[backstage] Why the poor bitrates on World Service, Asian Network etc?

2008-10-20 Thread Christopher Woods 
This one's a late night, in-the-kitchen thought. I turned the radio on while
I was making a cup of tea and of course, after R4 closedown the WS is
simulcast. On FM, you get a wonderful, crisp stereo feed. On DAB, the WS
feed is fine when listening to the Radio 4 simulcast, 128kbps stereo, but
its own dedicated slot is naff: a 64kbps mono stream. On the web, it's even
worse - only streamed at 32kbps WMA/RA. AsianNetwork is 64kbps mono on DAB -
even 5Live has a better bitrate (80kbps mono).

While I'm not a big Asian Network listener, I do live in Brum so take a bit
of an interest in Asian community goings on. However, I'd quite like to
listen to the WS during the daytime, either via the web or via DAB - how
come the bitrates haven't been upped for these stations on the web streams?
They're dragging behind the other BBC radio stations' online streams. Are
there any plans to ever up the bandwidth of these neglected stations, either
on DAB, on the web or both? I'm under the impression that the maximum
bitrate for the multiplex is 1184kbps useable. According to DigitalRadioTech
[1], the pre2002 bitrates were significantly higher (which I remember), and
I can understand the reasons for lowering the bitrates to fit in the newer
channels. The web's a different matter entirely though. What's stopping the
Beeb from upping the bitrates for all the online streams to the same
bitrate?

(and will the bitrates ever go above 128kbps? I'd love a 192kbps or 256kbps
stream, particularly for... Well, all of the radio stations!)


And also, as a final question - how come the iPlayer pages for *all* of the
radio stations are currently reporting each one as being currently off-air?
Have the boxes doing the encoding and streaming been taken offline for work
overnight or something? If someone aboard the HMS Sceptre is browsing the
Radio 4 iPlayer site and sees that it's currently offair, they might think
Britain is under attack and launch some Tridents at the Soviets. Wouldn't
*that* be an interesting one for Gordon Brown to try and explain!

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Re: [backstage] BBC TECHNOLOGY & I.T

2008-10-20 Thread Brian Butterworth 
Gmail's spam filter managed to catch that one for me...

2008/10/20 Christopher Woods <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>

>  Hahaha, what is this rubbish? The only building of relevance on Curzon
> Street in Birmingham is Millennium Point, where the TIC is (and where I go
> to University). The Hello Digital Festival is being held from the 23rd to
> the 26th, and there's an accompanying conference, but it's free to enter and
> is entirely funded by Birmingham City Council and AWM/Screen WM amongst
> others.
>
> Everyone at the BBC knows the only major building in central Brum is in
> their Mailbox complex, so please before you go fishing for fivers at least
> make up something half believable.
>
> (If there *is* actually an event of this description being held then fair
> enough, but I find it almost entirely implausible!)
>
>
> As an aside, can we have better moderation of the list to stop this
> happening? Maybe premoderation of the first couple of posts?
>
>  --
> *From:* [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:
> [EMAIL PROTECTED] *On Behalf Of *TRYPHENA BRADE
> *Sent:* 20 October 2008 11:34
> *To:* backstage@lists.bbc.co.uk
> *Subject:* [backstage] BBC TECHNOLOGY & I.T
>
>
>- REPLY TO ALL
>-
>- QUOTE REF: PHILLIP
>-
>- TELEVISION TECHNOLOGY: I.T TECHNOLOGY & SKILLS ACADEMY
>-
>-
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>- EACH LOCATION MUST HAND IN THEIR ENVELOPES: BUSES AND COACHES ARE
>AVAILABLE MUST BE PLANNED ON A SATURDAY ONLY NOT DURING THE WEEK TO TO HIGH
>VOLUME OF WORK
>-
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>AND THE DEMAND
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>
>
>
>
> --
>
>
> Date: Mon, 20 Oct 2008 08:56:45 +0100
> From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> To: backstage@lists.bbc.co.uk
> Subject: [backstage] open Canvas...
>
>
>  From http://informitv.com/articles/2008/10/14/bbcopenscanvas/
>
>  "The BBC is hoping to establish an open industry platform to enable
> internet television services. The project is codenamed Canvas. Erik Huggers,
> the director of future media and technology at the corporation, gave a few
> details in an interview at the Mipcom show in Cannes."
>  --
>
> Brian Butterworth
>
> http://www.ukfree.tv - independent digital television and switchover
> advice, since 2002
>
> --
> For the best free wallpapers from MSN Click 
> here!
>
>


