BBC Launches Linux Powered Weather Format

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."

Comments

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[maharg]

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 ?

not all that great...

[Anonymous Coward]

... even the BBC have admitted that they have had hundreds of complaints about the look of the new service already. They had to tweak it once already because the north of England, and Scotland, were disproportionately small.

People preferred the old format because it was clearer, didn't swoop around, and conveyed all the relevant information quickly and effectively. This new system is unnecessarily complicated and confusing.

Re:not all that great...

[teh kurisu]

No.

Here are the old and new weather maps.

Here is a satellite photo of the UK.

Take Jersey and Shetland as an example. They're both about the same size on this map, but Shetland is far larger in real life.

Re:not all that great...

[draevil]

"People preferred the old format because it [...] didn't swoop around"

This is a crtical point that I think sheds some light on the whole fiasco. Far be it from /. to burst the ego of the BBC weather presenting team but I feel that an awful lot of people got their weather information without actually listening all that much to the presenter.

In the old system people would focus on the informative map in the background and pick up on the weather in their area. They'd tune in and out of what the presenter was saying as they talked about the UK weather, maybe picking up on something if they mentioned a place name near them or they said something of general importance. For the most part though, people would study the wind speed, temperature, front position and cloud cover for their area.

With the new style system, they've basically forced everyone to pay attention to them as they take the map on a stomach churning ride around the UK at a speed that doesn't allow most people to get any appreciation of the weather in their area. If you tune in too late to the report you'll have missed your chance to hear about the weather in your area at all.

Most disconcertingly, the camera only seems to stay still for a couple of seconds. For those that haven't seen it yet, imagine that the camera was on a piece of elastic. As it reaches its maximum extension near, say, Cornwall it slows...comes to a stop...then accelerates away.

That's pretty much the way they've set it up so far.

The astonishingly London-centric decision to set the camera angle such that viewers have to strain to even read the temperature in the north of the UK was just profoundly stupid. I think what was most disturbing was the way that they didn't seem to even understand what people were complaining about. I used to feel sorry for the BBC being shipped up in some numbers to Manchester (and I still think it'll all end in tears/yet more wasted license payers money) but now I'm not so sure that it isn't the right thing to do.

That's just a small overview of a few of the problems with the approach. Makes you worry about where the Beeb is really heading....

DIY Weather Channel

[CommanderNacho]

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/

Controversial

[rokzy]

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.

Though you gotta wonder why the ominous name

[Council]

Oh great, Linux weather. I was quite pleased with Microsoft's pleasant Blue Sky of Death.

Two questions.

[djdanlib]

Why is 2D insufficient? I much prefer the non-distorted 2D weather map, even if it means I don't get to see as much area. That's usually ok.

2D seems much more precise. Where are all those raindrops falling? You can't tell from a still image.

That's MetService...

[Snad]

... 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.

There have been a lot of complaints about this

[Master Of Ninja]

The BBC have got a lot of complaints about this. They recently had to tilt the map some more as the angle was such that northern England and Scotland were too small. The shadows and falling rain are quite difficult to exactly pin point, and apparently can't be distinguished by the colour blind. And the fishermen are complaining that the old wind directions and what not aren't replicated on this. So while it looks good it hasn't replicated the functionality of the old 2D maps, which IMHO are better.

See here on the BBC News site for more comments.

(PS - Go Liverpool for the cup)

That's nice, but the new graphics are useless

[onebuttonmouse]

The new graphics sure are pretty and I love to see Linux deployed, but it's now not possible to enterpret the map.

The graphics move constantly, so by the time you've looked in the corner to see that the map is talking about mid-day on tuesday, the map has moved again. Also, the forecasts no longer include important information like isobars or wind speeds.

NZ Version

[kumachan]

The NZ version is used on TV 1 and TV 3 here.

People have mentioned a lack of isobars, wind direction, strength, muddy colours etc.

On our version we get an isobar map first, which shows the bars changing, fronts coming through etc. Then a broad sweep over the country showing weather effects like cloud/rain + temperature/wind info overlayed by town.
Then a close up on the major centres (6 are shown).
The weather is very nice showing what the temperature will go down to tonight, in the morning, and afternoon.

Perhaps the BBC is doing something different and leaving out some of the info we see here. That would be their decision.

As for the muddy colour of the map. Perhaps the British should wake up and realise that their green-and-pleasant land isn't a vibrant shade of green any more. AFAIK it uses true colour satillite images of the landscape. So that mud colour is what your country looks like.

Heh

[NanoGator]

"BBC Launches Linux Powered Weather Format"

Linux users rejoice at finally knowing what the weather's like outside!