Hi all,
Apologies if this is a dupe, or old news. Someone (Paul Battley, I
think, possibly others) has made a rather nice download client for the
streaming iPlayer for the Mac.
http://www.thinkbroadband.com/news/3565-enterprising-soul-creates-bbc-iplayer-download-app-for-mac.html
http://sourceforge.net/projects/iplayerdownload
It uses a ruby script (iplayer-dl) to spoof the iPhone's browser user-
agent string, get the secret token and then it grabs the MP4 from the
iPhone iPlayer.
I've always had trouble with the argument - made somewhat often on
this list - that the content protection on services like the iPlayer
just had to be 'good enough' to keep the majority from downloading the
content (to keep), rather than super-secure in order to keep the tech
savvy. This is the proof that that argument is wrong.
Obviously the streaming iPlayer doesn't use DRM in a strict sense but
the video URLs are obfuscated.
You only need one smart person to figure it out and package it into
something like this, and everyone can then take advantage, regardless
of their level of skill. As long as a user can copy and paste, they
can use this programme. See also installing LibDeCSS on Ubuntu - dead
simple.
So perhaps a download button on the streaming iPlayer (to grab MP4s)
isn't such a radical idea?
I realise that the BBC is in a very difficult position with regard to
third party rights on content, and that it has to make an effort to
'protect' content on rights-holders' behalf. Perhaps it should also
point out to rights-holders that technical protection measures are
never going to work. Of course, that would make negotiations on
further content distribution deals might be a little awkward, but
these are the realities.
Thoughts?
Graeme West
--Personal opinion only BTW...
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