BBC: Sony, MS wanted to "control" streaming video on their consoles

by Kyle Orland { Apr 10th 2008 at 3:55PM }

A day after the BBC announced a version of its iPlayer streaming video service for the Wii, an obvious follow-up question arises: "Why isn't a similar service available for the PS3 and Xbox 360 as well?" A partial answer from BBC Future and Technology Group Coordinator Erik Huggers, who said in a BBC's dot.life blog that Sony and Microsoft weren't willing to open up their infrastructures to the iPlayer. "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," Huggers said.

The BBC blogger uses this as a leaping-off point to declare that the Wii's deal with the BBC "makes something of a mockery" of the multimedia capabilities of the Xbox 360 and PS3. Never mind that the Wii can't even play DVDs (much less Blu-ray discs) or that the system offers no way to download video for permanent, offline viewing. According to the BBC's blogger, Nintendo is "bridging the gap between the web and the TV" in a way that its competitors aren't.

Regardless, the implication that Sony and Microsoft are unwilling to accommodate online video outside the walled garden of their narrow, profit-generating shop services is a little upsetting. The beauty of having a machine connected to the internet should be the ability to access the wide array of free content on that internet, not just the opportunity to buy things from the console maker and its partners.

Tags: BBC, iPlayer, multimedia, online, streaming, video

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)

tmacairjordan87 @ Apr 10th 2008 3:58PM

well it's no secret nintendo doesn't care what's on their system so of course they weren't going to control it.

Jason @ Apr 10th 2008 4:53PM

haha! couldn't have said it better myself.

Worst Review Ever @ Apr 10th 2008 3:58PM

Holy crap, Killjebus! W-What are you going to say?

Deck @ Apr 10th 2008 3:59PM

Bah MS and Sony really are pulling a let-down right now.

samfish @ Apr 10th 2008 4:04PM

I just want to play games on my videogame consoles.

Donald @ Apr 10th 2008 4:26PM

Thank you for two things:
1) Saying what I'm thinking
2) The avatar

THE WICKER MAN (BWF) (GT: Dalek Prime) @ Apr 10th 2008 5:15PM

uuughhh...avatar. Carcassone?

velocitystrike @ Apr 10th 2008 6:40PM

Is that a Shaymin, Donald?

A Pissed-off English Gamer @ Apr 10th 2008 10:16PM

Consoles are moving in that media-based direction, it's a shame. Good job Nintendo got it right in this sense. I'm not ready to give in and have one device for all my media, but when it does one day happen, i'd like the transition to be as painless as possible.

Chameleon @ Apr 10th 2008 10:20PM

"I just want to play games on my videogame consoles."

one of the best things i've read in months ....

+1

Mr Khan @ Apr 10th 2008 4:05PM

They are media companies too, after all

They want to protect what they think is theirs, but actually isn't (goes off on random rant about Digital Rights Law)

t_m @ Apr 11th 2008 1:24AM

I cannever read Kens comments because they are ALWAYS greyed out... sham, i'm sure they are very insightful.

WiiSports Machine...Fernandos in disguise PSN: Killjebus @ Apr 10th 2008 4:10PM

I don't live in the UK, so I don't give a Krap. If something similar was on offer here, I still would not give a Krap because I have DirecTV with 70+ HD channels and DTV On Demand. So, I can still watch what I want when I want.

The WSM is not capable of having an Online HD movie DL service so of course Nintendo will allow it. You better darn tootin believe that if they did, they would do the same as Sony and Microsoft.

Only one more day till BSG season 4 episode 2.
"Your'e going the WRONG WAY!!!!"

Jody Anthony (cookingrebels.com) @ Apr 10th 2008 4:13PM

you should add me on psn

psn id: JodyAnthony

WiiSports Machine...Fernandos in disguise PSN: Killjebus @ Apr 10th 2008 4:34PM

will do so 2nite.

Co @ Apr 10th 2008 8:20PM

Damn Ken, I want to read your comment but it's so faded I can't make it out. Seriously, it's hurting my eyes trying to read it.