-- 

Brian Butterworth

http://www.ukfree.tv - independent digital television and switchover advice,
since 2002

RE: [backstage] BBC TECHNOLOGY & I.T

2008-10-20 Thread Christopher Woods 
Hahaha, what is this rubbish? The only building of relevance on Curzon
Street in Birmingham is Millennium Point, where the TIC is (and where I go
to University). The Hello Digital Festival is being held from the 23rd to
the 26th, and there's an accompanying conference, but it's free to enter and
is entirely funded by Birmingham City Council and AWM/Screen WM amongst
others.
 
Everyone at the BBC knows the only major building in central Brum is in
their Mailbox complex, so please before you go fishing for fivers at least
make up something half believable.
 
(If there *is* actually an event of this description being held then fair
enough, but I find it almost entirely implausible!)
 
 
As an aside, can we have better moderation of the list to stop this
happening? Maybe premoderation of the first couple of posts?


  _  

From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of TRYPHENA BRADE
Sent: 20 October 2008 11:34
To: backstage@lists.bbc.co.uk
Subject: [backstage] BBC TECHNOLOGY & I.T



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Date: Mon, 20 Oct 2008 08:56:45 +0100
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
To: backstage@lists.bbc.co.uk
Subject: [backstage] open Canvas...




>From http://informitv.com/articles/2008/10/14/bbcopenscanvas/



"The BBC is hoping to establish an open industry platform to enable internet
television services. The project is codenamed Canvas. Erik Huggers, the
director of future media and technology at the corporation, gave a few
details in an interview at the Mipcom show in Cannes."

--

Brian Butterworth

http://www.ukfree.tv   - independent digital
television and switchover advice, since 2002


  _  

For the best free wallpapers from MSN Click
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[backstage] iPlayer: Sky re-invents web links

2008-10-20 Thread Brian Butterworth 
Couldn't really let this one pass without comment:

http://blog.wotsat.com/page/whatsat?entry=sky_re_invents_web_links

"In perhaps one of the most disingenuous claims in the history of marketing,
Sky and the BBC have announced a deal to combine Sky Player and iPlayer.

Users of Sky's online pay-TV service can now access free content held on the
BBC's iPlayer by the technical breakthrough of...a hyperlink."

---

Brian Butterworth

http://www.ukfree.tv - independent digital television and switchover advice,
since 2002

Re: [backstage] BBC DRM iplayer mobiles etc

2008-10-20 Thread Brian Butterworth 
Gareth,
>From what I remember (it was a while ago now), it is the bit about
retransmission:

Whereas the requirement that the originating Member State should verify that
broadcasts comply with national law as coordinated by this Directive is
sufficient under Community law to ensure free movement of broadcasts without
secondary control on the same grounds in the receiving Member States;

CHAPTER II

General provisions

Article 2

2. Member States shall ensure freedom of reception and shall not restrict
retransmission on their territory of television broadcasts from other Member
States for reasons which fall within the fields coordinated by this
Directive.

>From what I recall, because no other member state has the right to block a
broadcast from a member state, no member state is required to implement
anything that can be used to block the reception of said services "on behalf
of" another member state.


"Retransmission" is of any service that is broadcast free-to-air in the
member state.



