The BBC has integrated its video-on-demand service iPlayer for TV sets, simplifying the interface to make it more intuitive to use.
BBC iPlayer is now on 300 different models of Blu-ray players, set-top boxes, media streamers and smart TVs.
The service was originally designed for the web, however, the BBC has now revamped it to cater for a television interface, using HTML and Javascript. They will also build a variant which works on new TVs which support the latest versions of Adobe Flash and Air.
BBC Internet blog says content and functionality can be accessed using the four direction buttons and the enter key found on TV remote controls.
Episodes of the same show have been bundled up to reduce lists and scrolling. If content is about to expire, iPlayer will flag it to viewers.
Recently viewed content will be shown under a “last played” section and previous searches will be saved for quick reference.
Searching for content which hasn’t been seen before has also been made easier, with results appearing much quicker based on a short section of the title.
BBC iPlayer Favourites will be integrated to the TV service, where viewers can compile the shows they like best in one area.
BBC iPlayer is widely available in the UK and is currently only accessible in selected regions across Europe through its iPad app. The BBC says its “mid-term objective” will be to launch it globally as a multiplatform service.
