Nintendo and the BBC have announced that the BBC iPlayer, which enables after-the-fact viewing of BBC television content, is to be offered through the Wii.
The press release tells us that the service is available “as of today”. Begods, it certainly does, we tried it and watched a snatch of the BBCs The Wall until we noticed Jonathan Ross appearing. We quickly went back to Metroid Prime.
Just to make sure Nintendo isn't pulling a fast one and tell us about a browser feature that can be had elsewhere, SPOnG tried to access iPlayer through the PS3 browser. It didn't work, so we flicked over to Ladytron's performance of Destroy Everything You Touch on Youtube to cheer ourselves up.
The declaration was made by Erik Huggers, the BBC's Group Controller for Future Media and Technology, in a keynote at the annual MipTV conference for the entertainment industry in Cannes. We'll get back to what he had to say on the subject shortly. Just after we've heard from Nintendo...
David Yarnton, General Manager of Nintendo UK, said, "This exciting alliance with the BBC is yet another way in which Nintendo is looking to broaden the market for its products by offering compelling and relevant content to families.
"BBC iPlayer on Wii will offer Wii owners another reason to turn their console on everyday and adds to the already established non-gaming content on Wii that includes news and weather channels and an internet browser."
Huggers, for his part, seemed equally chuffed. "Working with Nintendo marks another exciting milestone for BBC iPlayer.
"It underlines our commitment to reaching new audiences by making BBC iPlayer available on as many platforms as possible.
"The BBC's catch-up TV service can now be accessed on an increasing number of different platforms – from the web and portable devices to gaming consoles.
"It will shortly be available on TV."
Once the service is live (which it apparently already is), Wii owners connected to the Internet will receive a message (we didn't) on their console notifying them of the service. The iPlayer will be accessed through the Wii's Internet Channel. This will only be available to us Brits – Brits who pay their license fee, at that. The service is currently in the beta stage, so expect it further iterations later in the year.
The BBC dished out figures for the iPlayer today, telling us that 42 million programmes have been accessed through the service in the first three months of the year.
The press release tells us that the service is available “as of today”. Begods, it certainly does, we tried it and watched a snatch of the BBCs The Wall until we noticed Jonathan Ross appearing. We quickly went back to Metroid Prime.
Just to make sure Nintendo isn't pulling a fast one and tell us about a browser feature that can be had elsewhere, SPOnG tried to access iPlayer through the PS3 browser. It didn't work, so we flicked over to Ladytron's performance of Destroy Everything You Touch on Youtube to cheer ourselves up.
The declaration was made by Erik Huggers, the BBC's Group Controller for Future Media and Technology, in a keynote at the annual MipTV conference for the entertainment industry in Cannes. We'll get back to what he had to say on the subject shortly. Just after we've heard from Nintendo...
David Yarnton, General Manager of Nintendo UK, said, "This exciting alliance with the BBC is yet another way in which Nintendo is looking to broaden the market for its products by offering compelling and relevant content to families.
"BBC iPlayer on Wii will offer Wii owners another reason to turn their console on everyday and adds to the already established non-gaming content on Wii that includes news and weather channels and an internet browser."
Huggers, for his part, seemed equally chuffed. "Working with Nintendo marks another exciting milestone for BBC iPlayer.
"It underlines our commitment to reaching new audiences by making BBC iPlayer available on as many platforms as possible.
"The BBC's catch-up TV service can now be accessed on an increasing number of different platforms – from the web and portable devices to gaming consoles.
"It will shortly be available on TV."
Once the service is live (which it apparently already is), Wii owners connected to the Internet will receive a message (we didn't) on their console notifying them of the service. The iPlayer will be accessed through the Wii's Internet Channel. This will only be available to us Brits – Brits who pay their license fee, at that. The service is currently in the beta stage, so expect it further iterations later in the year.
The BBC dished out figures for the iPlayer today, telling us that 42 million programmes have been accessed through the service in the first three months of the year.
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Comments
deleted 9 Apr 2008 14:17
1/10
OMG i can watch BBC on TV!! oh wait...
[Edit] jsut read theres a small fee for the downlaod!! WTF its the BBC i pay my TV licence why am i paying a fee!!
[Edit] jsut read theres a small fee for the downlaod!! WTF its the BBC i pay my TV licence why am i paying a fee!!
TimSpong 9 Apr 2008 14:51
2/10
haritori wrote:
[Edit] jsut read theres a small fee for the downlaod!! WTF its the BBC i pay my TV licence why am i paying a fee!!
Do you? Do you really though? Or are you just wanting a visit from the detector vans?
I certainly do because come the day when we don't have a national broadcaster reliant on advertising revenue or (as in Australia) government hand-outs, then we're definitely up the creek of poo without a poo-propeller.
Cheers
Tim
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Rutabaga 9 Apr 2008 15:10
3/10
"This exciting alliance with the BBC is yet another way in which Nintendo is looking to broaden the market for its products by offering compelling and relevant content to families." It's amazing that they didn't want to "broaden the market" by including DVD movie functionality in the Wii, oh yeah it was because it was all about the games man...
