The BBC Listen Again to pod

I have been downloading and listening to some of the BBC podcasts for some time now. I quite enjoy Digital Planet, and In Business. But through some frustration that the scope of this is so limited and knowing that mplayer played the full range of programs from the Radio Player website I did a little searching around and found this little script. I had a bit of a play around with this and added a few bits to it to make it a bit better, like getting the stream info and using these to set the ID tag for the audio file.

I was a little hesitant in releasing this to a wider world until I found that this product essentially did the same thing, (I bet there is some GPL software in there). And I also had a careful look at the BBC website’s terms of use which clearly state it is ok for personal non-commercial use.

So here is the current state of my script for converting streams from the BBC to mp3 or ogg. I use this to keep me amused on the daily commute. I do get annoyed with the number and the volume of announcements on the trains, I am already sat down so don’t need to know where first class is, or to take all my stuff with me, as to reading the safety card, has anyone ever read it?

I would welcome and suggestions for changes or improvements, to the script that is.

Listenagain.sh

The BBC iPlayer project and DRM

The news that the BBC is proposing to use Microsoft Digital Restrictions Management (DRM) as the basis of their iPlayer project is worrying.

The BBC has a duty to lead in the media world which it has fulfilled for many years, making the UK a leader in many of the media technologies and content throughout the world. This has a direct impact on the UK economy.

This is because the BBC has always used open standards. A direct parallel is the development of GSM mobile phones largely lead by the UK has resulted in a worldwide technology that I work in.

I believe we are at a similar turning point with digital media. If the BBC does not show the leadership demonstrated with its other on-line services we will disenfranchise the UK citizen and damage the position of the UK in the world.

I would urge everyone to sign the petition and write to your MP