Download TV programmes legally

Most technology evolves rather than becoming obsolete. So when we talk about TV schedules in the newspaper becoming a thing of the past, the emphasis is on ‘becoming’.

The fact is that the vast majority of us already set our own TV schedule, whether by recording a programme or using the live pause function of some digital TV services.

Increasingly, though, it’s possible to use a computer to catch up, watch a programme before it is broadcast on TV channels, or store a programme for later viewing.

In this feature we will discuss how to do so and remain within the law ­ there are plenty of sites that offer free access to programmes but most are illegal to use. Many broadcasters are now providing a means to get their programmes legitimately ­ and in several cases you don’t have to download any new software to do it.

Auntie Beeb
The biggest name involved is the BBC with its iPlayer, which is currently available for Windows XP only. The idea is to offer a simple way for telly addicts to catch up with some of the last seven days’ programming on the BBC. The first screen offers a selection of highlights but there are options to display all programmes and another to display categories, plus a search. The iPlayer is currently in open testing ­ that means it’s not the polished final version and doesn’t always work as expected.

Channel 4 has historically been a pioneer of television services of all types and its 4OD (4 on demand) service is an example of this. It installs a program on your computer and then offers a catch-up service similar to that of the BBC. The past 30 days worth of programming are free but there are charges for older programmes.

To view content from 4OD you will need version 10 or 11 of Windows Media Player because these versions have built-in support for digital rights management, which prevents people making illegal copies of the programmes on offer. You can get a copy of version 10 at http://tinyurl.com/l3e8n.

Another recent service to emerge is Joost. Although it’s fine with Windows Vista, this program seems to prefer Windows XP. Once the software has been downloaded and installed it will prepare a menu of movies and TV for you without any charges.

As it’s an American company it won’t be any surprise to hear that the bias is towards US programmes, although the company has arranged to provide content from Paramount Comedy Channel UK.

Joost is free and unlimited to users. Like the iPlayer it’s still in testing so there may be the odd glitch. Another point to note is that the content is streamed; this means that you don’t have to wait for the entire file to download and the video begins to play after a certain amount has downloaded.