Do you use the BBC’s iPlayer on your PC? Do you have a TV Licence at home? For those who don’t have an actual TV, but do watch the TV via the iPlayer you currently don’t have to pay the TV Licensing Fee. However this could be changed as soon as next year if ministers plans go ahead.

The plans follow growing evidence that more viewers are watching TV online than ever before, BBC iPlayer, ITV Player and others are becoming more popular than normal TV due to the convenience they give their users.

The BBC’s technology chief recently commented on web viewers currently getting a ‘free ride’ with the ability to watch the BBC’s services without paying the licensing fee. As an example, approximately 40% of students would rather use their laptop / computer to watch rather than an actual TV set. Due to this, changes in the way the BBC receives its funding are needed.

Nothing is certain yet, but discussions with the BBC Trust will happen later this year and could be brought into effect as soon as next year. The BBC has already started reducing its spending, this combined with changes in the licence fee could reduce the cost to each household.

Having criticised the BBC’s “extraordinary and outrageous” wasting of resources the culture secretary, Jeremy Hunt, has said that the fee that every house hold has to pay for watching TV could be could as soon as next year.

At this current state, the reduction of the licence fee is a discussion to be had, but the BBC are being forced to cut costs and reduce the amount it spends on wages having had its financial management massively criticised.

It will be interesting to see what happens going forwards, tough decisions need to be made going forwards to streamline the BBC’s service to its viewers and give the maximum value for money to licence fee payers.

The BBC Trust has approved the development of Project Canvas following a regulatory process that started back in February 2009. The project is a joint venture between the BBC, ITV, Channel 4, Five, BT, Talk Talk and Arqiva to develop and build a standard platform for viewing of internet content (on demand content) via a set top box. This would allow the same box to show content from iPlayer, ITV Player, 4oD and other on demand systems through the one box / tv.

The trust has concluded that the system would deliver “significant public value” so has approved the development of the system. The BBC has been given the go ahead to continue to be involved in the development of the system, but has imposed some restrictions on what it can and what it can’t do to it, including limiting the financial commitment to no more than 20% over the initial estimates for the project.

Being able to access all platforms through one unified system would be a benefit to the consumer, currently some systems are computer accessible only and some can be viewed via games consoles but there is no uniformed system as yet.

Project Canvas is expected to have the branding YouView when it launches, aims to upgrade both the Freeview and Freesat platforms to add a wide range of video on demand, when it will launch is currently unknown.

Just in time for the start of the 2010 FIFA World Cup, ITV launched their new ITV Live service. In the first week of availability, the service has recieved over 1 million unique users, though I suspect a lot of this is due to the number of matches happening during office hours.

The ITV Live service combines a live TV stream with interactive information and social networking, in this case for the World Cup. It allows you to watch the match, access stats and replays when you want them and chat with others about the match all at the same time.

If you’ve not yet seen it, you can visit ITV Live at any time by going to http://live.itv.com/

Ofcm have given the go ahead for the implementation of DRM on the Freeview HD service. Rather than broadcast with full encryption, the go ahead has been given to encrypt the EPG (the Electronic Programme Guide), this means that DVB-T2 (HD) TV tuners for computers and other devices will still be able to recieve the content, but the timing and listing will have to be accessed via another means.

Devices that wish to access the EPG must obide by the content protection rules enforced, this will restrict the recording of certain content or the transferal to other devices from the recorder.

This change shouldn’t effect any Freeview HD kit that is already on the market, they should have the required features already so when the switch is flicked they should still work.

This protection system shouldn’t get in the way of most viewers and is unlikely to stop major privacy, however content providers like the idea that its their to protect their content.

Sky have announced that their Sports News channel, which is currently available for free on Freeview will become a pay for channel. They have said this will take place later this year, at which point the channel will only be available on Sky, Virgin Media or TalkTalk TV.

On Freeview, the channel will be replaced by Sky 3 + 1, which personally seems a waste of available airspace.

Sky has said as part of a subscription service, customers will be able to look forward to expanded coverage and the launch of Europe’s first HD sports news service. This suggests that they will be upgrading to a HD channel as well.

The BBC have confirmed plans to launch a high definition version of BBC One this year.

This will be a complete simulcast of the main channel, showing HD versions of shows where available and the normal version where not.

BBC One HD will be made available to viewers on Freeview HD, Freesat, Sky and Virgin Media and will broadcast along side the existing BBC HD service.

The BBC have recognised the future of television is in HD, and are showcasing the wide variety of content they have in HD, currently this is done via a seperate HD channel (BBC HD) but from autumn BBC One will be in HD all the time it can.

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The BBC has launched a new beta version of its popular catch up TV system, the iPlayer. The new version of the site introduces a load of new social networking features to the site.

Once users register for a new BBC iD, this is to allow identification on the service. They will be able to able to tie this account to various social networking services, including Facebook and Twitter.

Once tied, users will be able to click a button and notify all their followers that they are watching a show. This will give those users chance to click and gain instant access to the same show.

The addition of a login to access the service, will allow the BBC to bring more new features for example customisation of what you see when you login. This will allow them to tailor the view to be more useful for you.

The new iPlayer platform is only available for users in the UK and can be accessed from http://beta.bbc.co.uk/iplayer

Have you tried it yet? Like all the new features?

Not content with being everywhere when you use your PC on the internet, Google has announced it plans to bring the Android operating system along with its Chrome web browser to new TV’s and set top boxes in the coming months.

Everyone knows how to use a TV now, pick up the remote and poke a few buttons – picture appears and you watch it, but what Google wants to do is change how we use the TV, and turn it into a way to access not only your normal TV, but the rich world of content that is on the internet.

Virgin Media have launched a new movie service, powered by FilmFlex Movies. http://onlinemovies.virginmedia.com/ Once rented, pricing about £3.99, films can be watched an unlimited amount of times within the 48 hours paid for.

Anyone based in the UK can use this service, they don’t have to be a Virgin Media subscriber, this will open the service up to anyone with suitable internet access.

They recommend a 4Mbps broadband connection to be able to view films, and any downloaded film may count towards your providers usage limits.

More films will be added weekly, the next lot on the 6th of May.