UK TV to be available over the Internet

[YorkshireLad6 7,152]

 

The BBC Trust have announced today provisional support for project Canvas - a joint venture between UK broadcasters BBC, ITV, BT, Five and Channel 4 to provide direct access to UK TV services over the internet. Canvas has been in discussion and development for just over 2 years and speculation suggests a launch during 2010. Beyond requiring the one-time purchase of an internet capable set-top box, the service, which should provide access to current free-to-air TV and Radio services from the UK will be free. Canvas is based on and will effectively merge the BBC and ITV "iPLayer" platforms, which while having the same goal to provide media services over internet are technically very different. Needles to say there have been discontented rumblings from Sky who are likely object to this tacit approval and encouragement from the BBC. Despite having a well developed satellite platform Sky are technologically very behind in the delivery of IP based services. Their Skyplayer implementation is very inferior to the other offerings available.

 

The implication for the expatriate market it tremendous. It could well mean that we will no longer need expensive or complicated satellite equipment to receive UK terrestrial services while living abroad - a reasonable speed internet connection is all that will be required. Ugly satellite dishes (and the problems they give renting tenants) could become a thing of the past. It's not yet clear how, or if access from abroad will, or can even be prohibited, but the ratification of the EU Audiovisual Media Services Directive, while not yet legally tested, gives a strong basis for the availability of these services throughout Europe. We all know that Geo-location based IP blocking is easy surmountable - along with many others I've been able to watch the iPlayer services for some years, and have been successfully beta-testing the Iplayer implementation on Freesat for 2 months which should go formally live early next month. Canvas will simply increase the range of services to cover most UK terrestrial broadcasts, and probably include a "catch-up" facility to re-watch episodes broadcast within the last 7-14 days. Earlier this month BBC IPlayer was announced on the Nintendo Wii, and works very well on a standard TV, even abroad (using proxy services to defeat Geo-location IP blocking)

[gideon 137]

I thought the monopolies commision blocked this development?

 

Anyway obviously for the expats it's a nice step forward.

 

The EU Directive though isn't worth the paper it is on. The ultimate control over the broadcasting areas lies with the rights holders, not with the broadcasters themselves. If anything, the movement towards free access in such a manner will change the ballgame. If the EU can force through an open skies policy, we'd all better be ready to dig deeper into our pockets. Not only will we then be liable for License fees from the BBC, but I'm quiet sure it would increase the move to direct subsription based IPTV deliveries of our favourite shows from the producers; in order to offset the revenue loss caused by half of europe watching the shows in english on the BBC before their national FTAs can dub.

[YorkshireLad6 7,152]

 

I thought the monopolies commision blocked this development?

 

This is the argument that Sky have subscribed to and have requested the venture be examined by the Office of Fair Trading. At the end of the day there are strong parallels top the Freeview/Freesat platforms which have managed to avoid any investigation and have successfully deflected the mud-slinging from Sky. Canvas is generally perceived more as a value-add than a major new source of revenue, so the monopoly argument is difficult to establish.

[Guest]

I hope Yorkshire Lad the sixth's back is red by now as he should be slapped on the back lots for the info!

 

As one who has DSL on a reasonable PC, and a Freesat thingy into my telly, are there any extra benefits from today's developments? Are there new toys I might one day want to get better services?

 

 

[YorkshireLad6 7,152]

 

As one who has DSL on a reasonable PC, and a Freesat thingy into my telly, are there any extra benefits from today's developments? Are there new toys I might one day want to get better services?

Well, apart from the obvious benefit of not having to install a satellite system (which not an option for many people for legal, practical or technical reasons - remember folks in southern Europe need a dish size over 2-3 metres for such services as these, plus, of course it's not affected by wind, snow or rain), Canvas could bring together a number of media-based advantages. It will certainly go in the direction of TVoD (TV on Demand) - you don't need to watch "Top Gear" at 20:00 on Sunday night, but any time you want to watch it over a period of 7-14 days for example. It's an open platform so therefore extensible. This means complementary applications such as Facebook, Youtube or News services can be added, or added-value services such as film-rental.

 

[Pas 8,133]

Of course it won't work as it's forward thinking, extensible and gives viewers what they want. Murdoch will be on the phone to a few of his buddies and it'll get pulled.

[Allershausen 6,414]

 

. Not only will we then be liable for License fees from the BBC,

 

Maybe we can choose to pay the Beeb and not the GEZ!

[Bipa 5,814]

Great! Now all I need is to convince someone, anyone, to provide my area with something a bit faster than DSL1000 which is the max available out here in the wilderness.

 

(Just measured my connection using the Computer Bild website. I've got download of only 375 kbits or 47 kbytes!)

[AncientBrit 1,934]

 

Great! Now all I need is to convince someone, anyone, to provide my area with something a bit faster than DSL1000 which is the max available out here in the wilderness. (Just measured my connection using the Computer Bild website. I've got download of only 375 kbits or 47 kbytes!)

 

I don't know anyone who can provide your area with something a bit faster than DSL1000, but I can at last recommend you (and anyone else) to move to Dresden-Striesen/-Blasewitz, because as of recently, we have VDSL 50 (50,000 kbit-downloads to you), thanks to Deutsche Telekom having finally got their act together after (from my perspective) 5 years of dithering about...

