4oD
Encyclopedia
4oD is a video on demand
service from Channel 4
. Launched in November 2006, 4oD stands for "4 on Demand". The service offers a variety of programmes recently shown on Channel 4, E4, More4
or from their archives. However some programmes and movies are not available due to rights issues.
The cable and IPTV versions are operated through an appropriate set-top box whilst the internet variant can be accessed via websites such as Channel4.com or SeeSaw. 4oD generated around 215 million long-form video views on all platforms where it is available in the first half of 2011, making Channel 4 the biggest UK broadcaster in the video on-demand market during the period.
As of April 2009, the internet version is fully available to Windows, Mac and Linux users with Adobe Flash Player
installed.
The "catch-up" service offers content free of charge a programme for thirty days after its broadcast on Channel 4. At this time, not all content is available to Irish users, due to licensing restrictions, however the majority of the programming is available.
Channel 4 is all set to relaunch 4oD on 31 August 2011. At the heart of these changes is 'My 4oD', allowing registered users to build playlists, schedule shows, maintain a record of what they have watched, save their favourites in a single place and receive in-page reminders from Channel 4 whenever a new episode is available for them to watch. Other features include better full-page viewing and optimised site navigation during viewing.
has acquired licenses for a number of programmes to be access on its website, although 4oD itself is not available. Some TV series are for free such as Shameless
, Skins
, Embarrassing Bodies and Balls of Steel
while others, for example The Big Bang Theory
, Shameless US and ER
have to be bought to be able to watch.
had access to 4oD archive of shows such as the The IT Crowd
, Skins, The Inbetweeners
, Bo' Selecta!
and many more. In August 2011, all 4oD content was removed from SeeSaw, following SeeSaw's failure to renegotiate its deal with Channel 4.
, launching in the United Kingdom in late 2009 with seven genre dedicated channels for 4oD, additional to separate channels Channel 4 and E4.
, offering programmes for 7 days after broadcast without access to the 4oD archive.
's cable television
service. This platform offers programmes for 7 days after broadcast and Virgin has exclusive use of most of Channel 4 archive which is free on XL package. Virgin Media is to offer a high definition version of 4oD for some programmes as reported in 2007 but now further information has been released.
set for release in February 2012.
via the PlayStation Network. 4oD on PS3 is free and ad-funded with pre-, mid- and post- roll video ads being sold and served by Channel 4. This service is a 14 day catch-up version of 4oD it is accessible through ps3.channel4.com.
members by Christmas. The service will also integrate with the Xbox 360
’s Kinect controller.
app launched on 3 May 2011, the app offers a 30-day catch-up service. The current requirements to run this app is a compatible with iPad with iOS 3.2 or later.
A 4oD app for the iPhone
and iPod Touch
allowing a 30-day catch-up was released on 2 September 2011, along with an update to the iPad app. Both apps now feature improved search functionality to enable users to more easily navigate the catch-up and archive content. They can both be browsed in 3G, but video playback is still only available with a Wi-Fi signal to "ensure the quality of the viewing experience isn't affected". The apps also feature a link to Channel 4's content on iTunes
, offering the chance to purchase shows.
-only desktop program for downloading shows similar to iPlayer Desktop. Following the launch of the web version of 4oD in April 2009, the desktop client continued to allow content from outside the catch-up window to be downloaded. The Kontiki
based program which offered Windows Media Video
downloads was closed in July 2009.
The desktop client offered programming from other broadcasters such as FX
and National Geographic
as well as movies from 20th Century Fox
. A Download To Own
(DTO) or "Buy" feature was also available on selected content, allowing users to purchase a programme and keep it for as long as they wish.
Video on demand
Video on Demand or Audio and Video On Demand are systems which allow users to select and watch/listen to video or audio content on demand...
service from Channel 4
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
. Launched in November 2006, 4oD stands for "4 on Demand". The service offers a variety of programmes recently shown on Channel 4, E4, More4
More4
More4 is a digital television channel, run by British broadcaster Channel 4, that launched on 10 October 2005. It is carried on Freeview, on satellite broadcasters Freesat and Sky, UK IPTV broadcaster TalkTalk TV and on UK cable network Virgin Media and in the Republic of Ireland cable networks...
or from their archives. However some programmes and movies are not available due to rights issues.
The cable and IPTV versions are operated through an appropriate set-top box whilst the internet variant can be accessed via websites such as Channel4.com or SeeSaw. 4oD generated around 215 million long-form video views on all platforms where it is available in the first half of 2011, making Channel 4 the biggest UK broadcaster in the video on-demand market during the period.
Channel4.com
4oD is the main source of on demand programmes from Channel 4, E4 and More4, the catch up service currently lasts 30 days and the archive has thousands of hours of programming.As of April 2009, the internet version is fully available to Windows, Mac and Linux users with Adobe Flash Player
Adobe Flash Player
The Adobe Flash Player is software for viewing multimedia, Rich Internet Applications and streaming video and audio, on a computer web browser or on supported mobile devices. Flash Player runs SWF files that can be created by the Adobe Flash authoring tool, by Adobe Flex or by a number of other...
installed.
