[Closed] Bye bye iplayer radio app....

The BBC Sounds app: with UX seemingly designed by the people who brought the world Google+

I've not used sounds yet, is it that bad?

I guess I'll find out soon

Been using the sounds app for a while now. Definitely an improvement over the the player app. Took a while to get used to after so long using the iplayer which I was very attached to.

Agreed.

Stayed with iplayer until now. Just downloaded the Sounds app and it's better than it was.

I don't like change though,

Sounds has improved, I used to hate it but it now has all the functionality of iPlayer. It's very much young person focused, or at least mine is - maybe it adapts the content it recommends based on your age but mine is all radio 1 podcasts. I quite like certain shows on radio 1 but the podcasts sound awful.

Sounds app is brilliant.

I’m wondering when iPlayer will cease on laptops now.

The Sounds app is fine, works perfectly well, no issues using it for a summer of TMS.

TuneIn user here, as it can cast to my Chromecast audio but iPlayer can't/couldn't.
Sound quality seems OK but I only listen to "intelligent speech" (ie patronising middle class smugness) radio.

Just revisited it, it's still pretty crap for what I want to do. Lots of extra clicking and scrolling involved if I want to download a series of Book Of The Week or 15 Minute Drama. I'll give the playback a try later but can't see a playlist function and I hear it doesn't automatically continue with the next episode but jumps into what's on currently. If that's true it'll be pretty near useless for playing in the car. And why does it only scroll up or down on alternate swipes FFS?

I liked Google+, a convenient place to dump stuff for other people to hear and see.

but it now has all the functionality of iPlayer

apart from the ability to download in higher quality...

I've complained twice now and no scheduled date - crazy as the file downloads are clearly made and are available as iPlayer radio can download them, and the code is there in iPlayer radio to be copied or reproduced if Sounds is in a different language.

Basically those radio shows I download are the only thing Iuse from the BBC output, so I might take steps to remove my need for a TV license now.

The sounds app has improved but I use mainly for the obscure or promoted new stuff; I tend to use pocket casts for the regular casts.

I've just been giving the Sounds app a try in the car. It played Episode 3 then stopped, even though 4 and 5 were downloaded. I started it manually playing Episode 4 and when it got to the end of that it ignored Episode 5 and started enthusiastically playing Episode 3 from the beginning again.

Utter crap.

My first day of using it today. Is it normal to get the message "there was a problem during loading" every time it starts up?!

Sounds app as launched was utterly useless for you know, listening to the radio. A totally mess of podcast and a back catalogue of past programmes. It is vastly better now however.

As an avid listener to podcasts, only some of which are BBC produced I have no interest in using it for my podcast subscriptions as want all of them in one place. So the rest of the app is of no use to me.

I’m trying it again. It still lacks an intuitive interface - finding what was on previously is a pain for instance. It’s good that it’s now CarPlay compliant. Will have a good play over the next week and see.

iPlayer radio still working here.

Anyone know if you can use Sounds without an account? The old iplayer let you put in any old rubbish email address and never bothered me again. When I tried that with Sounds it wouldn't play ball. I dont want to have to sign up for yet another account.

Alternatively, is there any other way to listen to BBC podcasts/live radio? Any other apps for it?

Alternatively, is there any other way to listen to BBC

podcasts

/live radio? Any other apps for it?

podcasts - all appear on the apple podcast built in app.

Not sure of another way to access 'play again' past broadcasts.

Tunein for a worlds world of the live radio.

high quality (320 kbps) bbc streams here :

BBC Radio 1
http://a.files.bbci.co.uk/media/live/manifesto/audio/simulcast/hls/uk/sbr_high/ak/bbc_radio_one.m3u8

BBC Radio 1Xtra
http://a.files.bbci.co.uk/media/live/manifesto/audio/simulcast/hls/uk/sbr_high/ak/bbc_1xtra.m3u8

BBC Radio 2
http://a.files.bbci.co.uk/media/live/manifesto/audio/simulcast/hls/uk/sbr_high/ak/bbc_radio_two.m3u8

BBC Radio 3
http://a.files.bbci.co.uk/media/live/manifesto/audio/simulcast/hls/uk/sbr_high/ak/bbc_radio_three.m3u8

BBC Radio 4
http://a.files.bbci.co.uk/media/live/manifesto/audio/simulcast/hls/uk/sbr_high/ak/bbc_radio_fourfm.m3u8

BBC Radio 4LW
http://a.files.bbci.co.uk/media/live/manifesto/audio/simulcast/hls/uk/sbr_high/ak/bbc_radio_fourlw.m3u8

BBC Radio 4 Extra
http://a.files.bbci.co.uk/media/live/manifesto/audio/simulcast/hls/uk/sbr_high/ak/bbc_radio_four_extra.m3u8

BBC Radio 5 Live
http://a.files.bbci.co.uk/media/live/manifesto/audio/simulcast/hls/uk/sbr_high/ak/bbc_radio_five_live.m3u8

BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra
http://a.files.bbci.co.uk/media/live/manifesto/audio/simulcast/hls/uk/sbr_high/ak/bbc_radio_five_live_sports_extra.m3u8

BBC Radio 6 Music
http://a.files.bbci.co.uk/media/live/manifesto/audio/simulcast/hls/uk/sbr_high/ak/bbc_6music.m3u8

BBC Asian Network
http://a.files.bbci.co.uk/media/live/manifesto/audio/simulcast/hls/uk/sbr_high/ak/bbc_asian_network.m3u8

Hmmm.... Sounds not available in my location....

Looks like it might be UK only. Annoying.

..... and nor it is (according to Google Play despite using vpn) compatible with neither my Lenovo tablet nor Xperia phone.

Strange.

It doesn't do alarm clock wake-up like iPlayer and no intention to implement it. I'm casting around for a viable replacement.

Iplayer still working on my iPhone

Does it have a timer to switch the radio off after a set amount of time?

Does it have a timer to switch the radio off after a set amount of time?

Yep. Still has that.
So far found it fine for what I use it for. Nothing appears to be missing. Only thing I’ve noticed is it logs me out occasionally.

Yep. Still has that.

Good, Didn't appear to when it first launched so I uninstalled it. Will still use iplayer radio until it stops working though, I don't like change.

not going to implement high-quality downloads even though the files are being produced and code has been written to do it already in iPlayer Radio.

They've looked at the stats and not many people use that feature!

****s but the answer I expected as my first job was at BBC Research Department.

They have a chat helpline open from 4.15pm to midnight :

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/help/webchat

so I might spam them for a few days with complaints 🙂

I might start recording from the high quality streams again, using TotalRecorder ( http://www.totalrecorder.com/), like I used to have to do. Of course that means that recordings don't time out after a month.

Try get_iplayer if you want to download stuff? Not sure what bit rate it uses.

Just used Sounds to listen to Thom Yorke on the extended Desert Island Discs (well worth a listen). The sounds app interface is really quite clunky and unintuitive compared to iPlayer. Don’t like it.

Try get_iplayer if you want to download stuff? Not sure what bit rate it uses.

interesting, thanks for pointing that out - looks like it suports best quality.

Radio
Max Bit Rate Max Quality Configuration Notes
320 kbps get_iplayer --prefs-add --radiomode=best default
128 kbps get_iplayer --prefs-add --radiomode=better
96 kbps get_iplayer --prefs-add --radiomode=good
48 kbps get_iplayer --prefs-add --radiomode=worst

I wonder if the BBC will still keep the 320kbps files once they have removed the download feature ?

I'll ask on chat...

It doesn’t do alarm clock wake-up like iPlayer and no intention to implement it. I’m casting around for a viable replacement.

Let me know what you find. It's my primary use of the app but, again, no intention to implement in Sounds. I might have to buy a radio alarm clock.

Is there still a GUI that works with get_iplayer or is it all text strings only?

iPlayer still working on my Samsung phone. Not looking forward to having to use that shitty Sounds app...

I get the sounds app fine in France/Switzerland, so long as you download it from the UK App Store.
It's much better than it was when released. Current track is now listed, although only when listening live & no track listing is available for the shows until after the show is finished & available to listen again, which is annoying if you've just missed the artist/title!
The ability to start the show from the beginning, pause & skip forwards/backwards 20 seconds is very handy.

iplayer radio app no longer works on my iPad, but as it’s an older model I can’t download the sounds app.

This makes me cross

For Mac users Audio Hijack does the same job as total_recorder linked above if Sourceforge leaves you feeling a bit clammy and shaky.

iPlayer radio was at least understandable, I was able to burrow through its maze to what I wanted.
Sounds app, sorry, I'm hopelessly lost.
😭

...um,iplayer radio still working fine for me?

The sounds app interface is really quite clunky and unintuitive compared to iPlayer. Don’t like it.

Agreed

well playing back downloads on my iplayer radio app just lost all the sound whereas live radio still works.

So I removed my downloads (I downloaded one yesterday) and attempts to redownload are failing !

And iplayer radio app is not on the apple store now...

Listening to catch up shows on normal download quality and it's not good...

Try get_iplayer if you want to download stuff? Not sure what bit rate it uses.

get_iplayer worked.

It looks like a big, nasty shell script and there are numerous command line options, but on Windows there is a basic GUI interface and if you modify the search options it shows the command being executed int he command window - if you want to automate it.

Downloads default to the highest quality.

So downloaded and used itunes to put them on the ipad which was easy as they are .m4a files.

Can also put the downloads on the NAS for use on the main hifi.

So a great solution until the BBC spot that there is no point producing the high quality files as BBC Sounds can't use them.

Thanks for the tip.

Forced onto Sounds last night. It's not great is it?

Forced to use sounds today. it just buffers and never starts when trying to listen to live radio. So gave up and went elsewhere.

BBC Radio iplayer gone altogether on my iphone. Just N/A.

Fairly annoying.

BBC sounds is ****ing shite to use, when browsing the schedules all you can see is a couple of programs at a time on screen and I haven’t found any way to choose a bit rate for downloads, if there is one?.

you can't change the bitrate - I complained and they said :

"it defaults at the "Best all-rounder" quality which has a great balance of both audio quality and disk space."

and

"At the moment, there aren't any plans to include higher quality downloads on the app. We reviewed the usage data and found that only a very small number of users opted to use the higher quality downloads on the iPlayer Radio app, so the option won't be included on BBC Sounds. "

that sounds like an incredibly laszy response - the files to download are produced and available and there is prototype code in iplayer radio to half-inch.

It is possible to get them using the get_iplayer program, as highlighted above. But how long that bitrate will be available is another matter.

When it goes so does my TV license subscription...

I tried that 'great' download quality and it is unlistenable with headphones - very poor.

Sad to watch the BBC in a race to the bottom when it used to lead the world for standards...

So the next stage of forcing people onto BBC Sounds. BBC Radio dumped TuneIn for UK listeners this week. So no more BBC Radio at home on our Alexa/Sonos setup 👎🏻 And the BBC skill is cr*p, you lose most of the Alexa functionality (multiroom, alarms, routines, Sonos integration, stereo...)

Kieran Clifton, Director, BBC Distribution & Business Development has published the following blog yesterday entitled ‘An update on the BBC and TuneIn’ which addresses comments and questions around the changes:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/aboutthebbc/entries/45fa0731-189c-43eb-8e4f-3071b8384895

Sounds app still crap. I often have the radio on at night casting to amp/speakers in my bedroom with the timer set to turn it off after say 3 hours. Worked perfectly with iplayer radio. Now after the timer runs out instead of just turning off it stops casting and starts blasting out of my phone speakers waking me up 🤬

When I queried the BBC dumping TuneIn (and thus removing all my Alexa/Sonos functionality) the advice that came back was that I should use BBC Sounds on a phone, and Bluetooth to one of my Echos. Yeah right, we're all going to sit around one echo like it's some '50s wireless.

They will be stopping VHF and DAB broadcasts soon as you can't collect data on the users from it.

And Freeview for that matter.

The BBC gets more and more pathetic.

See my post earlier with the URLs to the high quality streams, perhaps you can do something with those ? My Roon can tune in to them.

I'm now getting adverts for other BBC stuff when I'm on the app. I don't care about some comedian's take on Brexit, and if I did it'd be the news quiz. I need to know how Ian is with the baby and what Lexi is going to do

See my post earlier with the URLs to the high quality streams, perhaps you can do something with those ? My Roon can tune in to them.

Cheers. From what I know I'd have to create an Alexa developer account and start creating custom radio skills. Can't be bothered. The house has now given up on the BBC and moved to talkRADIO/Virgin/Radio X/Amazon Music. Sod 'em.

Notice somebody has created a petition concerning the BBC dumping TuneIn...

https://www.change.org/p/bbc-restore-bbc-radio-streams-to-tunein

So foreign users can still stream via TuneIn whereas license fee payers can't ?

The whole thing is ridiculous - the sooner the BBC lose the license fee the better. The argument that they produce better quality programming than others is long past it's sell by date now

https://www.mamp.info/receiver/en/ This looks like it might be the answer to our needs plus a bit more as it supports Car Play and has a countdown sleep timer and alarm £3.99 on iOS plus it syncs favourites across devices via iCloud or DropBox. I'll be test driving it for a while to check it can do the job.

So foreign users can still stream via TuneIn whereas license fee payers can’t ?

Yep. Wonder what the BBC and TuneIn fell out over? They go on about inability to gather the data they wanted on their blog. Must have been important to justify dumping thousands (millions?) of listeners.

Also, this is all I get when I try to use BBC Sounds in the car. All the other music sources (Amazon, TuneIn, Pocket Casts etc.) work fine...

