iPad, HTML5?

[akki007]

I'm sat here watching TVcatchup on my iPad, well, the iPhone version anyway and then it hit me.... Why don't you change your main site to be HTML5 instead of flash (spit spit) and everyone would be happy!

What say you TVcatchup??? :good:

[TVC_James]

because HTML5 video isn't a standard yet, people are still arguing over which codec to use. We're not going to commit to something until it's finalised. Once the HTML5 codec disputes are resolved we may support it, but we'll keep Flash for the forseeable future for those with browsers that don't support HTML5 video. We encode in H.264, Firefox for instance doesn't support H.264 <video> tags.

[L.Rawlins]

Why don't you change your main site to be HTML5 instead of flash (spit spit) and everyone would be happy!

As James has illustrated there are many forms of 'HTML5' doing the rounds at the moment built around portions of a draft specification that has yet to be finalised. Any claims of HTML5 compliance by any browser or platform are only partial and fragmented implementations based on the underlying concepts.

That's not to say that the Dev's haven't been exploring its merits, but it is far too early to simply abandon Adobe's ship in favour of an incomplete and immature alternative. :)

[akki007]

because HTML5 video isn't a standard yet, people are still arguing over which codec to use. We're not going to commit to something until it's finalised. Once the HTML5 codec disputes are resolved we may support it, but we'll keep Flash for the forseeable future for those with browsers that don't support HTML5 video. We encode in H.264, Firefox for instance doesn't support H.264 <video> tags.

Are you doing anything for the iPad when it's released? The iPhone streams actually look ace!

[TVC_Colwal]

Are you doing anything for the iPad when it's released? The iPhone streams actually look ace!
Have a look http://yfrog.com/5jimg0162z a friend of TVCatchup's did this.

[akki007]

Have a look http://yfrog.com/5jimg0162z a friend of TVCatchup's did this.

Doh, did you just ironically link me to a flash video knowing im browsing on my iPad?!? Will have a ganders later on my laptop.

[TVC_Colwal]

Doh, did you just ironically link me to a flash video knowing im browsing on my iPad?!? Will have a ganders later on my laptop.
I wasn't to know you were on an iPad was I........Opps! my bad as I didn't read your post well enough.

[Umpa]

Is there a way to play the iphone version of TVC on a pc as this might allow my under powered Mac to use the service.

[TVC_James]

I'm sorry, the only version you can use on the Mac are our current streams on tvcatchup.com

[kcoolv]

u can use the iphone streams on a mac, using the iphone simulator. u need to download the iPhone SDK from http://developer.apple.com/iphone/index.action registration is free.

[TVC_H4U]

u can use the iphone streams on a mac, using the iphone simulator. u need to download the iPhone SDK from http://developer.apple.com/iphone/index.action registration is free.
A step to far maybe? They could just install flash and a decent web browser and view it at a higher quality via the mainsite.

Its great that we currently work on all the internet enabled, iDevices. :good:

[Umpa]

Thanks for the reply. I notice that you can sub to a html5 stream on YouTube, I shall try that, if it works I'll keep the mac in case tvc goes html5

[Jonathan]

No it's not a step too far, it's incredibly useful as a low quality version, for slower or shaped internet connections like mine. In fact it's the only way I watch TVC and know for definite I'll make it to the end of the programme without constant buffering.

[TVC_Colwal]

No it's not a step too far, it's incredibly useful as a low quality version, for slower or shaped internet connections like mine. In fact it's the only way I watch TVC and know for definite I'll make it to the end of the programme without constant buffering.
Or maybe you do something about your internet, if you can that is:shame:

[Garth&Amanda]

i cant get signed in. my fone keeps showing a messge login failed. i have followed the help page still nothing, can anyone help

[michaelpearce]

On the html5 front you can easy support this with little changes to your current site not sure why such resistance.

