I've searched the forum and tried all the various tips and tricks but to no avail

Installed get_iplayer and support progs this afternoon, 31/12/14. It all works but when I go to download it comes up with the programme I'm looking to download, then

INFO: 1 Matching Program

Then a pause of about 6 seconds then;

WARNING: No program versions found

No amount of playing gets past this. I tired PID and URL versions of 'get', same result. I tried the metadata sets, renewing the cache etc. etc. In fact everything on the forum but it just stops at this point. I've also tried a range of television programs and same result. In fact, exactly the same...

I have a UK IP address and have even tried changing this to 'open' and 'encrypted' variants on proxy servers, same result. Firewall is off, exceptions granted, no anti-virus software. I have adminstrator rights.

I'm quite computer savvy and happy in the registry and in command prompt. I've spent about 4 hours on this and it's really annoying me that I can't get it to go!

Any input gratefully accepted.

Regards, Mark

OS - Windows XP Pro, Get_iplayer version unknown (don't know how to ask it) but I installed using the Windows Installer on the site so assume it's the latest...

Hi Mark,
Please can you post the commands that you're using?

When you try to start a download you should see something like this:



That will tell you which version you have.

Hi

Not been on my computer for a couple of days...

Here's the copy of what it looks like. It does this using PID, URL, programme number and every type of method I can see on the forum, as per my original email. I've tried a number of programmes, some with PID's that start 'b0' and none will work...

Thanks, Mark


C:\Program Files\get_iplayer>get_iplayer --pid=p02bhm4w
get_iplayer v2.91, Copyright (C) 2008-2010 Phil Lewis
This program comes with ABSOLUTELY NO WARRANTY; for details use --warranty.
This is free software, and you are welcome to redistribute it under certain
conditions; use --conditions for details.

INFO Trying to stream pid using type tv
INFO: pid found in cache
Matches:
1764: The Wrong Mans: Series 2 - 1. X-Mans/White Mans, BBC Two, Comedy,Sitcoms
, default

INFO: 1 Matching Programmes
WARNING: No programme versions found

C:\Program Files\get_iplayer>

I also forgot to add that the BBC's own download system won't work either, this is why I put get_iplayer onto my computer in the first place. With the BBC version it doesn't do anything at all in Chrome, it just sits there. With Internet Explorer is goes to page starting with the address 'bbc-ipd:downloads/p02bhm4w/sd/standard/(a big long string of numbers and letters)=' but this refuses to load and, again, that's as far as it gets.

I have put the BBC iPlayer Downloads on and updated everything, all to no avail...

Everything streams perfectly well, it's just downloads that won't work.

Cheers, Mark

Mark,
I suspect the BBC, at times, remain unconvinced that you're in The UK... When you say that streaming works, are you referring to TV, and to both iPlayer & get_iplayer?

Cheers.

CS

I haven't tried streaming on get_iplayer. It works via Chrome or Internet Explorer suggesting the BBC site is happy that I'm in the UK?

I can't get the streaming to work in get_iplayer though this could be user ignorance rather than a real problem

I'm using

get_iplayer --stream 1754

I've tried variations of the number with PID, URL etc. but none seem to work. Same result as with the recording option.

I am behind a proxy. It can be encoded or un-encoded. At the moment my IP is 213.5.181.217. My geolocation in Google is Hemingbrough in Yorkshire. I can't 'step out' of the proxy for complex reasons I can't go into (you can probably work it out...) but everything else seems to work bar the get_iplayer and BBC site record functions...

Any more ideas?

Regards, Mark

Hello Mark,

A couple things:

1) I/we don't support/condone the use of VPN/Proxy for the purposes of circumventing the BBC's geolocation restrictions. We don't troubleshoot such circumstances. This policy hasn't been written down formally yet so you weren't to know and haven't made any kind of misstep etc.

2) It is common that the BBC and their CDN providers often have different IP blocking measures in effect. Just because one mode/operation works on the BBC site does not mean that you will have success when attempting to access data delivered by one of the CDN's. This is likely what is happening in your case.

I'll leave this thread open for a few hours if you want to come back with any extra info but it'll be closed thereafter.

SP (Admin)

OK, thank you for the input.

I'm behind an IP Proxy because my work and home are the same place (I live where I work) and therefore I have to share the company network and server with my own use. I run a hotel business and the network is open to guests but has a 'hidden' sub-network for the office/personal computers that can't be accessed by guests, so they can't 'see' our company and personal computers but we can all share an internet connection. For reasons I don't fully understand, but are something to do with avoiding guests downloading illegally from file-sharing sites, I have to use a proxy for my personal stuff. I've asked the IT guy to look into it but he hasn't got much further than saying 'it ought to work'. Fairly usual from computer people, I've discovered...

He has another idea, but it's beyond my technical remit to try to explain what it is. It involved the words 'tunnel' and 'vpn' but I'm not really savvy about these technologies...

There you go. If you can suggest anything, all well and good. If not I'll have to sit and watch the programmes in the office which, whilst not being very comfortable, does mean I can work at the same time...

Cheers, Mark

PS - I'm NOT circumventing anything. I don't even watch much telly. It just annoys me that technology never seems to work properly... And I wish error messages would say something more useful than 'not found' or the functions just don't work at all to avoid many hours of fruitless and wasted labour. A message like 'you can't do this as you're behind a proxy and it will never work' would have saved me many, many hours...

When I say 'a message' I mean from the software, not from your good selves... I re-read that last part and it could be misconstrued as a bit rude. I'm referring to error handling within software. Like Windows saying 'I've just crashed and lost all your work - OK?' and there's never a button saying 'NO IT'S NOT BLOODY OK!'

If the BBC site could say 'We do not support proxy or VPN clients' it would be much more useful. Same, perhaps, with your own software? Perhaps this isn't technically possible but it would be very, very useful.

Well done for the obvious huge amount of work you've done on this project. Shame it can't be made to work for me, but there you go... I'll doubtless crack it on my own in the end. It's a shame it won't work, though, as I'll only end up using illegal means to view the programs, instead of going via the official channels...

Regards, Mark

On the back of this not working, I've already, in the time I've sat waiting for responses to problems, worked out how to download and save YouTube videos and, as much content is illegally posted there, I've got my downloads from that source. Worse quality, for sure, and not by and large legal, but it's a good example of pushing people who would do the right thing to places where they decide to do the wrong thing.

A shame, really, but needs must...

Regards, Mark

You've really already given the answer to you problems you are facing here:

Quote:For reasons I don’t fully understand, but are something to do with avoiding guests downloading illegally from file-sharing sites, I have to use a proxy for my personal stuff. I’ve asked the IT guy to look into it but he hasn’t got much further than saying ‘it ought to work’. Fairly usual from computer people, I’ve discovered…

You have a very non-standard setup, one that is preventing you using the BBC's own download tools, let alone get_iplayer's. Troubleshooting such a scenario is something you'll have to do with your IT people as it's absolutely nothing to do with get_iplayer. There doesn't appear to be anything wrong with get_iplayer from the outputs you've provided, which while it can work through a VPN/Proxy, isn't something that is officially supported.

Just a final point, try not to conflate difficulty in using a legitimate tool to access content caused by your own particular network setup with being 'pushed' to do the wrong thing. From what you have said here your setup is certainly the cause of the problems you are facing so turn your attention inwards or to your IT guy and focus your efforts for a resolution there.

Free free to start up a new thread with any non-VPN/Proxy related issue if you run into further trouble.