Another piece of software I’ve written, this time an application which can be used to download programs from BBC iPlayer.

There is now a new version of iPlayer Downloader available here.

It’s 2am and I think I’m finally done Again, this is something that has been possible for a while from the command-line but has required a significant amount of futzing around to do (significantly more than disabling the store link arrows in iTunes). Now I’m done with this I promise I’ll get back to taking photographs

News About 2.0:

Following hot on the heels of this Beta release I have joined forces with Math Campbell who wrote the original, now defunct iPhone Downloader for Mac and we’re making good progress. This version works, but it barely works. We’re looking to have an app with lots of polish and sparkle so keep watching this space!

It’s worth noting this app is very much in a beta stage – indeed I have no idea if this will even run on anyone’s machine but mine as I have no way of testing it at the moment but with any luck it’ll play ball.

Inside the DMG the application is packaged as an Installer (I downloaded the XCode DVD, yay!). It will require your administrator password to install as it needs access to some Ruby framework files.

It also doesn’t currently have a progress bar which is a bit rubbish but it’s something I will work on.

Just install the Application, open your applications folder and launch “iPlayer Downloader” and follow the instructions from there. I know reading stuff’s boring but please take some time to do it, at least the first time

I am expecting a chunk of problems with this app as it’s a lot more complicated than the previous one I wrote so please get in touch using iam@lawrencedudley.co.uk if you experience any problems with it and I’ll do my best to sort you out.

As this application is written to use BBC iPlayer you MUST be in the U.K. to use it. To stay on the right side of the law you must also delete any shows you download using this Application within 30 days of downloading them.

Finally, the files this Application downloads will be on your Desktop and can be dragged straight into iTunes for copying to your iPhone (no need to re-convert).

How To Monitor Progress In This Version:

Once the download has started (You will see something like above on your menu bar), have a look on your desktop. There will be a new .mov file there, named after the show you are downloading. If you click on it and press APPLE + I (The Apple key and the i key) you will get the “get info” window. Look at the file size at the top of the window. Now close the window and reopen it. The file size *should* have gotten a bit bigger, unless you’re on a really slow connection.

There’s about 120MB per half-hour of video so if your file is reading 60MB and it’s a half-hour programme then you’re about halfway there. I know it sucks, going to be more elegant soon, promise!