Using Tor with get_iplayer

As get_iplayer downloads the BBC programming using Tor to connect to the BBC servers will alleviate the buffering problems that streaming the content directly from the iPlayer site would have if you attempted to use Tor.

The trick here is to configure get_iplayer to use a proxy that you have configured using Vidalia Tor.

I cover this topic in greater detail on my website tempusfugit.ca

Why Powerline Netorking has problems

Whilst powerline networking is a great idea, the reason that it is flawed and not reliable for streaming video over a home networking is nothing to do with noise. The reason is that the current protocol under Windows 7 does not work consistently.

When you configure a powerline network you will find that it will work just fine for a while but will exhibit problems in recognizing the shared resources when you want to use it. This "connectivity" can sometimes be restored by running the Windows 7 Homegroup troubleshooter, but not always.

When the connections are made, in a relatively noise-free environment, the streaming speeds are adequate for HD video distribution. As such it is very easy to demonstrate that this is a viable solution and the use of lightning-surge protector filters actually helps to make this possible. However, this is NOT what the issue is with Home Group Networking and Power Line Networking.

Hardware vs. Protocol:

I have both Netgear and Western Digital powerline adapters. Both these exhibit the same behaviour with respect to the inconsistencies of making Home Group Shares. It is my opinion that the reason that the shares do not appear without having to run the troubleshooter is that there is a fundamental flaw in the HomeGroup protocol and specification with respect to the hardware that is currently available.

This may be fixed with newer releases of Windows (and other operating systems) and the revision of the networking specifications and protocol. However, at the present time IT DOES NOT WORK!

Links:

• Home Group Networking inconsistencies.
• The SureStreamer solution

Downloading from YouTube

Using the Python YouTube downloader script by Ricardo Garcia Gonzales.

Making a search for "youtube-dl" you will be able to find a place to download the script. You will also need to download a Python interpreter for your operating system. I use Python 2.7 for Windows quite successfully with the Gonzales script.

Since I was on the download page there seem to be a few more enhancements that have been made to the script and there are far more command line options than I remember the first time of using it. It is quite probable that I can do what I am describing here by using those options but this is what works for me. I basically copy and paste the YouTube URL into a DOS command line window and then rename the resulting download so that it no longer has a cryptic name based on the YouTube URL.

For example,  can see that there is a filename option for the output file (I presume) and there are other "playlist" and batch options. Similarly, there are other options for Video and Audio formats. I use VLC to play back the download so a conversion into a format other than the default .flv does not present a problem for me.

Links:

• My previous post on the YouTube downloader script - some pictures and more how-to here
• The Git-Hub developers page for the downloader - shows all the command line options and even a way to make an executable that runs under Linux.
• Python 2.7 for Windows

stream-recorder.com

My thoughts on the stream-recorder.com website and forum.

My major concern with this forum is that Adult streaming video seems to be an important feature.

Whereas I do not have a problem with porn, I am not a prude or religious zealot, I think that this does not really add much to the discussion about streaming video.

I have an on-going development project in this area and I am looking for ways to use RTMP and the associated libraries to download on a general basis from web resources. I am not looking for a method of capturing a communication with an on-line webcam provider.

The useage of the RTMP/FLVStreamer module by get-iplayer.pl

This is part of my investigatory work with get_iplayer.

Links related to get_iplayer on this blog:

• Main Page  for get_iplayer
• The development on my website 
• iplayer hd downloads get_iplayer - Chester, 16 July 2012

Using the RTMP library

This is part of a continuing study of the RTMP library of functions used for the distribution of streamed media over the Internet.

• get_iplayer development on tempusfugit.ca
• The useage of the RTMP/FLVStreamer module by get-iplayer.pl

get_iplayer development on tempusfugit.ca

I used to feature a lot of pages related to this topic on my website, these are in the process of being re-posted on this blog. Seeing as the website tempusfugit.ca is not currently on-line (it may stage a comeback in the future) the content that was there is to be placed on this blog so that I can determine the interest in the subject.

• The main post on this blog on get_iplayer

Topics covered were my useage of get_iplayer.exe, the reasons for my finding and using it and the possible involvement in future developments.

I use get_iplayer on a daily basis along with a VPN that is based in the UK. I use to download BBC TV in Canada.

Links to posts relating to Streaming Media:

• Using the RTMP library

RTMPDump

The RTMPDump resource page cites many projects that use the RTMP "libraries", programs or technologies.

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Some links on this blog relating to the use of RTMPDump:

• The RTMPDump resource page on MPlayer.hu
• The MPlayer home page

The Dichotomy of HD and Media Availability

This is similar to the dichotomy related to the advent of MP3 (compressed audio) and High Fidelity.

