Media Centre -- BBC I player (Sky Player works fine)

[jimbo45]

Hi all
Going through a UK VPN I can get Sky player to work in Windows Media centre just fine

Can I get BBC I player to do the same or do I have to use a separate app.

I like the Windows Media player for TV and to have all the same apps in one place would be great.

Enc screenshot of sky player integrated into Windows Media Centre showing Nat Geog. program Aircrash Investigation (great to watch just before taking a plane while drinking in a Heathrow Airport Terminal 5 bar - getting bemused looks from other passengers.

(For DVD etc VLC still works wonders -- no probs with encrypted DVD's etc etc.)

Cheers
jimbo

 

[sorethumbs]

Not sure if this would be any use, i've never tried it but come across it browsing before
NeverMiss.TV

 

[Orbital Shark]

Hi Jimbo,

Not sure if this is what you're after but you can get an add-on Here which adds BBC iPlayer to Windows Media Center.


OS

 

[britcay]

Not sure if this would be any use, i've never tried it but come across it browsing before
NeverMiss.TV

What sorethumbs said

NMTV is probably the best at accessing iplayer stuff media center (and ITV/4oD too) as it works well with the MCE remote or keyboard, if you use that (goes fullscreen automatically after playing, pause/stop in the remote works well).

It works by 'downloading', then 'reading' a 'data feed' which is a cache/local copy of the current crop of programs available on all channels, stored on your PC (faster access when in use). The first time you run it, can sometimes take a little while to download this local cache copy.

IIRC there's a slightly wierd registration process, involving code and email address, but stick with it, it's def worth the effort.

TunerFree MCE is another I've used, but it's not as good as NMTV and the cache update was flaky which can mean your local copy is out of date. Both are free, you can try either.

You may also want to use advent media center studio to customise your start menus (rather than leave them all in the 'extras' section)

pm me if you need any info on this, I've been playing around with media center linking with iplayer skyplayer hulu boxee etc for some time now (inc VPN)

 

[severedsolo]

What sorethumbs said

NMTV is probably the best at accessing iplayer stuff media center (and ITV/4oD too) as it works well with the MCE remote or keyboard, if you use that (goes fullscreen automatically after playing, pause/stop in the remote works well).

It works by 'downloading', then 'reading' a 'data feed' which is a cache/local copy of the current crop of programs available on all channels, stored on your PC (faster access when in use). The first time you run it, can sometimes take a little while to download this local cache copy.

IIRC there's a slightly wierd registration process, involving code and email address, but stick with it, it's def worth the effort.

TunerFree MCE is another I've used, but it's not as good as NMTV and the cache update was flaky which can mean your local copy is out of date. Both are free, you can try either.

You may also want to use advent media center studio to customise your start menus (rather than leave them all in the 'extras' section)

pm me if you need any info on this, I've been playing around with media center linking with iplayer skyplayer hulu boxee etc for some time now (inc VPN)

Just tried out TunerFree, it seems pretty cool, I must admit I never have had a use for Media Centre before, but if I can have all my OD tv in one place, that's pretty good +rep

Quick question, does NMTV support Hulu like TunerMCE does? I looked at their site but couldn't see any mention of it. Although I do like TunerMCE, the Hulu display is goddamn awful. (sorry to hijack your thread Jimbo )

 

[jimbo45]

Hi Jimbo,

Not sure if this is what you're after but you can get an add-on Here which adds BBC iPlayer to Windows Media Center.


OS

Hi there That works fine - also through VPN when out of the UK. Get Faster streaming and NO limit so no probs with this.

As for some of the other suggestions -- thanks and they are probably decent alternatives but It's nice to have all the TV stuff in one place and Windows Media Centre does an OK job at this.

I still need VLC for standard DVD playing since I think MS have some issue with data / encryption copyright issues on DVD's -- IMO it's about time the whole regional thing and encryption was dropped -- easy to get round anyway with AnyDVD or similar programs.

