BBC iPlayer For Mac And Linux

By Digital Trends Staff December 18, 2008

BBC iPlayer For Mac And Linux

The BBC’s iPlayer is incredibly successful in Britain, reportedly responsible for 10% of bandwidth as people stream or download programs they’ve missed on the company’s channels since its debut in July 2007.

But those with using Macs or Linux have only been able to stream shows.

iPlayer users can stream shows for seven days after they’ve been aired, or download them, which offers them 30 days in which to watch the program before it disappears.

The new version, which the BBC created with Adobe, is known as BBC iPlayer Desktop, and uses Adobe’s AIR technology. The beta version was released yesterday and a full version should appear in February.

The BBC has also been working with Velocix to address the bandwidth problem, which ISPs claim has been straining networks. It will put servers in ISPs to cache the most popular iPlayer programs so they can be streamed from within the ISP’s network.

The BBC’s head of digital media technology, Anthony Rose, said:

"The BBC is not building its own content delivery network. But we can help move the market in this area."

Editors' Recommendations

Digital Trends Staff

Digital Trends has a simple mission: to help readers easily understand how tech affects the way they live. We are your…

Computing

How to contact Apple support for help with your Mac, iPhone, and more

The Apple Support number and other contact methods, explained

Boxes for an Apple Watch, iPhones, and Airpods sit on a desk.

There’s no denying Apple’s reputation for producing some of the coolest and most cutting-edge tech for folks like you and me. From desktops and laptops to phones and tablets, there’s an Apple product for just about every hardware niche, so there’s a good chance you’ll end up owning one of the company’s products down the line (if you don’t already). And in the event that you need to reach out to Apple if there’s something wrong with your computer, we’re glad to report you’ll be in good hands.

Computing

I needed to buy a new MacBook. Here’s why I bought a power bank instead

Baseus Blade 2 65W power bank for laptops kept on a green couch.

I rely on a 13-inch MacBook Pro from 2020 for most of my work. Despite its age and being a base variant model, it continues to stack up well against my expectations for all these years.

Since MacBooks are known for longevity, the fact that my MacBook Pro still holds up well a few years later shouldn't sound surprising. However, the first signs of aging recently arrived in the form of a warning about the battery's plummeting health. I was already dreading the idea of having to replace what was otherwise a perfectly good laptop.

Computing

I love my PC, but there’s one thing I miss from the Mac

The Apple Mac Mini being used on a wooden desk.

In almost all cases, I prefer to be on a Windows machine. That's just who I am.

But when I do occasionally switch over to my Mac mini, there's one aspect of the setup I enjoy the most. No, it's not a software feature in macOS that isn't in Windows. It's not even the hardware itself.