Downloading/recording from BBC Sounds

[Gargoyle]

Hello

I would very much like to download some of this year's Prom concerts that are posted on BBC Sounds.

Can anyone advise me how to do this?

Thanks

P.S. From the listen again facility, rather than in real time.

[Dave2002]

Do you mean download for keeps, or simply for listening to a few times, then moving on?

You may be able to download for a few replays direct with the BBC App, but it'll probably delete the files when it decides "times up".

I used to know other methods, but the world may very well have moved on.

[Bryn]

See https://www.squarepenguin.co.uk/

[Gargoyle]

Do you mean download for keeps, or simply for listening to a few times, then moving on?

You may be able to download for a few replays direct with the BBC App, but it'll probably delete the files when it decides "times up".

I used to know other methods, but the world may very well have moved on.

for keeps

[Gargoyle]

See https://www.squarepenguin.co.uk/

many thanks Bryn, I'll look into this tomorrow when I'm feeling fresher

[Dave2002]

See https://www.squarepenguin.co.uk/

Thanks for reminding us. I've not used that tool for quite a long while.

As I recall it had to be redownloaded frequently, perhaps as the beeb made changes to download and streaming services - maybe - to thwart its use.

When it worked it was very effective.

I used to make CD Roms to play in my car, but alas that's another way to play music which is hardly viable these days.

[Bryn]

Thanks for reminding us. I've not used that tool for quite a long while.

As I recall it had to be redownloaded frequently, perhaps as the beeb made changes to download and streaming services - maybe - to thwart its use.

When it worked it was very effective.

I used to make CD Roms to play in my car, but alas that's another way to play music which is hardly viable these days.

Unless one happens to have moved downloaded files to a new location, get_iplayer will remind you, after 30 days, that the files should be deleted. This will happen, whatever duration is indicated on the relevant iPlayer or Sounds listing.

[smittims]

I hope Gargoyle won't mind if I widen the envelope to mention the general practice of recording, and keeping recordings, of radio broadcasts.

Many years ago my father and I often did this from FM radio to Reel-to-reel-tape. I always understood this was technically illegal, though the BBC accepted there was virtually nothing they could do to prevent it. And of course Richard Itter and others did it in spades and the BBC are now grateful to him for preserving recordings they didn't. The along came video recorders and suddenly, apparently , it was OK to record and keep tapes of TV programmes. So why not radio? My first digital TV recorder let me record TV but not radio, although it received and played radio. My second one let me record radio bit not edit the recording as I could with a TV programme. At that time one could buy machines which made DVDs . Now these seem to have disappeared, because 'they' want us to use streaming services . Or that's how it seems to me.

I've never bothered to ascertain the legality of all this. Would anyone like to comment (without incriminating themselves)?

[Forget It (U2079353)]

I'm pretty sure recording BBC radio programmes for personal use is okay under Fair Use.
You can even let a friend have a copy - but anything more organised about redistributing copies is out.

[Dave2002]

What is the sound quality like these days? Is it better for the live streams, or for the on demand services? I happened to hear the end of this afternoon's "concert" on R3 featuring music from the Proms, and in particular Tippett's Concerto for Orchestra. I heard it first via DAB in my car. Either my hearing really is going to pot [possible, but I'm not convinced] or the sound quality was really poor. So now I've gone on line, and trying to listen from the R3 Schedule for today. I think the sound quality is better, but it's still not really very good. I don't think I can realistically do a comparison with FM now - though some while back I suspected that I could tune the car radio into FM, but it would switch to DAB noticeably at times. FM has its limitations, but I'm suspecting that the BBC has really let audio standards slip with the move towards digital and streaming. The effects are patchy though - the string solos [or small ensemble] around 2:48:43 are really rather good, but the massed string sound from 2:46:20 is edgy and strident - at least as I hear it.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m001pn3z

[Bryn]

The audio quality is on a par with the live stream. As long as your download speed is up to handling 320kbps aac, that is what you will get.

[Bryn]

for keeps

Hi Gargoyle, There seems to be a problem with the PM system with this new board software. Our most recent exchanges since this morning do not appear at my end. It might be better to use email. There are, apparently, 3 new PMs that I cannot access.

[Dave2002]

The audio quality is on a par with the live stream. As long as your download speed is up to handling 320kbps aac, that is what you will get.

I may have to try downloading some programmes to see what they are like in DAWs. I am still not convinced that audio quality is good.

[Gargoyle]

Hi Gargoyle, There seems to be a problem with the PM system with this new board software. Our most recent exchanges since this morning do not appear at my end. It might be better to use email. There are, apparently, 3 new PMs that I cannot access.

Phew! Glad you said that. I experienced problems but figured it was my incompetence with the forum workings. Shall email you

[Bryn]

I may have to try downloading some programmes to see what they are like in DAWs. I am still not convinced that audio quality is good.

get_iplayer actually delivers the aac files in m4a format but the aac can be extracted wtih Yamb and edited with mp3directcut (both freeware). As you will be aware, 320kbps aac is considerably superior to mp3 at the sane data rate. Indeed, it is difficult to hear any difference from a FLAC derived for a CD recording.It is most certainly far superior to FM or DAB.