Re: [backstage] BBC iPlayer - encoding from broadcast rather than master tapes
Erm, yeah, if that's the error page it usually pops we should tidy it up. I'm a fan of good error pages. a On Sat, Sep 12, 2009 at 12:10 PM, Frank Wales wrote: > Ant Miller wrote: >> If you've got ideas and suggestions for improvement, or any further >> questions, I'd be happy to pass them along to the team. > > Completely geeky one: make iplayer.bbc.co.uk do something sensible. > -- > Frank Wales [fr...@limov.com] > - > Sent via the backstage.bbc.co.uk discussion group. To unsubscribe, please > visit http://backstage.bbc.co.uk/archives/2005/01/mailing_list.html. > Unofficial list archive: > http://www.mail-archive.com/backstage@lists.bbc.co.uk/ > -- Ant Miller tel: 07709 265961 email: ant.mil...@gmail.com - Sent via the backstage.bbc.co.uk discussion group. To unsubscribe, please visit http://backstage.bbc.co.uk/archives/2005/01/mailing_list.html. Unofficial list archive: http://www.mail-archive.com/backstage@lists.bbc.co.uk/
Re: [backstage] BBC iPlayer - encoding from broadcast rather than master tapes
Ant Miller wrote: > If you've got ideas and suggestions for improvement, or any further > questions, I'd be happy to pass them along to the team. Completely geeky one: make iplayer.bbc.co.uk do something sensible. -- Frank Wales [fr...@limov.com] - Sent via the backstage.bbc.co.uk discussion group. To unsubscribe, please visit http://backstage.bbc.co.uk/archives/2005/01/mailing_list.html. Unofficial list archive: http://www.mail-archive.com/backstage@lists.bbc.co.uk/
Re: [backstage] BBC iPlayer - encoding from broadcast rather than master tapes
One last snippet, our Erik in his keynote yesterday ponted out that iPlayer is currently delivering 23 diferent formats for diferent devices! 23! It's actually a real challenge to get all of those done and it's expensive too, and I think he'd be keen for a greater standardisation in viewing platforms and codecs- wouldn't we all! If you've got ideas and suggestions for improvement, or any further questions, I'd be happy to pass them along to the team. The BBC Internet Blog had an iPlayer day back in April with loads of posts, and updates do appear occasionally: http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/bbcinternet/iplayer/. We could ask if a more technical article could appear running through the production chains, or we could even see if a more detailed technical post could appear on the forthcoming BBC Research & Development blog! (to be honest R&D is engaged with only a few iPlayer elements- might be cheeeky to ask them to write up for us!). ant p.s. Erik Hugger's keynote at IBC was really interesting, Roo's already tweeted about the announcement of OpeniPlayer, but the speech had a lot in it worth looking at: http://www.broadbandtvnews.com/2009/09/11/bbc-to-open-iplayer-to-third-parties-ibc09/ On Fri, Sep 11, 2009 at 5:38 PM, Frankie Roberto wrote: > Hi Ant, > > Thanks for the update. I'm not sure I 100% follow, but it's good to know > that this kind of stuff is being thought about and constantly improved upon > at the BBC. > > It's amazing how BBC iPlayer has become so well known and so > taken-for-granted now, that I feel compelled to complain about it not being > considered from script stage onwards... :-) > > Next I'll be suggesting that directors cut down on fast pans and > low-contrast shots, in order to minimise compression-related problems... > (although these affect DTV too) > > Frankie > > 2009/9/10 Ant Miller >> >> Ok, so some of you have noticed iPlayer for the iPhone is a bit >> different- this 'I think' is via an Off Air system (or was at one >> point). Radio has a system called Coyopa that takes original content >> from the networks between the studios and final terestrial and digital >> playout, but is part ofthe same chain. Most iPlayer stuff I think >> comes from the same chain as playout, but not the very end. Basically >> very very little is ingested seperately from the normal playout, but >> the point of 'branching' varies from network to network, and between >> the versions of iPlayer. >> >> Complicated, but we do our best. And importantly it's ALWAYS evolving. >> Sometims I wish it did so a