BBC Radio HD Streams outside the UK

Thanks. I suspected as much. 

You might get it with a VPN?

I can access the HLS streams when in Ireland/Eire using a DNS Proxy service https://www.smartdnsproxy.com, just set the DNS address on the Naim unit manually.

Although I never paid a TV licence when I was in the UK anyway!

VPN on a UK server (UK IP address) should work.

I can confirm a U.K. VPN allowed the BBC World Cup TV streams to be seen outside the UK this summer... obviously this was for a friend of course....... so that should work for HLS streams. It has nothing to do with DNS.... it’s client address geolocation instead.. so you need to use a proxy (VPN concentrator) with a UK located client address.. which will effectively become your U.K. VPN proxy address. Many companies offer this service.

The only issue with a VPN is that you can’t run one on a Naim streamer! I believe it’s possible to run them on certain routers, but obviously not ISP supplied ones. Maybe easier to run the VPN on a computer or phone that can be connected to the streamer. 

ChrisSU posted:

The only issue with a VPN is that you can’t run one on a Naim streamer! I believe it’s possible to run them on certain routers, but obviously not ISP supplied ones. Maybe easier to run the VPN on a computer or phone that can be connected to the streamer. 

Chris, I believe some ISP provided routers provide VPNs, especially their small business models, as obviously many organisation don’t allow remote connections on the internet into their enterprise other than via a VPN for security reasons

Simon-in-Suffolk posted:

ChrisSU posted:

The only issue with a VPN is that you can’t run one on a Naim streamer! I believe it’s possible to run them on certain routers, but obviously not ISP supplied ones. Maybe easier to run the VPN on a computer or phone that can be connected to the streamer. 

Chris, I believe some ISP provided routers provide VPNs, especially their small business models, as obviously many organisation don’t allow remote connections on the internet into their enterprise other than via a VPN for security reasons

Hi Simon, I’m guessing the average consumer router can’t do this, but who knows? I just happened to notice that the VPN I’ve been using claims it can run on certain routers, and lists a few models that will do this. Easier for the OP, I guess, if the HLS stream can be run on a computer and just run the VPN on that. 

I solve this with Minimserver on a virtual machine and a VPN providing a UK IP address. I point Roon, Sonos and TuneIn on iOS devices to Minimserver. I should also say the Minimserver forum is very helpful.

The next task is to figure out a way of getting it to work with HomePod.

 Two observations if you are thinking of setting this up:

1. The BBC publishes a list of URLs here:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio/imda/imda_transports.xml

The BBC uses a couple of CDNs (Limelite [llnw] Networks and Akamai [ak]) to host the streams.

Here's a couple of examples:

This is an example of a high quality DASH stream for Radio 4 provided by Limelite Networks for UK and non UK streams.

http://a.files.bbci.co.uk/media/live/manifesto/audio/simulcast/dash/uk/dash_full/llnw/bbc_radio_fourfm.mpd

And now a low quality DASH stream provided by Akamai, which is available to people outside the UK. Unfortunately there's no such thing as a nonuk/dash_full stream.

http://a.files.bbci.co.uk/media/live/manifesto/audio/simulcast/dash/nonuk/dash_low/ak/bbc_radio_fourfm.mpd

I've found that the Limelite Networks links work best for me in Switzerland. Test which works best for you. It's worth the effort.

2. The BBC offer HLS and DASH encoded streams. I find the DASH streams to be little better quality.

I use Minimserver route but cannot get in Jersey directly even as a license payer. BBC, surely some refund on my license fee is appropriate here.....

Crispy posted:

I use Minimserver route but cannot get in Jersey directly even as a license payer. BBC, surely some refund on my license fee is appropriate here.....

Hi Crispy. Also in Jersey but working fine via Minimserver. 

R.K posted:

Crispy posted:

I use Minimserver route but cannot get in Jersey directly even as a license payer. BBC, surely some refund on my license fee is appropriate here.....

Hi Crispy. Also in Jersey but working fine via Minimserver. 

Just to clarify my poor explanation earlier. I cannot get direct through the player as you can on mainland UK. I can get through Minimserver without VPN. 

Crispy posted:

R.K posted:

Crispy posted:

I use Minimserver route but cannot get in Jersey directly even as a license payer. BBC, surely some refund on my license fee is appropriate here.....

Hi Crispy. Also in Jersey but working fine via Minimserver. 

Just to clarify my poor explanation earlier. I cannot get direct through the player as you can on mainland UK. I can get through Minimserver without VPN. 

Yup. Same. 

Good morning Crispy

Works by adding direct URL to your vTuner MAC address (from radio input settings in Naim app) in 

naim.vtuner.com

http://a.files.bbci.co.uk/media/live/manifesto/audio/simulcast/hls/uk/sbr_high/ak/bbc_radio_three.m3u8

R.K posted:

Good morning Crispy

Works by adding direct URL to your vTuner MAC address (from radio input settings in Naim app) in 

naim.vtuner.com

http://a.files.bbci.co.uk/media/live/manifesto/audio/simulcast/hls/uk/sbr_high/ak/bbc_radio_three.m3u8

I tried it in vTuner added stations. Coped and pasted the url into Add Another Station. You have to say if its mp3,wav,org etc. 

but it doesn’t play. Can you give a more complete explanation to help others?

Thanks for posting the picture. 

Is this url complete?

http://a.files.bbci.co.uk/medi...audio/simulcast/hls/

uk/sbr_high/ak/bbc_radio_three.m3u8

The forum had shortened your url that you had posted, so half of the url was missing....

Cheers for your help!

I use a Pure IPod dock to extract a digital stream from an IPad running SaferVPN, via  TuninRadio into the digital input of the ND555.

Don’t think that dock is available any more, and I haven’t found an alternative.

David, I use SmartProxyDNS to connect to the HLS streams. There is an annual cost, but it also works for BBC iPlayer & a number of US TV channels as well.

You just use a different DNS address in the device configuration, such as the Naim Network player, iPad, AppleTV etc.

On the Naim device, you then configure the HD channel in your own stations on vTuner, then add then to Favorites, of course it can also be done in Roon, on your Roon Core, in Internet Stations.

Drop me a line and I can send you some links.

Simon