Requests For Features

[C E Macfarlane]

Now too I can confirm that it is possible to download ITV programmes using
get_flash_videos.

The trouble is, looking through the programmes available, there's nothing
worth watching anyway!
	https://www.itv.com/itvplayer/

Perhaps if I can work out how to download the live streams, some of the
films might be worth watching, but I haven't looked into that yet.

If anyone wishes to try installing get_flash_videos, see also below, others
can ignore the rest of this post.

www.macfh.co.uk/CEMH.html

>     > get_flash_videos, which runs on most UNIX variants.
>
>     get_flash_videos is a Perl script (like GiP) with a broader scope;
>     its ITV support is provided via the itv.pm plugin, maintained by a
>     (former?) list member, Nigel Taylor:
>
>     https://github.com/njtaylor/get-flash-videos/blob/master/lib/F
>     lashVideo/Site/Itv.pm
>
>     > i have not used get_flash_videos.
>
>     The Perl package that comes with the Windows installer of GiP
>     doesn't support get_flash_videos (... naturally), so I had to install
>     Strawberry Perl Portable to an external HDD and after
>     many a tries I managed to get get_flash_videos.pl working...
>     ITVPlayer (as expected is geo-blocked) uses rtmpe but the
>     files themselves
>     are not encrypted, so rtmpdump performs the job beautifully...
>     I can confirm  get_flash_videos works fine for ITV shows...

Personally, I prefer ActivePERL, but in fact I got get_flash_videos working
on a Linux PC.

GROSS OVER-SIMPLIFICATION WARNING!!!

All that is needed to get get_flash_videos working is to install the PERL
dependencies using CPAN.  The dependencies are given here:
	http://code.google.com/p/get-flash-videos/wiki/Installation

End of GROSS OVER-SIMPLIFICATION WARNING!!!

However, before attempting this, it's probably wise to ensure that your PERL
modules are up-to-date, and therein lie the complications glossed over in
the bland paragraph above!  Some abbreviated (because I've already done it,
so am working from aging memory) instructions follow:

1)	Ensure that PERL is on your system path. Open a Command Prompt (DOS Box)
and enter ...
		perl --version
... and if a meaningful response is obtained, there's nothing more to do.
If you get a message "'Perl' is not recognized as an internal or external
command, operable program or batch file." then do the following: Sign on as
Administrator, <Rt-Click> My Computer, Properties, Advanced, Environment
Variables, System Variables, <Dble-Click> Path, and APPEND to the end of the
current value ;<path to perl> following the format of the existing entries.
Note that if PERL is under Program Files rather than the root, use the
shortname version PROGRA~1 rather than the full name.  Click OK all the way
out to save the changes.  To confirm the changes have taken open a NEW
Command Prompt and perform the above test again.

2)	Upgrade your PERL modules using CPAN (probably you will still have to be
signed on as Admin).  Type ...
		cpan
... in a Command Prompt.  If this is the first time you've run it, it may go
off to download and install some development tools that it needs before it
can function fully.  This may take a while and is normal.  Then, at the cpan
prompt, type ...
	upgrade
... and cpan will search through all the modules installed and update to the
latest version all those for which it can determine that a newer version
exists.  This while take some time, during which you should try and keep an
eye on the console messages, and note down any failures, though a summary
will be given at the end.

To help understand the messages, it is useful to understand that most
modules are installed in four stages, each of which requires the successful
completion of those that precede:
	(i)	Building the module
	(ii)	Building the tests
	(iii)	Testing
	(iv)	Installation
Also that if a target module has installation dependencies, CPAN will
download and install these before the target module.

Sometimes failures will be because the updated module is part of a newer
version of PERL than is installed, and these can be ignored.  Some failures
may be caused by the absence of an external program  -  any module with SQL
in its name will not install if MySQL is not installed, any with SSL if
OpenSSL is not installed, and so on  -  and, with the possible exception of
the latter, these too can be ignored.  Sometimes an endless circular
dependency loop occurs, where the installation of one module requires a
second, the installation of which requires the first.  When this happened to
me, I simply installed whichever seemed to be the most basic module by hand,
in the manner described below, and then the other installed fine.  Sometimes
network modules might ask whether they should try and access the network to
test themselves more thoroughly, I usually refuse this, as it often seems to
fail.  Sometimes failures occur because some required module is missing or
out of date, and for some reason CPAN cannot install the dependency.  Again,
working out from the messages which dependency is failing to install and
installing it by hand as described below may fix this.  Finally orher
failures may be fixed simply by running the upgrade command a second time.

3)	Install the new modules required for get_flash_videos.  This can be done
from a Command Prompt by typing ...
		cpan PackageName::ModuleName [PackageName2::ModuleName2 etc]
... so for, the get_flash_videos dependencies, you could type (though I
prefer to install each module seperately so that it's easier to track any
error messages that may occur) ...
		cpan WWW::Mechanize Module::Find XML::Simple Data::AMF Compress::Zlib
Crypt::Rijndael

4)	Finally install get_flash_videos as per the instructions given in the
link above.