bit more publicly. >> >> a >> >> On Thu, Sep 10, 2009 at 6:04 PM, Phil Lewis >> wrote: >> > On Thu, 2009-09-10 at 17:48 +0100, Frankie Roberto wrote: >> > snip... >> >> you could even do things like cut down the amount of "trailing ahead" >> >> - which surely is less required on iPlayer where people have chosen to >> >> watch something specific and are in less danger of changing channel... >> >> (You could probably shave a good few minutes off from Dragons Den in >> >> this way, which trails ahead constantly in a really annoying way). >> > >> > Surely a bad idea, that would just make the 'BBC News at Six' just 10 >> > minutes long ;-) >> > >> > >> > >> > - >> > Sent via the backstage.bbc.co.uk discussion group. To unsubscribe, >> > please visit http://backstage.bbc.co.uk/archives/2005/01/mailing_list.html. >> > Unofficial list archive: >> > http://www.mail-archive.com/backstage@lists.bbc.co.uk/ >> > >> >> >> >> -- >> Ant Miller >> >> tel: 07709 265961 >> email: ant.mil...@gmail.com >> >> - >> Sent via the backstage.bbc.co.uk discussion group. To unsubscribe, please >> visit http://backstage.bbc.co.uk/archives/2005/01/mailing_list.html. >> Unofficial list archive: >> http://www.mail-archive.com/backstage@lists.bbc.co.uk/ > > > > -- > Frankie Roberto > Experience Designer, Rattle > 0114 2706977 > http://www.rattlecentral.com > > -- Ant Miller tel: 07709 265961 email: ant.mil...@gmail.com - Sent via the backstage.bbc.co.uk discussion group. To unsubscribe, please visit http://backstage.bbc.co.uk/archives/2005/01/mailing_list.html. Unofficial list archive: http://www.mail-archive.com/backstage@lists.bbc.co.uk/
Re: [backstage] BBC iPlayer - encoding from broadcast rather than master tapes
Hi Ant, Thanks for the update. I'm not sure I 100% follow, but it's good to know that this kind of stuff is being thought about and constantly improved upon at the BBC. It's amazing how BBC iPlayer has become so well known and so taken-for-granted now, that I feel compelled to complain about it not being considered from script stage onwards... :-) Next I'll be suggesting that directors cut down on fast pans and low-contrast shots, in order to minimise compression-related problems... (although these affect DTV too) Frankie 2009/9/10 Ant Miller > Ok, so some of you have noticed iPlayer for the iPhone is a bit > different- this 'I think' is via an Off Air system (or was at one > point). Radio has a system called Coyopa that takes original content > from the networks between the studios and final terestrial and digital > playout, but is part ofthe same chain. Most iPlayer stuff I think > comes from the same chain as playout, but not the very end. Basically > very very little is ingested seperately from the normal playout, but > the point of 'branching' varies from network to network, and between > the versions of iPlayer. > > Complicated, but we do our best. And importantly it's ALWAYS evolving. > Sometims I wish it did so a bit more publicly. > > a > > On Thu, Sep 10, 2009 at 6:04 PM, Phil Lewis > wrote: > > On Thu, 2009-09-10 at 17:48 +0100, Frankie Roberto wrote: > > snip... > >> you could even do things like cut down the amount of "trailing ahead" > >> - which surely is less required on iPlayer where people have chosen to > >> watch something specific and are in less danger of changing channel... > >> (You could probably shave a good few minutes off from Dragons Den in > >> this way, which trails ahead constantly in a really annoying way). > > > > Surely a bad idea, that would just make the 'BBC News at Six' just 10 > > minutes long ;-) > > > > > > > > - > > Sent via the backstage.bbc.co.uk discussion group. To unsubscribe, > please visit http://backstage.bbc.co.uk/archives/2005/01/mailing_list.html. > Unofficial list archive: > http://www.mail-archive.com/backstage@lists.bbc.co.uk/ > > > > > > -- > Ant Miller > > tel: 07709 265961 > email: ant.mil...@gmail.com > > - > Sent via the backstage.bbc.co.uk discussion group. To unsubscribe, please > visit http://backstage.bbc.co.uk/archives/2005/01/mailing_list.html. > Unofficial list archive: > http://www.mail-archive.com/backstage@lists.bbc.co.uk/ > -- Frankie Roberto Experience Designer, Rattle 0114 2706977 http://www.rattlecentral.com
