The Volume Goes To 11...
Cute... the volume controller on the iPlayer Beta goes up to 11 (might just be for beta or glastonbury tho, so here's a a screengrab)
Lots of BBC
They've had a tough ride to get here, but BBC folks who have pushed for openness have turned a corner after this weekend's Mashed. Lots of things to note:
Subtitle data! Available as XML, via BBCRedux project - Article, Links
iPlayer Feeds!
All available, Expiring soon, Most recent, Most popular
And it looks like more PIP APIs are seeping out over the next few weeks.
Middle Men Get Squeezed, World Weeps
TV commerce director: "We're very aware about not letting Apple do to TV what they did to the music biz. There's nothing there for record labels now - at the bottom end bands can publish, promote and break themselves; at the top end, established acts can take themselves out of the loop and become their own brand + label + store in one."
Yes, that does indeed sound like another media industry preparing to defend their middle-man cut as their business gets rolled into the internet.
No TV doesn't quite let you make the equivalent of a hit single in your bedroom, and it takes some cash to avoid UGC hell (although cf. Doctor Who 70s-80s for an exception) but tools march ever downwards in price, up in quality. Middle men? Who needs it.
Hulu Butts Heads With Ad Blocking Users
Now this is interesting. Hulu is actively detecting and informing users of ad blocking software that their actions to customise their web experience are not welcome.
Now, the web isn't much like TV and the amount of control any member of the TV audience might have over their experience was pretty limited compared to the web. That is, until Tivo came along - and they got forced into making their 30-second ad skip button a backdoor power-user feature. Might this become the start of an online TV arms race around advertising, and more generally, control of the experience?
Techcrunch UK Meetup
So, I was completely blown away when I saw Mike Butcher from TCUK had added me as the agenda item for TC's first meetup of the summer. I'm touched and would like to thank all those who have sent me good wishes and offers of help with Tioti - I'm feeling *much* better thank you and will be online and active a good deal more from now on, and (fingers crossed) out and about in a few weeks. I'd also like to thank the team who have been gone above and beyond to keep the show not only on the road but steaming ahead... more on that, soon soon soon.
Have a great Friday TCUKers - shame I can't join you myself.
-- paulpod
Techcrunch UK Meetup Friday 9th May
Stephen Fry Knows The Score
Clearly Stephen is a good deal more geeky than the average punter, but acknowedging that iPlayer streamed content is as good as ripped, even by his dear old mum in the near future, is a bit more enlightened than the beeb itself. We really have to get past this 'protection' mindset.
Similarly, NBC seem confident that Microsoft will restrict tv content playback to purchased video only on their Zune (and one presumes the desktops of millions too). This isn't sounding like progressive digital media to me. [Microsoft to add 'copyright cop' to their Zune DRM [ Link ]
Read the transcript of the Stephen Fry speech
Work In Progress : Homepage
I used to do this a lot more, and stopped, but it's time to get back in the saddle. This is a work in progress for a homepage redesign, and we'd like your comments if you have any. (click for full sized image)
Specifically, it's a homepage as seen by a first time visitor - members will have less "hello, my name's Tioti" and a bit more "This is stuff you'll like".
Sony PS3 goes for... The Grid!
So, with all the computing power of the Cell processor at their fingertips, and the relatively easy to manage number of channels of Freeview, Sony have gone for a very conservative interface for their new PlayTV PVR add-on to the PS3.
It's in HD, so the type should look nice, and isn't exactly ugly... It just seems like a bit of a wasted opportunity to do something more, with a device that could and is likely connected to broadband too. TiVo++ at the very least. But no, seems we have yet another grid: 8 channels x 2 hours to wade through. At least it has a search...
EPGs, PVRs are still in the dark ages
This post over at NewTeeVee really highlights the extent to which EPG design is stuck and how the same thinking feeds into PVRs at the moment.
Not being a Comcast customer myself, those screenshots from the service are real eyeopeners... beauties aren't they? To think a Tivo from the previous century does a better job (avoiding recent repeat showings according to the article, and my own experience) while looking a good deal smarter...
Quite keen to see how Sony approach the problem with their PS3 add-on.
Fresh feeds in February
We've got some new feeds that should be appearing in Tioti over the next few days, and we think you'll be quite happy about them.
First up, for our UK users we're adding iPlayer links for most of the shows on the Flash streaming service. In addition, we've got links for ITV.com content coming up covering catch-up content and some of the classic TV they have on their site (in Windows Media embedded on the site unfortunately...).
Extending our coverage of other services we have a listing of the VOD content available to Comcast cable subscribers - sometimes it's quite handy to know the show you're looking for is available a couple of remote control pushes away on the big telly.
More feeds soon!
