BBC Completely Unavailable

[KMorgan]

I've been trying to listen to BBC Radio2 here in the UK. Whatever device and whatever method (Internet Radio > Local, iPlayer) I use the connection just times-out. The recurring problems with BBC streams (internal server error etc.) is getting a bit boring. I gather that this is due to goings on at the BBC end. Can someone please let me know who I should write to at the BBC and what I should say (technically) to complain about this. A barrage of emails from us Squeezetypes might get noticed.... might.

Cheers

Keith

[bpa]

The RealAudio streams work OK for me (outside the uk) using AlienBBC. You could consider using AlienBBC as a backup when the iPlayer streams do not work.

[KMorgan]

The RealAudio streams work OK for me (outside the uk) using AlienBBC. You could consider using AlienBBC as a backup when the iPlayer streams do not work.

'fraid not. I've tried Alien BBC and the problem is just the same. Stuck on "connecting" and not a peep out of any player. :-(

[bpa]

Does BBC iPlayer work on your PC ?
If so then the AlienBBC problem is in your SC setup.

[KMorgan]

Does BBC iPlayer work on your PC ?

Aha! The original BBCiPlayer is stuck at "Connecting to media..." so there is obviously some major problem at their end. Suppose I should have thought of that myself. Thanks bpa

[bpa]

The other possibility is something to do with your ISP - perhaps blocking/managing/shaping the audio streams in some way.

[KMorgan]

Anyone else got this problem?

I was expecting a few other comments confirming the lack of BBC radio streams. As of this morning I still can't connect even using the BBC web page. I'm in the UK, using Vista Home Premium, IE8, ISP Virgin Media. TV streams work fine. I've sent an email off to the BBC, but as yet no reply. I'm now wondering if I am all alone.

Keith

[bpa]

Start closer to home.
1. Reboot PC and all SBs and Reset the router - Some routers (e.g. Apple) can have problem with port 554 which is used for RealAudio.
2. Talk to your ISP and check that BBC works for them ?

[KMorgan]

bpa

Thanks for your continued help. Tried all the reset stuff inc. deleting the SC cache. It doesn't make any difference. What I have noticed is that I can get some radio channels, e.g. BBC Leeds, BBC World Service.

Is there something different about these particular streams perhaps? I'll try contacting Virgin Media but am not convinced that the nice lady in Hydrabad will know what I'm talking about.

Keith

[bpa]

You could try the following as a test. It needs to be run form a command prompt window and in the AlienBBC plugin Bin directory which has mplayer.exe. Assuming your PC has speakers.


This plays BBC Radio 2 - RealAudio stream.
mplayer -v -playlist http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio2/realmedia/fmg2.ram

The "-v" gives additional setup info in case they don't work.

You could try the following URLs in the SC Tune-in box.
rtsp://rmlive.bbc.co.uk/bbc-rbs/rmlive/farm/live24/bbc_ami/radio2/radio2_nb_int_live.ra
rtsp://rmlive.bbc.co.uk/bbc-rbs/rmlive/farm/live24/bbc_ami/radio2/radio2_nb_live.ra

[KMorgan]

You could try the following as a test. It needs to be run form a command prompt window and in the AlienBBC plugin Bin directory which has mplayer.exe. Assuming your PC has speakers.


This plays BBC Radio 2 - RealAudio stream.
mplayer -v -playlist http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio2/realmedia/fmg2.ram

The "-v" gives additional setup info in case they don't work.

You could try the following URLs in the SC Tune-in box.
rtsp://rmlive.bbc.co.uk/bbc-rbs/rmlive/farm/live24/bbc_ami/radio2/radio2_nb_int_live.ra
rtsp://rmlive.bbc.co.uk/bbc-rbs/rmlive/farm/live24/bbc_ami/radio2/radio2_nb_live.ra

bpa
Tried those two URLs in the Tune-in box. The first connects and plays, the second displays "error connecting to URL......" on my SBC.

Was going to try the CMD window method you mentioned but spookily I can't find mplayer.exe anywhere on the computer. Could this be the cause of my problem? If it is indeed missing, I don't know where it could have gone.

[bpa]

Ignore the mplayer test since one of the tune-in worked.

The first rtsp URL is for international (i.e. non UK listeners). I think the second URL is for UK listeners - however I am not certain.

If AlienBBC/Live BBC Streams/Radio 2 menu doesn't play and the RTSP URL plays - then it could be an SC problem with DNS as the Tune-in bypasses any SC processing and passes URL straight to mplayer.

[KMorgan]

Well I'm At A Loss

Despite having f*rt*d around all day trying whatever I can, I can't get my normal BBC streams to work.

As it stands
On Squeezenetwork and Squeezecenter...
BBCiPlayer will not connect to live streams (connection timed out)
BBCiPlayer will not connect to listen-again (iPlayer cannot direct stream)
AlienBBC will not connect to live or listen-again streams (connection timed out)
Internet Radio > Local will not play (most) BBC streams (connection timed out). Some local BBC stations play, but not R1,R2 etc.

Opening BBC iPlayer web page, Radio streams get stuck at "connecting to media"

ISP Virgin Media.

V fed up. Going to do something else for the rest of the weekend.

Tks bpa for taking time out of your weekend

Keith

[KMorgan]

Does this shed any light?

Hi bpa

Does this screenshot help at all? It's a bit faded as it was very hard to catch the final lines before the window closed.

Cheers Keith

[KMorgan]

Is it really only me?

Bump. Nobody else out there having a problem with BBC radio?

Keith