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

[...] iPlayer downloader – Handy OSX 10.5 application for downloading programs from the BBC iPlayer website [...]

[...] fear. There is a solution and it’s even better than the Windows software. The “iPlayer Downloader” is a free download that lets you copy and paste any links from the iPlayer website and it [...]

[...] The official download manager is available to Windows users from the Iplayer site. Mac users should download and install iplayer downloader from http://www.lawrencedudley.co.uk/iplayer [...]

This is a great application. I travel a huge amount and miss a great deal of Uk TV. Thanks for the hardwork it building this app, it’s easier than using the CLI.
Cheers

Unfortunately the BBC don’t supply any higher quality files than the ones that iPlayer Downloader downloads

Not much we can do about that.

Above issue has been fixed – please update once more and it’ll be fine. It can’t run as a silent install as we are storing files outside the Application (in /System and /Library to make Ruby play ball)

Can you make this work for BBC Radio through iPlayer? The radio stations are not UK only and I love some of the shows on BBC7.

hi, i cant seem to update to version 2.1. i have run the installer 8 times now. everytime i click “check for update” it tells me that a new version 2.1 exists— i download —- it it installs—i get told that a new version 2.1 exists would i like to download and install it—- etc etc etc. i’ve tried deleting the exisitng app and still the same happens? please help

Same here re 2.0->2.1 upgrade– despite multiple re-installs, About box shows 2.0, app tells me there’s a new version available, repeat, lather, rinse…

Fairly sure there’s nothing wrong with the download as I tested both the upgrade and the fresh virgin install on two different machines.

If anyone’s having errors still please can you describe what’s going on?

Updated download both here and in auto-installer. Fixed the bug

What’s the likelihood you’ll make this program compatible with OSX 10.4?

Thanks a lot.

I just get Download Failed! every time

am i doing something wrong?

Ah, currently downloading mitchell and webb, so it’s installed ok, just heroes is a prob – bah!

good app, cheers

as the poster above said it does not work all I get is Download Failed.

sorry, forgot to put in URL for failed download !!

I’m getting the radio mp3 ‘download failed’ error as well but I can listen to it without a problem like ‘richard K’ above. Have the Beeb recently changed something then?

A few days ago when this new version was released I got Just A Minute fine using this fabulous software (oh as an aside I’d be happy to pay say a fiver or tenner for this if you want to make it shareware, let’s face it the Beeb aren’t interested in Macs so this is a lifeline) the URL I tried to get was http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00dp23d/ –

Also, is there anyway of getting your software to automatically get the higher quality version of a tv programme if it’s available? Thanks guys xx

Still problems with some programmes and it isn’t clear why. The first Harry and Paul is here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00dd18p/ but I cannot download it – can anyone?

+1 on the radio shows… download fails every time with 2.2, various shows tried.

Guys – I have a feeling that BBC take a while (an hour, maybe two, something like that) to get shows encoded in MP4 and MP3.

If a show doesn’t work then it’s probably a case of waiting a few hours and trying again.

I know this is a pain in the ass but there’s not much I can do about it unfortunately.

Works a treat. Heroic effort from you. Many thanks.

Just tried downloading the following using 2.0:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00dyhyt/

Download failed. I updated to 2.2, but still getting ‘download failed’ message. The programme has only just been posted, so I’ll try in a few hours and let you know if it works!

I did say that if you have problems just wait a little while!

Me and Math will look into the Window situation – not really a hugely pressing thing for us though at the moment.

Claudia – there is no version that will run properly on 10.4, nor will there ever be one.

Any chance of a Tiger version?

Any chance you can add the ability to queue up more than one download? Also, would be great to have the option to have the downloaded files automatically added to iTunes (although I have found a workaround using Folder Actions).

I’ve not been able to download

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00dzy91/

for a few days… there’s no age-restriction on it, and the first episode in the series was fine.

Been trying to download Heroes for 2 days now from: http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00dw7zh/Heroes_Series_3_One_of_Us_One_of_Them/

Hi,

Is it possible to download BBC radio programmes to say a MP3 format? I have tried various radio shows without success

Further to my previous message – herewith the system log. HTH… :