As for the Bandwidth issues especially in the UK -

The UK is gettig pretty measly about bandwidth these days -- what's the point of advertising speeds of 20 / 50 mbs and then applying by the back door "Fair usage policies" which don't say on the contract exactly what you are entitled to.

Any sort of decent Media streaming other than pure Audio will eat up CHUNKS of Bandwidth if you want to watch at decent quality (say HDTV standard) on large screens too.

I think in the UK SKY seem to do a reasonably unlimited broadband service and speed is fine at 8mbs. I know people have a thing against Murdoch but I am satisfied with both the service quality and SKY SPORTS in general.

Anybody who's had to suffer watching Football on ITV 1 in the UK with endless commercials (far more than SKY) and had to endure that HIDEOUS anchor person Adrian Childs (I think that's his name) will probably be pleasantly surprised with SKY's Sports coverage.

BT or B/S Telecom are a also DISGRACE -- anybody using them i the UK should SWITCH ASAP. I was at an apartment in the UK and after some minor downloads (legal) the speed was capped to something even a Tortoise would have had no trouble outrunning.

Cheers
jimbo

 

[severedsolo]

The UK is gettig pretty measly about bandwidth these days -- what's the point of advertising speeds of 20 / 50 mbs and then applying by the back door "Fair usage policies" which don't say on the contract exactly what you are entitled to.

Actually in the UK SKY seem to do a reasonably unlimited broadband service and speed is fine at 8mbs. I know people have a thing against Murdoch but I am satisfied with both the service quality and SKY SPORTS in general.

BT or B/S Telecom are a also DISGRACE -- anybody using them i the UK should SWITCH ASAP. I was at an apartment in the UK and after some minor downloads (legal) the speed was capped to something even a Tortoise would have had no trouble outrunning.

Cheers
jimbo

It's not so much the Fair usage, as it is traffic shaping. I'm sure you already know this Jimbo, but for those who don't, traffic shaping is the policy of giving some internet traffic (say streaming) priority over other's (say torrenting/downloads).

BT's traffic shaping is a joke. Most UK ISP's have what they call a "dynamic traffic shaping" system, where IF the extra bandwidth is available, they make it available to lower priority traffic, and if it's not, they don't.

BT on the other hand, arbituarily limit traffic, even when not at peak times. Basically, the only time you can expect to see decent speeds is between 12am and 12pm. After that Traffic shaping kicks in big style. Add to this their terrible network (and unfortunately, alot of us, even on other ISP's are forced to use BT's network, as they basically own most of the telephone network in this country) and terrible customer service, well it's a recipe for disaster.

A company I would actually highly recommend for Home Broadband is a company called Plusnet. Oddly, they are actually owned by the BT group, but their customer service is second to none. I live in an area where it is "BT Only" so I have to pay a bit extra with another ISP because they "rent" BT's network, but honestly I can't fault Plusnet. Although they do traffic shape, they are completely transparent about it, (and I believe they are the only UK ISP who are) and tell you exactly what the "worst case" scenario is for different traffic speeds, although in truth, I have very rarely seen it hit them.

Even more ironically, Mobile broadband is now actually seeming to be the way to go. Despite having a reputation for being expensive (£15 for 3GB is the going rate atm) 3 have just launched a Pay As You Go mobile plan, which gives you 80GB worth of data a month for £15. I just top up my sim on my phone, stick it in my dongle, eh voila. Even better, no traffic shaping on Mobile broadband, although Ping times are terrible, except I don't game, so I don't really care

Oh, and the so called "Up to 8/24 Meg" on BT's network is a damn lie. You can never ever hit those speeds due to the "IP Profile". This is basically a "cap" on your download speed, and the excess is meant to be for overheads, (you never hit your sync speed due to the 10% or so needed for overheads) except the overheads come out of your profile, not your sync speed.

Example: I sync at 8096Kbps (max rate for my line, no ADSL2 yet) but my IP profile is 7Mb, this extra 1Mbis MEANT to be to cover the over heads, so I should within theory get near enough the full 7Mb, except I don't. The overheads come out of my 7Mb, so I actually get nearer 6.3