Re: [backstage] BBC iPlayer - encoding from broadcast rather than master tapes
Ok, so some of you have noticed iPlayer for the iPhone is a bit different- this 'I think' is via an Off Air system (or was at one point). Radio has a system called Coyopa that takes original content from the networks between the studios and final terestrial and digital playout, but is part ofthe same chain. Most iPlayer stuff I think comes from the same chain as playout, but not the very end. Basically very very little is ingested seperately from the normal playout, but the point of 'branching' varies from network to network, and between the versions of iPlayer. Complicated, but we do our best. And importantly it's ALWAYS evolving. Sometims I wish it did so a bit more publicly. a On Thu, Sep 10, 2009 at 6:04 PM, Phil Lewis wrote: > On Thu, 2009-09-10 at 17:48 +0100, Frankie Roberto wrote: > snip... >> you could even do things like cut down the amount of "trailing ahead" >> - which surely is less required on iPlayer where people have chosen to >> watch something specific and are in less danger of changing channel... >> (You could probably shave a good few minutes off from Dragons Den in >> this way, which trails ahead constantly in a really annoying way). > > Surely a bad idea, that would just make the 'BBC News at Six' just 10 > minutes long ;-) > > > > - > Sent via the backstage.bbc.co.uk discussion group. To unsubscribe, please > visit http://backstage.bbc.co.uk/archives/2005/01/mailing_list.html. > Unofficial list archive: > http://www.mail-archive.com/backstage@lists.bbc.co.uk/ > -- Ant Miller tel: 07709 265961 email: ant.mil...@gmail.com - Sent via the backstage.bbc.co.uk discussion group. To unsubscribe, please visit http://backstage.bbc.co.uk/archives/2005/01/mailing_list.html. Unofficial list archive: http://www.mail-archive.com/backstage@lists.bbc.co.uk/
Re: [backstage] BBC iPlayer - encoding from broadcast rather than master tapes
On Thu, 2009-09-10 at 20:28 +0100, Richard Smedley wrote: > Phil Lewis wrote: > > If you ever watch the iPhone iPlayer streams they are not the same edits > > as the flash based iPlayer, they always appear to be from broadcast - > > > > Ah - that explains it. I use get_iplayer, which grabs > the iPhone offerings :) > > > you sometimes even get completely the wrong programme if the broadcast > > schedule changed at the last minute! > Too true - numbers allocated to downloads seem > to change by the minute :-/ I was actually referring to the BBC actually putting out an incorrect programme on the iphone - e.g. a couple of weeks ago 'Click' on the iPhone was just some news 24 coverage of an important news story - it completely missed the programme because they moved it! I think they just slice up the broadcast output according to the schedule that their software has cached. - P - Sent via the backstage.bbc.co.uk discussion group. To unsubscribe, please visit http://backstage.bbc.co.uk/archives/2005/01/mailing_list.html. Unofficial list archive: http://www.mail-archive.com/backstage@lists.bbc.co.uk/
Re: [backstage] BBC iPlayer - encoding from broadcast rather than master tapes
Phil Lewis wrote: If you ever watch the iPhone iPlayer streams they are not the same edits as the flash based iPlayer, they always appear to be from broadcast - Ah - that explains it. I use get_iplayer, which grabs the iPhone offerings :) you sometimes even get completely the wrong programme if the broadcast schedule changed at the last minute! Too true - numbers allocated to downloads seem to change by the minute :-/ - Richard - Sent via the backstage.bbc.co.uk discussion group. To unsubscribe, please visit http://backstage.bbc.co.uk/archives/2005/01/mailing_list.html. Unofficial list archive: http://www.mail-archive.com/backstage@lists.bbc.co.uk/
Re: [backstage] BBC iPlayer - encoding from broadcast rather than master tapes