Oct 20 19:52:51 Macintosh iPlayer Downloader[1206]: Error loading /Library/InputManagers/Ecamm/Ecamm Plugin Loader.bundle/Contents/MacOS/Ecamm Plugin Loader: dlopen(/Library/InputManagers/Ecamm/Ecamm Plugin Loader.bundle/Contents/MacOS/Ecamm Plugin Loader, 265): no suitable image found. Did find:\n /Library/InputManagers/Ecamm/Ecamm Plugin Loader.bundle/Contents/MacOS/Ecamm Plugin Loader: GC capability mismatch
Oct 20 19:52:52 Macintosh iPlayer Downloader[1206]: Error loading /Library/InputManagers/GrowlPhoto/GrowlPhoto.bundle/Contents/MacOS/GrowlPhoto: dlopen(/Library/InputManagers/GrowlPhoto/GrowlPhoto.bundle/Contents/MacOS/GrowlPhoto, 265): no suitable image found. Did find:\n /Library/InputManagers/GrowlPhoto/GrowlPhoto.bundle/Contents/MacOS/GrowlPhoto: GC capability mismatch
Oct 20 19:52:52 Macintosh iPlayer Downloader[1206]: Error loading /Library/InputManagers/SIMBL/SIMBL.bundle/Contents/MacOS/SIMBL: dlopen(/Library/InputManagers/SIMBL/SIMBL.bundle/Contents/MacOS/SIMBL, 265): no suitable image found. Did find:\n /Library/InputManagers/SIMBL/SIMBL.bundle/Contents/MacOS/SIMBL: GC capability mismatch
Oct 20 19:53:11 Macintosh iPlayer Downloader[1206]: *** -[NSCFArray objectAtIndex:]: index (1) beyond bounds (1)
Oct 20 20:02:31 Macintosh hdiejectd[1235]: running
Oct 20 20:02:39 Macintosh kernel[0]: Finder[254] Unable to clear quarantine `iPlayer Downloader.pkg’: 30
Oct 20 20:05:00 Macintosh iPlayer Downloader[1276]: Error loading /Library/InputManagers/Ecamm/Ecamm Plugin Loader.bundle/Contents/MacOS/Ecamm Plugin Loader: dlopen(/Library/InputManagers/Ecamm/Ecamm Plugin Loader.bundle/Contents/MacOS/Ecamm Plugin Loader, 265): no suitable image found. Did find:\n /Library/InputManagers/Ecamm/Ecamm Plugin Loader.bundle/Contents/MacOS/Ecamm Plugin Loader: GC capability mismatch
Oct 20 20:05:01 Macintosh iPlayer Downloader[1276]: Error loading /Library/InputManagers/GrowlPhoto/GrowlPhoto.bundle/Contents/MacOS/GrowlPhoto: dlopen(/Library/InputManagers/GrowlPhoto/GrowlPhoto.bundle/Contents/MacOS/GrowlPhoto, 265): no suitable image found. Did find:\n /Library/InputManagers/GrowlPhoto/GrowlPhoto.bundle/Contents/MacOS/GrowlPhoto: GC capability mismatch
Oct 20 20:05:01 Macintosh iPlayer Downloader[1276]: Error loading /Library/InputManagers/SIMBL/SIMBL.bundle/Contents/MacOS/SIMBL: dlopen(/Library/InputManagers/SIMBL/SIMBL.bundle/Contents/MacOS/SIMBL, 265): no suitable image found. Did find:\n /Library/InputManagers/SIMBL/SIMBL.bundle/Contents/MacOS/SIMBL: GC capability mismatch
Oct 20 20:05:19 Macintosh iPlayer Downloader[1276]: *** -[NSCFArray objectAtIndex:]: index (1) beyond bounds (1)
Oct 20 20:05:48: — last message repeated 1 time —
Oct 20 20:05:48 Macintosh quicklookd[1282]: [QL ERROR] ‘Creating thumbnail’ timed out for ”
Oct 20 20:06:02 Macintosh quicklookd[1285]: [QL ERROR] ‘Creating thumbnail’ timed out for ”

Just a quick note really – I’m just downloading Heroes and it’s working fine, despite the adult warning bug that we thought we’d found.

Maybe it’s just the BBC being weird and putting up strange Mpeg4 – it’s happened before.

Just tried this program with v2.2:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00f202r/b00f1zzc/EastEnders_23102008/
Its seemed to download fine, but when finished the resutling .mov file was only 32mb and displayed a “this is not a movie file” when opened. My vague understanding of the underlying script is that the program is downloaded in chunks no bigger than 32mb and then reasembled. Any ideas?

Last night’s Merlin isn’t downloading for some reason (http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00f71d1/Merlin_A_Remedy_To_Cure_All_Ills/). It did work a couple of weeks ago though… (using v2.2). Thanks…

Hi, I just want to echo some of the other comments regarding donating for this software – I would happily buy this software, never mind making a token donation, if it worked consistently across the BBC iPlayer content. Unfortunately this currently is not the case. Programmes I’m struggling with seem to be music content based like ‘Later’ or the ‘Electric Proms’. I’m not sufficiently tech-savvy enough to understand where the problem lies here, but I am cynical enough to think that perhaps the Beeb are aware of this software and are coding certain content differently – though I have absolutely no evidence to support this. Keep up the good work guys and hopefully our feedback is of some use, thanks.

Isn’t working for me now either ;o(

What a shame hope it gets fixed soon.

Just get a message when downloaded that the /mov file isn’t a valid file – and it downloads the file very quickly than before

Before around 10.30pm I was having all your problems however top gear seems to be downloading as normal and my connection speed has shot up – now trying steven fry – mississipi which consistently failed earlier – fingers crossed

Not working for me either. Two days ago, it was.

Download failed here as well. it previously worked as late as last Tuesday. hope you can sort it, great app.
Have had to resort to running windows on my mac- yuk!!!!

First great program and I, like others, would happily pay for this, since the BBC aren’t that bothered about sorting it out for us Mac users. In response to Peter’s comment above, there doesn’t seem to be any pattern to my failed downloads – Top Gear wouldn’t work for ages, but now does …. other downloads would download in a few seconds, much quicker than normal, and fail at about 95%, while others would fail at the start!

Part of me wonders if this is the BBC either not coding it properly, or perhaps getting wise to the fact that this program is out there!

For some reason I have managed to grab Silent witness OK and Stephen Fry Mississippi (at last) but very slow. Slows gets there eventually
It’s all very odd

Hi guys,

Apologies for my absence, I’ve actually been without the Internet at home the last few days so haven’t been able to look into the issues with iplayer downloader. New modem’s gonna be here Friday so should be able to have a look see then and see what’s going on.

