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View Full Version : PBS Unveils NerdTV, First Downloadable Web-Exclusive Series From a Major Broadcaster


Jeremy Charette
09-10-2005, 04:00 PM
<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.ehomeupgrade.com/entry/1349/pbs_unveils_nerdtv' target='_blank'>http://www.ehomeupgrade.com/entry/1349/pbs_unveils_nerdtv</a><br /><br /></div><i>"Featuring PBS technology columnist and industry insider Robert X. Cringely's interviews with personalities from the ever-changing world of technology, NerdTV is now available for download from <a href="www.pbs.org/nerdtv">www.pbs.org/nerdtv</a>. NerdTV's inaugural guest is original Macintosh programmer Andy Hertzfeld. NerdTV viewers are encouraged to download and copy the shows, share them with friends and even post them on their own Web sites -- all legally. This groundbreaking series will be distributed under a Creative Commons license, so viewers can redistribute the shows or edit their own non-commercial version. The 13 one-hour shows will be made available on a weekly basis after the launch date, and all previous episodes will continue to be available through the NerdTV Web site."</i><br /><br /> <img src="http://www.digitalmediathoughts.com/images/bwd-I-NerdTV-s.jpg" /> <br /><br />PBS gets it! Rather than fight the consumers, and assume we are all digital media pirates, they're going to give us what we want! After the shows air, they'll be available almost immediately for download in a variety of formats. Mpeg-4, with and without subtitles, MP3, AAC, OGG, as a podcast, and even as a good old fashioned text transcript. Soon they'll have a java based video player so you can view the show on their website without any plugins. PBS was among the first with HDTV, and now this. When will the rest of the industry catch up to PBS?

Phoenix
09-10-2005, 06:11 PM
Does PBS have Geeks in leadership?

How about PBS = Progressive Beatnik Superintendence

Or how about = Progressive Beatnik Strategy

:D

OSUKid7
09-10-2005, 11:07 PM
Glad to see PBS is doing this. I just finished watching that episode. It was interesting. He really slammed Microsoft, but it was still worth watching (or listening, rather).

I don't see an RSS feed on the site though. Is there one?

Kevin Jackson
09-11-2005, 12:44 AM
When will the rest of the industry catch up to PBS?

When they start receiving government funding. The thing with PBS is that they are non-profit, so they aren't worried about advertising revenues, etc. the way the other networks are, so they can afford to do things like this. Great idea, but until the other networks can find a way to subsidize their shows and protect the content in a way that is satisfactory to them we won't be seeing this from them.

ctmagnus
09-12-2005, 06:37 AM
Dumb questions: Can Windows Media play MP4 files through any additional codec packages, and where can one download those packages? Google isn't being particularly helpful in this regard tonight.

klinux
09-12-2005, 09:22 AM
Quicktime playsbacked Mpeg-4 natively.

If you are not a fan of QT, try Media Player Classic or Videolan. Both are open source, free, muli-codec media players.

ctmagnus
09-13-2005, 04:29 AM
Hm... I already have Media Player Classic (http://sourceforge.net/projects/guliverkli/) v6.4.8.4 installed, but the files don't want to play in it. :confused totally: