Hackers bring iPlayer to PS3

 

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By Matthew Sparkes

Posted on 14 Apr 2008 at 08:25

A group of hackers has brought the BBC's iPlayer service to the PS3, creating an unofficial portal where console users can access television content.

The website is based on the flash streaming service from the Nintendo Wii version of iPlayer, which the BBC launched just last week.

The new site tricks the BBC's servers into believing that the PS3 console is actually a Wii.

"It's mainly a demonstration of how easily the BBC could support the PS3 with their Wii version. This does nothing more than mask your PS3's user-agent string and makes half a dozen changes to make the JavaScript and CSS function correctly on the PS3. It only took a day to produce, so come on BBC - how about implementing this properly?" asks a message on the unofficial PS3 iPlayer portal.

Last week the BBC announced that iPlayer would be officially available on the Nintendo Wii, but that no such plans were underway for either the Xbox 360 or Sony PS3 because Sony and Microsoft desired too much control over the service.

"If you want to get on the PlayStation or Xbox, they want control of the look, the feel and the experience; they want it done within their shop, and their shop only," said Erik Huggers, head of the BBC's Future Media and Technology group, speaking to the dot.life blog.

Since its launch the iPlayer service has angered ISPs, who claim that viewers watching up to half a million shows per day are massively increasing their overhead costs.

The flash streaming service for the Wii uses even more bandwidth than the standard player, and is likely to further upset suppliers. The BBC has had to up the bitrate from 500kb/sec to 820kb/sec to achieve the same picture quality because of the less efficient codes used by the console.