There’s clearly something wrong with the app in it’s current form – my best guess is that the BBC have figures out some way of making iplayer downloaded choke on the files they provide. Annoying but I’m sure there’s a workaround.

Just wanted to apologize for my absence and reassure that your complaints aren’t falling in deaf ears – my iPhone’s (writing from it now) been going off every ten minutes with mails from you guys alerting me to the problems with iplayer downloader.

Interestingly I am shooting a wedding in mid-november that some of the BBC’s core iplayer developers will be attending. Bit scared because I guess this app is in some way naughty and against their terms of use but if all goes well I might be able to strike up some dialogue between me and them and find a way of making things work out.

I’ll try and get a look at what’s causing these issues within the next few days but as ever try and remember that this is a free time project and as such I do it off my own back. Unfortunately (or should that be fortunately?) I’ve been super busy with my photography work recently and seeing as it’s what pays the bills as opposed to iplayer downloader which only really provides a feeling of personal satisfaction and the occassional donation I have obviously had to concentrate on the former.

I have just managed to grab th e latest silent witness but it still gags at a previous version – also managed at last to get mississippi down – glad you’re on the case Lawrence

Yep, agreeing with Boris here – the app seems to be working again now since I uninstalled and reinstalled it. There are still a couple of programmes that won’t download, but that’s always been the case.

Hi guys, just to keep you updated: unfortunately I’m still very much iPhone-bound as Virgin Media and their god awful Indian support people have still failed consistently to get my broadband up and running again.

As such I’m not in a position to play with iplayer downloader and troubleshoot anything until they send an engineer round tomorrow.

If the app seems to be working again then great, so be it, but it won’t be because of anything I’ve done, it just means the BBC have done something at their end that enables the app to work again.

I’ll keep you posted, apologies for the delay on my end.

I did not trash the app and re-install neither did I repair disk permissions in fact I have done nothing but everything I have tried to-day downloads just fine

Repaired permissions as other people have done but it still will not work for me still get download failed

Hi, thanks for this great app – does it work by playing the video behind the scenes and recording it, or does it actually get the raw data from the BBC? Thanks so much!

Excellent thankyou so much!

Hi,
have been using iPD with mixed success and have been playing around to see if there are other ways to get the files. I found that it should be possible to get Safari to behave as an iPhone and I accessed the iplayer site on this basis. I’ve been trying to download Spooks episode 3 without success having successfully downloaded episodes 1 & 2 (in iPD). Interestingly when I tried to access episode 3 with Safari as iPhone, the BBC site said that it was not available…
I don’t know why this should be since the episode streams OK and I don’t know enough to go further.
What do you think?
When iPD works it works great so thanks for all your work.

Cheers
Iain

“Change Directory” does not work for me. When I click on that button, the visual display of the button being pressed occurs — but then it is stuck in that position and the program freezes.

Nice work guys. Just made a donation. I’ve been using V2.2 of the software for the past week and it works well. I’m also porting to ITunes using an Automator routine which was also available off the web.

Apart from the odd BBC program which will play but won’t download the only other problem I’ve had is that once the downloader application is run once it doesn’t bring up the interface again by clicking the toolbar icon. Only way I can use it again is to quit the application and reload.

Hi, just downloaded this app, but every time i try to download anything it, doesn’t start just says “Download Failed”, is there any reason for this? Am i doing something wrong? Could it be that i am connected to the internet using a vpn connection? Thanks.

Just to let you know that was when trying to download a program called oceans, and spooks.

Well if you’re based in the UK then just don’t route through your VPN. If you’re not in the UK then you have no legal rights to access the content on the iPlayer website anyway so I can’t really help you with that.

Give it a go and let me know how you get on. I did geolocate your IP and while it showed up as being in the UK for me the BBC might be using a different database and/or have a black list for certain known VPN providers because people can use VPN to access iPlayer from abroad.

Are the downloaded fields still time-stamped so they expire after a period of time?

Hi – the player cant download programs such as “The Fallen”, which require one to input a check box to confirm your age is over 18. Is here any chance that this could be done? This program has a very special meaning to me and I would dearly love to keep it.

Donated! Having used this wonderful app a lot over the last month, it’s got a permanent place in my dock.

Any plans for a version with embedded iPlayer site with webkit? If so, let me know if you would like an help with icons/UI bits, I’d love to help!

Once again I seem to be in “Download Failed” mode. I can’t get anything to download. Anyone else?

fails for me too

Firstly, thanks for the app which has been working well for the past month or so – a few ‘Download Failed’ but mostly hunky dory.

Today however, nothing works. I tried the first 9 programmes in iPlayer’s Tv Highlights with the same error message.

I’m presuming that the app uses similar file sharing protocols to the Windows ‘Download Manager’ version. Has anybody out there successfully downloaded a show on PC that failed on Mac at the same time?

Just another thought.

Same here, have they plugged the hole!!??

I have just pushed out version 2.3 over automatic update as well as on the download link above. Let me know if you have any problems please! I made the changes after going clubbing, no testing whatsoever, I guess that’s what you’re here for ^_^

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00ft62c/Einstein_and_Eddington/

Couple of weeks ago I downloaded an episode of Spooks (Version2.0) having tried with earlier version and no gos all round “Download Failed”.