2008/10/20 Gareth Davis <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>

>
>
> Brian Butterworth wrote:
>
> The whole Astra 2D thing is a bit of a red herring.
>
> The Television Without Frontiers directive  (89/552/EEC CHAPTER II, Article
> 2) allows for any terrestrial channel to be broadcast via satellite in
> Europe without encryption.   There is no legal requirement for the
> broadcaster to use a "tight beam". (*)
>
>
> Are you sure you have quoted the right directive Brian? I can't find any
> reference to terrestrial broadcasters. A brief summary of what section II
> article 2 of TVWF says is: Member states must ensure that broadcasters based
> within (or using satellite uplink or other frequencies within) their
> jurisdiction must comply with local laws. Also Member States are not allowed
> to block reception of other Member States' broadcasts being transmitted into
> their territory, or being retransmitted within their territory except under
> very special circumstances (such as protection of children).
>
> Anyone interested in the original can download the language and format of
> their choice here:
>
> http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=CELEX:31989L0552:EN:NOT
>
>
> My understanding of this (and IANAL) is that should a broadcaster broadcast
> content outside the territory they have licensed the content for, then they
> will be in breach of copyright or other laws in the Member State of
> transmission. Chapter 2 Article 2 of TVWF says the broadcaster must comply
> with the laws in the Member State of transmission, and so the
> broadcaster has to be prosecuted for this according to TVWF. So I don't see
> how TVWF would help a broadcaster legally beam their content unencrypted
> into a territory they do not have rights for.
>
> --
> *Gareth Davis* | Production Systems Specialist
> World Service Future Media, Digital Delivery Team - Part of BBC Global
> News Division
> 8 http://www.bbcworldservice.com/ + 702NE Bush House, Strand, London, WC2B
> 4PH
>
>



-- 

Brian Butterworth

http://www.ukfree.tv - independent digital television and switchover advice,
since 2002

RE: [backstage] BBC DRM iplayer mobiles etc

2008-10-20 Thread Gareth Davis 
 

Brian Butterworth wrote:


The whole Astra 2D thing is a bit of a red herring.  


The Television Without Frontiers directive  (89/552/EEC CHAPTER
II, Article 2) allows for any terrestrial channel to be broadcast via
satellite in Europe without encryption.   There is no legal requirement
for the broadcaster to use a "tight beam". (*)
 

Are you sure you have quoted the right directive Brian? I can't find any
reference to terrestrial broadcasters. A brief summary of what section
II article 2 of TVWF says is: Member states must ensure that
broadcasters based within (or using satellite uplink or other
frequencies within) their jurisdiction must comply with local laws. Also
Member States are not allowed to block reception of other Member States'
broadcasts being transmitted into their territory, or being
retransmitted within their territory except under very special
circumstances (such as protection of children). 

Anyone interested in the original can download the language and format
of their choice here: 
http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=CELEX:31989L0552:E
N:NOT  

My understanding of this (and IANAL) is that should a broadcaster
broadcast content outside the territory they have licensed the content
for, then they will be in breach of copyright or other laws in the
Member State of transmission. Chapter 2 Article 2 of TVWF says the
broadcaster must comply with the laws in the Member State of
transmission, and so the broadcaster has to be prosecuted for this
according to TVWF. So I don't see how TVWF would help a broadcaster
legally beam their content unencrypted into a territory they do not have
rights for.

-- 
Gareth Davis | Production Systems Specialist
World Service Future Media, Digital Delivery Team - Part of BBC Global
News Division
* http://www.bbcworldservice.com/   *
702NE Bush House, Strand, London, WC2B 4PH

[backstage] BBC TECHNOLOGY & I.T

2008-10-20 Thread TRYPHENA BRADE 


REPLY TO ALL 

QUOTE REF: PHILLIP

TELEVISION TECHNOLOGY: I.T TECHNOLOGY & SKILLS ACADEMY


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Date: Mon, 20 Oct 2008 08:56:45 +0100From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]: [EMAIL 
PROTECTED]: [backstage] open Canvas...

