BBC iPlayer coming July 27

The BBC iPlayer is set for a public beta launch near the end of July. The service, which allows UK residents to download and view TV shows up to 7 days after their initial air date, has been in limited beta testing for a while now.

At launch, the service will be PC-only, due to the fact that the BBC has licensed Microsoft DRM technology in order to enforce the 7 day time limit. The BBC plans to offer a Mac version in the future.

Another upcoming features is integration with YouTube, Facebook, and Bebo. You won't be able to watch full episodes through these services, but you'll be able to access clips. And if you live in the UK, you can click through to the BBC's site for full length episodes. It looks like US Doctor Who fans will not be able to use the iPlayer, and will have to wait until episodes are available will still have to wait until the program hits the Sci-Fi channel.