[bcab] Re: BBC i player

Hi Leon and all,
I signed up for the beta of iPlayer, and I go along with everything you say. The whole thing is like using a sledge-hammer to cross the road (what? I must be hard of thinking today).
Let's say I want to watch BBC Click - I can either download it via iPlayer, which takes about as long as the programme is, or I can start getting it instantly through the JLC Internet TV program or the BBC's own page.
The choice of programmes on iPlayer is much wider than that offered by the Internet TV software, but I just haven't had the will to use it a lot. Until it streams live TV, I probably won't bother. 

Vince.
----- Original Message ----- From: <editor@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> 
To: <bcab@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Friday, July 27, 2007 10:15 AM
Subject: [bcab] Re: BBC i player
A good friend has tried the I-player and as he is a novice computer user I helped him with it. I'm afraid to say that he had no chance of using it independently at all, in it's current form. It seems to be accessible but IMHO the usability leaves a lot to be desired. The reality is, that the program is providing a "watch again" service over the internet for selected BBC programmes, very similar to the existing "listen again" which they do so well for BBC Radio. But more like a video podcast or "vodcast" feed. The I-player is a bit like the Beeb's own version of Juice.
However, firstly it is available to subscribers only - perhaps they are monitoring whether people are license payers or not? - and the logging in process was a nightmare. Secondly the program listings were very tricky to navigate (although they wouldn't be for more proficient screen reader users). But worst of all, a half hour long programme, took overnight! to download on a home broadband connection. There are also some confusing DRM issues, in that the video files - in some sort of protected Windows Media format - will expire forcibly, after a certain date and no longer be 
watchable/listenable.
One cannot help but wonder how they'll stop people burning them to CD... My friend has no sight whatsoever and would have been quite happy to just have the audio of the programme with the description, he does not need the picture at all, which is what the bulk of the download file was probably comprised of. This was at the Beta trial stage so some aspects mentioned above may have improved by now, he has given his feedback to the Beeb team about it via phone.
Even when I-player comes out of Beta, I doubt I'll be touching it. Our Virgin media TV package includes an on-demand program section with a far wider choice than the I-player has, including programs from other channels than the BBC. "Watch again" in it's finest form, probably second only to Sky Plus. And without the complications, waiting or any disk space taken up. 

Leon Gilbert
Editor, www.vipnews.org.uk
(Currently in the process of updating.  April 07 reached so far).
----- Original Message ----- From: "Charles Crisp " <charlescrisp@xxxxxxx> 
To: <bcab@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Friday, July 27, 2007 9:08 AM
Subject: [bcab] BBC i player


Hi

Anyone thinking about using the new I player from the BBC might be
interested in this paragraph from the press release.

'At launch, BBC iPlayer will include a display settings toolkit for the
hard-of-vision and sign language for the hard-of-hearing; subtitles and
audio description will be rolled out in the coming months.'

All the best.


Kind regards

Charles Crisp

See our holiday home website:
www.thecrisps.co.uk/french-house <http://www.thecrisps.co.uk/french-house>
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