The future of TV is here
13 June 2007

"I didn't take my Mac Pro [on holiday] (it was a bit difficult trying to get the tower into my suitcase and made it a bit heavy)"

I've just returned from holiday - one that involved me leaving my technology at home. Apart from my digital SLR camera... and my high def camcorder... and my PSP. Ahem! Well, I didn't take my Mac Pro (it was a bit difficult trying to get the tower into my suitcase and made it a bit heavy) but shock of shocks I didn't take my MacBook and that is portable!

Before I'd left, I'd pre-programmed my Sky+ box for such important televisual feasts as the final episode of Prison Break, the 24 double finale, Heroes, The Apprentice and Gavin and Stacey so on my return the technology had stored everything I wanted. Which was nice.

But what if I'd forgotten to set the box? Well, Sky offer a way to set the unit remotely by phone (if you're willing to pay for it) but I haven't tried that yet. OK, what about if I'd totally forgotten about something and only found out about it after I'd got back from jolly hols? Got you now, haven't I?

Sky and Channel 4 offer "on demand" facilities that for a fee enable you to download limited content to your computer. The BBC, however, are planning something more ambitious. The BBC iPlayer will enable licence payers to view any content broadcast by them over the previous 7 days on any of their main channels (BBC1, BBC2, BBC3 and BBC4 as well as CBeebies, CBBC and even some BBC News 24 and BBC Parliament shows). I'm lucky enough to be involved in a limited trial for the service - and here's what I think of it so far.

First let's get the grumbles out of the way. Like Sky and Channel 4's options, iPlayer is restricted to Microsoft Windows XP. I'm having to use Parallels Desktop on my Mac to get it to run. The good news is that unlike Sky and Channel 4 the BBC Trust has instructed the BBC to make iPlayer multi-platform so expect to see a Mac (and for that matter Vista) version in the not too distant future.

Getting technical for a moment, the restriction isn't only to do with Windows having such a large market share (although that no doubt makes a difference of sorts). All the players in the "on-demand TV" service want their content restricted. The BBC's programs, for example, will disappear off your computer after a certain numbers of days. This is called Digital Rights Management (DRM) and is more familiar to people who buy music for their MP3 players. Microsoft licence their DRM to third parties like the BBC enabling them to produce their software solutions. Apple, on the other hand, are unwilling to licence their DRM (as used in iTunes) for fear of compromising its security and particularly upsetting the music giants like Sony if it were hacked. It'll be interesting to see how the BBC get round this.

Use of the iPlayer is pretty straight forward and it looks like a good deal of thought has gone into making the software easy to use. It's all browser based (I've tried it in IE but not in anything else yet - not sure if it can run in Firefox or the new Safari beta). As you move your mouse over a programme it tells you how long you've got left to watch it. You can search for programmes by day, title or genre. I was disappointed that a programme I'd missed about the sinking of the Lucitania wasn't available, but the BBC say that not every programme is included in the trial so I can't complain too much. But I have caught up on Rolf on Art with the appropriately named Bill Oddie and plan to watch a recent episode of Coast as I caught the end of one on my Sky+ box that looks like it may cover where I've just spent my time off.

I can't say too much as I'm bound by a confidentiality agreement, but first thoughts are that it looks very well thought out and easy to use. Not sure I'd want to sit at my computer to watch a long programme, though, although sitting downstairs in comfort with my MacBook on my lap is an option. If only the BBC and Apple would talk about incorporating the service on iTunes with a feed to the Apple TV then we'd be talking business!

Use of the iPlayer will be free so when the service launches later in the year I recommend you make it a priority to download. And a quick note to any BBC employee reading this - the Mac version can't come around too quick for me. Hint hint!

Next time
Comments on the new features of Leopard announced earlier this week and Apple's release of Safari for Windows.