4oD, iPlayer, ITV.com all working on Vista

Today’s adventure involved trying to get different UK networks online offerings working with Vista. And I am happy to report that I managed to get ITV.com, 4oD and the BBC’s iplayer believing that I was using a machine running Windows XP, and successfully download and watch programming. It involved downloading a utility to make your IE7 browser (eeurgh) report itself to certain websites as IE6. If anybody wants to know more, leave a message in the comments and I will send you in the right direction.

UK broadcasters unite to create video on demand solution

It is almost as if they read my post yesterday and took immediate action. UK broadcasters have today decided to work together to create a joint offering that allows viewers to download copies of their favourite shows to their PC’s. With a working title of Project Kangaroo, it is not yet known how this application will work alongside the existing download services available from the UK networks.

although initially a broadband proposition, the application would one day be installed in freeview boxes, and work much in the same way as BT Vision does today, delivering content over the the old copper wire, and maybe one day fibre optics if BT get their act together. Stay tuned for more developments… or maybe this is a knee-jerk reaction to a loss of viewers to Bittorrent, Youtube and the internet in general, and nothing will come of it. Only time will tell.