get_iplayer no longer works

If you make a search for "get_iplayer" you will find may pages and websites that will talk about the program. Please look at the dates on the posts. Many are way out-of-date!

The author of this website used get_iplayer extensively 12 years ago when it worked, but today in 2023, sadly it no longer does. It has not worked for at least 6 years.

get_iplayer was a really clever Perl script written by a BBC "insider", Phil Lewis (sometime in 2008).

Since that time the BBC have made many changes to the process that they deliver iPlayer programing. Therefore, it is not surprising that variations of the original script do not work. All along the get_iplayer script was not updated by Phil Lewis and was passed over to the "opensource" world to support any changes. This was okay for a while but eventually no changes to the script would make it work as it did when Phil first wrote it. Phil moved on from the original development as it appeared to be a conflict of interest for him as he was an expert still working in the field of programing and media distribution methods.

In addition to the lack of involvement by Phil in the on-going support for get_iplayer many "wannbe" programmers "took charge". Unfourtunatly, the skill level of those that took over support was rather lacking. In fact, although I did get involved to a minor manner it was far too far above my "pay grade" and my programming skills resided in a different sphere. My knowledge of Perl only extended to the implementation of programs that I understood. get_iplayer is a VERY complex script (as you will see if you look at the code liked below). No matter how detailed the download and configuration instructions are for the most current version of the script, which was around 2010, will not make it work in 2021.

Sites that claim that they have downloads that work

These are hoaxes - do not waste your time!

SquarePenguin/DinkyPumpkin

The website that was put together by SquarePenguin who wanted to get get_iplayer to work and thought that if he/she put enough information on the Internet that someone would get it to work again!

I think that SquarePenguin's efforts were more along the lines of a website construction project (now deosn't that sound familiar?) rather than a guide to getting get_iplayer to work. In its early days the author, and I can't remember his name and I can't be bothered to look it up, he was complaining that his website was a target for spammers.

Square Penguin was using Wordpress (.org I would guess) at the time and his exeriences were pretty similar to mine in regards to Wordpress.

In addition Square Penguin was posting in GitHub as if he was the "custodian" of the get_iplayer source code. In reality the situation was that he was posting on GitHub in an attempt to use the OpenSource platform to promote himself.

infradead.org

The was a website that was authored by David Woodhouse. I think David maintained the get_iplayer script and I am pretty sure that I had talked with him at the time (2010-2011)

I think that David, in a similar manner to Phil Lewis, decided that he was "flogging a dead horse". The source code was ported to GitHub and I think SquarePenguin was the person that was instrumental in this.

Background to this page

I am still getting "hits" on this page. I am a loss to see if the message is getting though. get_iplayer NO LONGER WORKS!