A-Z programme list back in ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ iPlayer
Post categories: iPlayer
| 11:13 UK time, Friday, 19 November 2010
Following my last post I wanted to share that based on your feedback, two features are now back in ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ iPlayer. You may have noticed that the A-Z programme list has returned to the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ iPlayer homepage, so if you like discovering titles in this way, just click on a letter. We've also reinstated the TV pop-out option for live TV streaming.
We're really grateful for your feedback and will continue to incorporate your thoughts into product improvements.
Daniel Danker is General Manager, Programmes and On Demand, ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Future Media & Technology
Comment number 1.
At 19th Nov 2010, daveac wrote:Thanks for restoring the A to Z Listing
Cheers, daveac
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Comment number 2.
At 19th Nov 2010, Eponymous Cowherd wrote:This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the house rules. Explain.
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Comment number 3.
At 19th Nov 2010, Czechboy wrote:a to z back, thanks for that, but which halfwit took it down?Also, all the facebook style garbage is still up there dumbing me down but taking your click count up.Plus if you read the messageboards the problems with downloading have got so bad people are just doing it with real player and Win Media Player, I just don`t bother, too much pain for too little gain. But thanks for the step - back - in the right direction.
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Comment number 4.
At 19th Nov 2010, John99 wrote:Thanks for opening up a dialogue about iPlayer
You say:
We're really grateful for your feedback and will continue to incorporate your thoughts into product improvements.
I have a few questions to raise as feedback. I realise you are new but by now you must have been briefed about many of the pre-existing shortcommings relating to iPlayer.
1) Why ignore the iPlayer messgeboard, surely it could be a useful asset to both users with problems and to the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ
So could you explain why you employ a hosted ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ iPlayer messageboard for us to discuss technical matters about iPlayer, and although your favoured help & faq section often refers users to that messageboard it is almost impossible to get the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ to make any comment or answer any technical enquiry on that messageboard.
2) Will you comment on some of the LONGSTANDING iPlayer problems, the most pressing issues being in my opinion.
a) Radio insufficient bandwidth / echo / burbling & general unavailability of some streams and programmes
b) Persistent and repeated inability to release a fully working version of iPlayer Desktop
c) Streaming problems with iPlayer TV
[ I usually scatter blog comments with inline links to allow easy access to additional information to those interested but I do not think that works at present due to the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ blog improvements.
THANKS Test of links ( problem acknowledged by bbc eg see Nicks comment: /blogs/bbcinternet/2010/11/changes_to_comments_on_bbc_int.html?postId=103203658 ) so now it is the raw html failing & now displays as text instead of a link, or is it having a problem parsing brackets, or will it change when out of preview ? ]
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Comment number 5.
At 19th Nov 2010, John99 wrote:This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the house rules. Explain.
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Comment number 6.
At 19th Nov 2010, P_and_H wrote:How are we meant to give feedback on iPlayer? By using this comment facility? By posting on the iPlayer Message Board? I'd largely given up on the latter since there is seldom any response back from the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ so it feels like putting a message in a bottle, throwing it into the ocean and hoping it will get read by someone.
Here are a few suggestions:
1. Allow me to configure the iPlayer website on my PC so that I can permanently hide the "For you" and "Friends" sliding panels which I never use and which I find particularly annoying when For You suggests I watch East Enders.
2. Reduce the number of clicks. I like watching Science and Nature programmes. Even with this in "My categories" I still need three clicks to get to see a complete list of all Science and Nature. You could reduce this to 2 clicks (as it used to be on the old iPlayer website) simply by getting rid of the little panel showing a subset of items in the category and jumping straight to a list of all items.
3. Don't force me to install an upgrade to iPlayer Desktop. I was quite happily using version 3.0.7 and really didn't want to take the chance of introducing problems by installing 3.0.10. However since I couldn't download any new programmes without the upgrade, I had no choice.
Thanks in advance.
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Comment number 7.
At 19th Nov 2010, Squirrel wrote:Where is the patch you promised on Feedback today?
Or did you apply it secretly today (as iPlayer are so keen on doing) without telling anyone?
