what those shows are or if they're any good), there's your chance to catch up.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
David Jerome said 2:57AM on 4-08-2009
Finally!
Oh and for you Americans has Channel 4 always used prides itself on being the trendy, young, alternate to the mighty BBC. Almost like the Apple of channels!
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glad said 8:03AM on 4-08-2009
That might have been the case 20 years ago but C4 is the TV equivalent of the Sun, the only thing worth watching not sure if there's anything I'd watch.
Maxwell Ash said 2:48PM on 4-08-2009
What about Skins, The Inbetweeners, 8 out of 10 cats, Balls of Steel, Peep Show.....? Channel 4 has a hell of a lot more to offer than the sun, and, I think, is better than the BBC.
Anyway, they show the Daily Show with Jon Stewart.
artist-illustrator said 4:18AM on 4-08-2009
Finally! One less reason for me to boot up the Windows VM. Web based is fine for me, its how I use the BBC iPlayer. streaming quality is fantastic from the BBC. So if C4 can match the quality I'm happy.
Hay Boxxe!! get on it!
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Gary said 4:34AM on 4-08-2009
I remember the days when Channel 4 used to be quite good (Father Ted, Brass Eye). Nowadays it's celebrity crap for tweens and repeats of Scrubs, Frasier and Friends for the rest of us (good shows, just imported and repeated ad nauseum). It hadn't occurred to me that they would even need a catch-up player, .
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Abcmsaj said 4:47AM on 4-08-2009
Yay! Now I can have iPlayer and 4OD to make my life complete... :)
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darren said 5:11AM on 4-08-2009
As happy as I am to have the catch up feature, I'm less than impressed - where is the native app? Where is the ability to do all the same things and access all the same shows that our windows using friends can?
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Hawkman said 5:42AM on 4-08-2009
"Being an ignorant American, I have no idea what those shows are or if they're any good"... No, no they're not.
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KarlW said 8:17AM on 4-08-2009
In fact they're so bad, I didn't even know my Mac couldn't use 4OD until reading this article.
The BBC is the only good thing on UK TV (Freeview). ITV has some champions league games. The rest is a vast ocean of garbage, until you reach the distant, warring nations of Virgin and Sky.
bvayre said 11:23AM on 4-08-2009
Bah, Skins is immense...though series 3 wasn't nearly as good as the first two...still quite enjoyable.
Stephen Chan said 6:09AM on 4-08-2009
4od used to be available in Ireland but it doesn't seem to be anymore... anyone else encounter this?
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iest said 6:23AM on 4-08-2009
I'm happy they've done this - although the service only seems to be available for catch-up only (last 30 days of channel 4).
It doesn't yet seem available for proper 4oD (including the back-catalogue library).
The quality seems better with the web-based player though... And there's no adverts from what I've seen (inbetweeners season 2!).
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artist-illustrator said 7:37AM on 4-08-2009
no back-catalogue :n(
that’s the only reason to want to use 4OD. All the new shows are mostly absolute crap!
Guess I'm still gonna have to boot into Windows after all
DeanDMX said 8:21AM on 4-08-2009
It took years to get a flash player working on Mac?! Correct me if i'm wrong but isn't the internet supposed to be platform agnostic and standards based? I think the service is still piss poor compared to BBC's iPlayer. You can't watch it on iPhone or iPod Touch, which is the reason why iPlayer is so useful for me.
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joel said 9:47AM on 4-08-2009
In all fairness they had to build a complicated flash player where most of the stuff happens server side so they can include adverts and stop people ripping the flv 'a la youtube'.
C4 is privately owned and deserves to make a profit.
Duran Dujam said 11:01AM on 4-08-2009
@joel
Actually, Channel 4 is not private but a public service broadcaster and is owned by British taxpayers.
When it launched in 1982, Margaret Thatcher had to find a way to balance demands for a new public broadcaster with the fact that she doesn't like spending money on anything. Hence, a public service broadcaster with commercials.
Ethan said 9:18AM on 4-08-2009
Grand designs is nice.
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collide007 said 7:13PM on 4-08-2009
Same here, its about the only British show I watch on four as I'm still not sure about the Inbetweeners; Will is hilarious, but Jay is a little too obnoxious and crude for me. The rest is crap, thank goodness for great US shows like The Big Bang Theory, Scrubs and The Simpsons. Don't get me started on the BBC, the ONLY shows I watch on any of their channels is Top Gear and Family Guy. The rest is utter garbage.
Samuel said 1:51PM on 4-08-2009
I used to love C4, I don't watch TV now but caught The Madness of King George last night (which was a FilmFour production) and it was the old C4. Too bad its full of Jade Goodie types, anyway I would like to say that I wrote a letter to C4 many years ago about an online video service for thei programming and all they could say was that it could not be done.. unlike the BBCs guaranteed funding structure they could not afford the investment, well I say, now, how could they not.
Its nice to se it up but I was watching when Wife Swap series 1 was around and I would like to see that again.
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Andy said 2:25PM on 4-08-2009
The It crowed is one probably the only show i would have used 40d for, though saying that i was tempted to use it on windows to watch peep show but you can get it on dvd for next to nothing now.
ITV player seems to be ok, i get to watch primeval which is good.
But i agreed that the BBC has done things much better. The iPlayer is very good, and you can even watch it on your apple tv (via boxee).
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