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iPlayer posts

Filed under: Software, Apple TV

Boxee opens up alpha, adds iPlayer support for UK users

by Christina Warren (RSS feed) on Jan 8th, 2009

It isn't just about Macworld; shockingly there is some other tech news happening this week as well. Our pals over at boxee have just announced a new version, some love for UK users and some great news: no more invites needed!

Instead of hounding me (I kid, I never minded) for a boxee invite, you can sign-up yourself at boxee.tv/join and get downloads for the Mac, Apple TV and Ubuntu. The Windows alphas are still in closed testing, but progress is moving quickly.

Here's a run-down on what's new and improved:

  • iPlayer support for UK users -- no more crying over the lack of overseas Hulu; you can now get the iPlayer via boxee
  • Joost support
  • MTV Music support
  • dual-screen support
  • Netflix improvements
  • search in Hulu
  • updates to the SMB library

Netflix is still only working on the Mac and not on the Apple TV, but this is a great update. I've been seeing some of the private builds and the improvements are nice. A reminder, boxee is still in alpha, but the development process is on a tear!

Tags: apple tv, AppleTv, boxee, iplayer, media player, MediaPlayer

Filed under: Software, Video, Internet Tools

BBC iPlayer finally available for Mac, Linux

by Megan Lavey (RSS feed) on Dec 18th, 2008

In October 2007, the BBC said that the iPlayer would be available for Macs and Linux by the end of the 2007. Two weeks shy of the end of 2008, the BBC finally delivers. Maybe their developers accidentally took a trip in the TARDIS.

Using Adobe AIR technology, the BBC has developed a version of the iPlayer that is compatible with OS X and Linux. The press release states that the player has entered beta as of today and a final release is scheduled for February 2009.

The beta testing of the Mac-compatible iPlayer is being conducted through the BBC iPlayer Labs. The application download itself can be found here.

The beta version of the BBC iPlayer Desktop requires OS 10.4 and above. The site does not indicate if the download is a universal binary. The BBC iPlayer is only available for UK citizens.

Thanks to all those who submitted the tip!

Tags: bbc, iplayer, video

Filed under: Multimedia, Internet Tools

BBC iPlayer on Mac by end of year

by Mat Lu (RSS feed) on Oct 17th, 2007

We've covered the brouhaha over the BBC iPlayer several times. Basically the BBC is putting lots of their video content on the web, but they chose a Windows Media-based solution that was incompatible with Macs (and Linux). After an uproar from British Mac users that actually got a response from 10 Downing Street, the BBC assured the public that a Mac compatible solution would be forthcoming. Now the Guardian is reporting that the Beeb has settled on an Adobe Flash-based system to stream content to Mac (and Linux) users "by the end of the year." Non-Windows users will still not be able to download content, however.

This kind of streaming-only "solution" for Mac users looks to be picking up steam with Napster recently announcing the same sort of streaming-only (no download) service for Macs. While we can certainly appreciate that getting something is better than nothing, I hope that full feature parity is in the works across the pond.

Tags: BBC, iPlayer

Filed under: Audio, Multimedia, Video, Internet Tools

BBC does the right thing: will support Macs with iPlayer

by Mat Lu (RSS feed) on Apr 18th, 2007

A while back we posted about a bit of an uproar that arose when it seemed that the BBC was going to roll out a Windows-only online TV offering. Well the BBC suits have apparently responded to numerous complaints and today they announced that their "iPlayer [service] will be re-engineered to work with Macs." Of course they couldn't do this without a little bit of snarkiness, with BBC New Media boss Ashley Highfield saying that Apple's "proprietary and closed framework for digital rights management gives us headaches [but] it is one of our top priorities to re-engineer our proposed BBC iPlayer service to work on Macs." Further, it will still be on Windows first, with Mac support only coming later. Nonetheless, UK Mac users should count themselves lucky, and kudos to the BBC for at least allowing themselves to be pressured into doing the right thing.

Thanks to Chris and everyone else who sent this in!

Tags: BBC, iPlayer, iptv

Filed under: Video, Internet

UK residents petition BBC to make new on-demand TV service cross-platform

by David Chartier (RSS feed) on Feb 25th, 2007

This one goes out to all the UK TUAW readers in the audience: apparently, the BBC is planning to launch a smashing new on-demand, online TV service. Everything sounds super-duper until the minor detail of being Windows-only. This of course ruffles more than a few feathers, especially since the BBC purports to provide "services for everyone, free of commercial interests and political bias," so residents have created a petition to help the BBC see the error of their ways. The petition is open to UK residents only, and August 20th, 2007 is the deadline for joining the fight.

While I don't have many details on why exactly the BBC has gone Windows-only with this online venture (for now), my first guess is that they're using Microsoft's DRM. Hopefully, with the DRM discussion finally rising up the ranks to those who need to can actually do something about it, petitions like this and the bad decisions that inspire them will cease to exist.

Thanks Graham

Tags: bbc, drm, iplayer, on demand, on-demand, OnDemand, petition, petitions, windows

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