[BBC] iPlayer for iPhone (beta) out now

[craigp]

Lots of mention on the rumour sites of the iPhone BBC iPlayer banner that appears when you go to the iPlayer site in Safari on the iPhone, but it actually looks like the beta is released to the public and we can all give it a go (providing you live in the UK, presumably).

In the excitement of the SDK, I think this story has been lost or misunderstood along the way. This isn't a leak about an pending new feature - iPlayer for the iPhone is out right now!

Great article on the technology behind it here:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/bbcinternet/2008/03/bbc_iplayer_on_iphone_behind_t.html

From that article:
We're not using the new Apple SDK, nor are we using the much-rumoured Flash for iPhone (no - we haven't seen it, either). Instead, we're creating 516Kbps streams (400Kbps H.264 video, 116Kbps AAC audio) that show off BBC programmes brilliantly on an iPhone.

As of right now, only a limited selection of programmes have been encoded for the iPhone (and if you read the article, it will explain why, and why there will only be more to follow), but the quality is astounding.

Thank you BBC, thank you. iPlayer is worth the license fee on its own.

[al217739]

good stuff, but not worth the licence fee! ;)

[Dimsum]

load of rubbish if you ask me!

Nothing on the site plays. It's like looking for a needle in a haystack trying to find that one episode that works.

They haven't formatted the iplayer webpage or have a dedicated iPhone link that makes it more specific to us iPhone users! This way it could take us to our own iPhone friendly page and we dont need to go through everything just finding one show that most likely wont be formatted to play on the iPhone.

disappointed!!!!!!

[adyh]

To be fair is it a beta release, you cant expect full content on day one.

[al217739]

its a shame you cant save it to the iphone for like a wekk then you could watch stuff when traveling around to work etc

[shetaan819]

I attempted using a proxy that I usually use to successfully download BBC podcasts (not available outside the UK) to get the iPlayer on my iPhone, and Im getting a 'You Need Javascript' error from the BBC site.

If anyone can find a proxy with Java (Java-enabled proxy) , I think we can pull this off but until then its a no go, :(

[glj100]

I've used the Iplayer this weekend and found plenty to watch. Its great for the Iphone and everyone who has one. It starts to show there is a difference between the Iphone and all the other mobiles like the N95 and other handsets. Hopefully lots of other sites will follow their lead.

http://www.hackint0sh.org/forum/images/smilies/biggrin.gif
:D
glj

[Dhalilahma]

hey, I used it this weekend and it was GREAT! Really quick server and lots of the videos played for me, quality was great as well!

[romeo0119]

It wont work if im in the U.S will it

[TJ2K7]

It wont work if im in the U.S will it

No unfortunately,
It is only available to UK users.
Just like ABC's video player, I can't watch that.

Unless you use a proxy like Your Freedom.


:D