I'm often critical of the BBC, but last night was a good result for the Corporation (affectionately known in the UK as 'Auntie') with its live coverage of the opening ceremony and game of the 2006 World Cup from Germany.
Webcasting the live TV feed at 256Kbps (which is poor for football) and 350Kbps (which is surprisingly better) using Real Media, the service was excellent, with only a seven second lag from my cable signal, which drifted to ten seconds after an hour or so's viewing.
That's a commendable performance considering that the coverage started at 4pm, when many people in the UK would still be at work (but, expect a lashback from the networks guys in the IT Dept of corporates, though, as their precious bandwidth gets eaten).
The next major test for the BBC will be as England takes on Paraguay in their opening game this afternoon. With the game available on television in every conceivable corner of the country and the game being played on a Saturday, perhaps the demand won't be so overwhelming. Expect a report later.
Webcasting the live TV feed at 256Kbps (which is poor for football) and 350Kbps (which is surprisingly better) using Real Media, the service was excellent, with only a seven second lag from my cable signal, which drifted to ten seconds after an hour or so's viewing.
That's a commendable performance considering that the coverage started at 4pm, when many people in the UK would still be at work (but, expect a lashback from the networks guys in the IT Dept of corporates, though, as their precious bandwidth gets eaten).
The next major test for the BBC will be as England takes on Paraguay in their opening game this afternoon. With the game available on television in every conceivable corner of the country and the game being played on a Saturday, perhaps the demand won't be so overwhelming. Expect a report later.
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