BBC iPlayer radio downloads

Posted by: ChrisSU on 15 July 2015

I notice the BBC have just announced that they are about to make many radio programmes available to download. This is welcome news for me, as I can't possibly organise my life around the Beeb's schedule, and this is a step beyond the podcast and OD services they currently offer. The downside is that I imagine the sound quality is unlikely to be very good, although if I'm honest, it isn't really so important for me, as I use it mainly for Radio 4 (spoken word) listening. On the other hand, the first programme to be available for download is the Proms on Radio 3. I don't know what the format will be, but I can't say I'm too optimistic on that front.

 

The inevitable question is, could this functionality be added to Naim gear? Probably not, as obviously, the streamers have no storage. Maybe another one for the Naim Server update wishlist? 

Posted on: 04 August 2015 by Dr Livingstone

Well, I have tried everything to play the new podcasts on the iplayer through my unitilite. I've had no success. These podcasts don't sit within the podcasts area of the Naim app.  They seem only to reside in the iplayer app. 

 

If anyone has a suggestion as to how to route this either through the Naim app or my ipad, I'd be very grateful. There are some great Proms I want to listen to. 

Posted on: 04 August 2015 by ChrisSU

If you have an Apple Airport Express, or an Apple TV, you can connect this to a digital input on your Uniti with an optical cable. This will enable you to play from any Airplay enabled device to the Uniti, so you could store the downloads on your iPad and play them like this. Sound quality won't be amazing, but it works.

 

If you don't have an Airport Express, it's easy to pick up the old style ones second hand for not a lot of money.

Posted on: 05 August 2015 by magicaxeman

SQ is generally 128 kbps at best.

Posted on: 06 August 2015 by Stephen Pritchard

Interesting ... I have listened to a couple Radio 4X downloads this week on my 'Qutes - very enjoyable too (Parts 1 & 2 of the Harry Lime stories with Olson Wells).

 

I assume the radio outage means that I cant listen to the cricket this week ...

Posted on: 11 August 2015 by Andrew Lea

So I splashed out and bought an Apple TV for this purpose. It will play the Radio 3 downloads from the iplayer app after some coaxing but to my ears the sound quality isn't as good as a direct connection from an iPad through the USB interface on my Uniti2. Also it is prone to unexplained dropouts some of which last indefinitely until the iPad is rebooted. 

 

I have three questions for those of you who use the Apple TV routinely. First is it best to use a wired network connection from the Apple TV to the router? Second is it possibile using a Toslink to bypass the TV screen completely? At present if I turn off my TV everything stops even thought the Apple TV audio is connected directly to the Naim via an optical cable.  Third should the Bluetooth connection be off or on? Bluetooth seems to be prejudicial to sound quality and the source of frequent transient dropouts. 

 

Any tips from experienced users would be much appreciated. 

Posted on: 11 August 2015 by ChrisSU
Originally Posted by Andrew Lea:

       

So I splashed out and bought an Apple TV for this purpose. It will play the Radio 3 downloads from the iplayer app after some coaxing but to my ears the sound quality isn't as good as a direct connection from an iPad through the USB interface on my Uniti2. Also it is prone to unexplained dropouts some of which last indefinitely until the iPad is rebooted. 

 

I have three questions for those of you who use the Apple TV routinely. First is it best to use a wired network connection from the Apple TV to the router? Second is it possibile using a Toslink to bypass the TV screen completely? At present if I turn off my TV everything stops even thought the Apple TV audio is connected directly to the Naim via an optical cable.  Third should the Bluetooth connection be off or on? Bluetooth seems to be prejudicial to sound quality and the source of frequent transient dropouts. 

 

Any tips from experienced users would be much appreciated. 


       
Andrew, I would definitely use a wired connection if you can, preferably via a switch rather than direct to your ISP router. The Toslink cable, yes, try it direct from ATV to Uniti if you can. Disable Bluetooth. (With it enabled, was the iPlayer stream playing over Bluetooth rather than ATV/optical, this may not help with sound quality?) Hope that helps.

Chris