14 DAY TRIAL // The BBC has finally released its iPlayer client for Mac. The new iPlayer application enables Mac users to download shows and store them on their computers' hard drives. Previously, they could only watch iPlayer content via the BBC iPlayer website. For the moment, however, the services available with the BBC iPlayer are granted solely to users with an IP address located within the United Kingdom.
iPlayer is an online media player, created by the BBC to enable viewers to watch television programs online up to seven days after they have been aired. On the Windows side, the iPlayer uses the Digital Rights Management (DRM) to ensure that shows cannot be watched after seven days, a Macworld report says.
When contacted for more clarification on the decision to employ the DRM system, the broadcaster's head of digital media, Anthony Rose, defended the adoption of DRM by stating that “The BBC Trust said we could make content available for seven or 30 days after broadcast. The ability to take things away after some time requires DRM.” “We may embrace other DRMs, as needed,” Mr. Rose added.
To download the iPlayer application, UK residents must visit the Labs section of the iPlayer website. A still-experimental version can be downloaded and installed there. According to the site, a more polished up one is due out in February next year.
A blog entry signed Mark Thompson (The BBC's General Director) revealed a while ago that there was a lot of criticism for a lack of Mac and Linux compatibility, all this while a lot of positive feedback was also being received. At the time, the iPlayer had already been launched for testing purposes. Webuser.co.uk quoted Thompson as saying that “Contrary to what some believe, the BBC actually works hard to provide Internet services on a 'platform agnostic' basis. However, the issue of download of programs to Mac and other platforms has always been a more complex issue, for technical and rights reasons.”