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BBC to Try TV On Demand

Posted by CowboyNeal on from the optimum-test-markets dept.

Shevek writes "The UK Independent newspaper is reporting on a new BBC trial: 'Later this month, the BBC will launch a pilot project that could lead to all television programmes being made available on the internet. Viewers will be able to scan an online guide and download any show. Programmes would be viewed on a computer screen or could be burned to a DVD and watched on a television set. Alternatively, programmes could be downloaded to a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) ... By launching iMP, the BBC hopes to avoid being left at the mercy of a software giant such as Microsoft, which could try to control the gateway to online television.' Yet more proof that the BBC license fee is an unmitigated Good Thing(TM)."

7 of 533 comments (clear)

  1. License fee by mr100percent · · Score: 5, Informative

    Just to remind everyone, the BBC license fee is a tax on every television set in the UK.

    (I don't live in the UK, but I would pay it if I could get this kind of innovation)

    1. Re:License fee by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Informative

      Uh, no totally wrong. You pay the license fee for recieving the BBC services (actually, a small slice goes to local TV stations of commercial nature). You pay 110GBP a year for it, and that licenses your whole house for that year. You can have as many sets as you want. However, you can purchase a TV without any tax apart from VAT (sales tax to you americans). The TV licensing people will work out if you are trying to flunk the paying the license fee as most places now require you to fill in your address for the house you will be using it for if you purchase a TV..

    2. Re:License fee by Tango42 · · Score: 5, Informative

      Actually, no. It's a tax on every household with a TV set in the UK. You can have as many TVs as you like, you still only pay once. I'm not sure of the system for businesses though. (NB: I live the UK)

  2. Re:Trouble is by Motor · · Score: 5, Informative

    So maybe there's more to Dirac than just a cool open source project.

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  3. All TV programs are already available on the net by aardwolf204 · · Score: 3, Informative

    But all TV programs are already available on the net,

    #tv-torrents

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  4. Re:A Question for UKians by aldoman · · Score: 3, Informative

    No, you do not pay on how many TV tuners. You pay per household.

    No, you don't have to pay for radio anymore. Radio makes up less than 1% of the BBCs total spending, so I guess they figured the cost of billing people for radios was over the amount they'd actually get.

    Also, portable TVs are exempt from the license.

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  5. BBC starts paid online news subscription by $exyNerdie · · Score: 3, Informative


    A couple of days ago, I clicked to view a video on BBC news website and it told me that I have to buy a subscription as international user. I was a bit surprised since so far, BBC had been free and even free from ads.

    This page says that: "Broadband video news from the BBC is only available to international users by subscription. Find out how to get the latest broadband video news from the BBC here.