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BBC Launches Linux Powered Weather Format

Posted by Zonk on from the penguins-in-the-sky-with-diamonds dept.

nzkaha writes "BBC launches new weather format using Weatherscape XT. This may be one of the higher profile deployments of Linux based systems. Weatherscape XT supplies weather graphics for all UK BBC channels plus the BBC World Service. The system relies completely on openGL graphics and there are demonstration clips of the system in use at Metra.info . Developed in NZ by MetService as a cross platform system for Linux, OS X and Windows, the BBC solution has been deployed on Linux with MySQL DB. Data is replicated to remote studios and displayed live by the Weatherscape application using Nvidia Graphics and drivers. Future deployment options will depend on customer choice and platform support."

6 of 214 comments (clear)

  1. news credits by maharg · · Score: 4, Interesting

    a linux system also renders the red+black graphical intro to bbc news. there are many linux systems in use at the beeb. why so surprised ?

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    $ strings FTP.EXE | grep Copyright
    @(#) Copyright (c) 1983 The Regents of the University of California.
  2. DIY Weather Channel by CommanderNacho · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Why use web based Weather feeds when you can pick the data off the satellite's directly???

    Connect a 137-138MHz FM communications receiver or scanner to your soundcard and get colour images directly from overhead weather satellites. You can either build your own like I did or just buy a receiver.

    For an explanation try:
    http://www.emgola.cz/www_fa/meteosat_englisch_how. html

    and for a great tool: http://www.wxtoimg.com/

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    PORN
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  3. Controversial by rokzy · · Score: 4, Interesting

    the beeb's new weather graphics have been controversial. a lot of people don't like the dark muddy colours. plus Scotland was really pissed because the way the map was angled meant you could hardly see it. this has now been changed, but the new map still doesn't show wind direcion or isobars.

    from the few times I've seen it I haven't been impressed. it looks like a nice virtual atlas, but I never seem to come away with any actual info from it.

    never mind, nowadays I get my weather from the OSX Dashboard widget.

  4. That's MetService... by Snad · · Score: 4, Interesting

    ... not MetaService.

    You know, met as in meteorological, as in that wet stuff we tend to call weather in New Zealand.

    There were a lot of complaints when they started using it on TV in New Zealand too, but now everybody's pretty much used to it. Really it was just an attempt to make the "boring weather bit" on the nightly news into something a bit more interesting from a visual point of view.

  5. Re:not all that great... by call · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Agreed on all fronts (ha!), but I'll also raise the somewhat embarrassing point that on the few times I've actually seen the new style forecast, the frame rate of the display has been apalling, appearing incredibly jerky. That can't possibly have been more than 12 frames per second.

    This is _not_ going to be good press for Linux...

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    -- call
  6. Re:not all that great... by Ronald+Dumsfeld · · Score: 3, Interesting
    ... even the BBC have admitted that they have had hundreds of complaints...
    No surprise there.

    The new "service" has been introduced on BBC World as well as in the UK. It looks horrible. It might be good if you're a climate scientist and want to watch animations of weather patterns. As far as I'm concerned, it's absolutely bloody useless for delivering information about the weather.

    I really couldn't care less what they're running it on, the end result is that the Beeb is presenting something that emulates CNN Weather.

    Oh, and the Forecast Cafe has some entertaining discussion.
    --
    Where's the Kaboom?
    There's supposed to be an Earth-shattering Kaboom.