Unofficial iPlayer comes to the PS3

Hackers create portal for BBC content

Written by Ian Williams

vnunet.com, 14 Apr 2008

Developers have created a workaround portal allowing Sony PlayStation 3 owners to access the BBC iPlayer.

The hack allows gamers to stream BBC content directly to their TVs via the games console.

"It is mainly a demonstration of how easily the BBC could support the PS3 with their Wii version," said the developers. PlayStation 3 owners can access the the service at http://ps3iplayer.com/.

The developers explained that the hack works by "masking the PS3's user-agent string and makes half a dozen changes to make the JavaScript and CSS function correctly on the PS3".

The developers claim that the patch took only a day to create, and have called on the BBC to create an official version of the iPlayer for the PS3.

Last week the Nintendo Wii became the first video game console to officially get the BBC's iPlayer service.

It's mainly a demonstration of how easily the BBC could support the PS3 with their Wii version

Unoffical PS3 iPlayer web site

However, the BBC has claimed that it is not the one holding up a release of other console versions of the iPlayer, but rather Microsoft and Sony which have expressed concerns over the lack of control of content streamed to their respective devices.

The BBC launched the iPlayer in December last year and the service has been a runaway success, much to the chagrin of service providers throughout the country.