I've been digging a bit more into the problem of some shows not being
playable on BBC Iplayer. (which just so happens to be quite a few of
the most popular ones)
It seems that the BBC, for whatever reason, has decided to not expose
the broadcasted versions of these programmes. But only the re-edited
podcast versions.
The AOD XML feed, that the bbc Iplayer plugin uses, always specifically
points to the broadcast version of the programme, which the BBC is not
exposing, thus it fails.
Here is an example.
The MoneyBox on Radio 4 is available as a podcast and the broadcasted
version. Thus works on BBC IPlayer.
The following is in the AOD feed :
Code:
--------------------
PID (programme identifier) = m0001x3k
Version_PID (The edit of the programme pointed to) = m0001x3j
--------------------
If we look at what media the BBC is making available for that PID by
going to http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0001x3k/playlist.json
we can see that the BBC has made both the "Original" and the "Podcast"
versions available. Version PID "m0001x3j" and "p06x95mg"
Code:
--------------------
{
"info": {
"readme": "For the use of Radio, Music and Programmes only"
},
"statsObject": {
"parentPID": "m0001x3k",
"parentPIDType": "episode"
},
"defaultAvailableVersion": {
"pid": "m0001x3j",
"types": ["Original"],
"smpConfig": {
"title": "Money Box, The cost of a 'no-fault' accident",
"summary": "Why your car insurance increases even if a
crash isn't your fault.",
"masterBrandName": "BBC Radio 4",
"items": [{
"vpid": "m0001x3j",
"kind": "radioProgramme",
"duration": 1440
}
],
"holdingImageURL":
"\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/images\/ic\/$recipe\/p06x71mc.jpg",
"guidance": null,
"embedRights": "blocked"
},
"markers": []
},
"allAvailableVersions": [{
"pid": "m0001x3j",
"types": ["Original"],
"smpConfig": {
"title": "Money Box, The cost of a 'no-fault'
accident",
"summary": "Why your car insurance increases
even if a crash isn't your fault.",
"masterBrandName": "BBC Radio 4",
"items": [{
"vpid": "m0001x3j",
"kind": "radioProgramme",
"duration": 1440
}
],
"holdingImageURL":
"\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/images\/ic\/$recipe\/p06x71mc.jpg",
"guidance": null,
"embedRights": "blocked"
},
"markers": []
}, {
"pid": "p06x95mg",
"types": ["Podcast"],
"smpConfig": {
"title": "Money Box, The cost of a 'no-fault'
accident",
"summary": "Why your car insurance increases
even if a crash isn't your fault.",
"masterBrandName": "BBC Radio 4",
"items": [{
"vpid": "p06x95mg",
"kind": "radioProgramme",
"duration": 1509
}
],
"holdingImageURL":
"\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/images\/ic\/$recipe\/p06x71mc.jpg",
"guidance": null,
"embedRights": "blocked"
},
"markers": []
}
],
"holdingImage":
"\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/images\/ic\/976x549\/p06x71mc.jpg"
}
--------------------
If we look at one of the problem programmes "The infinite monkey cage".
The AOD feed contains the following information
Code:
--------------------
PID = m0001xqb
Version PID = m0001xq9
--------------------
We can see by going to
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0001xqb/playlist.json the BBC has
decided to only make the "Podcast" version available. Which is not the
version pointed to by the AOD feed. Hence the failure
Code:
--------------------
{
"info": {
"readme": "For the use of Radio, Music and Programmes only"
},
"statsObject": {
"parentPID": "m0001xqb",
"parentPIDType": "episode"
},
"defaultAvailableVersion": {
"pid": "p06xdsxq",
"types": ["Podcast"],
"smpConfig": {
"title": "The Infinite Monkey Cage, Series 19,
Microbes: Secret Rulers of the World?",
"summary": "Brian Cox and Robin Ince return for a new
series. This week Ed Byrne joins the panel.",
"masterBrandName": "BBC Radio 4",
"items": [{
"vpid": "p06xdsxq",
"kind": "radioProgramme",
"duration": 2768
}
],
"holdingImageURL":
"\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/images\/ic\/$recipe\/p02gshyl.jpg",
"guidance": null,
"embedRights": "blocked"
},
"markers": []
},
"allAvailableVersions": [{
"pid": "p06xdsxq",
"types": ["Podcast"],
"smpConfig": {
"title": "The Infinite Monkey Cage, Series 19,
Microbes: Secret Rulers of the World?",
"summary": "Brian Cox and Robin Ince return for
a new series. This week Ed Byrne joins the panel.",
"masterBrandName": "BBC Radio 4",
"items": [{
"vpid": "p06xdsxq",
"kind": "radioProgramme",
"duration": 2768
}
],
"holdingImageURL":
"\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/images\/ic\/$recipe\/p02gshyl.jpg",
"guidance": null,
"embedRights": "blocked"
},
"markers": []
}
],
"holdingImage":
"\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/images\/ic\/976x549\/p02gshyl.jpg"
}
--------------------
So that is the problem, I don't know if this is intentional by the BBC,
It could be that the AOD feed only points to broadcast versions whether
they are available or not. If it is intentional, then it will never be
fixed.
It would be possible to fix it at the plugin end (if it is desirable to
do so). A failover could be coded where if the version of the media
pointed to in the AOD feed is not available, it could call the JSON
playlist to find out what version is available, reconstruct the media
selector and play that.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
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