I have for the first time ever experienced a bug in iPD other people have been complaining about. The programme, previously downloaded, opens and does not play just a blank screen and a counter of "-.--"! Thanks so much for adding another "undocumented feature" to my installation.
Does this mean iPD will not delete as expired programmes downloaded since upgrade to 3.0.10 after just 5 days. A bug which has been present SINCE MAY and variously blamed on Flash Player, users, ISPs, loading, etc.
I have tested that 3.0.10 iPD STILL does not delete programme folders or files if the programme is open in the "Now Playing" tab when "X Remove" is clicked.
We have been promised a fix to these and many other iPlayer bugs repeatedly over the last six months. People posting on the iPlayer Message Boards have been asking why heads are not rolling yet. I was astonished to hear that comments on the boards are read and responded to because they are so obviously not!
Oh and by the way; I am not the least interested in the A-Z listing. I use RSS feeds now as the closest thing to the old "Most Recent" list (before your time Daniel) I don't have to bother too much with that dreadful new "for you most popular twit face" user interface the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ is so very proud of!
Why didn't your team spend more time resolving the problems you caused and less time bothering with social networking and the A-Z add-on to the web site?
Also, why have you removed the links to programme pages for almost all of the iPlayer pages? You will not display the information on iPlayer so why take the links away that allowed users to find out more?!
{rant ends}
Very disappointed long time iPlayer user.
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Comment number 8.
At 19th Nov 2010, Squirrel wrote:Sorry did I say "user" - I mean of course "valued ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ iPlayer customer" and if I am a customer not a viewer or listener, does that mean I can complain to ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Watchdog about your total lack of customer service? Maybe it will take an Anne Robinson interview to cut out the PR and get to the bottom of iPlayer's many many flaws.
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Comment number 9.
At 19th Nov 2010, U14695169 wrote:This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the house rules. Explain.
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Comment number 10.
At 19th Nov 2010, John Prince wrote:Daniel
I'm not sure if you are deliberately trying to confuse the issue or if perhaps you might be confused yourself.
As I remember it the issue was the removal of the Channel by Channel alphabetical list of currently available programmes, not a link to the A-Z of ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Output.
Squirrel quite correctly states that the RSS feeds provide a far simpler, and for me at least, a far better means of access to current iPlayer output.
For those interested in say Radio, try putting these links into Sage or any other good RSS reader or even displaying them in your browser - so simple - so clear - so useful.
No A-Z unfortunately but a least none of the other distractions.
As a slightly OT point, anyone who is overwhelmed by the number of items included in the 'normal' ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ News Feeds, try the Mobile ones they work just as well on 'static' machines.
etc...
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Comment number 11.
At 19th Nov 2010, lemonskinny wrote:Please stop the echo/double-play/buffering issue on Listan Again radio.
IT IS STILL HAPPENING!
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Comment number 12.
At 19th Nov 2010, Squirrel wrote:If you need a few laughs every now and then, you could also include a feed for THIS page:
feed://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/bbcinternet/rss.xml
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Comment number 13.
At 19th Nov 2010, lemonskinny wrote:Hahahaha.....I'm currently listening to Feedback, with Daniel Danker being interviewed by iPlayer user Luciano Gianpalio (apologies if incorrecrtly spelt).
Luciano is asking Daniel Danker a question whilst at the same time Daniel is speaking over him, saying things are fixed....how rude!
Got to laugh, or i'd cry.
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Comment number 14.
At 19th Nov 2010, Squirrel wrote:Keep laughing...
I have to add that iPlayer Desktop is very far from the "bug free" version Roger Bolton was apparently promised by the iPlayer Management Team.
BUT - I must wait to see if programmes downloaded since installation last non-expired beyond the five day limit I have been living with for so very long. I think Monday or Tuesday should do it, unless I watch them all before then!
That would be good, it has been such a pain for so very long... All these extra grey hairs in my fur...
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Comment number 15.
At 20th Nov 2010, muylee wrote:It takes some nerve to say "We're really grateful for your feedback'!
How long has it been since iPlayer users first started expressing their dislike of the new version and complaining about the ongoing (and unresolved) problems with both streaming and downloading of TV and Radio?