Ah, I hadn't realised that some programmes were already being recorded from master tapes - I can't remember which programmes I had just watched and seen the credit squeezes on, but there were a few and I generalised from those (I also mostly watch the iPhone versions). I'd really like to see this go one step further though, and actually make different edits of programmes for the iPlayer than for broadcast. As well as changing TX based references like "next week" or even presenter links saying "we'll be on at a different time next week" (which make no sense in the context of iPlayer), you could even do things like cut down the amount of "trailing ahead" - which surely is less required on iPlayer where people have chosen to watch something specific and are in less danger of changing channel... (You could probably shave a good few minutes off from Dragons Den in this way, which trails ahead constantly in a really annoying way). Then again, if you don't want to have to do 2 edits (for efficiency's sake), then maybe just start to reduce these practices anyway... Producers are going to have to get used to making TV shows that are more suited to a video-on-demand context... Frankie 2009/9/10 Phil Lewis > If you ever watch the iPhone iPlayer streams they are not the same edits > as the flash based iPlayer, they always appear to be from broadcast - > you sometimes even get completely the wrong programme if the broadcast > schedule changed at the last minute! > > - Phil > > On Thu, 2009-09-10 at 13:53 +0100, Andrew Bowden wrote: > > I thought most TV programmes that can be taken from master tapes are. > > I've never seen anything recorded off air on iPlayer, and no credit > > squeezes myself - even for programmes broadcast live. > > > > I just had a look at last nights Lottery draw for example and there > > was nothing on that, nor on Sunday's THe Big Questions. > > > > > > __ > > From: owner-backst...@lists.bbc.co.uk > > [mailto:owner-backst...@lists.bbc.co.uk] On Behalf Of Frankie > > Roberto > > Sent: 10 September 2009 13:19 > > To: backstage@lists.bbc.co.uk > > Subject: [backstage] BBC iPlayer - encoding from broadcast > > rather than master tapes > > > > > > > > Hi all, > > > > Apologies if this has been answered before, but is there any > > reason why the BBC iPlayer seems to only encode programmes > > from the live broadcast stream, rather than, say, using the > > actual master tapes/digital files? Sure, it might be simpler, > > but long-term it'd be great to use the original source. > > > > Some reasons for doing so: > > > > * occasionally the live broadcast has errors (eg loss of > > signal, or playout error) > > * you could trim the programmes more precisely - no more > > having to skip the last few minutes of previous programme > > * no more "credit squeezes" and continuity announcements > > trailing programmes that you can't actually watch > > * you could even produce a slightly different edit of a TV > > show - for example, with dramas like Doctor Who you wouldn't > > have text at the end saying "Next week..." > > > > Are there any plans for this? Seems like it'd be the obvious > > next step in improving the user experience of iPlayer... > > > > Frankie > > > > -- > > Frankie Roberto > > Experience Designer, Rattle > > 0114 2706977 > > http://www.rattlecentral.com > > > > - > Sent via the backstage.bbc.co.uk discussion group. To unsubscribe, please > visit http://backstage.bbc.co.uk/archives/2005/01/mailing_list.html. > Unofficial list archive: > http://www.mail-archive.com/backstage@lists.bbc.co.uk/ > -- Frankie Roberto Experience Designer, Rattle 0114 2706977 http://www.rattlecentral.com
Re: [backstage] BBC iPlayer - encoding from broadcast rather than master tapes
On Thu, 2009-09-10 at 17:48 +0100, Frankie Roberto wrote: snip... > you could even do things like cut down the amount of "trailing ahead" > - which surely is less required on iPlayer where people have chosen to > watch something specific and are in less danger of changing channel... > (You could probably shave a good few minutes off from Dragons Den in > this way, which trails ahead constantly in a really annoying way). Surely a bad idea, that would just make the 'BBC News at Six' just 10 minutes long ;-) - Sent via the backstage.bbc.co.uk discussion group. To unsubscribe, please visit http://backstage.bbc.co.uk/archives/2005/01/mailing_list.html. Unofficial list archive: http://www.mail-archive.com/backstage@lists.bbc.co.uk/
RE: [backstage] BBC iPlayer - encoding from broadcast rather than master tapes
