BBC Begins Open-Source Streaming Challenge

Posted by michael on Friday August 13, 2004 @12:50AM from the fear-factor dept.

bus_stopper copies and pastes: "The BBC is quietly preparing a challenge to Microsoft and other companies jostling to reap revenues from video streams. It is developing code-decode (codec) software called Dirac in an open-source project aimed at providing a royalty-free way to distribute video. The sums at stake are potentially huge because the software industry insists on payment per viewer, per hour of encoded content. This contrasts with TV technology, for which viewers and broadcasters alike make a one-off royalties payment when they buy their equipment." We've mentioned this project before but this story goes into a bit more depth about the goals and motivations of the developers.

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Good old Auntie! by jdtanner · 2004-08-13 00:53 · Score: 5, Insightful

It just proves that you get a hell of a lot for your 125 GBP license fee!

John
Go BBC! by tdvaughan · 2004-08-13 00:55 · Score: 5, Insightful

Another reason why I'm glad to be a UK citizen - every time I start to wonder if it's really worth having a 'public service' broadcaster the BBC goes and does something like this. I'm hoping they'll be able to make a stand when someone tries HDTV regulations over here.