BBC iPlayer problem.

[bex147]

Hi, I'm new here so apologies if this is posted in the wrong section.

I have BBC iPlayer downloader on my Windows 11 laptop and use it to download programmes to watch at a later time in work. (I'm lucky to have a job with a lot of downtime that needs filling). As some of you may know, the BBC, in its infinite stupidity, has announced that from 11th March 2024, the PC/Laptop version will cease to work as they are closing it down.

I have an iPhone 14 and have downloaded the iPlayer app onto it and all works as it should and I can download programmes to watch but it's a bit impractical watching TV on such a small screen. My question is this. Is there any way, i.e. a cable that will connect from my iPhone 14 to my laptop, that will allow me to simply use the laptop as a screen.

Thanks in advance for any help.

Bex.

[october262]

Hi, I'm new here so apologies if this is posted in the wrong section.

I have BBC iPlayer downloader on my Windows 11 laptop and use it to download programmes to watch at a later time in work. (I'm lucky to have a job with a lot of downtime that needs filling). As some of you may know, the BBC, in its infinite stupidity, has announced that from 11th March 2024, the PC/Laptop version will cease to work as they are closing it down.

I have an iPhone 14 and have downloaded the iPlayer app onto it and all works as it should and I can download programmes to watch but it's a bit impractical watching TV on such a small screen. My question is this. Is there any way, i.e. a cable that will connect from my iPhone 14 to my laptop, that will allow me to simply use the laptop as a screen.

Thanks in advance for any help.

Bex.

see here - https://support.apple.com/en-in/HT204289
you can use Airplay to stream video from your iphone to your computer or TV

[DB83]

Well, as far as I can see, the BBC declared download only applies to downloads direct from Iplayer (their own link)

On the forum, there are tons of links about downloads that circumvent this - even with users who hardly have legal access to IPlayer (something that annoys me immensly) - we pay yet they play.

[bex147]

see here - https://support.apple.com/en-in/HT204289
you can use Airplay to stream video from your iphone to your computer or TV

I've looked at the link but it doesn't mention connecting to a Windows 11 laptop. Am I missing something?

[october262]

see here - https://support.apple.com/en-in/HT204289
you can use Airplay to stream video from your iphone to your computer or TV

I've looked at the link but it doesn't mention connecting to a Windows 11 laptop. Am I missing something?

see this thread - https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/windows-11/how-to-mirror-iphone-to-pc-on-window...11/m-p/4024594

[bex147]

see here - https://support.apple.com/en-in/HT204289
you can use Airplay to stream video from your iphone to your computer or TV

I've looked at the link but it doesn't mention connecting to a Windows 11 laptop. Am I missing something?

see this thread - https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/windows-11/how-to-mirror-iphone-to-pc-on-window...11/m-p/4024594

I've downloaded MirrorTo and whilst it seems to be working correctly, it isn't quite what I want. It mirrors my iPhone to my laptop but it is just a strip down the centre of the screen not the full screen I need.

[Anonymous84]

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[bex147]

Why not install one-of-many available user agent switcher on your laptop to spoof iphone? There are Chrome and Firefox versions available and both have IOS and Android profiles.
This way iplayer will think it's streaming to smartphone.

https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/uaswitcher/
https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/user-agent-switcher-for-c/djflhoibgkdhkhhcedjiklpkjnoahfmg

Thanks for the info. I'll try this and let you know.

[bex147]

Why not install one-of-many available user agent switcher on your laptop to spoof iphone? There are Chrome and Firefox versions available and both have IOS and Android profiles.
This way iplayer will think it's streaming to smartphone.

https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/uaswitcher/
https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/user-agent-switcher-for-c/djflhoibgkdhkhhcedjiklpkjnoahfmg

Thanks for the info. I'll try this and let you know.

I have looked at this and for my level of tech expertise, it seems as clear as mud. I have no idea what a "user-agent string" is and the reviews on the page don't look promising. Maybe you could explain what this is, what it does and how I use it to allow me to solve my problem.

