BBC Goes Torrent

Mp4

Mp4

Mp4

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The BBC is teaming up with Bit-Torrent client, Azureus, to make hundreds of television shows available to people worldwide.

This means that users will be able to download popular shows like: Little Britain, Red Dwarf, League of Gentleman, Doctor Who and Fawlty Towers no matter where they are for a small fee. What’s most impressive is that the BBC isn’t going to just dip its toes into this project but is instead going to offer hundreds of shows from the very start. This gives the service a much better chance of taking off and becoming successful.

The move by the BBC is a response to the huge increase in websites that offer free downloadable TV series. Currently, by using video-share websites like YouTube, you can easily watch BBC shows like Match of the Day for free. A quick search on Google will find other sites which offer downloadable BBC television on demand for free. By enlisting the help of established Bit-Torrent software creator Azureus, which already has over 130 million downloads of its bit-torrent client, the BBC hope to distribute high quality video in a completely legal manner.

How exactly the content will be secured is unclear at the moment and the biggest fear for both the BBC and Azureus must be that the high quality downloads will end up being available on the illegal file sharing networks. If the BBC is to secure the files with something similar to the Windows Media Player DRM they could be making a big mistake. As soon as someone hacks it, they will be able to rip all of the content and then make it available on the net for free. Brave or stupid BBC?

Currently there has been no announcement on the pricing system. Expect a similar price list as to what Apple uses for distributing television. A couple of pounds for a TV show or something similar. The BBC will actually be distributing the shows through Zudeo, a spin-off program powered by Azureus.

http://www.bit-tech.net/news/2006/12/21/BBC_goes_torrent/
 
Not sure how many people will want to pay considering a large portion have already paid by way of a license
 
They will charge yet the majority of people will just get if for free off someone who paid :rolleyes:
 
EVH said:
They will charge yet the majority of people will just get if for free off someone who paid :rolleyes:
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DRM?

edit: although how you apply drm to a file that is being torrented I have no idea.
 
I think if its good quallity, then i might be tempted to pay ... Red Dwarf :) / Fawlty Towers etc :D
 
pay??? i already pay the overpriced TV licance, isnt that so i can watch there programs? now i need to pay again? dont think so!!!!
 
But for peeps whom don't pay (e.g. live at home with parents) :D could get away with payment , but then agian thats what Tesco dvd trials are for and blockbuster ... and other means ..

700 post mark :D
 
Mp4 said:
I think if its good quallity, then i might be tempted to pay ... Red Dwarf :) / Fawlty Towers etc :D
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To be honest though, how many people are going to pay to legally torrent those things, when perfectly decent quality, free torrents are available a few clicks away?
 
This isn't for people in the UK who already pay the licence fee. It is for the worldwide audience (specifically the US audience, according to the article on the BBC News website regarding the scheme) who otherwise wouldn't have access to the vast majority of the Beeb's programming.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/6194929.stm

Edit: Emphasis added, as I'm sure most people just skip over my posts as soon as they see my name ;)

*av
 
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divine_madness said:
To be honest though, how many people are going to pay to legally torrent those things, when perfectly decent quality, free torrents are available a few clicks away?
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Thats what they have stated (sort of in this passage)

How exactly the content will be secured is unclear at the moment and the biggest fear for both the BBC and Azureus must be that the high quality downloads will end up being available on the illegal file sharing networks. If the BBC is to secure the files with something similar to the Windows Media Player DRM they could be making a big mistake. As soon as someone hacks it, they will be able to rip all of the content and then make it available on the net for free. Brave or stupid BBC?

Also as you've said i dont know how it would work imo , worth a shot i think for the BBC
 
Mp4 said:
Thats what they have stated (sort of in this passage)

How exactly the content will be secured is unclear at the moment and the biggest fear for both the BBC and Azureus must be that the high quality downloads will end up being available on the illegal file sharing networks. If the BBC is to secure the files with something similar to the Windows Media Player DRM they could be making a big mistake. As soon as someone hacks it, they will be able to rip all of the content and then make it available on the net for free. Brave or stupid BBC?

Also as you've said i dont know how it would work imo , worth a shot i think for the BBC
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It's mostly all already there. That's my point. It wouldn't even need to wait for someone to crack DRM.
 
TheCrow said:
pay??? i already pay the overpriced TV licance, isnt that so i can watch there programs? now i need to pay again? dont think so!!!!
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Uhuh, so who pays for the libraries of stored videos, website upkeep, new programs?

I for one are for the £200 or whatever quid a year for a TV License, because if the BBC goes for ads in the middle of programs then that will really **** me and others off.


As for this, good idea IMO, yes it will get put on illegal sites but they are banking on you getting them legally.
 
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