[ubuntu-uk] BBC and open formats??

[Rob Beard]

Alan Pope wrote:
> On Thu, Nov 02, 2006 at 03:36:10PM +0000, tim matthews wrote:
>   
>> well, we could complain ... or we could set things up for the BBC.
>>
>> Would ubuntu or anyone else have any bandwidth to donate? All we need is 
>> a server (could be an old 1U box which nobody wants anymore) on good 
>> bandwidth, a few digital radios plugged into a PC on sane bandwidth 
>> (with cheapo but fine sounds cards) and off you are.
>>
>>     
>
> Are you seriously suggesting that we start rebroadcasting copyrighted content?
>
> That's often a way to get yourself labelled as a pirate rather than a well meaning technically 
> competant open source advocate.
>
>   
Not to mention recompressing already compressed audio sounds bad... very 
bad. (We had this problem at work, we were taking 'off-air' radio 
streams and then re-compressing them into internet streams.  We now take 
feeds direct from the studios before they are processed and put them 
through professional grade sound cards and then send them on to for 
streaming using *cough* Windows Media Encoder *cough*.  I know, it's not 
open but I didn't have any say on what encoder was used.  The stations I 
deal with still have to use compressed audio (APT-X audio files) as 
we've got older kit in the studios.  Still it's not as bad as...

Compressed Audio --> Processor --> APT-X Codec --> Transmitter Site --> 
APT-X Decoder --> Another processor --> FM Transmission --> Received by 
FM radio --> Compressed on a bog standard Sound Blaster sound card with 
Windows Media & streamed over the internet at 24kbit/sec.

If you're wondering, I work for a radio station - or at least a group of 
radio stations.
>> We could show the BBC how simple it is and who knows where that could 
>> lead us.
>>     
I dare say plenty of technical staff in the BBC would be happy to do 
this, we would need to get through to the decision makers.
>> The technical arm of the BBC is run by Siemens Business Services. As I understand it these 
>> people are pretty damn technical so I would expect that technical expertise isn't the barrier to 
>> the BBC doing this.
>>
>> Cheers,
>> Al.
>>     

With regards to 'P*dcasting' it seems lots of media companies are using 
the 'P*dcasting' word now.  I don't think they have heard that Apple are 
looking into ways of getting royalties for the word 'p*dcasting'


Its a sad state of affairs when people consider 'Portable Music Player' 
= iPod.

Rob