Downloaded 2.3 today as 2 failed on the URL below
2.3 also failed to download: http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00ft62c/Einstein_and_Eddington/
when I found that my humax had been switched off half way through… only another day left to download… “Download Failed’. I’ve tried permissions/trashing and re-installing/shortening URL/changing directory… all no go’s tonight. The idea of delay in encoding doesn’t work either, as this programme must have been encoded several days ago

Surely must be the BBC doing the dirty. If they can’t/won’t supply a downloader for Mac then no-one else can!!! What planet are they on where one group is OK (Windoze) whilst Mac ain’t. Thought you had come up with a great programme… but what’s the betting that they’ve got someone permanently working to plug your holes (if you’ll pardon the expression), and he/she can spend more time than an independent looking to find new ‘ins’. Anyway… keep at it… when it works consistently I’ll donate as well!

Thanks for trying so hard>

What URL are you trying to download?

Lawrence. Downloaded one Dr Who episode last week with v2.2. Upgrade to 2.3 seems to have broken it. None of the Dr Who episodes will download now. Tested other programes (including HIGN4U) and nothing works. Went back to 2.2 and nothing works on that either now. Ho hum.
John

Hello Lawrence,
Version 2.3 on Mac Pro
Great programme.
Just donated – well worth it.
Now at least I can watch programmes as and when I want and not at the behest of the BBC even though I paid for them through their tax.
Most have downloaded except for 4 Merlin episodes namely:
The Dragons Call
The Mark of Nimueh
The Poisoned Chalice
Valiant
I get “Download Failed!” on these.
Barristers, Dr Who, Little Dorrit and the other Merlins no problem.
Strange but true.
Cheers
Geoff

Great work. Performs well on new iMac

The app already downloads a higher quality H.264 stream… It’s not quite as high resolution as the “high quality” version on the website but it’s close.

It’s the best we can do at the moment

…until this morning when I tried again and it immediately started at 42.8% and finished downloading successfully. So, just another Beeb misfunction, and nowt to do with your excellent program. Donation approaching…

Outstanding work Lawrence, I stumbled across this whilst searching for a fashion photograper, may need some work in the next few months!

This may be a bone question but do the downloads time out? Or will they continue to be viewable indefinately?

Problems once again — nothing seems to download. Just tried:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00fvg86/b00fvg47/Little_Dorrit_Episode_12/

and

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00fztwg/b00fztly/Little_Dorrit_Episode_13/

– among other things.

Hey Lawrence and Dev, really looking forward to the new version! what’s the ETA?
Found the app. has been working great lately though I’m struggling to download this one file http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00fvg86/Little_Dorrit_Episode_12/ – don’t laugh at Little Dorrit please… Would you mind trying it to see if it work’s for you? Just downloaded episode 13 without a hitch?!?!

Cheers,
Andy.

Sorry guys, that episode appears to not be active. If anyone with an iPhone can confirm this..
Episode 11 works fine here, just not #12….

As for the new version, v3 will be out “very soon”…

See? Told you “very soon”.

‘Spose my powers of prediction aren’t really all that good since I was finishing the Prefs pane whilst writing that

Hi, great little app but theres a few things I would love to see improved…

Could you possibly add sparkle to help keep the application up to date? ( http://sparkle.andymatuschak.org/ )

Im also having problems installing the application, I am using a non administrator account for my day to day use of the computer and whenever I need to install software I just enter the Administrator name and password and everything should work fine, with iPlayer Downloader 3 the installer fails to install any files at all, would it be possible to go back to a dragged .app file installation method? I generally dislike installers anyway as I dont know what files are being put where.

Apart from that, keep up the good work, until you fix this problem I cannot however try v3.0 of the app, but im sure its good

That’d be 127.0.0.1:8080 I think?

If your proxy works then putting it in the box, hitting enter then clicking “apply changes” should work. It’s a bit of an experimental feature…
Andrew: Have you got Ruby installed correctly? If you’ve done something to your Ruby install, that could be the problem, since this app uses a Ruby-based script.
Also note the app will only work from the UK (unless you use a proxy, and on your own head be it since that would violate the BBC’s ToS). You might want to check your firewall to allow Ruby to access the net, ditto apps like Little Snitch that restrict network access.

Installed v3.0 but I just keep getting ‘the requested programme could not be downloaded’ whatever I try. Am getting these in system.log when I try:

[0x00x35035].com.skyboxstudios.iPlayer_Downloader[244]: iPlayer Downloader(244,0xb0103000) malloc: free_garbage: garbage ptr = 0×1038f40, has non-zero refcount = 1
iPlayer Downloader[244]: *** -[NSCFArray objectAtIndex:]: index (1) beyond bounds (1)’ at the time.

Is there a technical reason why you insist on using an installer rather than the de facto standard of a drag’n'drop install? It’s really annoying for those of us that keep our /Applications read only for security reasons and in my mind a major black mark against your software.

Hi guys. I love the app. Been using it a lot, so cheers. Trying to install the 3.0 version and still no luck. Trashed the previous version and tried to install but got the error about not being able to copy to the /Applications folder. Followed the instructions above about the terminal command etc on both my regular account and the admin account on my mac and, yep, still no luck. Still getting the same error message. Any further suggestions?
Cheers, Nick

Cheers Math. Actually i got it working. I ejected and remounted the disk image and then it worked ok.
Thanks. The app looks great with the web interface.
Nick

You don’t need to put any Ruby stuff in /Library — so (based on your reason) you don’t need an installer. You can just set Ruby’s $LOAD_PATH by using the -I switch.

