RIP iPlayer Radio

[Old Grumpy]

Today, the day the music died and was replaced by Sounds. I know some boardees don't see eye to eye with Miranda Sawyer as regards her views on Radio (especially Radio 3), but I think her piece in last Sunday's Observer is spot on. It would seem most of the commentators on the website agree.

I am trying to use the Sounds app, but it is also trying me...

OG

[jayne lee wilson]

Sounds works perfectly well off my laptops - e.g. latest Firefox running on a 5-year old Mac...but all I use it for is to listen live to R3 or 4, or seek out the programme from the schedule....
(e.g. tonight's stunning Messiaen with LSO/Rattle...)

But iOS and apps.... always bring more frequent compatibility and update/support problems...it can be very vexing, yes...

[DracoM]

Messiaen - YES!!

[muzzer]

Agree entirely with Miranda Sawyer and said as much months ago. Whoever developed Sounds for the BBC needs a good talking to, its functionality is awful for something so important and publicly funded.

[edashtav]

Agree entirely with Miranda Sawyer and said as much months ago. Whoever developed Sounds for the BBC needs a good talking to, its functionality is awful for something so important and publicly funded.

I agree.

[Old Grumpy]

Today, the day the music died and was replaced by Sounds. I know some boardees don't see eye to eye with Miranda Sawyer as regards her views on Radio (especially Radio 3), but I think her piece in last Sunday's Observer is spot on. It would seem most of the commentators on the website agree.

I am trying to use the Sounds app, but it is also trying me...

OG

Stories of my death have been much exaggerated!

iPlayer Radio app for Android still alive today, at least.

OG

[Cockney Sparrow]

Yesterday, iPlayer wouldn't download any programmes. (useful in the hotel as I was abroad, and I could listen to the programmes on the plane journey home).
I thought it might be the first restriction on phasing out use of the app. But home now, it's downloading again....

When I get forced to use sounds, the most important setting I need is to stop playing at the end of a programme, rather than be pitched into a programme in which some algorithm thinks I should be interested.

[cloughie]

Yesterday, iPlayer wouldn't download any programmes. (useful in the hotel as I was abroad, and I could listen to the programmes on the plane journey home).
I thought it might be the first restriction on phasing out use of the app. But home now, it's downloading again....

When I get forced to use sounds, the most important setting I need is to stop playing at the end of a programme, rather than be pitched into a programme in which some algorithm thinks I should be interested.

Why is there this assumption that we might be too thick to choose?

[kernelbogey]

Why is there this assumption that we might be too thick to choose?

The same with BBC 'catchup' - whatever they call it - which also cuts short the credits on every programme in its haste to hurry you along to something it thinks you should see!

[Bryn]

Why is there this assumption that we might be too thick to choose?

Brexit?

[Beresford]

...

When I get forced to use sounds, the most important setting I need is to stop playing at the end of a programme, rather than be pitched into a programme in which some algorithm thinks I should be interested.

To stop Autoplay, when palaying a programme you have to go down a page or so, then click the Autoplay button (lower right) to disable autoplay. I haven't found a way to make it default to Autoplay Off, so I have to do it each time Sounds starts.

[cloughie]

Brexit?

Is that the Bryn Algorithm?

[Cockney Sparrow]

To stop Autoplay, when playing a programme you have to go down a page or so, then click the Autoplay button (lower right) to disable autoplay. I haven't found a way to make it default to Autoplay Off, so I have to do it each time Sounds starts.

Many thanks Beresford, I've found that on the desktop version, and will make sure I habitually turn the Autoplay button to "off". But when I'm forced to migrate to sounds on smart phone and tablet, I will (and encourage others to) make a formal complaint why it cannot be a setting - as my access is now controlled by logging into my "account" there should be no real problem in offering me a setting to achieves that all the time.

[Nick Armstrong]

I’ve made a point today of having a second crack at Sounds, having downloaded it when first released and found it rubbish

My impression is that they’ve improved it. Unlike last time, I found I could use it quite happily by ignoring all the get-up (e.g. “Hot Podcasts” ) and going straight either to ‘See All Stations & Schedules’ and clicking the calendar symbol of the relevant station, or going direct to ‘My Sounds’ for programmes I’ve downloaded. Finding previous episodes of particular programmes seems less clunky than in the iPlayer app.

I’ve a feeling I’ll get used to it reasonably quickly but (as with listening to R3 itself) it’s only tolerable by finding techniques to avoid the nonsense.

To stop Autoplay, when palaying a programme you have to go down a page or so, then click the Autoplay button (lower right) to disable autoplay. I haven't found a way to make it default to Autoplay Off, so I have to do it each time Sounds starts.

I couldn’t find an Autoplay button that way... Everything I’ve used it to listen to so far is through the ‘My Sounds’ tab, i.e. programmes I’ve downloaded in case I want to listen to them when away from the WiFi (which currently includes part of where I live). On the ‘My Sounds’ page, there is a cog symbol top right which gives access among other things to an Autoplay button. Having switched it to Off, it seems to have stayed that way. Not sure if it also governs listening to programmes currently on air, or past programmes played directly from the schedule.

[Beresford]

(e.g. tonight's stunning Messiaen with LSO/Rattle...)
.

I found the Messiaen concert stunning, and exciting. The next night it was Gubaidulina, then tonight MacMillan, and quite a few more potential stunners coming up before October. It's amazing what can be achieved outside the Albert Hall.
The Sound Quality of the Messiaen Eclairs was brilliant - it needs to be. In comparison, the sound from the Usher Hall was a bit compressed, and not so well balanced. This often seems to be the case with the Usher Hall broadcasts, but maybe it's a difficult recording acoustic.