Problem with one specific radio programme

[dinkypumpkin]

On 17/06/2012 19:14, Martin Edney wrote:
> If I don't specify an amode
> setting, it tries flashaudio1, eventually gives up (after several
> minutes), tries rtspaudio1 and returns "The system cannot find the path specified."  It then goes on to try wma1, and proceeds to download
> about 1/4 of the programme, but then  stops, after showing "INFO:
> Streaming thread has completed for file
> \downloads\/On_The_Wire_-_16_06_2012_p00t1fj4_default_part01.wma".

I second Sr. Guano's advice to update.   Beyond the improvements to 
get_iplayer itself, you will update the version of rtmpdump it uses, 
which might be part of your problem.  The version of rtmpdump supplied 
with 2.79 is pretty old.

For anyone else who finds themselves with temporary rtmpdump downloading 
problems, using the rtsp and wma modes won't be a very good fallback, as 
the OP found.  Both have the disadvantage that they only stream in real 
time, which defeats the purpose of downloading unless you *really* want 
to wait for a particular programme.  get_iplayer handles the wma (read: 
mms) streams with mplayer, which doesn't by itself resume a stream when 
the connection is lost, so you can easily wind up with partial 
recordings.  get_iplayer tries to handle the rtsp streams with VLC, and 
I'm guessing that some glitch with VLC installation was the source of 
the "The system cannot find the path specified." error.  Even if it did 
work, you wouldn't necessarily find it useful.  When downloading TV 
programmes via rtsp modes, VLC only gets the audio (the video format 
isn't supported), so not much use.  When downloading AAC audio (national 
radio) via rtspaac modes, the output files are unplayable by many media 
players without further processing.  When downloading MP3 audio 
(regional radio) via rtspaudio modes, the output file can usually be 
made playable by changing the the file extension from .mp3 to .ts.  This 
is because get_iplayer instructs VLC to mux the audio stream into a MPEG 
TS (Transport Stream) container but doesn't name the file accordingly 
(same thing with AAC audio).  Not really meant for audio.  The rtsp 
modes are a vestigial remnant that should probably be sent for the chop 
or radically revised.  They haven't worked properly in at least 2 years, 
perhaps longer.  If anyone has suggestions on how that situation may be 
improved, chime in.