If you ever watch the iPhone iPlayer streams they are not the same edits as the flash based iPlayer, they always appear to be from broadcast - you sometimes even get completely the wrong programme if the broadcast schedule changed at the last minute! - Phil On Thu, 2009-09-10 at 13:53 +0100, Andrew Bowden wrote: > I thought most TV programmes that can be taken from master tapes are. > I've never seen anything recorded off air on iPlayer, and no credit > squeezes myself - even for programmes broadcast live. > > I just had a look at last nights Lottery draw for example and there > was nothing on that, nor on Sunday's THe Big Questions. > > > __ > From: owner-backst...@lists.bbc.co.uk > [mailto:owner-backst...@lists.bbc.co.uk] On Behalf Of Frankie > Roberto > Sent: 10 September 2009 13:19 > To: backstage@lists.bbc.co.uk > Subject: [backstage] BBC iPlayer - encoding from broadcast > rather than master tapes > > > > Hi all, > > Apologies if this has been answered before, but is there any > reason why the BBC iPlayer seems to only encode programmes > from the live broadcast stream, rather than, say, using the > actual master tapes/digital files? Sure, it might be simpler, > but long-term it'd be great to use the original source. > > Some reasons for doing so: > > * occasionally the live broadcast has errors (eg loss of > signal, or playout error) > * you could trim the programmes more precisely - no more > having to skip the last few minutes of previous programme > * no more "credit squeezes" and continuity announcements > trailing programmes that you can't actually watch > * you could even produce a slightly different edit of a TV > show - for example, with dramas like Doctor Who you wouldn't > have text at the end saying "Next week..." > > Are there any plans for this? Seems like it'd be the obvious > next step in improving the user experience of iPlayer... > > Frankie > > -- > Frankie Roberto > Experience Designer, Rattle > 0114 2706977 > http://www.rattlecentral.com > - Sent via the backstage.bbc.co.uk discussion group. To unsubscribe, please visit http://backstage.bbc.co.uk/archives/2005/01/mailing_list.html. Unofficial list archive: http://www.mail-archive.com/backstage@lists.bbc.co.uk/
Re: [backstage] BBC iPlayer - encoding from broadcast rather than master tapes
Gareth Davis wrote:
Frankie,
I can't speak for the domestic BBC, but no online World Service
content is transcoded from broadcast transport streams. All our radio
comes straight out of the audio router at Bush House into our
encoders, with a touch of limiting applied to prevent clipping if an
SM/self-op goes over PPM 6. Persian and Arabic TV are encoded directly
from the uncompressed SDI feeds. So there isn't any potential loss of
quality with this approach.
We also run strictly to the clock, so automated capture works for us.
Many of the R3 & R4 progs I've downloaded have snatches of news
bulletins or other programmes.
- Richard
--
http://twitter.com/RichardSmedley
- food & gardening tweets displacing occasional bits of techie talk.
http://twitter.com/hsNW
- #hackspace tweets for NW England & N Wales
--
*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
*From:* owner-backst...@lists.bbc.co.uk
[mailto:owner-backst...@lists.bbc.co.uk] *On Behalf Of *Frankie
Roberto
*Sent:* 10 September 2009 13:19
*To:* backstage@lists.bbc.co.uk
*Subject:* [backstage] BBC iPlayer - encoding from broadcast
rather than master tapes
Hi all,
Apologies if this has been answered before, but is there any
reason why the BBC iPlayer seems to only encode programmes from
the live broadcast stream, rather than, say, using the actual
master tapes/digital files? Sure, it might be simpler, but
long-term it'd be great to use the original source.
Some reasons for doing so:
* occasionally the live broadcast has errors (eg loss of signal,
or playout error)
* you could trim the programmes more precisely - no more having to
skip the last few minutes of previous programme
* no more "credit squeezes" and continuity announcements trailing
programmes that you can't actually watch
* you could even produce a slightly different edit of a TV show -
for example, with dramas like Doctor Who you wouldn't have text at
the end saying "Next week..."