I've just been looking into taking the iphone stream onto a mac, and can simply do it with some basic html (see bottom). To support other video formats you simple can state multiple sources for different types, allowing the browser to select its preffered or supported media type, to support your existing flash as a fallback you can simply load in the flash object. for further info about cross support easily see http://camendesign.com/code/video_for_everybody

to add custom html5 controls which would give you some control if you wanted more than the html5 browser default controls - there is some good examples already.
http://zencoder.com/encoder-blog/2010/05/19/vp8-webm-and-html5-video/
http://jilion.com/sublime/video

<html lang="en">
<head>
<title>Test</title>
</head>
<body>
BBC
<video width="640" height="480" controls >
<source src="http://iphone.tvcatchup.com/?chan=1" />
</video>
</body>
</html>

[TVC_James]

The problem with HTML5 is lack of standardisation. Yes, the iPod/iPhone support HTML5 video, but this is different to the HTML5 video that Firefox supports, which is different to the HTML5 video in Chrome. That's why we've not done a web based HTML5 site yet (there's other technical reasons I won't go int o as well). Rest assured we're eagerly awaiting some form of agreement for HTML5 video before we investigate any further.

[michaelpearce]

With due respect the standards issue shouldn't stop development of a html5 solution and keeping tvcatchup to support as many devices as possible new and old, as stated above and addressed in the links, it is possible to support the different supported video types, and even does allow you to fall back to your flash version.

Its now got itself to the position of two camps pushing for their standard, mozilla opera and google (moving from mozilla moving their support from OGG to in the last month VP8) vs apple and microsoft(both having stakes and patents in the h264 standard) it will take a long time if you wait for this battle to finish, and the web would have moved on.

With the big players such as BBC already supporting html5 and also now allowing live viewing of its channels. And youtube now providing a service for on demand of channel4 and five programs (something originally tvcatchup aimed to do), and also already itself in HTML5 public beta. I've enjoyed tvcatchup over the years myself and what it has done, but as my gadgets and gizmo's move on, if they aren't supported then ill end up switching as is human nature. And after so long this would be a shame.

[michaelpearce]

p.s. could we get the iphone stream uprated to the same as for pcs :) the ipad can support upto 720p, iplayer on it looks amazing. Would be good if tvcatchup could match it.

[TVC_H4U]

Standards issue delays rollout of html5, due to the fact their are no standards. We dont have an endless pot of research and development cash, so theirs no desire to do the same development work multiple-times, in the same year.
I like you are happy on the VP8 being opened up, not yet "approved" via apple though. To me its looking to be the "one".

The "big players" do not offer what we do, but they do have an endless pot of research and development which is why they test with HTML5, unsuccessfully if reports are to be trusted.

The point which you make about fallback on to older technologies, is not as easy as you make out. Its not a matter of changing the front end code, for every format we offer it involves separate encoding in a live environment. Since we offer such a large variety of channels, with aim of more. Not saying its not possible we are talking a lot of processing power.

iphone streams are designed for the device, to ensure quality and deliverable service. Higher definition is possible, but comes with greater cost to the end user with mobile internet.
Something id stop far from ruling out though.

We aim to deliver quality and reliable service which is why we wish to put HTML5 roll out "on hold". You have nothing to fear though, we wont stagnate when it comes to technology. Its not to say we have already had some good fun with concept demo's of TVCatchup and HTML5.

When it becomes in TVCatchup and users best interest for us to adapt HTML5, the jump will be taken.

Im unsure to where you would switch, our direct competitors are far from the benchmark we have set and continue to raise.
For that reason, hope to see you around here more not less and after so long this would be a shame.

[TVC_Admin]

I think it would be rather presumptious to assume that Apple's implementation of HTML5 is going to set any standards, and probably better for "standards" to actually settle before we start changing things.

The iPad resolution is seriously good, no denying that, but a suitable HD stream takes a great deal of mobile bandwidth and such a service would therefore probably end up being restricted to wi-fi usage.

[michaelpearce]

Liking the ipad implementation ... go html5 :) ...

As further things which may be of interest making what you guys have done better there is http://iwebkit.net/ if you want to leverage a load of pre done css to make the iphone and ipad sites, look and feel more akin to the devices...also some neat tricks like startup screens.

[michaelpearce]

On a non apple support front, for the guys with android versions 2.0 and above (beyond eclair), i believe should be supporting html5 h264 video also(http://developer.android.com/sdk/android-2.0-highlights.html), maybe give them a beta of the iphone feed, but html5? Just to trying to keep things not just about apple, and as the feeds are there... dont want to be accused of an apple bias here :P