YenRug 9 Apr 2008 20:51
4/10
haritori wrote:
[Edit] jsut read theres a small fee for the downlaod!! WTF its the BBC i pay my TV licence why am i paying a fee!!
They're talking about the 500 point fee for the Wii browser, if you didn't download it during the freebie period when it launched. I have to admit, it did confuse me at first, it sounded like they were talking about downloading and installing a standalone iPlayer channel.
SuperSaiyan4 10 Apr 2008 11:59
5/10
*YAWN* Who seriously is looking to watch crap BBC shows on their Wii? Hell I aint got time for a s**tty BBC selection.
Rather be watching Sky and am sure Wii owners have plenty of things to do with a Wii as its very enjoyable to play with than to say 'Damn missing the show on my Wii!' Err you pay a TV license? You get BBC on your television...
Rather be watching Sky and am sure Wii owners have plenty of things to do with a Wii as its very enjoyable to play with than to say 'Damn missing the show on my Wii!' Err you pay a TV license? You get BBC on your television...
Horatio 10 Apr 2008 12:35
6/10
SuperSaiyan4 wrote:
*YAWN* Who seriously is looking to watch crap BBC shows on their Wii? Hell I aint got time for a s**tty BBC selection.
Rather be watching Sky and am sure Wii owners have plenty of things to do with a Wii as its very enjoyable to play with than to say 'Damn missing the show on my Wii!' Err you pay a TV license? You get BBC on your television...
Rather be watching Sky and am sure Wii owners have plenty of things to do with a Wii as its very enjoyable to play with than to say 'Damn missing the show on my Wii!' Err you pay a TV license? You get BBC on your television...
It's soooo painful to read your posts SS4, it really is.
In my opinion (I might be in a low minority here), the BBC is one of the best broadcasters in the world. Top Gear alone is worth 10% of the license fee :-)
The point of the iPlayer is to give the fee-paying viewers the chance to see shows missed from the last 7 days without the need to Sky+ it or other methods of pro-actively setting programs to record. It that regard, its brilliant and is a great way addition to the BBC's existing services.
Adding it to the Wii is simply an extension of the service to remove the need for a full PC to use the service and that too is a great step forward - I've been using the iPlayer on my laptop which has a screen only half the size of my main TV so this new addition benefits me and I'm sure countless others who now own a Wii in the UK.
And aside from the web-browser fee that some users might now need to pay to get Opera Wii, it's a free addition too!
I wonder how the Wii owning public will be educated about this? Will the BBC make an advert showing you how to do it?
I agree with the comment about the missing DVD player though, it is a bit odd that Nintendo should move in this direction after leaving out the DVD player.....
tyrion 10 Apr 2008 12:49
7/10
Horatio wrote:
In my opinion (I might be in a low minority here), the BBC is one of the best broadcasters in the world. Top Gear alone is worth 10% of the license fee :-)
If you are, then I'm it it too!
On the Top Gear front, you'll also be able to watch old editions on Gran Turismo TV through the full version of Gran Turismo 5 when it finally comes out.
TimSpong 10 Apr 2008 13:01
8/10
SuperSaiyan4 wrote:
*YAWN* Who seriously is looking to watch crap BBC shows on their Wii? Hell I aint got time for a s**tty BBC selection.
Christ, Sky vs BBC fanboyism. Will this devisive bullcrap never cease?
My Snickers is better than your Bounty?
My feet are better than your hands?
Arghghghghgh!!!!
Stop it - people can watch both and should be able to do so on any available platform. Stop constantly trying to limit choice.
In answer to your question, I seriously want to watch BBC programs on any available platform.
SuperSaiyan4 wrote:
Rather be watching Sky
Right now, I'd rather you were watching Sky.
Tim
TimSpong 10 Apr 2008 13:06
9/10
Horatio wrote:
It's soooo painful to read your posts SS4, it really is.
In my opinion (I might be in a low minority here), the BBC is one of the best broadcasters in the world. Top Gear alone is worth 10% of the license fee :-)
In my opinion (I might be in a low minority here), the BBC is one of the best broadcasters in the world. Top Gear alone is worth 10% of the license fee :-)
Hear and hear-hear!
As for Top Gear, well, I'm in the minority here... I'm all, like, meh and that about it, innit.
Pip-pip
Tim
deleted 10 Apr 2008 15:12
10/10
Tim Smith wrote:
SuperSaiyan4 wrote:
*YAWN* Who seriously is looking to watch crap BBC shows on their Wii? Hell I aint got time for a s**tty BBC selection.
Christ, Sky vs BBC fanboyism. Will this devisive bullcrap never cease?
I believe SPOnG Forum opinions are like this quote.
Mike Tyson, on fighting Lennox Lewis: "My main objective is to be professional, but to kill him."