Thread: get_iplayer
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Posts: 560 | Thanked: 422 times | Joined on Mar 2011
#7
Version 2.80 was released recently. It is not in the repositories. However, I have found that manually installing the script is more effective and makes it easier to use and less likely to accidentally fill up /root with a programme.

These instructions are based on the OP and contain minimal commands in the console (X Terminal). There are a few 1 line instructions but no dialogue is required (i.e. no long commands/scripts or answering questions). I've tried to steer away from using the console as much as possible to ensure even the wary user can access higher quality iplayer content than can be streamed.
Although get_iplayer is normally operated from the console, if you don't want to use the terminal to "get_iplayer", there is a simple user interface - just search these fora once you've got this running below.

The following assumes these are installed: filebox and fapman (Faster Application Manager); root access shouldn't be required but filebox might use rootsh for some procedures so if these don't work without rootsh, then install it as well.
  1. Install the required libraries with fapman by pressing the C button (categories) at the bottom and selecting "All (Advanced)". Select
    • libwww-perl (get_iplayer is written in perl),
    • rtmpdump (instructions for getting the streams),
    • ffmpeg (converts items to mp4 or aac format),
    • KMPlayer (plays items that stock player won't)
  2. Go to ftp://ftp.infradead.org/pub/get_iplayer/ and download the most recent version. It should be a tar.gz file.
  3. Open filebox and double tap on the item and the contents will be listed.
  4. Extract the file to /home/user; the files are all in a sub-folder.
  5. The folder "get_iplayer-x.xx" should now exist in /home/user, where x.xx is the current version number. I would suggest renaming the folder simply get_iplayer. If you want to tidy up, stick the tar.gz file into this folder.
  6. In filebox, navigate to /bin.
  7. Press top right (tools) button > Press "Create new symlink" button.
  8. Using the symlink navigator, point the symlink to the file
    /home/user/get_iplayer/get_iplayer. This makes an execuable command from any directory simply by typing "get_iplayer" in the console, without the need to precede it with ./ or "perl ".
  9. Test this by typing "get_iplayer -h" in the console. get_iplayer's help-text will be displayed.
  10. Now, the last job is to define the default folders for each of radio and tv. This can only be done in the console but it's quite clear what's happening and there are no code-words to remember. Enter the following commands on separate lines:
Code:
get_iplayer --outputliveradio /home/user/MyDocs/.sounds/iplayerLiveRadio
get_iplayer --outputlivetv /home/user/.videos/iplayerLiveTV
get_iplayer --outputpodcast /home/user/MyDocs/.sounds/iplayerPodcasts
get_iplayer --outputradio /home/user/MyDocs/.sounds/iplayerRadio
get_iplayer --outputtv /home/user/.videos/iplayerTV
There is also get_iplayer --outputlocalfiles <dir> . Help says "Output directory for localfiles recordings". Not quite sure what it's for though because haven't used it. Perhaps the meta data?
Side note
Browser detection is bad web development but some sites use it instead feature detection, including iplayer and ovi. If you need to look something up on the iplayer website, you'll need to use "Hide User Agent" just type a space ' ' for the user agent. To use Ovi or anything else that needs to know you're actually using your N900 to view the site, set the user agent to
Firefox/3.5 Maemo Browser 1.7.4.8 RX-51 N900

Edit: Dec 2011:
400kbps stream (--mode=flashlow) has been stopped by the BBC. This means that the 500kbps stream (--mode=flashstd) is the only one that can be played on the N900; then only when O/C'd to 850+ and using (K)MPlayer or (apparently) VLC.

...happy viewing!

Last edited by demolition; 2011-12-01 at 22:57.
 

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