Fuck Sony and Fuck Microsoft.

Neil @ Apr 10th 2008 4:18PM

Anyone who has tried iPlayer on Wii knows that it only succeeds in embarrassing the console with its hideous resolution and godawful framerate.

Best avoided.

WiiSports Machine...Fernandos in disguise PSN: Killjebus @ Apr 10th 2008 4:36PM

is it really that bad? If you have a stable and fast connection, why does it still suck?

Benny @ Apr 10th 2008 4:48PM

It's not that bad. I have a 2MB connection and it works fine.

Neil @ Apr 10th 2008 5:01PM

It is AWFUL. I have an 8MB connection and it makes no difference. The implementation just isn't capable of any more than what I would say is about 15fps.

Alex @ Apr 10th 2008 5:21PM

Works fine for me. I'm on 2MB Tiscali.

Benny @ Apr 10th 2008 5:29PM

@Neil

Clearly, the iPlayer hates your avatar.

Knight Marquise @ Apr 10th 2008 4:18PM

Personally, I don't see a problem with MS or Sony and they wanting to control the "look, feel, & experience" on their service.

Them praising the Wii's media capabilties over Sony & MS blows all credibility out of the water.

Tiptup300 @ Apr 10th 2008 4:18PM

You guys are crazy! I love watching laggy barely-watchable webtv instead of just you know, turning on my tv and watch it...

dabamf @ Apr 10th 2008 4:26PM

Oh well, guvnah, guess I'm going to miss out on a bunch of Britcoms. I'm not going to lose sleep over it.

Rask @ Apr 10th 2008 4:27PM

ROFL.

So the BBC is saying "Sony and MS didn't want our proprietary software on their closed systems, this didn't make us happy so we're going to do the next best thing to piss them off and offer this on the Wii."

teeb @ Apr 10th 2008 6:00PM

Proprietary software?!

It runs through flash player...

Saccia @ Apr 10th 2008 4:29PM

Honestly, I think you've got to look at this the right way. I don't know about Sony, but the Xbox360 can stream content from non-premium services. If you simply add streaming video URLs to any Windows PC in the house and connect your Xbox360 to it, you can watch streaming video (and audio) from anywhere. You can use Windows Media Player 11 or one of the media server alternatives to do this. The thing is that the remote site (aka BBC) has to have an open stream. Instead BBC is wrapping it all up in their iPlayer. If they would just give you some sort of RSS video feed, it would be usable on the 360. So, I don't blame Microsoft, I blame BBC. The Xbox360 doesn't have a web browser... so what? I sure don't use the one on my Wii. It's not that the Wii actually has streaming media features like the 360, it just happens to have a web browser which allows you to get *some* media content.

Lars @ Apr 10th 2008 7:00PM

PS3 can use the same Media Server kinda thing with PC's in the house. I wish it was a bit different though because my situation is kind of unique for a home. I've got a server running which I have a shared drive of music, but I can't do the whole WMP11 thing because it's not a regular workstation. I could maybe do it with Nero, but I don't want to really buy anything just to get it set up as a Media Server, especially when the stuff is right there for anyone on the network already. I wish I could just have it check all shared drives on the network instead, or map them or something.

KiraXD @ Apr 10th 2008 7:23PM

Not to mention the fact that the PS3's (average) Web Browser can stream a lot of freeTV sites and video sevices... honestly i would rather have a player that fits the look of my console, and its user interface standard, than have them let 3rd parties pump out crap that looks, and plays like crap... and degrades the console.

Extinction @ Apr 10th 2008 9:23PM

PS3 lets you just by going to the website, no PC required

Leobebes @ Apr 10th 2008 4:31PM

Wait a minute here, so grainy, laggy, and unwatchable media makes a mockery out of Microsofts crisp clear HD resolution video on demand? What kind of diluted, LSD inspired world are Wii supporters living in?

I own a Wii I am starting to despise it. No one comes over to my place anymore to play it. It looks like poo on my television, and every first party title that has been coming out looks and plays identically to the Gamecube version.

