Just curious as to what sort of quality people might be seeing for the
broadband BBC video forecasts. (Maybe this is BBCi but I'm not sure).

On my 512 K connection (but seemingly streamed at 224kbps from the
BBC) the native-size forecast video quality - at a guess around
320x200 - is very poor (in RealOne player) consisting of little more
than a few still or at best jerky images. Audio is fine but then I can
get the modem quality video forecast fine again with good audio direct
from the BBC site. The image is pretty small but quality is
reasonable.

I'm sure I can get decent quality streamed video at modest/moderate
image size from other sites over a 512K connection - it's not as if
the forecast is an all-action movie with considerable movement from
frame to frame.. So why not from the BBC? Maybe either the BBC servers
or my ISP (Nildram) servers are throttled in the interests of
bandwidth conservation? Or is there some other explanation or setting
or new codec that needs playing with or installing?

John Dann
www.weatherstations.co.uk

"John Dann" wrote in message
...
Just curious as to what sort of quality people might be seeing for the
broadband BBC video forecasts. (Maybe this is BBCi but I'm not sure).

On my 512 K connection (but seemingly streamed at 224kbps from the
BBC) the native-size forecast video quality - at a guess around
320x200 - is very poor (in RealOne player) consisting of little more
than a few still or at best jerky images. Audio is fine but then I can
get the modem quality video forecast fine again with good audio direct
from the BBC site. The image is pretty small but quality is
reasonable.

I'm sure I can get decent quality streamed video at modest/moderate
image size from other sites over a 512K connection - it's not as if
the forecast is an all-action movie with considerable movement from
frame to frame.. So why not from the BBC? Maybe either the BBC servers
or my ISP (Nildram) servers are throttled in the interests of
bandwidth conservation? Or is there some other explanation or setting
or new codec that needs playing with or installing?

John,

I use Nildram also, and to receive the BBC weather forecasts at a much
improved quality than those you see on the main BBC Weather site, try this:

http://www.nildram.net/bbc.htm

Click the Weather link and then a dedicated player will load. You'll need
Real Player (but you have that i think), and then all you need to do is
click the word UK next to the little camera icon somewhere near the top of
the player.

Forecasts are updated I guess around three times a day.

Users of other ISPs may also be able to access this from their own ISP
website. It's an agreement between the ISP and the BBC that allows this
higher quality video.

James

OK thanks, you encouraged me to play around a little more. There's a
(well-buried) Preferences menu option that seems to show the
connection defaulting to 128kbps, despite the playback saying 224.
Resetting the connection default to 384 seems to have cured the
problem after a couple of reboots and I can now see it in full-screen
video, admittedly a little blurry but with full motion, though the
playback still says 224.

John Dann
www.weatherstations.co.uk

Cannot get anything from
http://www.nildram.net/bbc.htm
but much better quality video playback of the forecasts from
http://www.bbc.co.uk/broadband/

regards
BrainT
"James Hurrell" wrote in message
...

"John Dann" wrote in message
...
Just curious as to what sort of quality people might be seeing for the
broadband BBC video forecasts. (Maybe this is BBCi but I'm not sure).

On my 512 K connection (but seemingly streamed at 224kbps from the
BBC) the native-size forecast video quality - at a guess around
320x200 - is very poor (in RealOne player) consisting of little more
than a few still or at best jerky images. Audio is fine but then I can
get the modem quality video forecast fine again with good audio direct
from the BBC site. The image is pretty small but quality is
reasonable.

I'm sure I can get decent quality streamed video at modest/moderate
image size from other sites over a 512K connection - it's not as if
the forecast is an all-action movie with considerable movement from
frame to frame.. So why not from the BBC? Maybe either the BBC servers
or my ISP (Nildram) servers are throttled in the interests of
bandwidth conservation? Or is there some other explanation or setting
or new codec that needs playing with or installing?

John,

I use Nildram also, and to receive the BBC weather forecasts at a much
improved quality than those you see on the main BBC Weather site, try
this:

http://www.nildram.net/bbc.htm

Click the Weather link and then a dedicated player will load. You'll need
Real Player (but you have that i think), and then all you need to do is
click the word UK next to the little camera icon somewhere near the top of
the player.

Forecasts are updated I guess around three times a day.

Users of other ISPs may also be able to access this from their own ISP
website. It's an agreement between the ISP and the BBC that allows this
higher quality video.

James

"BrianT" wrote in message
...
Cannot get anything from
http://www.nildram.net/bbc.htm
but much better quality video playback of the forecasts from
http://www.bbc.co.uk/broadband/

You need to be a Nildram user to access the content on that Nildram page. IP
ranges from other ISPs are blocked I think.

The content of the BBC link you give is the same as you get via the Nildram
weather/news/sport link (same console), however, alongside News, Weather and
Sport, you also get other stuff...

"James Hurrell" wrote in message
...

"BrianT" wrote in message
...
Cannot get anything from
http://www.nildram.net/bbc.htm
but much better quality video playback of the forecasts from
http://www.bbc.co.uk/broadband/

You need to be a Nildram user to access the content on that Nildram page.
IP
ranges from other ISPs are blocked I think.

I'm on BTYahoo and I can access the stuff on that page...

"James Hurrell" wrote in message


I use Nildram also, and to receive the BBC weather forecasts at a much
improved quality than those you see on the main BBC Weather site, try this:

http://www.nildram.net/bbc.htm

Is this another device to get us to part with money or put up with
substandard plebian services from the BBC?

I wonder if the shake up will deal with this too.

I posted a thread here about their substandard weather forecast a few
weeks back. It would only play as a mini window. Open it up to full
screen and it dies. So they need my readies do they? I think I'll send
Bernard Burton a book of stamps and watch the repeats from his channel
instead.

Hell, if I can get my licence fee back from the Beeb because of their
criminal insider dealing I'll get him a page of airmail stickers.


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