BBC iPlayer First Impressions

[mikekirk]

The beta iPlayer is now available on iPad at www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer.

A few initial comments.

I'm not too keen on having the big screen interface, this might be good for the PS3, but the iPad could work much better with something closer to the normal website interface.

The video looks absolutely gorgeous. This is the most important thing.

Can anyone figure how to get the video fullscreen instead of playing inside Safari? I thought you had to double tap any video in the browser for fullscreen but it doesn't seem to do anything.

Posted on my new iPad.

 

[trevreyno]

I'm hopeing this is only a stop gap measure by the BBC the big screen interface (looks like the ipad is just being directed to the wiii/PS3 feed)is not really suited to the iPad.


It's a good start but let's hope it's not too long before we get an iPad specific interface with all the goodies that the new desktop beta has just received.

 

[sandyjmacdonald]

The beta iPlayer is now available on iPad at www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer.

A few initial comments.

I'm not too keen on having the big screen interface, this might be good for the PS3, but the iPad could work much better with something closer to the normal website interface.

The video looks absolutely gorgeous. This is the most important thing.

Can anyone figure how to get the video fullscreen instead of playing inside Safari? I thought you had to double tap any video in the browser for fullscreen but it doesn't seem to do anything.

Posted on my new iPad.

Damn! You beat me to it. I was just about to post about this.

Yeah. The Safari toolbar is really annoying. Haven't found any way to get rid of it so far.

 

[bareskillz]

Damn! You beat me to it. I was just about to post about this.

Yeah. The Safari toolbar is really annoying. Haven't found any way to get rid of it so far.

I think it's really poor. The iPhone version which worked fine on then iPad over a month ago worked great and went full screen albeit with a slightly reduced resolution.

Some news sources report that the BBC have an iPad app waiting to be deployed but it is on hold until a BBC trust investigation into their apparent Apple bias is resolved.

I wonder if some genius can recode a portal to the content.

 

[mikekirk]

I think it's really poor. The iPhone version which worked fine on then iPad over a month ago worked great and went full screen albeit with a slightly reduced resolution.

Some news sources report that the BBC have an iPad app waiting to be deployed but it is on hold until a BBC trust investigation into their apparent Apple bias is resolved.

I wonder if some genius can recode a portal to the content.

The interface is a disaster in the iPad, especially the searching. Typing in your search by pecking at in page graphics!

 

[grask8]

Damn! You beat me to it. I was just about to post about this.

Yeah. The Safari toolbar is really annoying. Haven't found any way to get rid of it so far.

To lose the toolbar first add a bookmark icon to your home screen and then launch iPlayer from there.

 

[mikekirk]

To lose the toolbar first add a bookmark icon to your home screen and then launch iPlayer from there.

Thanks for the tip, that's a massive improvement.

 

[bareskillz]

To lose the toolbar first add a bookmark icon to your home screen and then launch iPlayer from there.

Sweet!! Thanks, that's aces!!

 

[and.sleepless]

Is this an international app, or one thats limited to the UK?

Sorry if its a silly question

 

[mikekirk]

Is this an international app, or one thats limited to the UK?

Sorry if its a silly question

Without fiddling with proxies it's UK only I'm afraid.

 

[Ratty]

Without fiddling with proxies it's UK only I'm afraid.

Use a vpn connection and you should be OK. I use a vpn link the other way to access ABC etc.

 

[badgerman]

Use a vpn connection and you should be OK. I use a vpn link the other way to access ABC etc.

Is this free? Any pointers?

 

[jsbaugh]

Do yourself a favor and get Atomic Browser and never use Safari again.

 

[grahamtearne]

as I dont have an iPad yet and probably wont for a few weeks could someone please post a screenshot of the interface so I can see the gripes you have with it. Thanks.

 

[chaslam]

Do yourself a favor and get Atomic Browser and never use Safari again.

I did try it with atomic but it would load. Just kept spinning and spinning.....

 

[mikekirk]

Here's a few, it's the same interface as you get on the PS3 and the Wii.

 

[limesmoothie]

It isn't great, particularly the search interface. But it is better than no iplayer at all, so I can manage.

 

[mmoosa]

The quality of video is really good!

 

[Ratty]

Is this free? Any pointers?

Free vpn links are unreliable, I use this one:

https://www.blackvpn.com/

It's quick cheap, you can pay and use buy the month if required (<£5)

Give it a try.

 

[gazwas]

We need an app BBC!

Just watched the last episode of Ashes to Ashes on the iPlayer. The search was terrible and had to find it through the series website but the long winded search was well worth it.

Picture quality and sound are superb and it's a great way to watch TV tucked up all warm in bed rather sat on the sofa in the lounge with the notebook.

These iPad's are amazing! Please BBC write a proper app for he iPad because these things are the future.

 

[naujoks]

Atomic browser is rubbish.
Get iCab, it does everything.
iPlayer looks great on it!

 

[avaloncourt]

The interface could certainly use a lot of work but it's better than nothing. I'm glad there's a way to get around the fullscreen issue.