Lost access to BBC iplayer

[AlexOB1]

Hi all,

BBC iplayer (from the UK) has been working just fine for me, since I got the Touchpad.

The last few days though, I just get forwarded to the mobile site, telling me that iplayer is not available for my device.

Is it still working for other people? I fully expected the internet to be full of people with a similar complaint!

Thanks,
Alex

[HelloNNNewman]

Hi Alex, to clarify.... You are saying that you actually did have it working with the TouchPad in the past and it has suddenly stopped working?

[DandyB]

Yep, just noticed yesterday.

It appears the BBC iPlayer website is interogating which O/S and/or browser is using the site then displays a message that in order to use it you need to change the browser settings.

Unfortunately the TouchPad browser doesnt give that level of control so its impossible to view the iPlayer.

So if BBC can change it to accomodate the TouchPad then great, but who do you contact?

Alternatively perhaps someone knows how to inject a setting manually on the TouchPad browser that allows it to continue passed this error message.

Quite enjoyed using my TouchPad for the Beeb iPlayer.

[AlexOB1]

Originally Posted by HelloNNNewman

Hi Alex, to clarify.... You are saying that you actually did have it working with the TouchPad in the past and it has suddenly stopped working?

Yep, exactly. Now it just forwards me to a bbc mobile page which tells me that my browser isn't supported.

[HelloNNNewman]

I'm not familiar with it, but I see that it is a web-based service. I can access it on my home computer, but cannot from my TouchPad (says it works for Android browsers if you configure them).

My suggestion would be to go to the following thread and ask the OP to update this patch for the TouchPad. It is a User-Agent spoof patch that makes sites think you are on a 'supported' browser:

[Patch] User Agent Override

[AlexOB1]

Thanks for the reply HelloNNNewman, that could be a good backup plan.

Thanks DandyP for confirming the problem is not just for me! I have posted a fault report to the BBC stating:

------------

Previously BBC iPlayer worked perfectly on the HP Touchpad (WebOS) via the native browser.

A change you made to your servers yesterday (Monday 26 November) results in users being forwarded to BBC iPlayer - Help - Not Supported with the error "Your device is not able to support BBC iPlayer".

[HelloNNNewman]

Try this patch out and see if it fixes your issue (Thanks to u471725)

Post - user-agent-override-touchpad.patch

[geekpeter]

BBC News - BBC replacing Flash with its own media player

the android flash package was extended in the uk (maybe others) due to the bbc requesting more time to make changes to their iplayer before the package was pulled from the android market, the news post above also states their making their own player.

not functioning soon(tm) is maybe inevitable.... who knows.

[AlexOB1]

Originally Posted by HelloNNNewman

Try this patch out and see if it fixes your issue (Thanks to u471725)

Post - user-agent-override-touchpad.patch

Do you already have that patch installed on your touchpad, if so does it work for BBC iPlayer - iPlayer Radio Home

I would imagine it doesn't though - as idevices don't have flash, I reckon the bbc packages iplayer clips some other way....

I think ideally we'd just spoof the touchpad browser as a desktop PC browser.

[HelloNNNewman]

I just installed and tested the patch for you. It works fine and gets the site running again on your TouchPad.

[twareg]

Hi, same problem for me - touchpad fine with bbc iplayer till recently now get directed to their mobile site which is not supported.

[HelloNNNewman]

Originally Posted by twareg

Hi, same problem for me - touchpad fine with bbc iplayer till recently now get directed to their mobile site which is not supported.

Hi twareg, See the link in Post #5 for the patch that will fix the issue.

[HelloNNNewman]

BTW... if you all use the patch and it works for you, please spend a couple of bucks on the "donate" link for that developer - it's worth it and he appreciates every dollar!

[bnix1963]

Hi, cannot install the patch. I downloaded the touchpad version. When I try to open it in the browser I get a message cannot open mime file. When using Internalz pro the patch is called download.php and opening it up does not give the install button but explains what the patch does. Going to preware under list everything and search for the patch doesn't return anything. I also tried to add a feed by copying the url of the patch but that didn't work either.

I need this patch, what do I do wrong?

[AlexOB1]

I tried that patch, it nearly does what we need.....

After installation, I am forwarded to the /bigscreen version of iplayer (which offers a prompt to get the free iPlayer iPad app).

I presume this is some kind of html5 site or something, whatever it is it isn't supported by the Touchpad browser, none of the shows will play.

So I think if this patch could be modified to emulate a desktop browser, rather than idevice browser, we'd be sorted!

Thanks.....

[bnix1963]

Managed to install the patch by changing the file extension and using internalz pro.

Same thing, I'm forwarded to big screen and films don't play, I'm advised to use windows, etc.

[AlexOB1]

The great side effect of that though (as a gmail user) was that the tablet interface of gmail loaded!

Would be great to be able to set the user agent on a 'per website' basis, perhaps via a dropdown in the browser settings....

[HelloNNNewman]

You might want to request that functionality (if it's possible) in the thread where the patch came from... That developer is great, but is getting burnt from all of the extra's he does without anyone saying 'thanks' with a donation.

[Garrett92C]

Originally Posted by hellonnnewman

You might want to request that functionality (if it's possible) in the thread where the patch came from... That developer is great, but is getting burnt from all of the extra's he does without anyone saying 'thanks' with a donation.

I'd love to help you guys out, but unfortunately I had to sell my Touchpad. I just shipped it to it's new owner a couple hours ago. So, I don't think there's much I can do. Maybe there are still some homebrew devs with Touchpads out there that will look into this for you.

Sorry!

Oh, and I updated my 'user agent' thread with two new user agents (Chrome desktop and Firefox desktop). I wasn't able to test them though, but they should work. Maybe one of those will help?

[joerice50]

I mistakenly installed the iphone user agent spoof patch so the BBCiplayer site saw my Touchpad as an iphone and worked accordingly. Unfortunately every other web site saw my Touchpad as an iphone and offered its mobile version for display, which is very fast but not very satisfying. I un-installed the patch and restarted the Touchpad but couldn't get the recognition as an iphone removed from the browser. I eventually I reset the Touchpad via Device Information erase apps and data.

Upon reset I logged into the Touchpad with my old username and password all my purchased and downloaded apps were reinstalled from the Cloud automatically. I needed to hook up to my laptop to reinstall Preware and used Preware to install the usual speed-up patches.

The upshot is I have a pretty quick Touchpad a lot of clutter has gone with the reset but no BBC iplayer function. I might try the dual boot android option when cyanogenmod 10 is ready and see if BBC iplayer works in Android.