I am using 3.0 in the UK on Leopard 10.5.6 and when i click on a show to download, it asks if i want to download and I select ‘Download’, then progress bar appears and disappears very quickly – nothing downloads.

hxa7241 Sadly there is a problem with using the -Ipath/to/lib loading system..
this is runningan NSTask, that would therefore need the task to be changed from iplayer-dl to ruby, with iplayerdl in the arguments. This means loading the actual path dynamically. For some reason, ruby doesn’t like this. At all.
Might be a bug with NSTask. Not really sure.
Also tried making an .sh script that does all that, but sadly that didn’t work either as it wasn’t passing on the arguments correctly.
Still working on it though since as you can see, the permissions problems are causing a right pain with a small amount of installs.

this is a woprk of genius.. reallyu well implemented. Up until now that is .. for me. Glad to see its working for others.

I’m running 10.5.6 and vrsn 3.0

Installation as intructed. When i am prompted and click download the small window pops up and displays a progress bar for a second or so then it goes blank, no progress bar, jusgt a small pop–up window.

Any idea how to fix this bug? heard of it before?

keep up the great work ..

gideon

Hi,

I’ve repaired permissions, done the terminal “sudo chmod 777 /Applications”, rebooted, cleared out the ruby folder you suggest even tried installing it from pacifist. I’m still getting an installer error. Here’s the log:

Dec 21 22:51:55 -ibook Installer[516]: Starting file extraction
Dec 21 22:51:56 -ibook payloadExtractor[521]: Initializing new flat-package receipt.
Dec 21 22:51:56 -ibook installdb[520]: Error: Could not update existing receipt using uid=506 as the prior owner is uid=0
Dec 21 22:51:56 -ibook payloadExtractor[521]: Error creating receipt.
Dec 21 22:51:56 -ibook payloadExtractor[521]: pkgExtractor exited with error 1 while processing package ‘/Volumes/iPlayer Downloader/iPlayer Downloader.pkg’
Dec 21 22:51:56 -ibook Installer[516]: Install failed: The Installer could not install some files in “/Applications”. Contact the software manufacturer for assistance.
Dec 21 22:51:56 -ibook Installer[516]: IFDInstallController 76C100 state = 7
Dec 21 22:51:56 -ibook Installer[516]: Displaying ‘Install Failed’ UI.

It’s obviously a permission problem – any more ideas?

(10.5.5 Powerbook G4)

Installation seemed to go OK, but I can’t download. I click on a prog, say yes, I do want to download. Something flashes in the download window for half a second, but nothing downloads.

with radio, does this record the flash stream? or the realplayer one? thanks

well does it take it from the flash stream then?

or are you saying the bbc have an mp3 hidden somewhere of their radio programmes?

thanks for quick reply

Just downloaded the latest version and its fixed all the previous install problems. The new version looks great. Many thanks. Chris

Hello Lawrence,
3.1
Thanks.
Is there an easy way to change download directory as in 2.3?
Merry Christmas to all.
Geoff

Hey Math,

what was the problem you had running the script from the app bundle? I got this going in iPlayer Grabber (http://fader.co.uk/post/iPlayer-Grabber-the-iPlayer-downloader-for-Mac-OS-X.aspx) just fine so there is no installer, just download and run. I got half way to doing a downloads draw but got sucked into other things…

Hi, was running 3.0 without any problem (wonderful app)…then an update to 3.1 popped up so did it, now I can’t download anything, ask sif I want to download the programme then blank download box, no progress and then get my Growl message ‘programme can’t be downloaded’ (tried a few).
Is it the updated app or BBC? Help…

The program in its new version is great, thank you! My one problem is font size. Perhaps it is just my aged eyes, but it’s too small for me, and not changeable. If there are future versions, could you consider either a larger font or (don’t know how hard it is to do this) a facility for increasing the font like the one that web browsers have?

WEll… I still can’t download anything… even following the delete everythingand reinstall route of Math’s. Why is the whole thing so flaky… what is the variable that is being triggered by so many peoples’ comps, but not by so many others? I am getting really frustrated when I readall the positives and have only managed to download ONCE. However, I must say I like the interface notion now…but wouldn’t it be great if the rest of the program worked as well… all I get are zero extent named files marking thestart of downloads, and that’s it!

Interestingly I can download most things, but two I can’t are QI and Doctor Who christmas special. I tried reinstalling, but have the same problem. E.g. QI:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00gdl1v/QI_Series_6_Fire_and_Freezing/

Is anyone else having the same problem with those? I just get “could not be downloaded”… My system log says “iPlayer Downloader[3872]: *** -[NSCFArray objectAtIndex:]: index (1) beyond bounds (1)”

Great program though guys, thank you very much!

The program was working fine but now refuses to start up. Just get the screen asking if I want to check for updates on startup and after I select yes (or no) the spinning wheel.

I have tried deleting the program and reinstalling but to no effect. Is there a preference file I can remove?

Thanks Math, did as you suggested but this has not corrected the issue. Also tried deleting the program and reinstalling AFTER deleting the preference files.

To reiterate, on a new user area on the same laptop it works fine! So it must be something conflicting somewhere. If anyone has any ideas I will be grateful.

Thanks Andy, looks like a useful application. Tried it but it did not solve my problem on this occasion.