Use of the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ's own complaints form as well as the messageboards and coverage by other media appeared to be ignored for goodness knows how long. Presumably, it was thought that by ignoring the opinions and wishes of the users, it was hoped that eventually we would all just give up and go away. However, we did not and finally management had to do something about iPlayer!
Yes, a small step forward has been taken by reinstating A-Z and pop-out but it should have been done a long time ago and it still takes more clicks than it did before to reach a desired programme.
Since Mr. Danker is claiming that our continued feedback remains important to him, could I suggest that the 'For You' and 'Friends' drawers be hidden or removed entirely while the 'Featured' section be reduced so it is not taking up an unnecessary amount of space.
There is still much to be done to bring iPlayer back to its former user-friendly self and I, for one, would be grateful if management would actually show they listen to and respond to user opinion promptly if that is what they say they do.
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Comment number 16.
At 20th Nov 2010, Guv-nor wrote:In reply to John Prince at #10
What you need to do is follow the link to "your feedback" in the original blog by Daniel Danker which if I say so myself goes to an excellent post. From there knowing that the Sianeli Teledu tab is TV Channels in Welsh will lead you to that which you desire.
So ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ if /iplayer/cy/tv/bbc_one gives us what we want in Welsh do the same in English and do it TODAY.
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Comment number 17.
At 20th Nov 2010, Squirrel wrote:Guv-nor:
You do know that the only reason the "old" iPlayer site is still available in Welsh is because the new one isn't yet?
Elsewhere I have read complaints that the NEW iPlayer is not in one of the minority languages, I think it was Welsh!
Probably it's a good idea to get it right in one language first. At least all the complaints so far have been in English. ;-)
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Comment number 18.
At 20th Nov 2010, jmac wrote:Am I being exceptionally dim or is there really no direct link to iPlayer from radio station home pages? Radio 2 is the specific example - I can't see how to link direct to iPlayer from there ...
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Comment number 19.
At 21st Nov 2010, Squirrel wrote:jmac:
At the top of the page (actually virtually every ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ.co.uk page) there should be a black bar with a ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ logo at the left. That logo links to www.bbc.co.uk/ Then there are links for; News, Sport, weather, then iPlayer.
It is certainly on this Radio2 page:
/radio2/
:-)
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Comment number 20.
At 21st Nov 2010, John Prince wrote:This is only going to interest the 'nerdy'.
I have noticed that if you do subscribe the RSS Feed [see earlier post] for a Channel via Bookmarks in Firefox, and then go to Bookmarks/Organize Bookmarks [Library] and select the Feed Entry you are interested in, you can sort by Programme Name by clicking on the Name Bar.
Centre Click will open the page for a selected Programme in a new tab, and the Bookmarks Library stays open, although not in focus.
Provided the RSS Feed contains all the currently available Programmes for that channel, you have a simple and easy to read A-Z List with no distractions.
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Comment number 21.
At 22nd Nov 2010, lemonskinny wrote:Monday 22 November:
Still getting two, overlaid streams of audio on radio Listen Again programmes.
This has been going on eleven days, now.
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Comment number 22.
At 22nd Nov 2010, Squirrel wrote:Well done lemonskinny - all those repeat requests will go to help make the "programme requests" statistic look better! We will then see a posting letting us know the iPlayer is more popular than ever...
;-)
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Comment number 23.
At 29th Nov 2010, 2Bdecided wrote:This A-Z isn't the A-Z I want.
I want an A-Z list of the programmes on Radio 4, not an A-Z list of every single ** thing on the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ across all channels!!!
Like this...
/iplayer/cy/radio/bbc_radio_four
Cheers,
David.
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Comment number 24.
At 29th Nov 2010, Russ wrote:Now I'm totally confused. I agree with 2Bdecided, and have been banging the same drum for many months about the desirability of per-channel A-Z (wonderfully implemented in the previous iPlayer incarnation), b bbb bbbb but, where on earth did that 'cy' variant appear from. Is it available in English?
Russ
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Comment number 25.
At 29th Nov 2010, Squirrel wrote:Russ:
It's because the Welsh translation of the "New Improved" iPlayer site has not been implemented yet.
- OR - The Welsh Language Protection people lobbied not to have their iPlayer "Improved" and the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ have listened..?
Is there a Welsh language version of the TV Licence?
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