BBC iplayer

"Adrian C" wrote in message
...
Geoff Lane wrote:
Anyone used the BBC software and got any comments.

It should be humanely put down now, or the BBC should license someone else
to run a proper download service with the content properly paid for by
downloaders - like itunes does it. The 'Free' service is doomed IMO....

BBC iPlayer is doomed to failure because it uses DRM. It will be many years
before a practical version of BBC iPlayer exists, because they will have to
go through a slow process of trial and error, attempting every possible
means of restricting access to TV programmes, before they learn that access
restrictions must be abandoned completely for a practical system to exist.

No one with power or influence at the BBC has the vision or foresight to see
that access to BBC TV programmes via the internet has to be unrestricted.
The BBC must take that risk, and in a few years from now it will, for the
simple reason that there will be too much competition from other sources of
internet TV which are free, flexible, do not require registration, and do
not install software designed to stop you opening files on your hard drive.

DRM deserves no more respect than a rootkit. Music download businesses have
begun to abandon DRM, because they realise that they must take the risk of
selling unprotected downloads or they won't sell anything. The BBC also will
have to abandon DRM for much the same reason.

"Geoff Lane" wrote in message
...
David Pratt wrote:
I find iPlayer excellent. The advantage with iPlayer is that the
downloaded file is on your computer so you are able to view the programme
again within the time limit without having to be on-line.

True but the channel4 4od allows download or streaming so one has the
choice.

Personally, I'm not sure I'd fancy waiting for a 250MB+ size file to
download before viewing it.

As the BBC is using p2p technology, your actual bandwidth usage could be
much higher than that. Assuming a 1:1 upload/download ratio, a 250MB file
would require 500MB of data transfer. As some quasi broadband suppliers like
BT have a monthly usage limit of 1GB, you are not going to get too many
programmes that way. Some rival ISP's also throttle download speeds severely
after the first 3GB usage per month.

(kim)

In message , kim
wrote

As the BBC is using p2p technology, your actual bandwidth usage could be
much higher than that. Assuming a 1:1 upload/download ratio, a 250MB file
would require 500MB of data transfer. As some quasi broadband suppliers like
BT have a monthly usage limit of 1GB, you are not going to get too many
programmes that way. Some rival ISP's also throttle download speeds severely
after the first 3GB usage per month.


Some ISP target P2P transfers for throttling irrespective of a monthly
limit.

--
Alan
news2006 {at} amac {dot} f2s {dot} com

In article , Stephen wrote:
DRM deserves no more respect than a rootkit. Music download businesses have*
begun to abandon DRM, because they realise that they must take the risk of*
selling unprotected downloads or they won't sell anything. The BBC also will*
have to abandon DRM for much the same reason.

The recorded music business has held onto the same pathetic fantasy since the
invention of tape recording - that it will somehow be possible to invent a
technology that will permit the punters to listen to the music but not copy it.
Every time a new technology or home recording format is invented, they waste
their money and our patience on another vain attempt, not realising that
fundamental principles are against them.

It should be abundantly clear that any music playback system must produce a
simple decoded analogue audio signal at some point in the system or nobody will
hear it, and if it's good enough to be pleasing to listen to, then it'll be
good enough to make an equally pleasing copy by simply using a recording system
with an analogue input. This might be a little more trouble than clicking
things on a screen with a mouse, but if somebody really wants to make a copy of
something they will always be able to do it.

But the numbskulls in charge have failed to realise this for about three
generations, so we shouldn't expect them to be any wiser in the future.

Rod.

Stephen wrote:
Shoring up the security infrastructure is something that will burn a lot
of cash to stop the cat and mouse game with hackers and those that want to
re-distribute the BBC's programs illegally worldwide.

Anyone with a video capture card, a DVD recorder or a VHS can do this
already. A security infrastructure achieves nothing. The BBC has to face the
fact that it is a "free to air" broadcaster whether it likes it or not.


FWIW The BBC already does some "free to air" content worldwide on 'You
tube'.

As long as a license fee _has_ to be paid, the BBC _has_ to have
protection schemes in place so that unlicenced viewing is prevented.

No way round that, other than scrapping the licence and then there won't
be anything worth watching left!


DRM is flawed. With home operating systems moving to supporting
virtulisation, maybe a secure OS-independant answer may materialise.

The BBC should wait until there is something better, or start charging
for the facility and properly compensated (maybe then remove DRM, yes
like record companies are doing). Whoever said this should be a free for
all was a bit short sighted climbing into bed with Mr Gates.

--
Adrian C

Adrian C wrote:

Stephen wrote: Shoring up the security infrastructure is something that
will burn a lot of cash to stop the cat and mouse game with hackers and
those that want to re-distribute the BBC's programs illegally
worldwide. Anyone with a video capture card, a DVD recorder or a VHS
can do this already. A security infrastructure achieves nothing. The
BBC has to face the fact that it is a "free to air" broadcaster whether
it likes it or not.

FWIW The BBC already does some "free to air" content worldwide on 'You
tube'.

As long as a license fee _has_ to be paid, the BBC _has_ to have
protection schemes in place so that unlicenced viewing is prevented.

No way round that, other than scrapping the licence and then there won't
be anything worth watching left!


DRM is flawed. With home operating systems moving to supporting
virtulisation, maybe a secure OS-independant answer may materialise.


The BBC should wait until there is something better, or start charging for
the facility and properly compensated (maybe then remove DRM, yes like
record companies are doing). Whoever said this should be a free for all
was a bit short sighted climbing into bed with Mr Gates.

The software world is littered with organisations that have regretted
climbing into bed with Mr Gates. I don't see the Beeb being any
different.

--

Immunity is better than innoculation.

Peter

"Adrian C" wrote in message
...
Stephen wrote:
Shoring up the security infrastructure is something that will burn a lot
of cash to stop the cat and mouse game with hackers and those that want
to re-distribute the BBC's programs illegally worldwide.

Anyone with a video capture card, a DVD recorder or a VHS can do this
already. A security infrastructure achieves nothing. The BBC has to face
the
fact that it is a "free to air" broadcaster whether it likes it or not.

FWIW The BBC already does some "free to air" content worldwide on 'You
tube'.

As long as a license fee _has_ to be paid, the BBC _has_ to have
protection schemes in place so that unlicenced viewing is prevented.

You don't have to have a TV licence in order to download the iPlayer and
programmes, or should I say, they don't check in any way that you have a
licence ... or have I missed something?

In message , DubDriver
wrote


You don't have to have a TV licence in order to download the iPlayer and
programmes, or should I say, they don't check in any way that you have a
licence ... or have I missed something?

You have missed something
http://www.tvlicensing.co.uk/information/index.jsp

--
Alan
news2006 {at} amac {dot} f2s {dot} com

"Alan" wrote in message
news
In message , DubDriver
wrote


You don't have to have a TV licence in order to download the iPlayer and
programmes, or should I say, they don't check in any way that you have a
licence ... or have I missed something?

You have missed something
http://www.tvlicensing.co.uk/information/index.jsp

That only applies to TV cards in a PC.

(kim)

On 19/08/2007 15:56, Alan wrote:

You have missed something
http://www.tvlicensing.co.uk/information/index.jsp

I think the operative phrase is "as they are being shown", but iPlayer
allows downloads *after* they air on TV, no?