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BBC Radio Drops WMA For MPEG-DASH

Posted by Soulskill on from the changing-horses dept.

gbjbaanb writes: The BBC has converted its legacy WMA (Windows Media Audio) streams to the "industry-wide and open source" MPEG-DASH format. While this has left some users of old devices unable to receive the broadcasts, the BBC claims the use of WMA was "prohibitively expensive to operate"when existing licence agreements ran out. The BBC says that they are working with "radio industry and manufacturers towards using just one standard."

2 of 65 comments (clear)

  1. Yay by Art3x · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Yay.

    1. Re:Yay by hairyfeet · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Yay? For what? Getting rid of one niche format for another? Why not good old fashioned MP3 which is playable anywhere on anything?

      The audiophiles can scream bloody murder into their USB tube powered DACs but the format wars have been over for quite awhile and MP3 WON, and not by a trivial amount but by a wholesale curbstomping. You take just about any consumer device made by anybody that has the ability to play audio, from an ultra cheapo 7in tablet or STB to a 5K+ TV set or expensive after market car stereo and what do they ALL play? MP3. No muss, no fuss, no hassle, it "just works".

      So unless this DASH format can be played everywhere that an MP3 can be played? Then I just don't see the point of replacing one niche for another.

      --
      ACs don't waste your time replying, your posts are never seen by me.