[REQUEST] BBC iPlayer (Video) Plugin or Script?

Hi Folks

Some really good news thanks to Frosty and Elupus XBMC since SVN:20015 can now handle H.264 content from the BBC IPlayer.

The IPlayer plugin now supports 4 video modes:

• H.264 1280x720 3200kbps (720p)
• H.264 832x468 1500kbps
• H.264 640x360 796kbps
• VP6 640x360 512 kbps (previous max)
  

At the moment the top end stream isn't available on most programmes. If this is the case the plugin will fallback to the next available. Stream selection is made via plugin settings.

To access these new streams you will need an XBMC build with SVN:20015 (7th May) and probably a plugin update. The plugin and a suitable XBMC Windows build can be found at http://code.google.com/p/xbmc-iplayerv2/downloads/list

One other bonus of the fix to XBMC is that high quality AAC is now supported for Radio Catchup. This is selectable via the plugin settings and will fallback to mp3 if not available for that stream.

I havn't yet tested this functionality with an XBox so can't give any guidance on any of these H.264 streams playing on that platform. I certainly don't expect the 1500kbps & 3200kbps to play.

Cheers
Dink

and last night I just got the new version of XBMC installed with iPlayer for the first time, time to upgrade

iPlayer in HD will be awesome, can't wait to try it out.

Do you have any plans to create a similar plugin for Channel 4 and 5?

One of the few episodes currently in 720p HD is BBC1 : Robin Hood : Do You Love Me?

No plans, certainly Channel 4 unlike the BBC seem unfriendly to non official software.

Cheers
Dink

Avigrace Wrote:and last night I just got the new version of XBMC installed with iPlayer for the first time, time to upgrade

iPlayer in HD will be awesome, can't wait to try it out.

Do you have any plans to create a similar plugin for Channel 4 and 5?

Would be cool if someone knew a uk proxy setting that worked - I'm in the states and have yet to get proxy to work on my xbox/xbmc/iplayer )-:

an interesting read about bbc iplayer HD here:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/bbcinternet/2...highe.html

I just tried the Robin Hood video mentioned, yeah it looks pretty good. The highest quality setting made this video look like a 'very good' tv signal. Didn't really remind me of my experience with bbc hd on my tv but it's a lot better. The flash videos from before.. they were ok when things were still (like interviews), but as we know.. got a bit blocky when lots of motion happened. That's the bitrates fault I'm guessing..?

The numbers speak for themselves, this is the most popular vid plugin (at least in the UK). Great work Dink.

by the way, 'Auto' setting for video... how does that work, does it look at your internet speed and pick a setting accordingly? Or is more concerned with choosing whichever video quality setting the video is available for?

just checked the 'in the browser' version of the same video. Looks a *bit* nicer. The xbmc plugin definitely not to be sniffed at tho!

great work!

Is there any easy way to save the stream, or have the plugin download the stream entirely before playback?

Thanks for the info. I have updated the plugin to include the BBC HD channel.

Auto currently just selects the stream that will play on all platforms which is Flash VP6. It only runs at 512kbps and isn't as advanced as H.264 hence the blockness. Once builds are available for all platforms and have been well tested I will updated the plugin to use a H.264 when Auto is selected.

Quality of 'in the browser' verus XBMC may be a matter of the video playback settings XBMC is using (you can experiment with these).

Cheers
Dink

PantsOnFire Wrote:an interesting read about bbc iplayer HD here:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/bbcinternet/2...highe.html

I just tried the Robin Hood video mentioned, yeah it looks pretty good. The highest quality setting made this video look like a 'very good' tv signal. Didn't really remind me of my experience with bbc hd on my tv but it's a lot better. The flash videos from before.. they were ok when things were still (like interviews), but as we know.. got a bit blocky when lots of motion happened. That's the bitrates fault I'm guessing..?

The numbers speak for themselves, this is the most popular vid plugin (at least in the UK). Great work Dink.

by the way, 'Auto' setting for video... how does that work, does it look at your internet speed and pick a setting accordingly? Or is more concerned with choosing whichever video quality setting the video is available for?

just checked the 'in the browser' version of the same video. Looks a *bit* nicer. The xbmc plugin definitely not to be sniffed at tho!

great work!

AnalogKid Wrote:Is there any easy way to save the stream, or have the plugin download the stream entirely before playback?

Nope see http://forum.xbmc.org/showpost.php?p=318...tcount=946

dink Wrote:Nope see http://forum.xbmc.org/showpost.php?p=318...tcount=946

Many thanks for the prompt answer.

I'm still pondering if I can pipe the stream to VLC or MPlayer and have those buffer to disk, effectively saving without loss? This is a great plugin, but thanks to BBC not keeping episodes for too long, I like the 'backup' my viewing ;-)

Incidentally, since BBC have changed to Adobe Air, it would seem it's only a matter of time before the Air client arrives on portable devices and the DRM appears across all streams. The only reason it doesn't today is that MS-DRM isn't available on most non-windows platforms esp Mobiles. Fortunately I've been able to overcome the MS-DRM, but Adobe Air is gonna set us all back :-(

Hope that this is the right place. I am using the latest PPC xbmc and am having problems with the iplayer plugin. It loads of the names of shows fine etc etc however when i click on one to watch i get nothing at all and then xbmc eventually freezes. The best of itv player works absolutely fine so not really sure whats up. I am using the latest version of the plugin.