Fixing BBC iPlayer LMS Plugin

[roobarb!]

For those that don't want to be driven to distraction finding the info to get the BBC iPlayer plugin working again, here are the instructions.

Obviously, you must be running Logitech Media Server for this to work and these changes are made to the system running LMS. I'm going to assume that you're using something akin to Ubuntu 14.04 (ie. SQPOS v3) and have already installed the BBC iPlayer plugin.


Log in with your console app of choice, then:

1. Install avconv (this handles format conversion, so the receiver always gets something it can play):

Code: Select all

sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install libav-tools lame
sudo ln -s /usr/bin/avconv /usr/local/bin/ffmpeg

2. Install PlayHLS (this handles the new delivery method called HTTP Live Streaming the Beeb are now using):

- Open up the web interface for LMS, go to Settings > Plugins, scroll to the bottom.
- Paste the following address into the 'Additional Repositories' box and hit Apply:

Code: Select all

http://bpaplugins.googlecode.com/svn/trunk/repo-playhls.xml

- Agree to those warnings and when the screen refreshes, you should have PlayHLS available in the plugin list.
- Tick the box next to PlayHLS, hit Apply.

3. Restart LMS:

Code: Select all

sudo service logitechmediaserver restart

4. Check that PlayHLS is ready to go:

- Go back to the web interface for LMS, go to Settings > Advanced, choose 'File Types' from the dropdown list.
- Scroll down the list until you see Apple HLS m3u8; it's FLAC and PCM options should be set to ffmpeg, MP3 should be ffmpeg/lame.

Your system can now handle HTTP Live Streaming, but the BBC iPlayer plugin is still pointing to the old URLs.

5. Update BBC iPlayer Plugin URLs:

Code: Select all

sudo wget -q http://birdslikewires.co.uk/download/openframe/squeezeplay/mods/BBCiPlayer/menu.opml -O /var/lib/squeezeboxserver/cache/InstalledPlugins/Plugins/BBCiPlayer/menu.opml

And you're done!


That last step overwrites the list of URLs with one provided in this post on the Slimdevices forum. So far as I know it's UK only, but I'm led to believe there's one for outside the UK as well. If someone can find it in that thread and confirm it works, I'll host a copy too, to make things easier.

The live streaming should continue to work for the foreseeable future, but I know there are changes coming to Listen Again once they kill the WMA streams. With any luck you will just see the available content change (ie. reduce). This is because of the daft licensing agreement the Beeb have with content makers, who insist that the files be hosted in a 'protected' format (ie. WMA) even though that format isn't really protected in any meaningful way.

Also, the link of ffmpeg to avconv in Step 1 is mildly cheeky, but I think we can get away with it seeing as the two are supposed to be reasonably compatible. It's the method I'm using at home now, so I'll be the first to know if an update to PlayHLS messes anything up.

[gegs]

Both the UK and non-UK menu.opml files are available on this page:
http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthrea ... post807276

[Man in a van]

Thanks roobarb!

you young people make my head hurt

[themystical]

I will give your instructions a try. Many thanks Roobarb.

[themystical]

Failed at the first hurdle
"Couldnt find package libav-tools"
Probably because I am using the original SqPOS
May be time to upgrade?
Is there a work around?

[jim_lewis1]

thank you so much. this restores one of the main appeals of the Joggler for me. Having easy access to BBC output overseas is a must.

I wonder if vtuner will update their streams soon as my Yamaha AV can't get net BBC stations using the WMV format?

[roobarb!]

Failed at the first hurdle
"Couldnt find package libav-tools"
Probably because I am using the original SqPOS
May be time to upgrade?
Is there a work around?

If you're using an older version, you may even have ffmpeg itself available in the repository. Try:

Code: Select all

sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install ffmpeg

If it works, don't bother doing the link (there won't be anything to link to!).

[roobarb!]

I wonder if vtuner will update their streams soon as my Yamaha AV can't get net BBC stations using the WMV format?

Do you mean that you need the Windows Media streams, or that you can't use them?

If your device can only use WMA you may be in trouble; the Beeb are ditching them. It's the right decision to make, but its going to cause a lot of trouble for early-adopters who bought internet radios that only handle Windows Media formats.

It highlights the importance of open platforms; I know the Joggler / OpenFrame wasn't sold as an open device, but by being turned into one it's going to stay alive and useful for a very long time indeed. In comparison, there's a lot of hardware that's going to go to waste as these formats change. It's not the Beeb's fault, but they'll get most of the blame. Though some of it will be deserved, as they've already demonstrated that they're not great at communicating their thinking in terms of technology migration.

But that's another kettle of fish.

