BBC radio shows set for mobile and tablet downloads

[antongould]

Many thanks to Cali, ts and Wallace for their informative replies.

Indeed ........

[Lento]

Featured on Radio 4's Feedback today.

[Stunsworth]

Basically, if you've got a Windows phone or an old version of Android or IoS, you can expect iPlayer and downloading to cease soon. See here

To quote from one of the comments...

You can still use the browser version of iPlayer. Go to bb.co.uk/iplayer on the phone, then click the square with the arrow pointing out of it and then click "Add to Home Screen" - this will make it look like an app, but won't actually be one.

[french frank]

Is this the same thing?

[antongould]

Is this the same thing?

Indeed ......

[Russ]

You can still use the browser version of iPlayer.

Yes of course, but it underlines the pointlessness of the expensive deletion of radio from iPlayer a couple of years ago, and the extra expense of writing all the 'apps' and trying to keep them up to date. Strategically, BBC's FMT division is daft and reckless, and I hope its budget will be drastically slashed in the future.

Russ

[antongould]

Second half of the Prom available for download at 10.12 for those who wish to take it to the pub .......

[antongould]

Is anyone using this new facility?
If so how are they finding it - to me it is slightly "clunky" it that it doesn't seem to go seamlessly to where I want to go? As an example if you want to move via the schedule page from R3 yesterday to R4X on Friday you have to go out and go back in again as R4X .......also just now downloading part 2 of last night's Prom came back "download failed" and when I went back to the Schedule to try again I just kept getting the same message!! But now I see - if I go into Downloads it's there with a Try Again button ....... and it has now downloaded .....

[teamsaint]

Is anyone using this new facility?
If so how are they finding it - to me it is slightly "clunky" it that it doesn't seem to go seamlessly to where I want to go? As an example if you want to move via the schedule page from R3 yesterday to R4X on Friday you have to go out and go back in again as R4X .......also just now downloading part 2 of last night's Prom came back "download failed" and when I went back to the Schedule to try again I just kept getting the same message!! But now I see - if I go into Downloads it's there with a Try Again button ....... and it has now downloaded .....

it does seem a bit slow to react at times.
Just doing one thing at a time so as not to overcomplicate...

[Wallace]

Is anyone using this new facility?
If so how are they finding it - to me it is slightly "clunky" ........

Clunky is a good way of describing it. Sometimes I get repeated "download failed" messages. However, by persisting, I have managed to download all the programmes I wanted. I feel sure that the BBC will be monitoring performance and that we will see improvements in due course.

[Globaltruth]

Is anyone using this new facility?
If so how are they finding it - to me it is slightly "clunky" it that it doesn't seem to go seamlessly to where I want to go? As an example if you want to move via the schedule page from R3 yesterday to R4X on Friday you have to go out and go back in again as R4X .......also just now downloading part 2 of last night's Prom came back "download failed" and when I went back to the Schedule to try again I just kept getting the same message!! But now I see - if I go into Downloads it's there with a Try Again button ....... and it has now downloaded .....

Yes, there's definitely a problem with moving from one station's schedule to another, I have exactly the same.; will try and find somewhere to leave feedback.
Download speed depends on network factors we can't always blame the BBC for - but do downloads carry on in the background once they have been requested, and if the app is minimised? Do they speed up if you leave the app open on your screen?
I'm not sure. A way of requesting dedicated download (so iPlayer is priority app on device) would be useful, I would happily accept degraded service on everything else whilst my device concentrated on the important radio downloads. Would also be handy to have a way of editting the download list once I've created it to reprioritise the downloads. Overall a darn sight more useful than Playlister which is beyond clunk.

I also need to check how the space is freed up (immediately I hope?) when a download is removed, unless anyone has any clues?
Overall it's not too bad for a start

[antongould]

I think the space is freed up immediately; having checked a couple of removeds on my iPod .......

[Globaltruth]

I think the space is freed up immediately; having checked a couple of removeds on my iPod .......

useful, thanks. (Spotify doesn't do that for downloads, uses a high water mark approach which means eventually you have to delete and reinstall the app to free up the space; been numerous complaints about this, ignored)

here's the email address for iplayer feedback

radiofeedback@bbc.co.uk

and here's the response you will get

Thanks for your email.

We appreciate you taking the time to let us know what you think of iPlayer Radio. We receive many emails so it's impossible for us to reply to them all. However, your email will be read and will help us as we continue to develop iPlayer Radio.

Please take a look at our Frequently Asked Questions: http://iplayerhelp.external.bbc.co.u...g_radio_progs/

For updates, please follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/bbciplayerradio

If you want to make a complaint, please visit the Complaints website http://www.bbc.co.uk/complaints/

The BBC iPlayer Radio team

[Lento]

Yes, there's definitely a problem with moving from one station's schedule to another, t

And from one day to another on the same station, I find.

[antongould]

And from one day to another on the same station, I find.

Yes hopefully it will get sorted soon ...