Can confirm that Receiver Radio is able to currently play the BBC Radio streams - just bought it.

It also works for the high definition BBC streams I listed earlier - just set them all up and tested, apart from BBC Asian Network...

TurnerGuy the alarms are customisable, as many as you want can be stored. Plus the iOS app can be downloaded to AppleTV or vice versa. Will be checking tonight if Family sharing allows the app to download to Mrs S phone.

Well nobody mention Receiver Radio if they leave a poor review for BBC Sounds, just in case it alerts the BBC to them having competition.

We used to tune the radio in to pirate radio stations when working at the BBC Research Dept. The problem was we were in the TV and Radio planning department so invariably a radio engineer would come in, notice the frequency, make a phone call and a few hours later that station would go quiet !

Currently listening to Deep House Radio (DHR) - Deep House Music 24/7 - The Deeper Sound Of The Underground Live from Cork City, Ireland "We Go Deep !" 🙂

Under the High Sound Quality list.

Nice simple, clean interface

Been using Radioplayer for a week. Seems good. Both Android and iOS, free, only permission it requires is location - says it needs that to work out your local radio stations. Not noticed many ads.

Has alarms and sleep timers. Nice and simple once you've set your favourite stations, and it has a schedule under 'more' where you can easily scroll back and listen to a show on catchup.

https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/radioplayer-uk-radio-is-here/id563906005
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=uk.co.radioplayer&hl=en_GB

So re the Echo / BBC / Tunein issue - I've used this a lot to play bbc radio on my sonos and missing the voice activation a lot (1st world problems I know). Confusingly though bbc radio via tunein on the sonos app is still available....?

So I can play it just have to pick up the phone.....(as I said above)
Anyone know of another way to voice activate BBC radio on my sonos via the echo?

ps signed the petition

Anyone know of another way to voice activate BBC radio on my sonos via the echo?

It's possible using IFTTT.

Add the IFTTT skill to your Alexa, and sign in. Then go to the Alexa app and create a new skill:

If: choose Alexa trigger and enter the text "radio 3 in the kitchen"
Then: choose Sonos favourite then select a radio station from your favourites.

It works, but you need to create an applet for every combination of rooms and radio stations.

Thanks - I've linked an IFTTT acount to alexa but struggling to see where on the alexa app I create the new skill - the IFTTT steps?

Thanks – I’ve linked an IFTTT acount to alexa but struggling to see where on the alexa app I create the new skill – the IFTTT steps?

Oh yes my mistake - I typed it in a rush. You create the applet in the IFTTT app or website:

Add the IFTTT skill to your Alexa, and sign in. Then go to the Alexa app and create a new skill IFTTT then create a new applet:

If: choose Alexa trigger and enter the text “radio 3 in the kitchen”
Then: choose Sonos favourite then select a radio station from your favourites.

After they canned TuneIn I reluctantly installed sounds, and I'm pleasantly surprised at how good it is for my purposes.
Support remains for Google home and Chromecast too.

Family sharing did not allow the App onto MrsS iPhone. Can't win them all.

The clock is a bit brighter than the old iPlayer Radio one but the numbers are readable with my contacts in due to he size. Well worth £4.

Apparently there are Siri shortcuts that allow a Homepod to play radio too.

When I queried the BBC dumping TuneIn (and thus removing all my Alexa/Sonos functionality)

Sh*t, I missed this. TuneIn is horrendous - randomly losing streams, dropping a radio show halfway through it playing back, etc - but without it BBC on Sonos becomes even more challenging.

I have had some success using direct stream urls (as posted above) through Sonos, but you obviously lose the ability to play back shows like Craig Charles Funk n Soul Show.

I used to only use the Tunein Radio App for the occasional live listen to BBC radio stations when at work, when it stopped streaming them I switched to the sounds app and have to say its actually got me listening to more BBC radio shows! Scrolling back through the schedule and listening to a show I'd missed or am not awake to listen to like the Radio 1 indie show, the shows having a track list too I find really useful.

Oddly here in Germany the old style iplayer app is still working as it always has... Maybe it's UK specific...?

Well even here in Germany time has come to say auf wiedersehen (although ironically that translates to "see you again") to the original iplayer app.

Now I've got the Sounds app. It's there any alarm clock function? Quite like waking up to a bit of classical music on R3.

Just had a quick look, no alarm function that I can find. Maybe possible by some 'OK Google' jiggery-pokery?

Try the RadioPlayer app instead, it has the alarm clock function and is a lot more like the old app.

I use it for Virgin radio, which has turned out to be rather splendid.