How to watch ITV Player on the Acer Aspire One
**UPDATE** Since writing this article ITV player has changed click here to see the update.
ITV Player is an online catch up TV service similar to BBC IPlayer but for for ITV programs.
ITV Player uses Microsoft Silverlight to deliver Video, and this causes a problem for Linux uses as there is no Linux player for SilverLight, and as you can see in the picture below when you visit the ITV Player the video doesn’t play.
However there is a solution using a free FireFox add in.
Here’s how I got ITV player to work on Linux:
1) Visit http://chris.orr.me.uk/caughtup/
2) Click on the words “with just a click or 2” in the Installation / Updates section
3) Click on Install now in the Software Installation Window
N.B. You may get an error message saying that FireFox can’t allow the install in the tool bar near the top of the screen.
If this happens then click on the Edit button and the following window will display – click on Allow and close.
4) After the Add On has installed Click on the Restart FireFox button.
5) When you re-start FireFox you will notice that there is now a small TV icon in the bottom right hand corner of the FireFox Window.
6) Navigate to the ITV Player section which contains the video you want to watch and click on the new TV Icon. A menu will appear showing all the videos available to watch on the page, choose one, sit back and enjoy the video which opens in a new tab.
There is also an option to watch Live ITV channels.
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Hello again, John, and many thanks for this excellent site.
I’ve successfully followed steps 1 – 5 and have the little TV icon installed in Firefox. I find the program or live TV I want to watch, click on the icon, the player comes up and then nothing happens. I’ve been into Firefox edit / preferences / content / manage and selected to open AXF and AXS files with Firefox and then with Totem’s Movie Player, but no good. Any ideas? (To be honest, my main reason for wanting this facility is so I can impress my wife by getting her Emmerdale when we’re abroad – this will work when we’re in another country will it?!)
Very many thanks
James
Hi James.
I’m currently experimenting with the eeebuntu OS on my AA1, but I’ve given it ago.
On my install the video doesn’t play automatically, but there is a play button which I have to press.
Do you have any media buttons visible on screen?
Cheers
John M
Hi James,
I’ve just been experimenting with itv player on eeebuntu, and I’m now getting much better results using VLC player then Mplayer.
Cheers
John M
@John
Thanks for your help John. There is a “Play” button visible on Totem but it doesn’t start anything. I’m going to download VLC some time over the weekend and see if this works where Totem won’t. I’ll let you know.
Cheers again
James
Hi James
I’ve copied the procedure for installing VLC player on Linpus across from the old site to the new site.
Hope this helps.