Question Is there a way to get Iplayer content in 1080P?

MahaRaja

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Hi folks,

I understand that Iplayer in built in apps on a smart TV, is shown as 720p, though this information is hard to find.

Is there way to get the HD content on the Iplayer in 1080P? The other way I could find if these BBC Dramas end up with Amazon Prime for example - 'The Capture', which was in 1080P and DD plus sound.
 
Nope. No surround sound either. Funnily enough, I’ve just written to Tim Davie, Director General of the BBC, about the current iPlayer mess. I’ve emailed him too, though I have no idea if the address is valid. If you, or anyone else, is interested in contacting the BBC about iPlayer, I’d be happy to share the text that I sent him/the BBC.
 
BBC produces some of the best Dramas in the world, unlike Netflix which churns out dozens of shows each week and most of them are crap. It's a shame that the Iplayer only goes up to 720P in this day and age, and their UHD is for 5/6 TV shows.

It's only when these BBC Dramas end up in Netflix/Amazon Prime that you get to 1080p quality and with DD sound option.

Even the recently launched Acorn TV, which has all the British TV content, shows in 720P video quality.
 
BBC produces some of the best Dramas in the world, unlike Netflix which churns out dozens of shows each week and most of them are crap. It's a shame that the Iplayer only goes up to 720P in this day and age, and their UHD is for 5/6 TV shows.

It's only when these BBC Dramas end up in Netflix/Amazon Prime that you get to 1080p quality and with DD sound option.

Even the recently launched Acorn TV, which has all the British TV content, shows in 720P video quality.


Maybe they do it to create a extra revenue stream?


* Always check what streaming quality your iPlayer is set at.
 
Maybe they do it to create a extra revenue stream?


* Always check what streaming quality your iPlayer is set at.
Streaming quality is set to 'best quality' which does not tell you what it is but it's not 1080p. I think they broadcast in higher quality at 1080i but the catch up service video is inferior quality.
 
Yup. No response thus far to my email to Tim Davie about the rubbish iPlayer app. I doubt if I’ll get a response, either to that or my letter. The BBC has better things to spend its money on, like Gary Lineker’s salary or woke training.

All of the UK streaming services, NowTV excepted (if you opt for the Boost Pass) are crap when it comes to picture and sound quality, so I only use them in an ‘emergency’, if my PVR fails a recording.

The iPlayer thing won’t change. The BBC has no interest in doing anything about it.
 
Well, I did get a response from the BBC. Basically, it's no change. 720p is HD, blah, blah, blah, carefully avoided the question that I raised about surround sound audio, and so on. To sum-up: if iPlayer quality bugs you, moan at the BBC, but don't expect it to do any good. The BBC has better things to spend its money on (our money!) like making sure that Gary Lineker's salary is paid. If you want quality, look elsewhere, because you won't find it from iPlayer. Emergency use only for me, if my PVR fails to record something.
 
Fortunately I barely watch BBC content, but I do annoyingly have to pay for it. 720p with stereo audio is a relic, and it has no place on one what is one of the most expensive subscription services.

The license fee itself feels like a relic at this point. Mandatory subscription whether you watch it or not. But that's a debate for another thread.
 
The BBC has been moaning again today, asking for more money so that it can compete with Netflix. I don't recall the entire story as my eyes glazed over whilst reading it, but it was the same old guff. Poor BBC, Netflix is nasty, yada, yada, yada. If it wants to compete with Netflix, for a start offer at least 1080p and 5.1 audio!
 
Yes, iPlayer 1080p is possible, not as simple as just using one of these webUI tools but its certainly possible with youtube-dl and a good look around..

audio_eng_1=128000-video=12000000.m3u8
 
Yes, iPlayer 1080p is possible, not as simple as just using one of these webUI tools but its certainly possible with youtube-dl and a good look around..

audio_eng_1=128000-video=12000000.m3u8

I'm curious what digging around you did to find this? It works great!
Are there are any other higher values to get better bitrates and resolutions?
 
But I presume that the settings will influence the resolution on output, but not necessarily the content. The BBC does not currently offer 1080 streams, although the iPlayer app. is capable of doing it.
 
The license fee itself feels like a relic at this point. Mandatory subscription whether you watch it or not. But that's a debate for another thread.
It's not mandatory if you don't watch broadcast channels or anything live.
 
It's not mandatory if you don't watch broadcast channels or anything live.

I have a TV aerial on my house, and not paying for the BBC but still having access to iPlayer is so clearly a loophole and morally repugnant.

I'm not a thief.
 
I have a TV aerial on my house, and not paying for the BBC but still having access to iPlayer is so clearly a loophole and morally repugnant.

I'm not a thief.
If you use iPlayer you legally need a TV licence as clearly stated on their website.