The "catch-up" service offers content free of charge a programme for thirty days after its broadcast on Channel 4. At this time, not all content is available to Irish users, due to licensing restrictions, however the majority of the programming is available.
Channel 4 is all set to relaunch 4oD on 31 August 2011. At the heart of these changes is 'My 4oD', allowing registered users to build playlists, schedule shows, maintain a record of what they have watched, save their favourites in a single place and receive in-page reminders from Channel 4 whenever a new episode is available for them to watch. Other features include better full-page viewing and optimised site navigation during viewing.
Blinkbox
BlinkboxBlinkbox
Blinkbox is a UK-based video-on-demand website that allows users to legally preview, buy and rent over 6,000 full length premium movies and TV shows online...
has acquired licenses for a number of programmes to be access on its website, although 4oD itself is not available. Some TV series are for free such as Shameless
Shameless
Shameless is a British television drama series set in Manchester on the fictional Chatsworth council estate. Produced by Company Pictures for Channel 4, the first seven-episode series aired weekly on Tuesday nights at 10pm from 13 January 2004...
, Skins
Skins (TV series)
Skins is a BAFTA award-winning British teen drama that follows a group of teenagers in Bristol, South West England, through the two years of college. The controversial plot line explores issues such as dysfunctional families, mental illness , adolescent sexuality, substance abuse and death...
, Embarrassing Bodies and Balls of Steel
Balls of Steel (TV series)
Balls of Steel is a Channel 4 comedy series developed by Objective Productions and hosted by Mark Dolan, his special guests would perform stunts and hold their nerve during hidden camera set-ups in the presence of celebrities or the British public....
while others, for example The Big Bang Theory
The Big Bang Theory
The Big Bang Theory is an American sitcom created by Chuck Lorre and Bill Prady, both of whom serve as executive producers on the show, along with Steven Molaro. All three also serve as head writers...
, Shameless US and ER
ER (TV series)
ER is an American medical drama television series created by novelist Michael Crichton that aired on NBC from September 19, 1994 to April 2, 2009. It was produced by Constant c Productions and Amblin Entertainment, in association with Warner Bros. Television...
have to be bought to be able to watch.
SeeSaw
4oD on SeeSawSeeSaw (Internet television)
SeeSaw was an Internet television service, born out of the BBC-led Project Kangaroo and launched in the UK on 17 February 2010. It was acquired by the Criterion Media Group in July 2011 but the agreed investment never materialised. The service was shut down on 28 October 2011...
had access to 4oD archive of shows such as the The IT Crowd
The IT Crowd
The IT Crowd is a British sitcom by Channel 4, written by Graham Linehan, produced by Ash Atalla and starring Chris O'Dowd, Richard Ayoade, Katherine Parkinson and Matt Berry...
, Skins, The Inbetweeners
The Inbetweeners
The Inbetweeners is a British sitcom which aired for three series from 2008 to 2010 on E4. Created and written by Damon Beesley and Iain Morris, the show follows the life of suburban teenager Will , and three of his friends at the fictional Rudge Park Comprehensive. The Inbetweeners Movie was...
, Bo' Selecta!
Bo' Selecta!
Bo' Selecta! is a British sketch show written and performed by Leigh Francis, known for its often deeply surreal, abstract toilet humour, which lampoons popular culture. It was broadcast on Channel 4 and ran for three series between 2002 and 2004, spawning several spin-offs...
and many more. In August 2011, all 4oD content was removed from SeeSaw, following SeeSaw's failure to renegotiate its deal with Channel 4.
YouTube
4oD is also partly available on YouTubeYouTube
YouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
, launching in the United Kingdom in late 2009 with seven genre dedicated channels for 4oD, additional to separate channels Channel 4 and E4.
BT Vision
4oD is available on BT VisionBT Vision
BT Vision is a hybrid IPTV-digital terrestrial television service provided by BT Group in the United Kingdom which was launched in December 2006...
, offering programmes for 7 days after broadcast without access to the 4oD archive.
TalkTalk TV
4oD is available on TalkTalk TV, which offers programmes up to 7 days after broadcast. TalkTalk TV does not offer the back catalogue of programmes.Virgin Media
4oD is available on Virgin MediaVirgin Media
Virgin Media Inc. is a company which provides fixed and mobile telephone, television and broadband internet services to businesses and consumers in the United Kingdom...
's cable television
Cable television
Cable television is a system of providing television programs to consumers via radio frequency signals transmitted to televisions through coaxial cables or digital light pulses through fixed optical fibers located on the subscriber's property, much like the over-the-air method used in traditional...
service. This platform offers programmes for 7 days after broadcast and Virgin has exclusive use of most of Channel 4 archive which is free on XL package. Virgin Media is to offer a high definition version of 4oD for some programmes as reported in 2007 but now further information has been released.
