The rise of streaming services continues unabated. Traditional methods of TV viewing, such as using aerial or dish connections, have given way to the convenience of broadband streaming directly to televisions. Streaming offers a more straightforward option, especially for placing TVs in areas without access to aerial connections.
However, internet-based viewing, particularly for live sports, faces a challenge known as latency. This means that some live streams lag behind the over-the-air signal, causing delays in viewing crucial moments like goal scores while others receive instant notifications.
Sky has already addressed this issue through its latest streaming devices, such as Sky Glass and Sky Stream, which now allow access to sports content with minimal delay compared to live action.
The BBC is now following suit with a similar update. Users with Fire TV Sticks, Sony TVs, BT set-top boxes, and Sky Glass can now enjoy shows with significantly reduced latency. This trial, which has been ongoing for some time, has been extended to reach more households.
Melissa Darragh, Senior R&D Engineer, stated, “We’re expanding our low latency streaming trial on BBC iPlayer beta, increasing device support, and extending the testing period to evaluate performance across various networks and conditions in real homes.”
The BBC aims to enhance user experiences during live events, including news broadcasts, sports events, and concerts. The broadcaster encourages more households to participate in the trial for further testing and feedback.
To join the trial, users on supported devices can switch to iPlayer Beta and watch BBC Two live between 8 am and 10 pm BST. The trial stream is available for viewers in England or Scotland and is expected to run for around a month.
While the reduced delay is the primary change, users are unlikely to notice significant differences in their viewing experience. In case of any issues, users can revert to conventional streaming by opting out of iPlayer beta via the Settings menu.
The list of compatible devices for this trial includes Fire TV Edition 4K 2022, Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K (2nd Gen), BT TV Box Pro, Sky Glass Gen 1, select Bush TVs, Sony TVs from XR series, and certain Toshiba TV models.
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