A new Catch Up player on the horizon
Update: There has been quite a lot of interest in the papers about this post, which was intended to serve as a preview to changes to the existing Catch Up service on channel4.com. To reiterate what my colleagues have written elsewhere, the work to revamp our Catch Up player has been going on for some time, and is intended to make the player easier to use and better integrated with channel4.com’s new look-and-feel. Hope that clarifies things.
The team is busy preparing an all-new version of a long-form video player to be used in the CatchUp service on channel4.com. Here’s a summary of some of the changes to expect, and when to expect them.
To begin with, the new CatchUp experience will be rolled into our new Programmes pages, where visitors will be able to watch full-length episodes directly in the page. This is a departure from our current pop-out experience, and should ensure that all the information around a programme is available in one place, where the user is watching the episode. The new player will still allow full-screen viewing.
We will also be waving goodbye to the Windows Media Player and its video format. The new player employs Adobe’s Flash, which should please Apple Mac owners, who previously were unable to view any Channel4 programmes on channel4.com. However, the new service does require some of the latest security provisions in Flash, meaning that if you don’t already have version 9.0.115 or higher installed in your browser, you’ll be prompted to install it on the first visit. This should not be needed for the vast majority of our audience, however.
As exists currently, the new player and Catch Up area will surface content from the last 30 days, plus allow you to watch any episode in a series for select programmes.
These changes only affect Catch Up on channel4.com. 4oD will remain as it is now, a downloadable application carrying thousands of hours of the best of Channel 4 television from the last 27 years, as well as films.
iPhone users
We currently transcode into a single MPEG-4 version which is using the h.264 codec. Again for security there is no direct access to the file, only via the Flash streaming servers. The version of the MP4 isn’t one that is directly compatible with the iPhone but does give the best web experience for bandwidth. So we’re afraid that Apple iPhone users will still have to wait to watch full-length shows on channel4.com.
When then?
We’re currently aiming for the last week or March for the first general release of the new Catch Up player. We’ll update this post if there are any changes to the plan.
Comments
February 6, 2009
EXCELLENT NEWS
When you said mac users would be pleased in a previous post I did assume you’d be Microsoft silverlight, shutting out linux users, but I’m glad you’re embracing adobe flash means no one is left out
So how about porting 4od to adobe air next?
February 7, 2009
Still no iPhone support? The BBC are already there. And with Redux it’s getting even better.
Come on Channel 4!
February 9, 2009
Hi John – thanks for the comment. Obviously, we’re looking to support as many platforms as possible, and it’s always a balancing act between available resources and emerging platforms. iPhone is obviously something we’re looking at, and we’d hope to have news on that before too much longer. And you’re right, the emerging frameworks for online video are potentially making things easier – but they’re also complicating prioritising in the short term!
February 11, 2009
[...] The Platform4 blog – A new Catch Up player on the horizon Why do I blog this: iPlayer-like Flash streaming 30 day catch-up to be (hopefully) rolled out for general release by the last week of March 2009 (tags: tv broadcasting flash streaming catchup channel4 c4) [...]
February 13, 2009
So what happened to the function where which used to enable the watching if streaming Channel4 online? Any plans to bring it back?
February 13, 2009
obviously I should have proof read!
February 16, 2009
As far as I am aware, the Simulcast feature is not going to be returning in the foreseeable future. I will post here if I hear otherwise. Thanks, andy
February 16, 2009
Mr Pipes, Mr Shepherd
If you’ve already digitised your stuff to H.264, Apple mobile device support should be easy to implement. DM me if that’s not the case. We could very easily get you a server based compressor to satisfy that particular and growing market. Dunno why you find it so hard actually.
M
February 23, 2009
This is great news! I recently bought an Apple Mac to replace my Windows laptop and was not happy to find out I couldn’t use 4oD on my Mac. It’s great news to hear I can catch up on things I miss on the TV! Thanks.
February 25, 2009
@Mark Rock The iPhone is quite particular about the shape, bitrate and audio it accepts and the encoding spec we’re using is not in that range. The iphone also doesn’t support any form of encryption/security on the streams. Therefore this would allow direct access to the stream. Thus we currently wouldn’t be able to include our advertising or rights information around this. Hope that explains things a bit better.
March 4, 2009
Shame about the lack of simulcast, I love using the feature on ITV (though terribly implemented) and I love using it on the BBC iPlayer.
Shame most my much loved content lives on channel 4:) Ah well, I shan’t moan too much! Flash support is one step in the direction, and I’d love to here more about the plans for the iphone.
I guess, if the iphone supported flash (which I really don’t see happening for a while, despite a few things adobe have said) then implementing it would be easy as hell.
Perhaps just a straight forward app? Bit like Joost?
March 6, 2009
This really has been a long time coming. Finally Mac users can breathe a sigh of relief now that 4od will arrive in a couple or so weeks. I used 4od a lot when I was still on my home PC, but since i’ve had a Mac i’ve only been using IPlayer as catchup. But hey, we’re nearly there! It’s cool that 4 has made the switch to Flash.
March 7, 2009
Oh right I just realised that this only applies for catch-up not 4od.. that’s a shame!
March 13, 2009
I use linux on my laptop (but still require windows on my desktop due to Adobe’s creative suite) so this is great news. A long time coming!
However with an active community of mac users and Dell selling mainstream laptops with Ubuntu linux installed now (the mini9 etc.) it’s appalling that as a public service broadcaster 4oD is still not going to be available on these platforms.
Let’s just pray it doesn’t take channel 4 another 2+ years to sort that particular debacle out!
March 28, 2009
In all honesty, I don’t see a future for 4od….
port it to adobe air, then leave it alone perhaps. Yet, if online streaming is good enough quality wise, will there be much need?
March 30, 2009
You say you’re aiming for release in the last week of March, which is this week, is this still the case?
March 31, 2009
@chris
We’re a week out. The release is scheduled for this week. I will be writing a detailed post to explain the changes very soon.
Thanks, Andy
April 4, 2009
how to i get the player to work or be installed. I can’t play the new format of catch up. Is there something ( programme) i need to install.
Please help!
April 5, 2009
It seems the new format on Channel 4 catch up gives me real problems with streaming. Is this a known issue or just a glitch that I’m experiencing this week?
May 7, 2009
im getting real problems wirh this new player .. it’s taking forever to load up my programmes
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