The BBC has given its iPlayer service a syringe full of botox, tightening it up with a redesign that makes it easier to use on big-screen TVs (we've heard they're a bit like really massive monitors). The new version rolls out first to Sony's PlayStation 3 console, with Internet-connected TVs' built-in systems updated over the coming months.
The new design puts a big carousel across the screen, with programmes reclining expansively in huge tiles.
The tiled look puts us in mind of Microsoft's Windows Phone operating system, which is no bad thing. Auntie reckons the new edition will be more TV-friendly -- it'll work better on devices where you don't have access to a mouse or touchscreen.
There's an improved search, and we're told the whole setup is more personal, with the ability to set favourite programmes and view your previous search results, which throws up all sorts of challenges in terms of preventing your mates seeing how many searches for Countryfile you conduct every day.
For a while it looked as if on-demand services such as iPlayer were going to kill the notion of watching telly on an actual TV, but it appears we've come full circle. The Beeb's general manager for programmes and on-demand Daniel Danker (great name) says, "At this rate of growth, in the next few years we could well see over half of iPlayer use directly on the living room TV."
iPlayer has been sitting pretty on the PS3 for years now, but there's still no sign of an Xbox 360 version. We've heard the problem is figuring out which Xbox gamers (if any) would have to pay for iPlayer -- Microsoft makes users pay for just about every Xbox online service, but the Beeb isn't allowed to charge the British public for its programming, because the cost is already covered by your licence fee.
Do you gather the family around to watch iPlayer on a huge telly? Or does hunkering under the duvet with a laptop and a big bag of Doritos sound more appealing? Spout opinion in the comments section below, or on our Facebook page.
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Comments 28
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Anonymous 8 August, 2011 12:25
I use my PS3 all the time for top-class gaming, Blu-Ray and iPlayer. The iPlayer has alway been very impressive (the only console or settop box to offer HD iPlayer).
The new version looks even better still.
I do sorta feel sorry for Xbox owners losing out all the time, because Microsoft are only interested if there is some way for them to gouge more money out of them.
anonymous 8 August, 2011 13:22
didnt realise i cud watch bbc hd on me ps3 iplayer love it
Anonymous 8 August, 2011 13:37
how do you exit the new version of iplayer?
you can't just return to xmb with this version.
Anonymous 8 August, 2011 15:51
i cant figure out how to exit iplayer without turning of the ps3....any help plz??
Anonymous 8 August, 2011 16:42
There was nothing wrong with the previous version of iplayer on the PS3! The new version is miserable to use and I'm actually going to go back to plugging a laptop into the TV, because this is just ridiculous. There is no easy way to exit the iplayer browser, you can't actually access the subcategories(like drama --> medical, etc). Now you can't even scroll through the ridiculous number of programs within the large categories. You have to physically click through each program to get to the next one, so I just had to click through 93 programs, trying to see what documentaries were up. I gave up after about 15.
This is so unbelievably awful. Does anyone know how to revert to the previous version? Because this is actually unusable.
Anonymous 8 August, 2011 17:12
^_^ hold down the ps button for a few seconds to exit.
i like the cursor free design. just takes a little getting used to.
Anonymous 9 August, 2011 09:41
The previous version of the iplayer was working through the in-built browser of the PS3, and there were good thing and bad things with it. With the old one you can exit easily because you when you press O, all you are doing is exiting the ps3 browser. However, it was not very good with large screen HDTVs. I do like the new iplayer, which is more like an app (which is why some of you finding it hard to exit, where you have to hold the PS button and press exit) and works well with my large TV, although It does need some getting use to. Some of the problems I would say with the new one is that, with the previous one fast skipping was easier because there was a curser, now however the slider sort of skips in small steps. The other problem was that the programs did not resume from where they left off like the old one (I don't know if that is just with me). Apart from that its great! ...and sorry for the long essay.
Anonymous 9 August, 2011 10:34
@the first Anon...LOL youre funny.
YOu get Iplayer, 4OD, ITV player which are just glorified browser plugins.....lol I know because I have a ps3 and thats exactly what they are..
2nd Xbox has Sky player (With on demand)- that it self negates Iplayer, lovefilm, 40d, itvplayer. And the sky player app is actual software not a browser plug in...BTW most set top boxes and TV these days have the VOD services linked.
My samsung TV has the Iplayer as actual software and its not as buggy as the Sony versions, I know I have a sony 32ex503U tv. Look at the sony forums about the complaints about that TV and the series.
Ive pretty much stopped buying Sony TV's, and only got the ps3 because of some of the games on it...At least MS kept my personal data Safe. loooooooooool
The Iplayer on on my android tablet (samsung galaxy 10.1) is better than the ps3 version, And yes I got the sam tab 10.1 off ebay a few days after US release.