[gideon 137]

 

Of course it won't work as it's forward thinking, extensible and gives viewers what they want. Murdoch will be on the phone to a few of his buddies and it'll get pulled.

 

Murdoch and sky have always been at the front of pushing technology. They simply don't need an TVOD-IPTV system. They already have the sky+ system which is sufficient for their subscribers and a much better quality system. And why push investment in anything else? It just doesnt make commercial sense. They're more interested in investing in 3D television, HD delivery systems etc.

 

And lets not forget just who invested in pushing digital UK sat-broadcasting in the first place. Each one of us who watches the BBC on a sat owes Mr Murdoch a large drink.

[Chocky 1,223]

 

Each one of us who watches the BBC on a sat owes Mr Murdoch a large drink.

 

Bullshit, News Corp has more interest in seeing the BBC dismantled and sold off to the highest bidder, which in the case of media related mergers and acquisitions is most likely to be Murdoch's omnipresent empire.

[gideon 137]

 

Bullshit, News Corp has more interest in seeing the BBC dismantled and sold off to the highest bidder, which in the case of media related mergers and acquisitions is most likely to be Murdoch's omnipresent empire.

 

Really? So it was the BBC that developed and pushed the Digital-Sat industry in the UK?

I don't have time to argue with you about the rest. Because you obviously know jack, and the UK broadcasting industry is a little bit more complicated than your left wing propoganda.

[Guest]

Good news ref the Iplayer on Freesat, thought it would never be here..informative post YL6, cheers.

[Guest]

chocky

 

what the fuck are you on about?

[YorkshireLad6 7,152]

 

Good news ref the Iplayer on Freesat, thought it would never be here...

I presume you realise iPlayer in Freesat is is now here, at least in Beta form, but only on Humax receivers.. See here

[Chocky 1,223]

 

Because you obviously know jack, and the UK broadcasting industry is a little bit more complicated than your left wing propoganda.

 

'Left wing agenda'? I'll call right wing agenda on your previous post. If you read any UK newspaper in the last month, you would have been aware of the Murdoch family's attacks on the BBC and OFCOM ahead of the expected election of David Cameron as Primeminister. They are taking advantage of the current climate of scepticism about the license paying system that is in place at the moment as they are obviously hoping to profit from any deregulation.

David Cameron's Tories have finally got their reward after years of cosying up to Rupert Murdoch and his son James. When James gave the MacTaggart Lecture to the Edinburgh TV Festival in August, he spelled out his worldview of British Television and the hated BBC in particular.

"Rather than concentrating on areas where the market is not delivering, the BBC seeks to compete head-on for audiences".

He is also quoted as saying that the BBC is "too dominant", "the BBC trust is abysmal", the BBC's commercial worldwide division is "egregious", and the busybody regulator OFCOM must be curbed.

The reason the Murdoch's are so anti the BBC and OFCOM is because they expect various other media outlets to fall in to line with them and charge people for news.

OFCOM recently proposed that Sky sell some of it's content wholesale to other broadcasters. The Sky system is limited by it's technology, which has a restricted bandwidth, and for this reason Sky is panicking.

All media agencies are struggling at the moment which is why the BBC is in the firing line right now.

 

As a foot note, David Cameron has basically echoed what Murdoch said, and has also promised that OFCOM will "cease to exist".

There are many cosy connections between various members of the Tory party and the executives at Newscorp, too many to go through in detail right now, but as anyone reading this is probably aware, The Sun recently announced it's support for the Tories, which pretty much assures them of victory at the next election.

 

I suspect it is you that knows Jack. Still want to buy him a drink?

[Guest]

 

I presume you realise iPlayer in Freesat is is now here, at least in Beta form, but only on Humax receivers.. See here

 

errrm...no i didn't realise and i have a foxsat PVR, like i said before cheers for keeping donuts like me up to date on this info. Another question is a home plug adaptor easy to pick up here?, and if so which one would you (or anyone else for that matter) recommend?

[YorkshireLad6 7,152]

 

Another question is a home plug adaptor easy to pick up here?, and if so which one would you (or anyone else for that matter) recommend?

 

See Ethernet over the mains for a discussion on these devices

I'd be inclined to test you can make it work using a long ethernet cable before you invest, however...

[Guest]

ah the trusty old search function...*walks off, hanging head in shame...*

[gideon 137]

 

I suspect it is you that knows Jack. Still want to buy him a drink?

 

Ha ha ha ha... You couldn't be further from the truth, I don't need to read newspapers about things. I talk and work with the people involved. BskyB has always attacked the Beeb. Same as the Beeb has always counter programmed against ITV. Nothing new there. From Tony Ball (hears Chocky Googleing franticly) and Sam before him. And the MacTagart is there to provoke. Always has been, always will be.

 

BskyB running out of bandwidth?? Do you really think each channel has a defined bandwidth? People like you make me laugh. Never worked in the industry, never have an idea of operations, rights and the whole shabang.. Sigh...