Comments on: How to Install BBC iPlayer Desktop on Ubuntu

By: Mike F

Mike F — Sat, 26 Dec 2009 15:11:51 +0000

Thanks for posting this info.

After following the instructions above I still couldn’t get iplayer working (I’d go the BBC website and click “Install iplayer”, a window would open and then nothing would happen).

After a bit of experimenting (and it could be something else I did!) I installed “get-iplayer” through Synaptic. Hey presto – the install link on the BBC website worked and iplayer installed on my desktop (using Ubuntu 9.10 64 bit).

Hope this is helpful to someone else.

Regards,

MikeF.

By: Martin Webster

Martin Webster — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 18:19:59 +0000

Thanks for the rant. If you wanted help you only had to ask… like everyone else.

BTW, this isn’t a tutorial. It’s an aide-mémoire.

I’m guessing that reading Hilary’s first post and my reply may help you get the script to run. In this respect Linux is no different from Windows; the script needs to be in the current path to execute, e.g. ~/Desktop.

By: Padi Phillips

Padi Phillips — Sun, 13 Sep 2009 17:55:46 +0000

Having some problems with this, (i.e. it is as clear as mud). When something is described as ‘simple’ it should mean just that, but nothing I’ve found here is that simple. I’m aware that I’m probably missing something, but generally I find that ‘geeks’ tend to confuse nere mortals by assuming that everyone is as au fait as they are with the processes of running scripts, installing things through sudo etc. I am not stupid, but it has struck me that sometimes steps are missed out that whilst would not faze an experienced user, would totally flummox a newbie in that an ‘obvious’ step has been missed out.

Maybe repetition is tedious to those in the know, but my experience as a language tutor has taught me that repetition is vital to the human learning process, and that going over old ground is vital. I believe that tutorials should be ‘self-contained’ so that they are in effect stand alone so that the user does not have to constantly refer to different pages or websites – something that has always been a bane of my life right from when I started to use computers some 20 years ago.

My particular problem is that I’m finding it ridiculously hard to install BBC iPlayer on my Jaunty machine,and when I found your website I was relieved, however shortlived that proved to be.

I am a relative ‘newbie’ to Ubuntu, and whilst I’m becoming quite experienced at using sudo, I am still very much in the dark when it comes to scripts. I have downloaded the script, but can’t get it to run. I’m sure that the problem lies with me, as I’m not sure where to save the script to so that sudo knows where to find it and do its stuff.

I’d be grateful for any help, despite the fact that it’s probably a bit of a pain for you, (and quite possibly now difficult to get into the mind set of being a newbie who is a little confused). Computers are not second nature to most people, which is why so many remain with Windows, it’s ease of use has much to commend it even if the ethical considerations leave something to be desired.

Thanks in anticipation.

By: Hilary

Hilary — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 22:01:07 +0000

Aha! Sorry, I have been thick! It’s working now.

Thank you so much!!!

By: Martin Webster

Martin Webster — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 21:31:33 +0000

Are you sure it's not working? You'll need to download programmes first before they show in iPlayer Desktop. Click the Get more programmes link and the BBC iPlayer Home page will load in your Web browser. Now choose a programme and when the CLICK TO PLAY page (Flash Player) is displayed click on the Download link at the bottom right of the video. As soon as you click on the link you'll see the programme in iPlayer Desktop. If you want to remove iPlayer Desktop go to Applications > Accessories > Adobe AIR Uninstaller.

By: Hilary

Hilary — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 19:58:04 +0000

Thank you!

I think there must be sth wrong with my wrong set up. My iPlayer always display no programme available.

Can you tell me how to remove the installed iPlayer please? Thank you!

By: Martin Webster

Martin Webster — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 19:17:05 +0000

You need to execute the command from the desktop:

$ cd ~/Desktop

By: Hilary

Hilary — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 01:38:05 +0000

I cannot execute the flash file when I type $ chmod +x flash10_en.sh and $ sudo ./flash10_en.sh. It said chmod: cannot access `flash10_en.sh’: No such file or directory.

I have saved the file on desktop. Can you please help and tell me why? Thank you!

By: Gareth Bradley

Gareth Bradley — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 18:11:27 +0000

Hi,
Thanks for your help. I had no /opt directory so I must have inadvertently deleted it somehow! I had to reinstall Adobe AIR to get the installation to work on the iPlayer site.

Thanks again!
Gaz

By: Martin Webster

Martin Webster — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 17:51:25 +0000

If BBC iPlayer is installed you won't get the install option on the iPlayer home page. You should have an icon in your applications menu: Applications > Accessories > BBC iPlayer (and the Adobe Air installer.) If not, add to the panel and point to iPlayer: '/opt'/'BBC iPlayer Desktop'/bin/'BBC iPlayer Desktop'