Hello, This is one of the best little and esay to use software i have found in ages! I do like the new look but any chance I can get the older looking one back or have it as a preference file? i just find simple is the best way for me! Also you guys working on a downloader for the itvplayer?
Dave

You’re definitely in the UK and you can access and play iPlayer online?

I’m not in the UK but using a Proxy which works with iPlayer perfectly…

After updating today, everything works perfectly – I haven’t a clue what the update did – but thanks all the same. I love this program and appreciate the work you put into it.

OMG Thank You so much works perfectly

Have been using 3.1 for a few weeks with just a few problems like downloads suddenly disappearing at 98% and then becoming unplayable after resuming dl but for the last 48 hours have been getting the unable to download message. Has Auntie found a way to block the program again?

Some things will download for me, but unfortunately not the things I want! I don’t even get an “unable to download” message; the download bar appears briefly and then disappears with a pop.

I’ll be donating when I have some cash, by the way – despite setbacks, I love this program!

Been using this fab little app to timeshift my Radio 4 listening. Gas topped working for radio programmes now, tho’ bizarrely still works for some TV. Hope the developer manages to outsmart the Beeb and get it working again. Love paying my licence fee – just want to listen to stuff in the car!

When trying to download files earlier today, the file was created but the download would fail immediately resulting in a zero size file. Tonight the download appears to be slower and is failing randomly. Wouldn’t a change at Auntie’s end to stop this app show more consistent failures?

The app’s fixed itself (?) for me – maybe it was just some weirdness at the BBC’s end?

still not downloading anything

Heh, it’s gone again – guess we just have to be patient while the BBC sorts itself out :p

Same as greatsmackeroo, downloaded ok eventually but .mov not recognised by QT or VLC?
Am I being fick and missing summat obvious?

radio downloading seems to be working now

Downloaded programmes wouldn’t transfer to iTunes. am I missing something?

I think (based on trial and error rather than any real ‘knowledge’) that the reports of ‘download OK but can’t load into iTunes’ or ‘not a movie file’ are incomplete downloads (I can get them to play in VLC) … If you try downloading again (without deleting the incomplete file) then iPlayer Downloader seems to resume the download ok.

Is there any thing that can be tweaked in the script to make the script retry or wait longer before it times out?

Should I open any ports on my router to help speed up downloads?

Interestingly, the video dies at different points on different downloads. Any ideas?

Working fine now, seems avoiding peak times to download really helps? Have donated a few beer tokens, cheers. Great app. many thanks

I have to say that generally I find this application pretty stable these days and I suspect that when there are problems, often it’s the way the Beeb have encoded them, rather than deliberate subterfuge. I aim to prove this at the next opportunity attempting the download using the suspiciously similar app, iplayer grabber – http://fader.co.uk/post/iPlayer-Grabber-the-iPlayer-downloader-for-Mac-OS-X.aspx

I’ve only just discovered this clone and use Lawrence’s app by preference, but it might help prove a point when problems arise.

Hi – Great program, but a few programmes fail to download. Console messages are:

26/01/2009 19:53:32 iPlayer Downloader[605] arguments are now: (
“-I/Applications/iPlayer Downloader.app/Contents/Resources/lib”,
“/Applications/iPlayer Downloader.app/Contents/Resources/iplayer-dl”,
“http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00hbsdc/Auld_Lang_Syne_Robert_Burns_at_Celtic_Connections_2009/”
)
26/01/2009 19:53:33 iPlayer Downloader[605] *** -[NSCFArray objectAtIndex:]: index (1) beyond bounds (1)

26/01/2009 20:07:59 iPlayer Downloader[605] arguments are now: (
“-I/Applications/iPlayer Downloader.app/Contents/Resources/lib”,
“/Applications/iPlayer Downloader.app/Contents/Resources/iplayer-dl”,
“http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00gstnk/Victorian_Farm_Episode_2/”
)
26/01/2009 20:08:02 iPlayer Downloader[605] *** -[NSCFArray objectAtIndex:]: index (1) beyond bounds (1)

Hope that helps a bit.

Wonder if you can sort out a problem for me.Last week I downloaded the giles Peterson show from bbc website , this week done the same but it only recognises last weeks program , even installing into itunes it still plays last weeks episode.I also tried it with an Annie Mac show and it went back and played the first giles peterson show.Any help?
Otherwise, it works great.

Hi guys – something I found out today that you may already know about but…if you use the downloader to grab radio programmes you may need to change the file name of any older copies of that same programme that you already have in your library as on occasion current programmes will have the same filename as older versions and this will prevent the downloader from getting it. This happened today when I was trying to get a copy of Radio Five Live’s Rugby Programme – it wouldn’t download until I changed the name of the file already in the library from last week.

Anyway, this is a wonderful application – GREAT WORK! It’s made my commutes a better use of time!!!

Cheers
W

looks as though the BBC have changed their settings this morning: neither Grabber nor Downloader are working. Happy Valentines Day!

hi just to say fab any chance of a five on demand version?

thanks rich

John Keating:
I’ll try and work that into the next version which as you can guess has been delayed a bit…
In the mean time, I *believe* (no screaming if I’m wrong; I don’t have a proxy server to test it on) that if you put your details in the following format in the proxy box it’ll work:
http://user:password@host:port
Where user is your username, password etc. then your proxp ip address and port.
E.g if your proky ip is 192.168.0.1 on port 80, and your user/pass is Bob/TheBuilder you’d type
http://bob:TheBuilder@192.168.0.1:80
Hope this helps.