Anonymous 9 August, 2011 11:30
for every1 out there who is having difficulty exiting the new bbc iplayer what you have to do is hold the center button on your ps3 remote,a menu should come up with the option " quit ". ;)
Anonymous 9 August, 2011 19:58
yep not liking the new iplayer especially navigating, prefer the curser.. the actual interface is not that bad its just the navigating is much more time consuming...thankfully you can still use the old version through the browser, i have it bookmarked...as anonymous said this is an actual app so to exit you have to hold onto the ps button and exit.
Anonymous 9 August, 2011 21:40
New version - absolutely awful. going to continue using the old browser based version - so much easier to navigate and quit! Makes me wonder sometime if the BBC bother to test out these changes with those who actually use it!
Anonymous 9 August, 2011 22:04
when i click on a programme nothing happens on the new version. have used the arrows to move around the i player but nothing will load for me
Anonymous 10 August, 2011 15:13
There goes Sony again - forcing people to apply unwanted updates and even updating things behind the scene incognito. Whilst this new iPlayer 'app' looks OK, the d-pad control is very slow and is quite frustrating to use.
This is why I really don't like Sony. They didn't even include instructions explaining how to exit the iPlayer programme. Lets hope Anonymous kick Sony's ass again soon :) I'll ditch the PS3 as soon as I get a media PC.
Anonymous 10 August, 2011 19:20
The new version is absolutely terrible to use. Utter fail. Anyone got a link for the old version?
Anonymous 12 August, 2011 17:05
I've lost BBC iplayer after update??????? And the other on demand , 4od etcwhete has it gone
Anonymous 13 August, 2011 10:07
Forget trying to provide services to the XBOX Microsoft are not interested in anything they carn't charge for!!!!!!
keep up the work embedding iplayer into TV sets, Sony have done a fantastic job on the BRAVIA and PS3 plays just like live broadcast now, without pauses.
Anonymous 14 August, 2011 22:07
How on earth can you get the programmes to play? No manner of pressing x is making it happen, after an hour of trying I gave up.... My kids were gutted
anonymous 17 August, 2011 03:18
How do you go back to the old version
Olly Fayers 18 August, 2011 12:22
I'm running the most recent system update for the PS3, which has removed the links to the on-demand TV services. The new iPlayer (accessible through the BBC website) looks nice, but doesn't actually work at all on my system.
If you attempt to use the search facility, then whatever letter you select, it enters a 'C', and as someone has mentioned above, no amount of pressing the X button will actually let you select a programme and view it.
As it stands, it looks nice, but does absolutely nothing.
anonymous 20 August, 2011 16:16
it shows there in the screenshot "exit" next to settings but its not actually there ?? whats the point in that?
anonymous 27 August, 2011 23:19
Since the update to iPlayer for PS3, I find the programs I watch are without any quality problems, where as before it kept juddering forwards several seconds and giving me sound distortion, but since the update I can now also get the program in HD and have now problems while watching it.
anonymous 31 August, 2011 20:24
EXIT
-press and hold the home button
-press quit
-click YES
anonymous 4 September, 2011 23:48
How do I get the old version of iPlayer back please??????
I reverted back to my laptop since I downloaded the new version!!!!
What a joke, it was supposed to be an update not a downdate!!!! Riddiculous!!!
anonymous 6 September, 2011 23:00
Having exactly the same problem as Olly it doesn't work at all I can't play anything I can't use the search feature as every time I select a letter it automatically comes up as "C". Even when i press delete it comes up as a "C". Personally i prefer the look of the old version but I'm not bothered about that i just think it would be nice if it actually worked. This is ridiculous i pay my TV license and I'm entitled to view Iplayer on my TV. However aside from all the criticism any idea on how to resolve in? (Deleting cookies, cache browser history doesn't fix it, Java is enabled I'm running version 3.70 So now I'm out of ideas)
anonymous 21 September, 2011 00:38
Where do you even get the Iplayer from??
how do you get the new iplayer on your PS3 the original,Iplayer disappeared one day and I haven't been able to get it back since.. ouch..
glyns1 27 November, 2011 00:28
The new player works very well, but I can't exit. Hitting the PS button gives a warning sign (usually means - can't do that here)
anonymous 30 November, 2011 03:41
I think the netflix service on the ps3 (not available in the eu yet, but coming soon) has a pretty good layout. I think bbc iplayer team should take some note. It has very easy to navigate menus. It is an application which needs to be installed. To exit on the iplayer, I personally think there should be an exit button on the bottom or corner, just to make it easier for those who find it difficult. But I am sure the next few updates should make it better.
anonymous 2 December, 2011 00:54
I found that just holding down the PS button for a few seconds works ... wasn't quite intuitive though!
Otherwise a fantastic improvement over previous versions...