The BBC have re-vamped their iPlayer, bringing radio and TV catch up to the same interface, along with increasing video playback size and sound quality of radio.
Radio programmes will now be featured at a higher audio quality (7 day catch up); and the video window size has jumped from 512×288 pixels to 640×360, more than a 50% increase in spatial resolution. Other new features include the ability to resume playback from the point at which you stopped a programme, and fast-forwarding and rewinding through radio shows.
The service shall remain free for viewers, and Anthony Rose of the BBC felt that they managed to keep the new features as easy to use and as clear as before.
“Combining TV and radio in the same interface was a much-debated design decision. One of the attractions of the current iPlayer site is that it’s brilliantly simple, and we don’t want to lose that simplicity. However, we felt that if we could provide a way to let you find your favourite TV and radio programmes in one place that would be a major win.”
The BBC also plans to provide listings of their shows as RSS feeds, thus increasing accessibility and distribution of their content. Plans to increase device compatibility of the service are also underway, with controversial discussions with set-top box manufacturers being conducted. Currently iPlayer is only available on PC’s, Virgin Media, and Wii, though not through Apple TV.
Watch the trailer for the new, improved iPlayer.
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July 22nd, 2008 at 5:01 am
Since the launch of BBC iPlayer on Virgin Media in June, subscribers to the cable service have viewed BBC shows 10.5 million times
In the three months to May, prior to the improved BBC service, Virgin had got 36 million total VOD views, a service used by 48% of subscribers.
November 13th, 2008 at 9:29 am
[...] more news about the iPlayer check-out our older articles about the iPlayer updates and VOD rivals [...]