This repeated answer that Sony is in talks with the broadcasters and is under NDA so cannot talk about the issues in public is nonsense.
Sony are (in this respect) a hardware manufacturer and the distinction between tvs, tablets, computers etc is minimal and growing ever smaller yet I can watch anything I please from the internet on all but the tv.
If Sony wanted their tvs to deliver the same content as other digital media platforms they could, they have the technological ability in hardware and software already, and there are simply no legal restrictions preventing them from doing so either.
The reason they won't however is that as part of the global media industry they are engaged,along with the film, music & other media corporations in protective practices designed to ensure the maximum profitability from their products in the face of prevailing technology, widespread practice and pressure from the public.
Sony could easily give us what we want and what we can get on other platforms, they simply won't , which is why they won't talk about it either.
Message was edited by: mnemonix
Well it doesn't tell me it's not technically or legally possible. It might tell me something about the controlling interests of the consumer electronics and media industry however.
I can watch them on my tablet, pc & games machine - some of them also manufactured by Sony for heavens sake, and my point was that as these days there is little to technically distinguish any of these devices, there is no reason I shouldn't be able to watch them on my tv either - except a manufacturers arbitrary decision that I should not, which they would be understandably reluctant to admit in a public forum.
Message was edited by: mnemonix
Given that my 2011 model, which I've only had for just over a year now (April), can't handle the recent Netflix offering, I wouldn't be surprised, if and when Sony do ever secure ITV Player or 4OD, my model won't support that either.
Having been fortunate enough to gain an impressive insight in to the forthcoming YouView offering, I plan to get my catch-up services through that instead - avoiding all the buffering and streaming problems that I've recently experienced with the Sony Bravia Internet TV service of late.
Hi Mnemonix - thanks for giving me a chuckle! The reasons they are not on there yet are far more mundane as opposed to any conspiracy theory.
Simply Broadcasters want the minimum number of specifications to build for. Smartphones and tablets run basically one of two operating systems to easy to build for and there are two appropriate consoles with huge install bases so broadcaster investment can be justified. There are multiple Tv vendors all with differing platforms and varying install bases, and TV's don't have high powered processors either which make for a better experience. Thus the broadcasters are largely biding their time until standards like HTML 5 better mature meaning they can build once and deploy to all manufacturers. Having learnt from the BBC, they don't have the resouce to create and manage 20+ different platforms.
Why don't you all download Sony's new Homestream (or Serviio) to your PC's and run all catch-up services across that? Apart from having to have a connected PC I can now view most (if not all) I want from all terrestrial providers quite happily. In addition, I can view many other channels from worldwide providers (URL etc. restrictions permitting).
Simples!
How do you do that please? I have put the link to ITV Player in a folder on the desktop & "enabled" it in Homestream.
The tv picks up the folder in Homestream but says the folder is empty, obviously because the link (in wordpad) is not a valid file type, ie not a music/photo or video file.
Go to here http://forum.serviio.org/viewtopic.php?f=20&t=5982 and follow the instructions. Works very well.
How about this as a possible solution. Run ITV player or 4OD in Apple Mac. Install an Apple TV3 on network. Using either Mountain Lion (Apple's new OS) or AirParrot mirror the Apple Mac on TV via the Apple TV3. Using an iPad control the Apple Mac using LogMeIn form the confort of your lounge TV chair. This is a theory at the moment as don't yet have the Apple TV3, but have all the other functions working. Anyone any thoughts on the concept?
I went onto Serviio Facebook site re instructions on how to download ITV player to Sony TV with Homestream. Got the following reply "
Serviio Homestream doesn't support online sources. Get Serviio and the follow http://www.serviio.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=42 "
After trying out a beta test of HBBTV here in DK I'll say that's the future way to go. No special App's required and all the fuss of platforms/hardware are much simpler, cause it's an open standard.
I have to confess it works very good on my EX720.![]()
You Britons have to aim your anger against BBC/ITV/4oD or whatever you fancy imo.![]()