In this case the fact that there is now a lot of HD material available has resulted in the availability of a lot of so-called HD program material. I say "so-called" as the quality is often pretty "low definition" and the name seems to be just a transference of the name of the source material.

Many are now capturing the media that they are subscribing to. This could be in the form of that recorded on PVRs or even direct capture from Cable, ADSL and Satellite services. In any case there is a wealth of material that is now available for download from torrent sites such as TPB and IsoHunt.

The dichotomy is that although subscribers are capable of viewing this material in true HD having purchased equipment capable of this. The providers and producers of this material are more interested than ever in protecting it. The consumers of this material seem to be content with the low quality so much for it being HD!

• The Dichotomy of audio compression 

Why Set-Top boxes are things of the past

..because they are really old technology.

A log time on the past I used to work in the cable TV industry. One of the product that the company that I worked for manufactured and installed set-top boxes. These were mainly for premium pay-tv programming (porn mostly) for the North American hotel industry. This was a long time ago and before digital.

My job was working on TV satellite receivers and the programming was protected by digital encryption of what was essentially analog TV signals. Again, old technology. The subscriber model for this required viewers to have a set-top terminal with a "smart card" that would allow them access to the premium programming, HBO, Showtime and of course the Playboy Channel. The was a big indsutry that sprang up with those that provided means to circumvent these restrictions. A lot of this was Canadians wanting to access US TV programming as Canada was way behind in providing this.

Today, 2012, a lot of the program material is capable of being transmitted over IP. TV's going forward will have computers built into them. Many already have. This could be disguised as something else and the TVs may be called "Smart TVs" the main characteristic of these devices is a "10 foot GUI" (or in other words a method of controlling them from your armchair - a big clunky Graphical User Interface - this is mainly because TV viewers have no concept of files and directories)

Has YouView missed the boat?

I know that this is a UK based service, but I can do all this already from here in Canada!

The debate whether a new TV will have a broadband connection built-in seems to be beside the point. I guess it could be that I am a teenager and I can find anything I what on-line already.   

I also do not believe the promise of the availability of a "backlog" of previously broadcast material.

Having a single service that combines iPlayer, ITV Player, 4OD etc does not really add anything if you can access all of these services in any case. I think that most people can if they want to now, those that are located in the UK at least. Those that can't will find YouView too complicated.

• The YouView website 
• Lord Sugar's YouView loses set-top box supplier - Juliette Garside and Mark Sweney, guardian.co.uk, Friday 13 May 2011 - Maybe he can put Ricky Martin on the job? 
• Why Set-Top boxes are things of the past.                      

Video Capture Software recommendations

I don't currently have a requirement for a piece if software that performs this function (to my satisfaction) but I am looking for a recommendation or a positive review for such a program.

Most of the media that I consume is downloaded from the Internet or it is streamed in real-time. I do not have a cable or antenna feed for any of our TVs. I seldom watch DVDs and only own a single BD (actually a boxed set of Blade Runner). Even then I have worked out methods to transfer them to a hard drive and the material is watched from there via a Media Server.

What I am looking for is a way to capture some of the media that I am current watching from networks that I have yet to work out a method of download. I am not interested in uploading this material but as there is such a proliferation of media that is available for download I can only presume that there is software out there that those that do upload to torrents and P2P are using to capture that program material.

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Honour amongst thieves

Due to this concept I am loath to download any programs that I have found reviewed on the Internet..

• Honor Among Thieves on WikiP

CPU usage when running Handbrake

Video conversion is one of processes that takes a lot of processor power. Along with gaming this is where a fast, multi-core processor can be invaluable.

The 6 core AMD 1055T, shown above, gives a pretty good performance level to make conversions at a reasonable speed. For example a 45 minute TV episode will take approximately 3 mins to convert to an iPad format whereas it takes over 30 mins on a Dual Core Notebook.

While the two machines I did this comparison with represent pretty much opposite ends of the performance spectrum for speed it emphasizes the need for a reasonably powered CPU when you wish to make video conversions.

Advertising - a dirty word

There used to be a time when "Advertising" was a dirty word.

I think that I got this quote from the BBC Two program on the 70s

The activities of advertisers was seen as being crass North Americanism.

• A Short History of British Television advertising
• A review from the Telegraph - I like comment about the Archers
• Comments on Social Networking on The Technology Muse

get_iplayer

get_iplayer.exe is a separate downloading program (from the BBC iPlayer download facility) and can be used to download  BBC TV and Radio, DRM free and not time limited.

