UK PS3 owners play with iPlayer

Written by James Delahunty @ 13 Apr 2008 3:42 User comments (6)

Following the announcement of iPlayer support in Nintendo's Wii video games home console, and the subsequent revelation that the lack of support for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 (PS3) was due mainly to Microsoft and Sony, PS3 users have decided to go ahead and enjoy BBC's iPlayer anyway. A coder called "Ixalon" has created an unofficial site for the PS3 which spoofs the Wii's user agent and makes the Javascript and CSS of iPlayer's site "PS3-friendly".

So that means by pointing the PS3's browser toward the unofficial site, UK PS3 owners can enjoy content from BBC's iPlayer now. The iPlayer offers TV programming in the UK and is designed specifically for those who want a second look at an episode they watched on TV, of those who simply missed a certain episode while it aired.

The video content that is delivered to PS3 users through this method is the same Flash 7 video that the BBC provides for Wii users. The Flash 7 video has a higher bitrate than normal to attempt to match the iPlayer quality. While it was possible to view the iPlayer site from the PS3 console before, it wasn't as easy as just visiting a URL, which is...

URL: http://www.ps3iplayer.com/problem/browser.html

This is unlikely to cause any kind of stir, except maybe at Nintendo, which arguably only enjoyed a single day's exclusivity of iPlayer. "It only took a day to produce, so come on BBC - how about implementing this properly?," the developer, Ixalon, asks.

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6 user comments

113.4.2008 05:11

nobrainer

Inactive

the quality is not great from the flash player and the bbc stated that the wii would get full screen playback, but this is not the case. you can zoom in using the wii controller then move the screen position to fit best you can but if you have a pc the downloaded content from the iPlayer site is far superior quality(tv quality).

good start for the consoles but the pc still wins hands down. good to see the community fighting back against the control of sony though, big respect going to Ixalon, will a work around be available soon for m$ offering? enjoy it while you can ppl as there is no telling how long the site will work via your ps3's with sonys(& m$) apparent grab at total control meaning the bbc didn't bow to pressure and blocking you all from a piece of the action.

The new season of Ideal is available an worth a watch!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/technology/2008/04/wii.html

Originally posted by bbc link:
According to the Beeb's Erik Huggers it's because Sony and Microsoft wanted to "control" the iPlayer.

He said: "If you want to get on the PlayStation or Xbox, they want control of the look, the feel and the experience; they want it done within their shop, and their shop only."

Now what does that mean? Bearing in mind I only have one side of the story - I've asked Microsoft and Sony to respond to this - it would seem that Microsoft and Sony were placing too many demands on the corporation.

This message has been edited since its posting. Latest edit was made on 13 Apr 2008 @ 5:24

213.4.2008 05:12

nobrainer

Inactive

oops

This message has been edited since its posting. Latest edit was made on 13 Apr 2008 @ 5:15

314.4.2008 05:43

OFI

Send private message to this user

Newbie

umm why is the article linked to the browser not supported page? lol

Shame there isn't an easy work around for the 360 :-(

414.4.2008 09:04

nobrainer

Inactive

Originally posted by OFI:
umm why is the article linked to the browser not supported page? lol

Shame there isn't an easy work around for the 360 :-(

because it is an exploit to make it run on the ps3 not sony supported.

here is the thread i started about this.
http://forums.afterdawn.com/thread_view.cfm/651160

btw its a UK service only me thinks, only us mugs that pay our licence fee are funding this, so i doubt its viewable outside the uk, maybe a proxy with a uk ip would work also, but that is not be possible with a ps3 as it does not support proxy servers as far as i'm aware, so no secrets with the ps3 its good old unencrypted report back to home browsing! but you could always install linux/firefox or try this; settings - network settings - Internet Connection Settings (advanced settings) - proxy server. and then brows to something like http://www.thinkbroadband.com/ip.html to check weather it works.

and the direct link for the ps3 iPlayer viewer,
http://www.ps3iplayer.com/problem/browser.html

This message has been edited since its posting. Latest edit was made on 14 Apr 2008 @ 9:13

515.4.2008 06:55

susieqbbb

Inactive

Big deal..

It's called dont purchase sony's ps3 this is why the ps3 is a gaming machine not a internet machine and due to the facts that the illegal site uses stolen information from a nintendo wii this will be shut down immediatly by nintendo

615.4.2008 15:36

nobrainer

Inactive

Originally posted by susieqbbb:
Big deal..

It's called dont purchase sony's ps3 this is why the ps3 is a gaming machine not a internet machine and due to the facts that the illegal site uses stolen information from a nintendo wii this will be shut down immediatly by nintendo

hmm doubtful if nintendo can shut it down it would have to come in the form of a block via a ps3 update. it is just a form of flash that consoles actually understand because as you state consoles are not for browsing the web, ect, they are for playing games, and nothing more.

if you want a media machine i would suggest to get a pc as they excel in ALL aspects of the wanna bee consoles, but this is a start and yes it may only be used as a sales gimmick to tempt kids to impulse purchase (parents usually paying) because the quality really sucks.

or is it that pc users have enjoyed Hi-Res for many, many years and are just used to GOOD quality, over cleaver advertising?

This message has been edited since its posting. Latest edit was made on 15 Apr 2008 @ 3:39

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UK PS3 owners play with iPlayer

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