BBC Radio 3 Listen Again - low bit rate of 128 kbps instead of 320 kbps.

[Guest]

Dear All,

This is my first time on this forum, but I have been an avid listener of Radio 3 for many, many years. I'm also very keen on recording Radio 3 broadcasts.

I can usually do this over the internet by recording the PID number (which is the number at the end of the web address for each BBC R3 programme). To do this, you go to the Radio 3 on-line schedule and click on the programme of interest. When the web address appears, you copy the PID number and then put it into the PID converter on this web site:

http://www.iplayerconverter.co.uk/convert.aspx

This then gives me the URL link to the 'UK raw Windows Media (WMV) file'.

I would then put this into Replay AV (for example) and quickly capture the whole piece of music, normally at 320 kbps. I then save it and play it whenever I want.

However, what has been happening recently is that I only get the recording at 128 kbps.

The only way I can get a recording at 320 kbps is to allow the broadcast to play at its normal slow speed (for 2 hrs 30 min, say), keep my fingers crossed, and hope that I can record it without interruption. This will be as an *.flv file (which seems strange, but is not a problem for Foobar if you get the right component).

This takes much longer than the previous process.

Can anyone shed any light on this? Why has the BBC taken the retrograde step of not allowing us to record streams in HD audio?

Kind regards,

John Turner

[french frank]

Hello, John - and welcome :-)

I'm sure a couple of our audio experts will chip in on this.

[richardfinegold]

Hello, John - and welcome :-)

I'm sure a couple of our audio experts will chip in on this.

Don't know the answer, but my guess is that they don't want to lose potential revenue if private individuals engage in file sharing, and that by only allowing low bit rate recording there is less of a market for file sharing.

[french frank]

Reading again, aren't you referring to the process which has always been illegal, albeit possible?

You are allowed to record the live stream for personal use, but using the accelerated download from Listen Again was not allowed for rights reasons - Listen Again is only available for 7 days because that's what the BBC has negotiated the rights for.

There have been various applications which have allowed you to do that but the BBC progressively finds ways to disable them.

[Longjohn]

Hello to all of you, too.

How can an accelerated download be illegal? You can do it the Dutch Radio 4.

I can save at 128 kbps on a accelerated download just the same as I could at 320 kbps. iplayerconverter existed for this purpose. If it's OK at 128 kbps, why not at 320 kbps?

I can still use my software in exactly the same way as ever...nothing has been disabled.

Best regards,

John

[Longjohn]

Sorry, Just seen the second reply after Frank. It makes sense not to encourage file sharing.

Cheers, J