YouView
4oD will be available on YouView, which is a upcoming internet-connected television platformIPTV
Internet Protocol television is a system through which television services are delivered using the Internet protocol suite over a packet-switched network such as the Internet, instead of being delivered through traditional terrestrial, satellite signal, and cable television formats.IPTV services...
set for release in February 2012.
PlayStation 3
4oD was released on 14 December 2010 on PlayStation 3PlayStation 3
The is the third home video game console produced by Sony Computer Entertainment and the successor to the PlayStation 2 as part of the PlayStation series. The PlayStation 3 competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
via the PlayStation Network. 4oD on PS3 is free and ad-funded with pre-, mid- and post- roll video ads being sold and served by Channel 4. This service is a 14 day catch-up version of 4oD it is accessible through ps3.channel4.com.
Xbox 360
On 5 October 2011, it was announced that 4oD will be available to all Xbox LiveXbox Live
Xbox Live is an online multiplayer gaming and digital media delivery service created and operated by Microsoft Corporation. It is currently the only online gaming service on consoles that charges users a fee to play multiplayer gaming. It was first made available to the Xbox system in 2002...
members by Christmas. The service will also integrate with the Xbox 360
Xbox 360
The Xbox 360 is the second video game console produced by Microsoft and the successor to the Xbox. The Xbox 360 competes with Sony's PlayStation 3 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
’s Kinect controller.
iOS devices
A 4oD iPadIPad
The iPad is a line of tablet computers designed, developed and marketed by Apple Inc., primarily as a platform for audio-visual media including books, periodicals, movies, music, games, and web content. The iPad was introduced on January 27, 2010 by Apple's then-CEO Steve Jobs. Its size and...
app launched on 3 May 2011, the app offers a 30-day catch-up service. The current requirements to run this app is a compatible with iPad with iOS 3.2 or later.
A 4oD app for the iPhone
IPhone
The iPhone is a line of Internet and multimedia-enabled smartphones marketed by Apple Inc. The first iPhone was unveiled by Steve Jobs, then CEO of Apple, on January 9, 2007, and released on June 29, 2007...
and iPod Touch
IPod Touch
The iPod Touch is a portable media player, personal digital assistant, handheld game console, and Wi-Fi mobile device designed and marketed by Apple Inc. The iPod Touch adds the multi-touch graphical user interface to the iPod line...
allowing a 30-day catch-up was released on 2 September 2011, along with an update to the iPad app. Both apps now feature improved search functionality to enable users to more easily navigate the catch-up and archive content. They can both be browsed in 3G, but video playback is still only available with a Wi-Fi signal to "ensure the quality of the viewing experience isn't affected". The apps also feature a link to Channel 4's content on iTunes
ITunes
iTunes is a media player computer program, used for playing, downloading, and organizing digital music and video files on desktop computers. It can also manage contents on iPod, iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad....
, offering the chance to purchase shows.
Computer platforms
The service was originally available as a WindowsMicrosoft Windows
Microsoft Windows is a series of operating systems produced by Microsoft.Microsoft introduced an operating environment named Windows on November 20, 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces . Microsoft Windows came to dominate the world's personal...
-only desktop program for downloading shows similar to iPlayer Desktop. Following the launch of the web version of 4oD in April 2009, the desktop client continued to allow content from outside the catch-up window to be downloaded. The Kontiki
Kontiki
Kontiki is a peer-assisted content delivery technology company, founded in November 2000. It was acquired by VeriSign in March 2006. VeriSign, as part of a major divestiture, sold Kontiki to MK Capital in May 2008....
based program which offered Windows Media Video
Windows Media Video
'Windows Media Video is a video compression format for several proprietary codecs developed by Microsoft. The original video format, known as WMV, was originally designed for Internet streaming applications, as a competitor to RealVideo. The other formats, such as WMV Screen and WMV Image, cater...
downloads was closed in July 2009.
The desktop client offered programming from other broadcasters such as FX
FX (UK)
FX is a television channel in the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland, owned by Fox, launched in 12 January 2004. It was originally branded as FX289 in reference to its Sky EPG number. It was rebranded to FX in May 2005 as the channel moved in the Sky EPG.FX targets a demographic between 25...
and National Geographic
National Geographic Channel (UK)
The National Geographic Channel is a television channel that features documentaries produced by the National Geographic Society. It features some programming similar to that on the Discovery Channel such as nature and science documentaries. The channel was launched in Europe in September 1997 and...
as well as movies from 20th Century Fox
20th Century Fox
Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation — also known as 20th Century Fox, or simply 20th or Fox — is one of the six major American film studios...
. A Download To Own
Download To Own
Download To Own is a concept of legally downloading movies to your computer via a network such as the internet. Generally to obtain movies this way a user must have a broadband connection and an account from an internet distribution company....
(DTO) or "Buy" feature was also available on selected content, allowing users to purchase a programme and keep it for as long as they wish.