BBC iPlayer and youtube-dl

JonathanS
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BBC iPlayer and youtube-dl

Fri Aug 14, 2020 9:23 am

I've been a user of Hideaway for around a year and have generally found it excellent and fast. I mainly use it to watch BBC iPlayer and download iPlayer programmes using youtube-dl (which is run from the command prompt).

I bought a Hideaway licence on 28 July. After one day of it working as expected (and as it's worked since the first beta I used), it's been a very frustrating experience.

I've now downloaded the 4.11.4 version (linked from the forum) and it works fine with 'Watch BBC iPlayer'. However, I can't download using youtube-dl. I used to use the option of 'Redirect:All Computer', but that IP is now blocked by the BBC so this no longer works.

So three questions:

1) Is there any chance that 'Redirect:All Computer' will eventually get allocated a new IP that isn't blocked for iPlayer?

2) In the forum about 'BBC iPlayer and ITV is blocked', you mention:
'We are redirecting the iPlayer downloads too now, so they should work.'
Is this a specific program for downloading? One that doesn't include youtube-dl?

3) Will it be possible to use 'Watch BBC iPlayer' to allow youtube-dl to download BBC iPlayer once the custom rule UI is ready? If so, is there a work-round so that a custom rule can be applied manually in the meantime?

Many thanks
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nick.bolton
The Big Cheese
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Re: BBC iPlayer and youtube-dl

Fri Aug 14, 2020 9:41 am

Hi there

1. The problem with finding or changing an IP address for a server is pretty difficult and it's cat and mouse. I'll ask the developers about what we can do in this situation.
2. BBC iPlayer has it's own download program, I'm surprised they let you use anything else. Or I guess youtube-dl hacks around being able to do it.
3. You'll be able to create a custom rule for youtube-dl, I actually looked it up - used it before, really good program. You can't apply a custom rule in the meantime as the UI doesn't allow it.

We'll try and sort point 1.
JonathanS
Mystified Moa
Posts: 5
Joined: Mon Aug 03, 2020 7:44 am

Re: BBC iPlayer and youtube-dl

Fri Aug 14, 2020 11:05 am

Hi Nick

Thanks for the quick reply.

Just a couple of follow-ups:

1) I seem to recall that in the past, 'Watch BBC iPlayer' redirected any accesses to BBC iPlayer from the command prompt. This meant that youtube-dl would work - though it was never seemed as fast as a 'Redirect:All Computer' so I didn't use it and didn't notice when it no longer worked. Shouldn't 'Watch BBC iPlayer' redirect all iPlayer accesses? Or is it for some reason assumed that only browsers will access iPlayer? If that's a possible quick fix when a new version is issued, I'd appreciate it, especially as it shouldn't affect any current use via the browsers.

2) Any idea when the new custom rule UI will be ready? I appreciate you don't want to commit to a specific date, but are we talking weeks or months?

Many thanks
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nick.bolton
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Re: BBC iPlayer and youtube-dl

Fri Aug 14, 2020 11:41 am

I'll give every one with the iPlayer problem another month, or how ever long it takes to get this resolved - I'll get everyone to PM me with their license once we sort this out.

1. With the 'Watch BBC iPlayer' we only redirect the parts we need to make it work and they get redirected to residential IP addresses in the UK(but our residential IP provider has been having issues as we know), so these are other people's IP addresses in the UK, and they're never going to be as fast as a server in a data center. We can certainly add in youtube-dl.exe to that 'Watch BBC iPlayer' rule. We do it for the official iPlayer download which is bbciplayerdownload.exe

2. We're working on it at the moment, just have one more update to make which should speed things/internet up more.
JonathanS
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Posts: 5
Joined: Mon Aug 03, 2020 7:44 am

Re: BBC iPlayer and youtube-dl

Fri Aug 14, 2020 2:22 pm

Hi Nick

Thanks for that.

JonathanS
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poundgirl
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Re: BBC iPlayer and youtube-dl

Fri Aug 14, 2020 5:03 pm

I always use get_iplayer to record from the BBC as the downloads don't expire but it only works with All Computer :(

Nick I hope you can add that into the Watch BBC iPlayer rule too!
Lord, help me to be the kind of person my dog thinks I am.
And if there are no dogs in Heaven, then when I die I want to go where they went!
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nick.bolton
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Re: BBC iPlayer and youtube-dl

Fri Aug 14, 2020 5:08 pm

We can add the exe to the 'Watch BBC iPlayer' rule. Is is

Code: Select all

get-iplayer.exe
?
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poundgirl
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Re: BBC iPlayer and youtube-dl

Fri Aug 14, 2020 5:11 pm

Thanks Nick,

The latest release is get_iplayer-3.26.0-windows-x64-setup.exe
Lord, help me to be the kind of person my dog thinks I am.
And if there are no dogs in Heaven, then when I die I want to go where they went!
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nick.bolton
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Re: BBC iPlayer and youtube-dl

Fri Aug 14, 2020 5:15 pm

When you go to Task Manager>>Details, what's the name of the exe running there?
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poundgirl
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Re: BBC iPlayer and youtube-dl

Fri Aug 14, 2020 5:25 pm

I can't see it there!

I directed All Computer to London and started the program but it won't download now so maybe that's why?\

It says Access to this resource was blocked by the BBC
Lord, help me to be the kind of person my dog thinks I am.
And if there are no dogs in Heaven, then when I die I want to go where they went!
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nick.bolton
The Big Cheese
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Re: BBC iPlayer and youtube-dl

Fri Aug 14, 2020 5:31 pm

Ok, it runs perl.exe which runs get_iplayer.pl
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poundgirl
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Re: BBC iPlayer and youtube-dl

Fri Aug 14, 2020 5:36 pm

OK ... way over my head! :?:

The program runs sort of like Command Prompt is all I know :D
Lord, help me to be the kind of person my dog thinks I am.
And if there are no dogs in Heaven, then when I die I want to go where they went!

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