Are there any plans for this? Seems like it'd be the obvious next
step in improving the user experience of iPlayer...
Frankie
--
Frankie Roberto
Experience Designer, Rattle
0114 2706977
http://www.rattlecentral.com
-
Sent via the backstage.bbc.co.uk discussion group. To unsubscribe, please
visit http://backstage.bbc.co.uk/archives/2005/01/mailing_list.html.
Unofficial list archive: http://www.mail-archive.com/backstage@lists.bbc.co.uk/
RE: [backstage] BBC iPlayer - encoding from broadcast rather than master tapes
I thought most TV programmes that can be taken from master tapes are. I've never seen anything recorded off air on iPlayer, and no credit squeezes myself - even for programmes broadcast live. I just had a look at last nights Lottery draw for example and there was nothing on that, nor on Sunday's THe Big Questions. I have noticed credit squeezing / VOs on creds in the past, although this practice seems much reduced nowadays. (still notice it very occasionally though, often on factual programming / current affairs stuff which I presume can only realistically be encoded from live). However, the BBC bug's still there on all programming, in the top-left corner - how come this hasn't been removed yet? Seems a bit pointless when the video's surrounded by appropriate branding already (and wasting precious encoding time rendering the overlay ;)
RE: [backstage] BBC iPlayer - encoding from broadcast rather than master tapes
Frankie,
I can't speak for the domestic BBC, but no online World Service content
is transcoded from broadcast transport streams. All our radio comes
straight out of the audio router at Bush House into our encoders, with a
touch of limiting applied to prevent clipping if an SM/self-op goes over
PPM 6. Persian and Arabic TV are encoded directly from the uncompressed
SDI feeds. So there isn't any potential loss of quality with this
approach.
We also run strictly to the clock, so automated capture works for us.
--
Gareth Davis | Production Systems Specialist
World Service Future Media, Digital Delivery Team - Part of BBC Global
News Division
* http://www.bbcworldservice.com/ <http://www.bbcworldservice.com/> *
702NE Bush House, Strand, London, WC2B 4PH
From: owner-backst...@lists.bbc.co.uk
[mailto:owner-backst...@lists.bbc.co.uk] On Behalf Of Frankie Roberto
Sent: 10 September 2009 13:19
To: backstage@lists.bbc.co.uk
Subject: [backstage] BBC iPlayer - encoding from broadcast
rather than master tapes
Hi all,
Apologies if this has been answered before, but is there any
reason why the BBC iPlayer seems to only encode programmes from the live
broadcast stream, rather than, say, using the actual master
tapes/digital files? Sure, it might be simpler, but long-term it'd be
great to use the original source.
Some reasons for doing so:
* occasionally the live broadcast has errors (eg loss of signal,
or playout error)
* you could trim the programmes more precisely - no more having
to skip the last few minutes of previous programme
* no more "credit squeezes" and continuity announcements
trailing programmes that you can't actually watch
* you could even produce a slightly different edit of a TV show
- for example, with dramas like Doctor Who you wouldn't have text at the
end saying "Next week..."
Are there any plans for this? Seems like it'd be the obvious
next step in improving the user experience of iPlayer...