Since Po-Ru`s ipdl.exe broke late in 2010 I have been using a variation of Phil Lewis's get_iplayer.exe for BBC TV and radio (a fork by David Woodhouse, infradead.org) .

It was thought that ipdl broke due to  the changes that the BBC instituted to make iPlayer compatible with Apple's iOS4, a full account can be found on Po-Ru`s blog.

I have found a few "work-arounds" as even get_iplayer has been broken over this time period. The version that I have working uses a different version of the FLVstreamer module.

The get_iplayer package is an extremely complex and competent suite of Perl scripting using the RTMP library.

Other pages relating to get_iplayer and the RTMP library:

• RTMP and RTMPdump - Freeware console application for downloading RTMP and RTMPE streams
• get_iplayer development on tempusfugit.ca
• Downloading 4OD and Channel 5 using RTMPDump. 

I use get_iplayer to build my archive of BBC programming. get_iplayer is a very competent Perl script that has many options. get_iplayer can be used as a command line program and there is a GUI PVR version of get_iplayer, that runs get_iplayer in a scheduled mode.

Some more links:

• How-to configure and use get_iplayer on a Windows computer
• Linux pages on this blog and the development of get_iplayer  
• All about the RTMP libraries - RTMPDump etc. 
• All pages relating to iPlayer on The Technology Muse
• get_iplayer lives! - The Infradread Website

Asus EeeBox PC EB1021

This Asus eeePC desktop is a great computer to use as a HTPC.

The Asus eeeBox is designed for use as a small form-factor PC that can be attached to the rear of your Vesa mount on your flat-screen TV. It is more than capable of providing 1080p HDTV resolution, it can be connected to a USB DVD/DB drive or downloaded/streamed media played on your Home Theatre system.

Vesa mount htpc:
The eeeBox has a kit that supposedly allows this. It did not fit on the Sony TV that I tried it. This didn't really matter.

Links:

• All posts relating to media on The Technology Muse
• The HTPC
• The distinction between a Media Sever and a Media Centre 
• An ITX format PC - Small Desktop Media PC - SDMPC  
• Bin Selection of Processors for low TDP

Other Asus posts on this blog:

• Asus products that I have owned
• Transformer Prime

The BBC Archive

There seems to be a misconception that there is an inclusive archive of all the BBC programs that could be made available on-line.

Programs that are made available on the BBC iPlayer are only a careful selection of what is available and it changes reasonably rapidly.

You Tube Downloader

I have a working You Tube Downloader.

There are many pieces of software that are available to do this but many are nothing more than "shill-ware" and function by capturing the You Tube video in real-time and then saving it in a format likley to be only compatible with the program that downloaded it. The reason for this is to encourage you to buy other products from the company that gave you the downloader.

Other reasons why the popular You Tube downloaders are of secondary usefulness is becuase of copyright restrictions. It is not a good idea to offer a program that can capture the video streams so that they can saved to your drive and then uploaded again to file sharing sites.

The program that I have is a command-line Python script that was developed by Phil Lewis and needs to have a Python interpreter installed on your computer.

Files downloaded are in the .flv format as they are processed using the RTMP library and FVStreamer programs. The .flv files can be converted to any format you desire for playback on devices such as the Apple iPad and Touch. The .flv files will play on your computer without conversion using the VLC player.

The script has to be run from the command prompt and the install of Python for Windows confuses this as there is a GUI that is provided in addition to the interpreter.

The confusion for me, but then I know that I am stupid! is that the youtube-dl script had to be run from the command line with an argument that was at least a URL for the YouTube to be downloaded. This was not possible if the Python interpreter was run using the menu option that the Python for Windows installs as a default. To run the script you have to go to the Python directory and run it from a command prompt from there. I guess that you could make the path of the computer such that the interpreter can be found from anywhere.

YouTube Downloader by Ricardo Garcia Gonzalez - running in Python command prompt

Links:

• YouTube Downloader - Himili - Lime Consultants
• The YouTube Downloader website.
• Python 2.7 for Windows

Number1onGoogle

Chris Jones - A spokesperson for Lamnia (formerly SBA Media)

ipdl.exe

ipdl.exe is the iplayer downloader that was developed by PoRu and was broken in December 2010 when the BBC made changes to the way that they encode their streamed Internet content.

Links:

• Download the last working version of ipdl.exe
• Systems and programming on the Technology Muse
• get_iplayer pages on this blog
• RTMP - Real Time Message Protocol 
• The Po-Ru website that describes the demise of ipdl.exe