BBC iPlayer Compatability

[michaelb]

Hi,

Early UK adopter here and I have been trialling the echo.

All works well and generally pleased with performance and functions, however I cannot get the WMC iPlayer plugin to send video.

I have added the plugin and it loads fine in the exytender and I can browse programs and start playing.

The sound is fine, but I get no video just a black screen?

The programs work fine when playing in my HTPC, they just won't show on the echo.

Assume it is a codec compatability issue, but would be good to know what the problem is.

Any help appreciated, although I know most forum readers will be US and not able to use iPlayer.

Thanks

[foxwood]

I thought that iPlayer used Flash? I don't think you're going to get any plugin that uses Flash on the desktop to work in an Extender.

(Though now that Ceton has dangled the possibility of Android support on the Echo again, you might have that option available soon.

[michaelb]

The plugin is not written by the BBC but by a WMC enthusiast and looks like a genuine BBC product. Various posts around the net suggests it works with XBox 360.

link here:
http://code.google.com/p/mce-media-core/

I don't think the plugin uses flash, as flash isn't installed on my HTPC where it runs fine.

[Motz]

I installed it on my computer here, and even though it doesn't allow me to stream because it is region locked. WMC pops up a message saying it wasn't designed for WMC and if you do a "save later" it will save the HTML page for offline use. When you open that up it goes to the page and the video player itself is Flash so it would not be compatible with extenders as far as I can tell.

See photo:

iPlayer.PNG (7.9 KiB) Viewed 945 times

[mark1234]

That plug in will stream the DRM laden WMV versions of programmes, where they are available. If there isn't a WMV version available it will try and play the Flash version, which will always be available. WMV is available for most SD content apart from movies and sports. It's not available for any HD content.

I use this plug in and the WMV streams certainly work fine through an Xbox. I don't have an Echo to compare.

As Motz has discovered, the BBC region lock the content to UK IP addresses.

[Motz]

Thanks for the info. Hmmm I tried a few different ones, but can try again however yeah it is region locked so testing is a bit hard

[mark1234]

If you use the actual iPlayer website then you can tell if there is a WMV version by WMP being mentioned in the Download Options menu. This episode has a WMV version available:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/p0 ... and_Stars/

[FrankAZ]

Excellent! As a dislocated Brit I use iPlayer and TunnelBear to satisfy my needs. I wasn't aware of an iPlayer addition to WMC until just now. I've been using a separate laptop.

Now that I do know about it, has anyone run Tunnelbear and iPlayer on their main US-based HTPC? Any interactions between Tunnelbear's VPN and Ceton InfinitTV4 tuners? I can selectively fire up TB and iPlayer on demand but wouldn't want my regular US viewing/recording borked while TB/iPlayer were dormant.

Frank

[holidayboy]

Take a look at TunerfreeMCE too Frank!

[mark1234]

I was going to mention TunerFreeMCE as I believe it includes the ability to switch VPNs on and off as required.

The OP should also check out the update that was made to the iPlayer plug in. I don't imagine it will solve the Ceton issues, but it does fix a couple of small, but annoying, bugs in the main programme selection screen.

http://www.thegreenbutton.tv/forums/vie ... f=9&t=2531

[holidayboy]

Yeah, TunerfreeMCE has the VPN on/off option built in, it also gives you access to the download option for content when it's available (great for us country bumpkins with sloooow internet access!).

http://www.milliesoft.co.uk/

I need to give the iPlayer app another try - I used it when it first came out but didn't add it when I last installed Windows for some reason.