[jim_lewis1]

The Yamaha AV I have uses VTuner to access radio on the internet. VTuner manages a list of stations and addresses through which to access them.

Last time I looked at their list the BBC streams were in WMV format.

As the BBC are switching from this to MP3 I think VTuner needs to update their list, which in turn needs to be pushed to the Yamaha (probably through a firmware update).

At least I think this is what needds to happen. For the moment my shiny new Yamaha can't access the BBC stations, hence my reliance on the joggler.

[themystical]

Failed at the first hurdle
"Couldnt find package libav-tools"
Probably because I am using the original SqPOS
May be time to upgrade?
Is there a work around?

If you're using an older version, you may even have ffmpeg itself available in the repository. Try:

Code: Select all

sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install ffmpeg

If it works, don't bother doing the link (there won't be anything to link to!).

Thanks Roobarb....that worked fine.
The only problem I have is playing live, I get the message "unable to open file type". The listen again programs all work fine. Anybody seen this?

[themystical]

Do I need to install "Lame" separately or does ffmpeq do mp3 as well?

[roobarb!]

Do I need to install "Lame" separately or does ffmpeq do mp3 as well?

You should install lame too, but it shouldn't be necessary for what you're wanting. You did copy the new menu.opml, didn't you?

[themystical]

Do I need to install "Lame" separately or does ffmpeq do mp3 as well?

You should install lame too, but it shouldn't be necessary for what you're wanting. You did copy the new menu.opml, didn't you?

I have installed Lame but still no joy.
In the last step, I guess a file should be downloaded from your site but terminal doesn't say that it had downloaded anything. Is that normal?

[castalla]

As the BBC are switching from this to MP3 I think VTuner needs to update their list, which in turn needs to be pushed to the Yamaha (probably through a firmware update).
.

Vtuner wil just point at the mp3 files .... no need for any firmware update. Not sure how the Yamaha works, but if you've set some presets or favourites then they'll likely need to be deleted and recreated.

[Man in a van]

For those that don't want to be driven to distraction finding the info to get the BBC iPlayer plugin working again, here are the instructions.

Obviously, you must be running Logitech Media Server for this to work and these changes are made to the system running LMS. I'm going to assume that you're using something akin to Ubuntu 14.04 (ie. SQPOS v3) and have already installed the BBC iPlayer plugin.


Log in with your console app of choice, then:

1. Install avconv (this handles format conversion, so the receiver always gets something it can play):

Code: Select all

sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install libav-tools lame
sudo ln -s /usr/bin/avconv /usr/local/bin/ffmpeg

-
5. Update BBC iPlayer Plugin URLs:

Code: Select all

sudo wget -q http://birdslikewires.co.uk/download/openframe/squeezeplay/mods/BBCiPlayer/menu.opml -O /var/lib/squeezeboxserver/cache/InstalledPlugins/Plugins/BBCiPlayer/menu.opml

And you're done!


.

I already have one Joggler fixed thanks to castella but tried this on another and it did not work, can't remember where but when asked to y/n I choose y and it went straight to abort.

The opml fix did work and so did the ffmpeg install fix in the other thread posted by roobarb!

So all came good in the end.

I will try again on a vanilla install maybe next week, but all is good at the moment.

atb

Ronnie.

[dwl99]

Will this be incorporated in the next update for sqpos?

[roobarb!]

Do I need to install "Lame" separately or does ffmpeq do mp3 as well?

You should install lame too, but it shouldn't be necessary for what you're wanting. You did copy the new menu.opml, didn't you?

I have installed Lame but still no joy.
In the last step, I guess a file should be downloaded from your site but terminal doesn't say that it had downloaded anything. Is that normal?

Yup, that's fine - it won't tell you much, but it shouldn't give you an error.

[roobarb!]

Will this be incorporated in the next update for sqpos?

It's not really a SQPOS thing, to be honest. I'm hoping an official update to the plugin will appear at some point.

[themystical]

You should install lame too, but it shouldn't be necessary for what you're wanting. You did copy the new menu.opml, didn't you?

I have installed Lame but still no joy.
In the last step, I guess a file should be downloaded from your site but terminal doesn't say that it had downloaded anything. Is that normal?

Yup, that's fine - it won't tell you much, but it shouldn't give you an error.

I still don't have a working installation. Step 1 and 2 are proven so I can only assume Step 3 is not working for me. Is there any alternative script that I can try? I have the opml file on my C drive on my windows machine if that helps.

[gegs]

Is there any alternative script that I can try? I have the opml file on my C drive on my windows machine if that helps.

You can copy the file to your Joggler using WinSCP. That's how I did it before roobarb posted his method.