iPlayer now available on Wii
| Date Posted | Author |
|---|---|
| 11th April 2008 | Matt Bailey |
The BBC have made the streaming version of the TV-catchup service iPlayer available on the Nintendo Wii as of yesterday. The service was previously unavailable on the console due to the version of Flash used on the Internet Channel, but the Beeb have now adapated the iPlayer site for the Wii, and are providing a compatibilite stream that will allow you to watch BBC TV programmes on your TV via the console. The service itself remains free, though you'll need to own the Opera-powered Channel which can be picked up in the Wii Shop Channel for 500 Wii Points (£3.50). There is also talk of the BBC launching a free dedicated iPlayer channel to allow people to avoid having to stump up this entry fee. The performance is a bit mixed at the moment, but improvements are promised over time.
The most interesting part, of course, is fact that the Wii is the first of the current consoles to receive the service. The Xbox 360 and Playstation 3 are widely touted by their manufacturers as media centres, and here the device without HD-support, or even DVD playing capabilities, has managed to outdo them on the video-on-demand front with a service far more popular than Microsoft's current Xbox Live Marketplace offering. The BBC themselves has said this is due to the two companies only wanted a service that integrated directly with theirs, rather than the more open approach Nintendo is allowing them to take. It's especially curious when the PS3 already has a browser capable of Flash 7 support, and so could also benefit from the new format the Corporation is offering. They promise further developments, so we'll keep you informed of what happens in the near future with iPlayer on consoles.
