I have just started using get_iplayer and am finding some files get downloaded twice, once with default in the name and once with original.  Both files are called partial downloads and are saved as .flv and both have --timout 10 appended to the name.  If I remove the --timeout 10 from the name and save as .flv, VLC will play them and they are complete.

Is this behaviour due to a genuine timeout at the end of the download?  Is there a way to increase the timeout so that the download completes gracefully and converts the file to mp4?

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OK, I found the answer in a previous post, no trailing slash required in the output folder string - I only put this in because it was shown that way in the manual!

Where do you see that in the manual?

In the examples.

Record programme number 123 and save in '/home/user/tv-files/':
get_iplayer --get 123 --output "/home/user/tv-files/"

As in the thread you referenced, your problem was caused by an errant backslash, not forward slash.