I love Nintendo, but if I were them I would be a little more humbler at this point because I think the masses are starting to catch on to something here.

Mr Khan @ Apr 10th 2008 4:38PM

They didn't say it, the BBC did

Saccia @ Apr 10th 2008 4:40PM

RAmen to all of this.... I've started to sell off all of my Wii games. The only reason I'll be keeping my Wii is because I've got some old Nintendo games on it that I've downloaded. Might as well keep the system around since my original Nintendo has broken. I've got my classic controller and I'm set. The Wii has truly shown itself to me as the next-gen old-gen machine. I will not be playing anything but old games on it.

WiiSports Machine...Fernandos in disguise PSN: Killjebus @ Apr 10th 2008 4:41PM

How long were you and your friends gaga over the WSM b4 you guys got bored of it? When did the "it looks like poo" effect take place? Do you have an HDTV?

"I think the masses are starting to catch on to something here."

Not yet, but they will. I think right now gamers like you are catchin on...and gamers like me caught on the moment this "gimmick" was announced.

WiiSports Machine...Fernandos in disguise PSN: Killjebus @ Apr 10th 2008 4:44PM

"RAmen to all of this"

May the Noodlyone's appendages touch you brother.
Stop global warming...become a pirate.

Pastafarians RULE...RAmen brother, RAmen.

Leobebes @ Apr 10th 2008 4:49PM

I wouldn't go as far to call it a gimmick, because I think there could be some future implementations of the technology that might have some merit, but yes I do own an HDTV and the Wii looks really unspectacular on it even with the component cables I purchased.

The Wii actually looks better on late generation SD Tv sets than on new HD LCD or Plasma sets. Another thing is supposedly the Wii is more powerful than the original Xbox but yet there arent any games that are nicer looking than Oddworld:Strangers Wrath, I mean Mario Galaxy has come close but I am over that game.

The reason I have decided to keep it is more my newly born daughter, she will probably find some enjoyment from it later on in her young life. For me I am over it unless Nintendo comes out with something that will push its system to the limits.

WiiSports Machine...Fernandos in disguise PSN: Killjebus @ Apr 10th 2008 5:06PM

Well the WSM was designed for Chumpvision TV's so it is no surprise that it looks better at its native resolution. But I had no idea that a good upconverting HDTV or rather in this case DOWN converting HDTV would make the WSM's games look like Dubya's mummy in a bikini.

Congratulations on your newly born daughter...do you like cigars? If you do or if you are looking for some...let me know where your palate lies and I will be happy to suggest a proper smoke for you and your mates.

rokerovakero @ Apr 10th 2008 5:07PM

If you don't like it, sell it on ebay, you can probably get twice what you paid for it.

xrayzwei @ Apr 10th 2008 4:44PM

"The beauty of having a machine connected to the internet should be the ability to access the wide array of free content on that internet, not just the opportunity to buy things from the console maker and its partners."

The beauty of that is my PC, you know where I read this blog on the same high speed interent connection, is where I get this "wide array". I'm fine with my 360 and triple doing something else.

JangoGod @ Apr 10th 2008 4:44PM

I got my Wii wired and have super fast interwebs...

I got to try this out!

Oh, and I don't get TV. I have a TV, but I don't even have a antenna. So this may be nice.......

Deric Lee @ Apr 10th 2008 4:52PM

I think people are missing the point here.
I'm glad that there are certain standards for PSN and Live, that way you don't have a hodgepodge of mismatched menu's, interfaces, and designs.

Benny @ Apr 10th 2008 5:33PM

Whilst I don't hesitate to agree with you, the internet doesn't seem to have done too bad without a 'standard'.

It is, after all, a web-based service. I don't understand why Sony just wouldn't allow the BBC to optimise it for the PS3's web browser.

iNime @ Apr 10th 2008 4:54PM

i mean, i get the bashing of M$ on this, but with the PS3s integrated web browser that supports flash, and streaming mpeg vids, as well as the option to save images and videos as 'save target as', i think BBC is just blowing it out their arse by adding SONY in there.