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BBC iPlayer to be blocked on specific devices from next month

T

trog

Well-Known Member
Not quite as scary as the headline suggests but........................................
"In a statement, the corporation said it will soon stop the option for viewing offline when using Windows-powered PCs and Apple's MacBook."
www.mirror.co.uk

BBC iPlayer to be blocked on specific devices from next month - check full list

Lots of people use the feature, which allows users to download shows onto their device and watch them later - meaning viewers can watch content without an internet connection
www.mirror.co.uk www.mirror.co.uk
 
It's when things like ytd and get_iplayer get blocked the real panic will set in! I mean, who here uses this feature? (Rhetorical!)
 
And / or if they block casting from iPlayer on your mobile / tablet to the TV.

Hopefully this is just a case of reducing the support effort needed for a feature that is relatively little used.
 
Why on earth do they time-lock some programmes / podcasts as BBC Sounds exclusives? No rhyme or reason that stands up to any scrutiny.
 
gomezz said:
Hopefully this is just a case of reducing the support effort needed for a feature that is relatively little used.
Click to expand...
A report I saw on the BBC's red button text news suggests that few people were using the downloads on PC and Mac. The withdrawal of support is a cost-cutting exercise.
 
On the BBC site.
www.bbc.co.uk

BBC iPlayer to end programme downloads for PCs and Macs

Mobile and tablet apps are unaffected, meaning users can still download BBC shows to watch later.
www.bbc.co.uk

Why can I no longer access BBC iPlayer Downloads? | iPlayer help

We have made the difficult decision to close the BBC iPlayer Downloads application for PC and Mac, due to the low number of people using it and the cost required to keep it going. This does not affect downloads on the BBC iPlayer mobile or tablet apps, and viewers can continue to stream...
www.bbc.co.uk www.bbc.co.uk
So it won't affect portable devices, only PCs and Macs.....
I wonder what happens to Android TV devices (eg set top box, TV) that have storage capability?
 
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EEPhil said:
I know nothing about Macs.
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Macbooks are like notebooks. (Note I regard a "laptop" as the previous generation of barely-portable computers, which slimmed down to the "notebook".)

Yes I know they are portable, but when there are tablets and smart phones as an alternative I stand by my statement they are less portable!
 
Black Hole said:
I stand by my statement they are less portable!
Click to expand...
Certainly mine is. The battery now only holds about 10 minutes charge. Useful only for an ordered shut-down if the mains fails. I'm just trying to keep it going until I get a small lump sum on retirement when I will upgrade (unless there are more pressing bills to pay!). Unfortunately, I don't find the Android tablet and phone suitable for video processing/editing and archiving. They are good for playing videos so, in that sense, they're good enough for iPlayer/downloads. Still prefer get_iplayer though.
 
Black Hole said:
when there are tablets and smart phones as an alternative
Click to expand...
I'd have expected a lot of business travellers to carry a laptop and phone. Given screen sizes, etc, the laptop would be the obvious choice for taking viewing with them.
But then again they will often have access to hotel and other wifi for streaming (though not on long flights), so don't bother pre-loading stuff. The little that is done presumably doesn't create the demand to keep the service alive.
 
MikeSh said:
The little that is done presumably doesn't create the demand to keep the service alive.
Click to expand...
But, as I read it, the service is being kept alive - just not for Windows and Macs. So you could download to your phone, but not to your Windows laptop. Surely they don't need separate servers for Windows, Macs and Linux - or do they? Looks like they will only support Unix/Linux based systems in the future.
 
I think it's about DRM enforcement. Downloads within the iPlayer app are ring-fenced, which requires different mechanisms and maintenance on desktop as opposed to mobile operating systems.
 
For some reason when I try to download a BBC iPlayer video using YTD on an Android device, the default option is unplayable. Can't be bothered to investigate further and use get_iplayer on my PC instead. No hoops, just a lack of knowledge as to the correct choices of options!
 
No. I only know the basics! I end up going about it the hard way - downloading each episode separately.
 
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