Frankie
--
Frankie Roberto
Experience Designer, Rattle
0114 2706977
http://www.rattlecentral.com
RE: [backstage] BBC iPlayer - encoding from broadcast rather than master tapes
I thought most TV programmes that can be taken from master tapes are. I've never seen anything recorded off air on iPlayer, and no credit squeezes myself - even for programmes broadcast live. I just had a look at last nights Lottery draw for example and there was nothing on that, nor on Sunday's THe Big Questions. From: owner-backst...@lists.bbc.co.uk [mailto:owner-backst...@lists.bbc.co.uk] On Behalf Of Frankie Roberto Sent: 10 September 2009 13:19 To: backstage@lists.bbc.co.uk Subject: [backstage] BBC iPlayer - encoding from broadcast rather than master tapes Hi all, Apologies if this has been answered before, but is there any reason why the BBC iPlayer seems to only encode programmes from the live broadcast stream, rather than, say, using the actual master tapes/digital files? Sure, it might be simpler, but long-term it'd be great to use the original source. Some reasons for doing so: * occasionally the live broadcast has errors (eg loss of signal, or playout error) * you could trim the programmes more precisely - no more having to skip the last few minutes of previous programme * no more "credit squeezes" and continuity announcements trailing programmes that you can't actually watch * you could even produce a slightly different edit of a TV show - for example, with dramas like Doctor Who you wouldn't have text at the end saying "Next week..." Are there any plans for this? Seems like it'd be the obvious next step in improving the user experience of iPlayer... Frankie -- Frankie Roberto Experience Designer, Rattle 0114 2706977 http://www.rattlecentral.com
Re: [backstage] BBC iPlayer - encoding from broadcast rather than master tapes
Interesting question, and one that might be someone clarrified by an indepth review of the complete broadcast chain and metadata managment chain involved in taking material from the original source carrier (file or tape or live feed) into the multiple iPlayer assets that each programme produces. Sadly I haven't the time, put it's potentially a suggestion to put to the BBC Internet Blog team, and they might be able to oblige. Do bear in mind though, that to an extent ingesting once for broadcast and iplayer distribution does represent a certain level of eficiently- if we did them seperately I'm sure someone would suggest we ought to use a single ingest process to save duplicating work (and they'd have a point!). Also, and I've only thought of this just now- if the b'cast playout has errors occasionally (and I'll admit it does from time to time) bear in mind that this is inspite of one f the very best and biggest technical broadcast output support oganisations in the world giving it their all to 'keep the needles wagging'. Doing that all over again is a second point of potential error- we are better off doing it once and doing our best to get that right, rather than trying less hard twice I would think. There will be other reasons too, hopefully this will spark an illuminating discussion, ant On Thu, Sep 10, 2009 at 1:19 PM, Frankie Roberto wrote: > Hi all, > > Apologies if this has been answered before, but is there any reason why the > BBC iPlayer seems to only encode programmes from the live broadcast stream, > rather than, say, using the actual master tapes/digital files? Sure, it > might be simpler, but long-term it'd be great to use the original source. > > Some reasons for doing so: > > * occasionally the live broadcast has errors (eg loss of signal, or playout > error) > * you could trim the programmes more precisely - no more having to skip the > last few minutes of previous programme > * no more "credit squeezes" and continuity announcements trailing programmes > that you can't actually watch > * you could even produce a slightly different edit of a TV show - for > example, with dramas like Doctor Who you wouldn't have text at the end > saying "Next week..." > > Are there any plans for this? Seems like it'd be the obvious next step in > improving the user experience of iPlayer... > > Frankie > > -- > Frankie Roberto > Experience Designer, Rattle > 0114 2706977 > http://www.rattlecentral.com > > -- Ant Miller tel: 07709 265961 email: ant.mil...@gmail.com - Sent via the backstage.bbc.co.uk discussion group. To unsubscribe, please visit http://backstage.bbc.co.uk/archives/2005/01/mailing_list.html. Unofficial list archive: http://www.mail-archive.com/backstage@lists.bbc.co.uk/
[backstage] BBC iPlayer - encoding from broadcast rather than master tapes
Hi all, Apologies if this has been answered before, but is there any reason why the BBC iPlayer seems to only encode programmes from the live broadcast stream, rather than, say, using the actual master tapes/digital files? Sure, it might be simpler, but long-term it'd be great to use the original source. Some reasons for doing so: * occasionally the live broadcast has errors (eg loss of signal, or playout error) * you could trim the programmes more precisely - no more having to skip the last few minutes of previous programme * no more "credit squeezes" and continuity announcements trailing programmes that you can't actually watch * you could even produce a slightly different edit of a TV show - for example, with dramas like Doctor Who you wouldn't have text at the end saying "Next week..." Are there any plans for this? Seems like it'd be the obvious next step in improving the user experience of iPlayer... Frankie -- Frankie Roberto Experience Designer, Rattle 0114 2706977 http://www.rattlecentral.com
