[Console]

I was under the impression that the MP3 streams (technically, they're downloads) were only for the iPhone, as it doesn't have Flash capabilities - I thought everyone else got the Real Audio streams.

[richardtomlinson]

Yes, the iPlayer Downloader JonathanEx linked to does indeed access the material that is ordinarily used for streaming to an iPhone (and iPod Touch, I think).

[JonathanEx]

I was under the impression that the MP3 streams (technically, they're downloads) were only for the iPhone, as it doesn't have Flash capabilities - I thought everyone else got the Real Audio streams.

Possible. However, you're only forced to use Real Audio/WMV for live content on iPlayer Radio. Listening again to things has a flash player, which I would have assumed is using mp3, and not .ra - could be wrong though.

[Andy B]

Just tried the iphone style download thingy. It IS a lot quicker and a lot less hassle although how long it lasts until the beeb make it too difficult to bugger about with is another story?

I had a few problems with converting it which produced quite a few garbled bits but hopefully this will sort everything out. It's a flippin huge file compared to the .ra file. Why can't they make something smaller than mp3. Stupid computer techy people. After cutting out all the music and news I'm still left with an mp3 that's 124MB. It's too big dammit.

Incidently Monday's show left me with 2hr15m of audio. Given the news is about 20-25 minutes of that it means they have a higher speech/music output than local BBC radio whcih HAVE to have a higher speech output.

[br0ther_bruce]

so after all of that I guess the answer to my original question which started this thread, is you can't download the program anywhere, if i want to listen to it I need to record it at home.......

[Console]

Actually, there have been numerous ways to download the show suggested. Of course, recording it at home yourself is an alternative.

[JonathanEx]

I had a few problems with converting it which produced quite a few garbled bits but hopefully this will sort everything out. It's a flippin huge file compared to the .ra file. Why can't they make something smaller than mp3. Stupid computer techy people. After cutting out all the music and news I'm still left with an mp3 that's 124MB. It's too big dammit.

You can get the mp3 to be smaller, but you lower the quality - it all depends on bitrate. If you're cutting bits the music out, it's safe to cut down the quality on export to something like 64kbs, which is easy to do in Audacity. Remember though you've got a very long file, so, yes - it's going to be big.


Also, there's no real worries about the Beeb blocking that method, as they've tried various ways in the past to block it and it rarely lasted more than a day.

[Console]

Somewhat amusingly, only their first attempt to block non-iPhone players broke my script and all I needed to do then was to use the correct UA strings for the iPhone and Quicktime. Their more recent attempts had no effect what-so-ever on my script, which was apparently due to my using a parallel downloading set-up (which I did to theoretically increase the download speed). I only noticed the problems when I attempted to serialise my downloading again.

[Johnny Karate]

hee hee

[Andy B]

Actually, there have been numerous ways to download the show suggested. Of course, recording it at home yourself is an alternative.

Will any of the ways we suggested though, work abroad? Don't the beeb restrict the listen again feature? They restrict the rest of iPlayer so foreigners can't watch it don't they?

[richardtomlinson]

Will any of the ways we suggested though, work abroad? Don't the beeb restrict the listen again feature? They restrict the rest of iPlayer so foreigners can't watch it don't they?

Perhaps one of our overseas members may like to try out the iPlayer Downloader as JonathanEx suggested and let us all know ...

A programme from http://po-ru.com/projects/iplayer-downloader/ can download the entire show from iPlayer as an mp3. Basically, scroll down to "Pre-built Windows GUI" and download that programme.

The only leg work you need to do is locate each show's unique eight-digit iPlayer programme code from somewhere (eg. "b00ff278" for today's show - 11/11/2008). I suggest visiting here and extracting the required code from the links (you know, right-click, copy shortcut).

[Andy B]

I was thinking more of the flashget thingy as it sort of cirumvents the whole iplayer thingy at all doesn't it? As long as they've got Real Player it should work?

[Console]

Downloading the real-audio streams should work fine, as I don't think there's any Geo-IP restrictions on it. As for the mp3 downloads, those probably will be restricted (although certainly worth trying).

[Andy B]

Seee that's what I said but just not in techy terms........

[easy_to_please]

I just tried the iplayer thing and it didn't work; however, I'm at work and I think it's being blocked by the filter. I'll try again at home.

[Andy B]

I'm in the middle of downloading todays show so I can definately say that it does. However for some reason I keep having trouble with friday's show.

[easy_to_please]

The iplayer thing didn't work at home for me either. But the flashget option does (not at work though). It peeves me when certain things don't work here. The iplayer does work in America...however some videos don't and I'm too lazy to find a proxy usually.

[easy_to_please]

The iplayer thing didn't work at home for me either. But the flashget option does (not at work though). It peeves me when certain things don't work here. The iplayer does work in America...however some videos don't and I'm too lazy to find a proxy usually.

"The iplayer thing didn't work" - I meant the iphone mp3 download thing. Whatever it's called.

"The iplayer does work in America" - that time I actually meant iplayer.

[Andy B]

I didn't think iplayer was available for outlanders. Hmm you live and learn. I guess if you are following all the instructions given on here as to how to get the iplayer thingy to work and it still doesn't the you probably are better off just using flash get. I had a few issues with it though in that after downloading and converting it sounded garbled in places.

[ladbroke]

I didn't think iplayer was available for outlanders. Hmm you live and learn. I guess if you are following all the instructions given on here as to how to get the iplayer thingy to work and it still doesn't the you probably are better off just using flash get. I had a few issues with it though in that after downloading and converting it sounded garbled in places.

Parts of the shows I downloaded sound garbled, but I'm not too sure if it's the software I'm using to convert from .ra to mp3 (NCH Switch). I'll try some other software. Also one or two shows have been un listenable due to playing at x2 speed and missing chunks out.

[Andy B]

That's why I'm using that iPhone thingy to do it. Once you get the hang of it it's a lot easier. I'll try and get Friday's show at some point.

[Andy B]

If anyone can get me the iplayer code b00f etc...for friday's show then I'd be very grateful. It keeps saying MP4 URL found but could not download.

Stupid thingy I'm sure I must be reading it wrong. Works fine on iplayer and can download all the others.

[Console]

The mp3 version for the iPhone isn't available, for whatever reason.

[Andy B]

Hmm that iplayer downloader thingy doesn't seem to be working at all now...type in the code and nothing, nada.....zip.

[richardtomlinson]

Try downloading the iPlayer Downloader again from here. I've done it, tried downloading a couple of different shows and it works fine. There was possibly an application update over the last few days.