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BBC iplayer desktop

Avatar Thomas Maude
Hi I've been downloading programs from the iplayer since it first started with some of the free apps using Ruby script and have been very pleased with them. The main reason I HAVE to use them is I can't get the BBC's App to work have installed it many times but have never managed to download one program.

1. when I press download there is no interface or download window to say if when or how the download is progressing.

2. WHERE oh WHER does the file with the download appear ? with the free apps it automatically downloads it to your desktop !but with the BBC iplayer desktop it never tells you where the downloaded file is ? and if it is being downloaded in the background there must be a location to see it.

3 for those of you that use this application could you please give me some trouble shooting advice ......I have the adobe air app installed and I finished the install process from the BBC iplayer desktop ( it finally asked for my keychain access ) I'm obviously missing something here and maybe someone could help. I'm on an intell mac running snow leopard with everything up to date
Thanks in advance
Tom

Re: BBC iplayer desktop

Avatar Stuart Affleck
Intel Macs with SL here too. Not used the Beeb app for a while, but I just booted it to have a look you need to set up the download location on the settings tab. AIR apps tend to be a bit of a faff to install, all I can suggest is try running the installer again. But what I'd say is why bother? 'Get iPlayer Automator' is much better. HD downloads, no DRM (so if you want to watch stuff months later, burn it, etc, no problem), and it'll let you download everything that's available on iPlayer, even the streaming-only programmes. http://tom-tech.com/iplayer_automator/iPlayer_Automator/Get_iPlayer_Automator.html It's not perfect- you need to make sure you have your download options set up right, if something has a problem downloading you have to delete it & clear the history, etc...but those are mere niggles.

Re: BBC iplayer desktop

Avatar Euan Williams
I use iPlayer Grabber (Intel MacBook core two duo) which works fine, but when a download is finished the progress bar doesn't clear. Solution: keep an eye on the percent downloaded totting-up indicator which disappears when it reaches 100%. The interface is pretty much the same as iPlayer, but with the download option. IPG converts video to Quicktime Player format automatically, no DRM probs. No setup to do. Haven't tried streaming programmes yet.

Re: BBC iplayer desktop

Avatar Eric Jervis
iPlayer Grabber WAS superb until a week ago when the parasites at the Beeb messed around with something again. Needless to say the bloke who writes the Grabber, being cleverer than they are, updated it again, but only for Intel macs!
However, I've just downloaded and used http://tom-tech.com/iplayer_automator/iPlayer_Automator/Get_iPlayer_Automator.html which is even superber, inasmuch as it will automatically resume a failed download, which Grabber did not do. Thank you, Stuart.

Re: BBC iplayer desktop

Avatar Douglas Cheney
Have tried them iPlayer Grabber, iPlayer Downloader and Get iPlayer Automator today and none of them are working

Re: BBC iplayer desktop

Avatar Thomas Maude
Thanks for your replies gents ...have been busy and just had time now to check your advice ..I think the last post ( doug's) may well be exactly that ( the one played with a trumpet verity). I to have just checked all the download players mentioned above and all of them as of this date seem to be broken but if anyone is still able to download with one of them please let us know.

I have really benefited from using them over the last two years as I download lot's of documentaries and archive them so I can use them as research material a sort of digital library I suppose and I have an external hard drive for the purpose.

The reason for the original post was because I realised that the grabbers and downloaders where not being updated by the guys who had been running them. I also realised that the reason I sought them out in the first place was that I couldn't get the Beebs own desktop thingy to work.

If anyone has any success with one of the independent downloaders could you please update us as I think that would be help[full for a lot of users.
Many Thanks
Tom

Re: BBC iplayer desktop

Avatar Douglas Cheney
I have been using iPlayer automator for the last few days and that seems to be working alright

Re: BBC iplayer desktop

Avatar Thomas Maude
Thanks for the update Doug .. I've had a couple of goes with it without any success but thats maybe because it's the one I haven't used before and perhaps I haven't set it up correctly .....do you have any simple tips for a first time user please
Many Thanks
Tom

Re: BBC iplayer desktop

Avatar Douglas Cheney
Type in the program you are looking for, when it finds it click add to queue, then click the start button and it will find the program and start the download. When it has finished you will find in iTunes under TV programs. Click and drag to the desktop and then use Toast to burn to DVD

Re: BBC iplayer desktop

Avatar David Moon
As an aside, I was trying to download an BBC Radio 4 (audio only) and iGrabber would not work saying file not available.I tried using Qiucktime 10 but that did not work for me. In the end I opted to buy WireTap Studio and it worked superbly, basically it will copy anything being processed by sound card. It's a very niclely put together package.

Re: BBC iplayer desktop

Avatar Thomas Maude
Update: Have downloaded my first program with Automator which went well and turned up in itunes just as you said it would Doug so many thanks for that. A couple of small details:
1. I set the download format in the preferences to Flash high ..there is an option to set them to very high ( which I will try with my next download) have you used the Flash HD option ? just wondering if it makes the download a lot slower or the file to big ? having said that time is not a big factor as I normally set the download going and then go away and do something else whilst it is in progress.

2. I've got the download format set for audio to AAC high just wondering which setting you use

Thanks for your earlier tips Doug
Tom

Re: BBC iplayer desktop

Avatar Douglas Cheney
I set the download format to flash high, haven't used flash HD option, and audio set to Acc standard. I have noticed that iPlayer Downloaded has been updated

Re: BBC iplayer desktop

Avatar Thomas Maude
Excellent news with the iplayer downloader Doug ..I've just installed the update and started a download which at the moment is working ..

Re: BBC iplayer desktop

Avatar Thomas Maude
Just a quick update on this thread the iplayer downloader has been working excellently since the last post

Re: BBC iplayer desktop

Avatar Thomas Maude
Update on iplayer downloader is that after performing perfectly for the last four months it suddenly seems to have stopped working for the last couple of weeks .. has anyone else found the same ? ....have just cranked up get iplayer automator ( as highlighted in the threads above) and am just on my first download with it ...
Tom
 
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