>From http://informitv.com/articles/2008/10/14/bbcopenscanvas/



"The BBC is hoping to establish an open industry platform to enable internet 
television services. The project is codenamed Canvas. Erik Huggers, the 
director of future media and technology at the corporation, gave a few details 
in an interview at the Mipcom show in Cannes."

--Brian Butterworthhttp://www.ukfree.tv - independent digital television and 
switchover advice, since 2002
_
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[backstage] BBC TECHNOLOGY & I.T

2008-10-20 Thread TRYPHENA BRADE 


REPLY TO ALL 

QUOTE REF: PHILLIP

TELEVISION TECHNOLOGY: I.T TECHNOLOGY & SKILLS ACADEMY


OTIC TECHNOLOGY SEMINAR  25TH SATURDAY OCTOBER

VENUE: SITE BIRMINGHAM
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BIRMINGHAM 
B4

0121 331 6400

LOCAL BBC STAFF: FEE 5 POUNDS TO ATTEND
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Date: Mon, 20 Oct 2008 08:56:45 +0100From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]: [EMAIL 
PROTECTED]: [backstage] open Canvas...

>From http://informitv.com/articles/2008/10/14/bbcopenscanvas/



"The BBC is hoping to establish an open industry platform to enable internet 
television services. The project is codenamed Canvas. Erik Huggers, the 
director of future media and technology at the corporation, gave a few details 
in an interview at the Mipcom show in Cannes."

--Brian Butterworthhttp://www.ukfree.tv - independent digital television and 
switchover advice, since 2002
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[backstage] open Canvas...

2008-10-20 Thread Brian Butterworth 
>From http://informitv.com/articles/2008/10/14/bbcopenscanvas/

"The BBC is hoping to establish an open industry platform to enable internet
television services. The project is codenamed Canvas. Erik Huggers, the
director of future media and technology at the corporation, gave a few
details in an interview at the Mipcom show in Cannes."
--

Brian Butterworth

http://www.ukfree.tv - independent digital television and switchover advice,
since 2002

Re: [backstage] BBC iPlayer on a map

2008-10-20 Thread Brian Butterworth 
A few extra features:
- different coloured/styled pins for "country" decodes (rather than exact
places)

- a historical place translation for history programmes.  I note that the
"1968" programmes have not pinned Czechoslovakia, for example.

- a different pin for "multiple items"

2008/10/19 Iain Wallace <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>

> On Sun, Oct 19, 2008 at 9:03 PM, Andy <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> > Hello again,
> > Bereft of any real ideas I asked myself "if you took all the BBC TV shows
> > that are currently on iPlayer and plotted them on a map would it be any
> use
> > what so ever?"
> > The result..
> > http://iplayerlist.mibly.com/map/
> > Now, I should explain what's going on with this mashup.  First of all,
> from
> > my old iPlayerlist project I scrape bbc.co.uk/iplayer for all the
> current TV
> > shows (a-z atom feeds help).  Then I extract the synopsis from
> /programmes
> > for each episode.
> > I then throw the episode synopsis at the Beta Open Calais API.  This API
> > will extract a ton of concepts, including some geographical information
> that
> > it thinks the synopsis relates to (don't ask me how, I assume some sort
> of
> > magic elf reads it).  This geographical information (states, countries,
> > towns etc) now includes longitudes and latitude info thanks to Open
> Calais
> > chatting to Freebase.
> > It works best with the larger synopsis I'm told.  Have a look along the
> east
> > coast of the US to see Stephen Fry (of twitter fame) making his way
> through
> > each state. Later tonight we should see some more of his journey.
> > I'm still questioning if this is any use to an non techy user.  Would my
> dad
> > like to see a map showing TV shows which relate to them? Anyway, in the
> > future I might add a bit of colour coding on the markers for program type
> > (childrens, factual, comedy etc).
> > Regards,
> > Andy
>
> Nice work! If a series has a different location for each episode,
> would you be able to draw lines between each one in episode order?
> There've quite a few series in the past which are filmed in the form
> of a sort of "tour".
>
> Iain
> -
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since 2002