[betwixt]

"user-agent string" is a short piece of text send by your browser upon request from the server you have connected to. It is normally used so web pages can identify what type of browser you are using and adapt it where necessary so it displays properly on all systems.

Spoofing it can make the server think you are using a different system to your real one so you can pretend to be an iPhone or any other system and browser to trick it into thinking you are really using that system. So even if you are using a completely different OS and browser you can make the server you are connected to think you are using iPhone (or anything else).

I just checked and the "get_iplayer" program (Linux) still works fine, not sure if it is available for other operating systems.

Brian.

[bex147]

"user-agent string" is a short piece of text send by your browser upon request from the server you have connected to. It is normally used so web pages can identify what type of browser you are using and adapt it where necessary so it displays properly on all systems.

Spoofing it can make the server think you are using a different system to your real one so you can pretend to be an iPhone or any other system and browser to trick it into thinking you are really using that system. So even if you are using a completely different OS and browser you can make the server you are connected to think you are using iPhone (or anything else).

I just checked and the "get_iplayer" program (Linux) still works fine, not sure if it is available for other operating systems.

Brian.

Thanks Brian. That's made things a lot clearer. So I run whatever bit of software to make the server think I'm using an iPhone which will allow me to download the iPlayer app on my laptop. Is that correct.

[betwixt]

Absolutely correct.
I have a hidden test page on one of my web sites that shows the user-agent string. I just tried it and for my system it shows:

Mozilla/5.0 (X11; Ubuntu; Linux x86_64; rv:123.0) Gecko/20100101 Firefox/123.0

That should give you some idea of what it contains.

The code on the page is:
<?php
echo $_SERVER['HTTP_CLIENT_IP'];
echo $_SERVER['HTTP_USER_AGENT'];
echo $_SERVER[“REMOTE_ADDR”];
?>
so there is slightly more in that text than just the user-agent.

Brian.

[Anonymous84]

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[bex147]

You will find answer to your question on these addons descriptions urls. Maybe you should read with understanding what is being given to you, instead of asking for answers that are already included in these URLs. I am not your walking dictionary. The purpose of any forum is to give people a rod, not fish. No spoon feeding. If you're not able to comprehend the knowledge, join some university. I already finished one.

and the reviews on the page don't look promising.

Good luck having mindset that the better reviews something has, the better it is. A lot of reviews and endorsement are fake and not a true reflection of what specific product is. Exercise your own judgement by trying it yourself instead of relying on 'reviews' that can be written by bot or nasty competition.

What's with the shitty, condescending tone in your reply? Don't try to be a smart arse just because you know about a topic. The reason for forums like this is for people who aren't well versed in tech to ask those who know better, not to be ridiculed.

[A_n_g_e_l_a]

What's with the shitty, condescending tone in your reply? Don't try to be a smart arse just because you know about a topic. The reason for forums like this is for people who aren't well versed in tech to ask those who know better, not to be ridiculed.

One answer to your problem is to learn to use get_iplayer. It is a command line down-loader. Which means instead of watching your video through a browser you down-load the video and watch it on a video-player on your computer (VLC is good).

The software is not point and click; see https://github.com/get-iplayer/get_iplayer for details of use. And see .....
https://github.com/get-iplayer/get_iplayer/releases to get the software

[bex147]

What's with the shitty, condescending tone in your reply? Don't try to be a smart arse just because you know about a topic. The reason for forums like this is for people who aren't well versed in tech to ask those who know better, not to be ridiculed.

One answer to your problem is to learn to use get_iplayer. It is a command line down-loader. Which means instead of watching your video through a browser you down-load the video and watch it on a video-player on your computer (VLC is good).

The software is not point and click; see https://github.com/get-iplayer/get_iplayer for details of use. And see .....
https://github.com/get-iplayer/get_iplayer/releases to get the software

Thank you. I'll try that.