Graham: sorry about that, looks like the BBC have not transcoded that program into the iPhone type. Nothing we can do about that.
We’re working on a way of downloading the higher quality flash video; you’d need to use VLC or similar to play it, but it *might* be possible….

I am going potty! Two Macbook pros, both with the same network configuration/locations, both on 6S X 10.5.6, both on the same LAN(s), just differing by ip number (I’ver tred several locations). One works fine, the other used to but now *always* gives ‘the requested programme could not be downloaded’.
On the one that fails, console gives
09/03/2009 19:32:50 iPlayer Downloader[345] arguments are now: (
“-I/Applications/iPlayer Downloader.app/Contents/Resources/lib”,
“/Applications/iPlayer Downloader.app/Contents/Resources/iplayer-dl”,
“http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b008j42f/Live_at_the_Apollo_Series_3_Episode_6/”
)
09/03/2009 19:32:50 iPlayer Downloader[345] *** -[NSCFArray objectAtIndex:]: index (1) beyond bounds (1)

Naturally, I have repeatedly trashed and reinstalled. Any hints much appreciated. The only thing may have screwed was the proxy settings, but they are the same in both cases now – blank!

RJ: sorry about this. It’s a weird bug, one that’s hard for me to replicate. We *think* it’s something to do with Ruby on OSX, and how some other applications you may have installed might have changed the Ruby or terminal environment. Unless we literally did debugging (with a proper console and everything) on every mac that displays the problem, it’s unlikely to help.

However! Despair not my little chums. For we are on to a new release in the next couple of weeks. One that uses a new implementation method for the script which (seems) a lot more stable. We’ll probably be forwarding it out t those lovely people that have donated as a thank-you (and as free beta-testing ) soonish.
The only issue there is what features we want to lock in and go for release and which ones aren’t ready for prime-time and get to fester on my hard-drive for a wee bit longer…

Ian: No idea mate, that’s the BBC. We download the file they put up. It’s a perfect copy of what they provide, so if you’ve downloaded it, and you can play it, that’s our part in the enterprise done.
I’d say send an e-mail to the BBC but I’d caution you to not mention you’re using an unofficial client to download their content. They might not like that

I think the problem is that the iPhone versions of the programmes have not been posted to the site – I think if you try the iPlayer site on an iPhone/iPod Touch you wont find the programmes … I think this has happened before … Presumably when the BBC operations people notice they will give things a kick and it will sort itself out.

installed it and just getting error message all the time sayimg the requested programme could not be downloaded

not really a good start

yes im in the UK and yes i can access iplayer normally and watch stuff normally

looks like theyve updated iplayer

looking forward to our sacred access being restored!

Nothing downloading here too since this morning. Programmes that are available via iPhone are not downloading via iplayer downloader.

I can confirm, less and less programmes are now working, I think the beeb are getting on top of this…

Beeb Downloader doesn’t work either.

Not really, I’m assuming that the BBC have changed something specific to either stop apps running like this or they have changed it for a technological reason. Either way, it doesn’t work at all at the mo

Same problem here too. Has been working fine for months and now nothing downloads but I can still watch streamed programs fine. Beeb must have changed something.

“We will have an update ready in the next few days, should be out before the weekend. Those of you have donated will receive a notification email
Lawrence Dudley added this comment on Mar 18 09 at 7:03 pm”

It’s now “before the weekend” but no update yet!

iPlayer Grabber was indeed updated a few days ago, but it doesn’t work that reliably.

Many downloads time-out early and there also appears to be a problem with the download application interpreting the correct length of a programme – i.e. iPlayer Grabber incorrectly assumes that it has downloaded 100 percent of a show when only a small percentage has actually been saved to disk.

Perhaps Mr Dudley is investing more time in testing the reliability of his application before releasing it to the general public…

To those of you winging and bitching: We provide this app for free. We don’t owe you anything, whatsoever. If you want to winge and bitch then feel free to do so elsewhere.

We’ve run into one or two complications with radio programs (TV is fine) and we’re working on fixing those.

Other than that we’ve both had a lot on over the last few days, both work-wise and socially and this is a FREE TIME project for us, which means we work on it when we genuinely have nothing else to do.

Phalanges – yes, it’s a front end to an open source CLI script. But the CLI approach is ugly and clumsy, and most mac users like things to “just work” which CLI apps don’t generally do. If you want to be a little bitch then you’re more than welcome to write your own version Grow up dude!

Smook – yes, as you said, this app has a lot of users (far more than we’d ever anticipated) and we need to test thoroughly before releasing. The results of releasing in a hurry are being inundated with mail by people saying they’re having issues and we don’t want that to happen.

Everyone who’s donated to the app – thank you very very much, it’s appreciated. As I have already stated, we are working on it, it’s just proven to be a little more difficult than we expected as we have shifted to a new code base which will prove much more reliable in the future, not to mention being faster as well

ignore phalanges. you are doing a great and very appreciated job. good luck with he update and please let us know just as soon as you are ready to release your product, for free, to us lot who just sit around waiting for good things to fall off the intertree. atb,j.