If you don't use iPlayer or the other things, you don't.
It certainly isn't mandatory for simply owning a TV or video equipment like it used to be. That changed quite a long time ago.
 
Yes, iPlayer 1080p is possible, not as simple as just using one of these webUI tools but its certainly possible with youtube-dl and a good look around..

audio_eng_1=128000-video=12000000.m3u8

I'm curious what digging around you did to find this? It works great!
Are there are any other higher values to get better bitrates and resolutions?
Hi guys

Very interested to know exactly how to use this? I presume this is the end of a url I need to use somewhere?

I can't help but feel its a bit ridiculous we're approaching 2022 and the standard for most iPlayer users is still 720p.

I did notice this page saying 1080p is available for certain supported TVs, which isn't much good for the vast majority of us:
 
Hi guys

Very interested to know exactly how to use this? I presume this is the end of a url I need to use somewhere?

I can't help but feel its a bit ridiculous we're approaching 2022 and the standard for most iPlayer users is still 720p.

I did notice this page saying 1080p is available for certain supported TVs, which isn't much good for the vast majority of us:

Comical isn't it. Meanwhile is Netflix land it's 4K Dolby Vision/HDR for all.

I shouldn't mind so much as I so rarely watch it, it's the principle though, it sticks in the craw.

I wonder if the BBC's 4K output will still be in "trial" in another 10 years time? 20? 50?
 
Comical isn't it. Meanwhile is Netflix land it's 4K Dolby Vision/HDR for all.

I shouldn't mind so much as I so rarely watch it, it's the principle though, it sticks in the craw.

I wonder if the BBC's 4K output will still be in "trial" in another 10 years time? 20? 50?
I can understand their reluctance with 4K, until the majority of homes have the necessary bandwidth then why bother...but 1080?

Plus having 1080 available on some devices but not others?
My Firestick 4K doesn’t get 1080, yet the cheaper Firestick does...where’s the logic in that?
 
Hi guys

Very interested to know exactly how to use this? I presume this is the end of a url I need to use somewhere?

I can't help but feel its a bit ridiculous we're approaching 2022 and the standard for most iPlayer users is still 720p.

I did notice this page saying 1080p is available for certain supported TVs, which isn't much good for the vast majority of us:
My way older Samsung is showing 1080p just fine - was much lower quality only a couple of weeks ago when I last watched something on iPlayer.
 
Annoying the lack of consistent 1080p support. According to the list, a lower spec. 2019 LG TV than mine supports 1080p, but mine doesn’t. Same O/S, almost identical hardware, bar the audio stages.

How do you check to see what resolution iPlayer is using, assuming that you’ve set it to best quality? I couldn’t find anything when I looked.
 
Annoying the lack of consistent 1080p support. According to the list, a lower spec. 2019 LG TV than mine supports 1080p, but mine doesn’t. Same O/S, almost identical hardware, bar the audio stages.

How do you check to see what resolution iPlayer is using, assuming that you’ve set it to best quality? I couldn’t find anything when I looked.
Not sure about your specific TV, but on my FireStick 4K I can use the android developer tools app, and through that there's an overlay which shows the video stream information, its very useful as it can be used in any streaming app.
 
I thought that it would be a ‘non-obvious’ way of checking. Only Netflix, to my knowledge, has the ability to natively check stream quality. I quite often see the adaptive streaming kick-in when I’ve checked. Last night, for instance, something 4K when the streaming started, was only at 1440 before settling at 2160. All seamless though. I digress. To me, iPlayer is still a busted flush.
 
It feels like iPlayer is a hobby project run by one guy in the BBC basement in his free time. The way they're restricting 1080p (!!!!) to a handful of random devices is beyond belief.

I was musing the other day if I would miss the BBC were it to disappear, and the honest answer is... probably not. I rarely even use it for new anymore as it's so clearly pro-Tory.
 
Pro Tory? Really? I see just the opposite, a London/metropolitan/south east focussed left-leaning woke mess that is totally out of touch with anyone north of the M25.
 
Pro Tory? Really? I see just the opposite, a London/metropolitan/south east focussed left-leaning woke mess that is totally out of touch with anyone north of the M25.
"woke". I'm so sick of that damn word. It's such an obvious dog whistle.

The BBC is run by Tim Davie now, a former Tory councillor. The BBC chair Richard Sharp is a Tory party donor. The BBC is at present a useful idiot for Johnson and his gang of hard right head bangers. It simply looks the other way much of the time whenever the latest Brexit related bad news comes out, or when the Tories are caught with their hands in the till yet again.

The BBC isn't at the level of the Daily Express, Daily Mail, or Torygraph yet thank goodness, but it's a shadow of its former self. Perhaps its afraid of Johnson finally shutting it down or slashing its funding even more, or perhaps its just run by a bunch of Tories now.
 
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