In article , Michael Chare
wrote:
The BBC have started broadcasting Radio on the internet using AAC. AIUI
these streams are encapsulated with Flash, and whilst this may benefit
the iPlayer where does this leave internet radios?

Will the BBC start broadcasting an unencapsulated stream, do they
expect internet radios to adapt or continue to use the existing WMA
stream?

I don't know the current position, so what I say next may be out of date!
But I had a conversation with 'sources' at the BBC about it some time ago.
AIUI Their view at that point was that they had not satisfied themselves
that there was (yet) an established standard for AAC streaming and at that
point and they preferred to focus on ACC for the iPlayer whilst continuing
to provide the existing (non AAC) streams for 'legacy' systems like net
radio boxes. But I was told they will keep this in mind, so it may change
at some point.

That said, my impression is also that they prefer the iPlayer as it gives
them a bit more control over access from the copyright POV. They didn't say
this to me, though. Just my suspicion.

Personally, having compared using a computer for the iPlayer with a 'net
radio' I'd say I found using the computer far easier as well as giving
better results. Given that DVB-T (Freeview) also gives decent results I
can't say that the lack of AAC for net radios bothers me much. And the net
radio I've been trying can't cope with AAC anyway, despite being a current
model. The makers told me they had no plans to upgrade it.

Slainte,

Jim

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