Very clever comments jfd and especially John Davies. I hope you don’t mind paying this then:

Every household to pay £20 internet piracy tax as Government announces ‘broadband for all’ plan ( http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1131304/Every-household-pay-20-internet-piracy-tax-Government-announces-broadband-plan.html )

Lawrence

No whinges from me. I think you have done a terrific job on this. As you say Mac Users (and I like to think I am pretty tech savvy) just like things to work. I don’t want to be fiddling around with CLI. Its a real drag that the Beeb chose this last week to mess it up. Been away for a week and got back to find I couldn’t download the radio programmes I wanted and some of them will be out of iPlayer today. Had to resort to recording the stream for one of them – how quaint is that?

I am guilty of not having donated yet – but I will rectify that over the weekend. I have paid good money for software in the past which has been nothing like as useful as this.

Keep up the good work and ignore the moaners.

phalanges, as you have revealed your information source to be the Daily Mail, now I know I can ignore you with impunity.

Lawrence, as a long-time programmer, I know how frustrating and time consuming it can be, even getting GUIs to work out. as i said – good luck, we’re rooting for you man. j/

New release is out. Enjoy! New beta with the improved download engine will be out to donaters in the next week – we’ve stuck with the old, slower and less reliable engine to get this release out asap.

Hi guys, I still can’t get this version to download any radio mp3’s. Any clues as to why?

Math, Go into ‘Categories’, then ‘Comedy’, then ‘Radio Only’. Try Eddie Izzard, or Al Read, or ‘Knowing Me Knowing You’, or Kutski’s Radio 1 show wherever that is I forget now. All fail

I have noticed with a few programmes that IPD seems to be downloading OK and apparently finishes the download – but the downloaded file is only relatively small and incomplete. The latest to show this behaviour is “Lark Rise to Candleford – Episode 12.” Anyone have the explanation for this?

Thanks and donated.

I’m trying to get it working with a proxy. I know the proxy works (I can watch, via the proxy, using a browser), but I can’t seem to give the Downloader the right “proxy settings” to get it to use the proxy. (Alternatively, it’s simply not working on television programs at all but I figure that would have caused a larger uproar).

Is anyone successfully using this program with a UK-based-proxy and can help me out?

I’ve tried:

* aaa.bbb.ccc.ddd:port
* http://aaa.bbb.ccc.ddd:port
* http://aaa.bbb.ccc.ddd:port/

None of which worked.

Very little is working again………

I too cannot now find any radio programmes that will download. I could download radio last week.

I am running 3.1 on one computer and have updated to 3.2 on a second. As a test I chose several programmes at random and got “the requested progamme could not be downloaded” for each one on both computers. In all cases the programmes played ok on iPlayer itself.

Thanks for the app it has been great up til now.

The last 2 programs I downloaded this week (30 Mar 09) won’t play. I get an unrecognised format error message with QT, VLC and MPlayer all Mac apps. I am using the latest version 3.2.

Hi Guys,

Found you’re software from British mac and I love it! For about a month I transcoded the files thinking they wouldn’t work on iphone, but they do!!!!! WOW

I just love this bit of software and wondered if I can use it anywhere else in the world to download or is it just the UK?????

Now CHannel4OD has switched to MAC will you be busy making this so too???

How much should I give you???

Iain

Forget my last comment. I thought wrongly that I was using the latest version of iPlayer Downloader but I wasn’t. Switched to 3.2 and all working fine. Apologies!

Hello, thanks for the wonderful application. I wanted to report a application crash when you have iplayer open (not necessarily downloading) and then after insterting an Audio CD, opening itunes and then from the Advanced Menu select ‘Get CD Track Names’.

Once the track names for your CD are found, iplayer always crashes. Only at this point, I can simply start it again and it runs no problems.

Using iplayer 3.2, Mac OS X 10.5.6 and itunes 8.1 (50).

Just thought you might like to know.

We’re working on some updates. To Jeremy, the proxy input box takes a proxy. The standard way of expressing a proxy is ip:port. So if your proky ip is 192.168.0.1 and the port is 8080, you’d input 192.168.0.1:8080. Hope that helps.

Hi
First of all let me say that this is an awesome product, well done. I am outside the UK a lot of the time, and so I often connect in via a UK VPN which allows me to use your software to access iplayer. However speed is then a problem, so I would like to start the download while connected to the VPN, then disconnect the VPN to make use of the fast connection I have locally. Is there any way I can do this? At the moment it just stops downloading and crashes when I do this. If I change the VPN to not ’send all traffic via vpn’ then I am using my local ip address and can’t even start the download.
Any help would be really appreciated.
Thanks

Hi all, I’m trying to get some of Radio1s big weekend.. is anyone having any luck?

arggghhhh!!! it won’t do the Apprentice either!!!!! – my world is less shiny!!! lol

I’m unable to download about half the shows I try this week.

Thank you for the new version. Unfortunately, my downloading problems remain unchanged with the new version. I too have tried without success to download the latest Ashes to Ashes, which aired on Monday. But a bunch of other shows also refuse to download as well – still about half of them.

ATA – Episode 7 is not available for any streaming so not an issue with this piece of software.

However, latest version does seem to stop and start – downloading Michael McIntyre’s show and have had to restart the download three times.

It’s the same for other shows with latest version (3.3)

…other than that – it’s great!

Really looking forward to the hi-res FLV/VLC version … keep up the good work !

Yes, it does work for radio – intermittently for me.

I’m a fan of Radio 3’s Late Junction but don’t seem to be able to download all of the programmes I want. This morning I downloaded last night’s and Wednesdays editions but when I attempted Tuesday’s I get as far as the download window, get an alert sound but get no further. Same thing happened last week. Maybe there is a limit set on the BBC server?