TVCatchup IPTV Week logo I don’t know how I ever lived without the BBC iPlayer. And, of course, there are now similar catch-up TV apps available from many UK TV companies. The drawback with these apps is that they’re tied to specific channels or broadcasters, which means you can’t hop from channel to channel within any single app. …
Better than Web? No not really. It doesn't even remember your account details. It is pretty much the website but in an app. What I'd like to see is the tvguide app combined with this so I can see what the hell is on then watch it.
DVB in tablets: I'd love this. If I could get a tablet that had a DVB and a DVD slot, I'd be so chuffed. I'm not even joking, even though some of you will be going HURR DURR GET A NOTEBOOK/SUBLAPTOP HURR CANT FIT DVD IN TABLET FORMFACTOR. And also some of you will be going HURR DURR WHO USERS DVD THESE DAYS - well I have a legacy dvd collection.
I may consider going for the personal dvd/dvb players, and sticking a cheap android tablet to the back.
Anyone know what TVCatchup does with personal data, and what is kept? Given that you have to login to use the app, they could harvest data about everything you watch and when and sell it on. Given that the app is free, they have to make a living somehow. Presumably this comes from adverts, but I'm hoping it doesn't also come from scraping personal data. All feedback appreciated.
Ok, I found and read the T&Cs and it's pretty bad:
"Users are required to provide accurate and complete information upon application for membership...
TVCatchup [] may collect data on usage of the Services by User such as IP address, TV channels and advertisements viewed, duration of a session and page views on the TVCatchup website...
By subscribing to the services members acknowledge and agree that the aforementioned personal data is collected and processed for general information purposes, for marketing purposes of TVCatchup, its parent companies, affiliates and subsidiaries and for the improvement of services (e.g. for the improvement of services which conform to each member's preferences and needs and for the customization of targeted ad campaigns)...
TVCatchup may transfer and export the data to parties which are located in foreign countries even if such country does not offer the same level of data protection as that in which the member may be resident."
Yuck - give me broadcast TV over this any day...
And what data do you think they're keeping about you? From the sign-up process I went through, they asked for an email address (entirely disposable - one time verification needed), username/password (if you give anything vaguely important to your ID, then hell mend you), date of birth (no need to provide anything accurate - I didn't) and region (which is explicitly exempt from the data collection, and even if it isn't, is used to ascribe which regional variation you receive, so pick somewhere close).
The *only* thing they can glean about me or any other user is "people who like watching BBC1 at this time, also watch BBC2 at this time" etc. Highly valuable to TV marketing and scheduling types, absolutely worthless when it comes to spamming me or selling data I consider as personal. They can also (apparently) target the adverts better at the beginning of each stream. Good luck to them.
Surely showing BBC content along with adverts in the app is against the law? Pretty sure the BBC charter forbids this so why do they still provide access to the stream for tvcatchup?
Not sure I will bother with the app though as the website still works fine for me. Why does every website want me me to download an app when Safari handles the content fine?
The Register 
Biting the hand that feeds IT
Copyright. All rights reserved © 1998–2024
