Converting Iplayer

[Cuntbeaks]

Is there a way that i can convert the files that i've downloaded using their 'download manager'?

Back in the day it was a straight download, no questions, they seem to have fucked that right off.

[Delete Delete Delete]

Try using Get Iplayer to download stuff, I don't know about converting the bbc downloads though.

[olliebean]

get_iplayer is the best option for downloading. I think youtube-dl will also do the job. The Beeb have buggered the formats though; you can only get HD at 50fps now, which for many programmes is just frame doubled so it's a much larger file for no increase in quality.

[Sebastian Cobb]

get_iplayer is the best way but a bit of a faff. off liberty will do it as well.

[Uncle TechTip]

get_iplayer is the best way but a bit of a faff. off liberty will do it as well.

It's piss, just look up the commands before you start. Out pop the files in m4v or mp3. Couldn't be easier.

[Sebastian Cobb]

I know that! Some people find command line tools daunting.

[Phil_A]

It's piss, just look up the commands before you start. Out pop the files in m4v or mp3. Couldn't be easier.

Or just use the Web PVR Manager, no commands necessary.

[Sebastian Cobb]

That's more of a pain in the arse.

[Cuntbeaks]

Ta much.

This was prompted by wanting to keep the Orbital gig currently on Iplayer.

Sat and watched it on the telly while looking for a way to keep it indefinitely, then they played that fucking Belinda Carlisle segue and my enthusiasm drained somewhat.

Phil Hartnoll's constant sex face and fist pumping was getting on my tits by the end as well.

[Neomod]

I used to use the PVR manager but it's been a bit useless recently so I started using the classic getiplayer with the url command.

Basically, go to the show you want, copy the url, add get_iplayer --url to the front of it and bob's your uncle. Made it much easier to d/l all three series of The Bridge for a re-watch before series 4.

Does the pvr manager even work with the box sets?

[Sebastian Cobb]

i'd add the switch --mode=best

[Malcy]

get_iplayer is the best option for downloading. I think youtube-dl will also do the job. The Beeb have buggered the formats though; you can only get HD at 50fps now, which for many programmes is just frame doubled so it's a much larger file for no increase in quality.

Odd, all my files have been smaller in size but still look the same.

[Sebastian Cobb]

Due to the way most video formats work frame doubling shouldn't add that much to a file.

Chances are they throw whopping great .mxf or pro video master files into a delivery system that creates multiple renditions (dash/hls/mp4 etc) so it's probably using the same profile for the bulk of the content.

[olliebean]

Odd, all my files have been smaller in size but still look the same.

You're probably ending up with the 25fps versions, which until fairly recently get_iplayer defaulted to, but are now only available up to 960x540, i.e. SD - and are therefore smaller files than the previous HD 25fps files. The 50fps HD versions are twice the size that the 25fps HD versions used to be.

[Malcy]

You're probably ending up with the 25fps versions, which until fairly recently get_iplayer defaulted to, but are now only available up to 960x540, i.e. SD - and are therefore smaller files than the previous HD 25fps files. The 50fps HD versions are twice the size that the 25fps HD versions used to be.

Ok cheers. I noticed that an hour's programme used to be 1GB or thereabouts but can now be between 800MB & 1GB if that makes sense.

EastEnders was almost always 500+ but is usually at least 100MB smaller. Still looks HD though. Am I getting SD?

[magval]

Ta much.

This was prompted by wanting to keep the Orbital gig currently on Iplayer.

Sat and watched it on the telly while looking for a way to keep it indefinitely, then they played that fucking Belinda Carlisle segue and my enthusiasm drained somewhat.

Phil Hartnoll's constant sex face and fist pumping was getting on my tits by the end as well.

Exact same viewing experience as me!

[Sebastian Cobb]

You're probably ending up with the 25fps versions, which until fairly recently get_iplayer defaulted to, but are now only available up to 960x540, i.e. SD - and are therefore smaller files than the previous HD 25fps files. The 50fps HD versions are twice the size that the 25fps HD versions used to be.

Yeah my version seemed to still default to SD/25 even when I told it '--modes=best' or '--modes=tvbest' yet forcing it to 50fps seemed to fix it.

Guess it needs an update.

[Malcy]

I really need to sit down and read the instructions properly. I thought i was getting HD automatically but now i'm not sure. I've been trying to download multiple files at once through it as well. Not got that to work at all.

[olliebean]

If no quality options are specified, get_iplayer will default to "best" mode. Prior to the latest (7th May) release, this meant the highest available resolution at 25fps - which used to be 720p, but is now 540p. Because of this, in the latest release this was changed so "best" now looks for the highest available 50fps resolution, which is still usually 720p. This page explains the different modes: https://github.com/get-iplayer/get_iplayer/wiki/modes - but bear in mind it is incorrect for versions prior to 3.14.

I have yet to see a truly 50fps download, though - they're all either frame doubled or interlaced.