get_iplayer (1)


NAME

get_iplayer - Stream Recording tool and PVR for BBC iPlayer, BBC Podcasts and more

SYNOPSIS

get_iplayer [<options>] [<regex|index> ...]

get_iplayer --get [<options>] <regex|index> ...
get_iplayer <url> --type=<type> [<options>]

get_iplayer <pid|url> [--type=<type> <options>]

get_iplayer --stream [<options>] <regex|index> | mplayer -cache 3072 -

get_iplayer --stream [<options>] --type=<type> <pid|url> | mplayer -cache 3072 -

get_iplayer --stream [<options>] --type=livetv,liveradio <regex|index> --player="mplayer -cache 128 -"

get_iplayer --refresh

DESCRIPTION

get_iplayer lists, searches and records BBC iPlayer TV/Radio, BBC Podcast programmes. Other 3rd-Party plugins may be available.

get_iplayer has three modes: recording a complete programme for later playback, streaming a programme directly to a playback application, such as mplayer; and as a Personal Video Recorder (PVR), subscribing to search terms and recording programmes automatically. It can also stream or record live BBC iPlayer output

If given no arguments, get_iplayer updates and displays the list of currently available programmes. Each available programme has a numerical identifier, pid. get_iplayer utilises the rtmpdump tool to record BBC iPlayer programmes from RTMP flash streams at various qualities.

In PVR mode, get_iplayer can be called from cron to record programmes to a schedule.

OPTIONS

Search Options:

--before
Limit search to programmes added to the cache before N hours ago
--category <string>
Narrow search to matched categories (regex or comma separated values)
--channel <string>
Narrow search to matched channel(s) (regex or comma separated values)
--exclude <string>
Narrow search to exclude matched programme names (regex or comma separated values)
--exclude-category <string>
Narrow search to exclude matched categories (regex or comma separated values)
--exclude-channel <string>
Narrow search to exclude matched channel(s) (regex or comma separated values)
--fields <field1>,<field2>,..
Searches only in the specified comma separated fields
--future
Search future programme schedule if it has been indexed (refresh cache with: --refresh --refresh-future).
--history
Search/show recordings history
--long, -l
Additionally search in programme descriptions and episode names (same as --fields=name,episode,desc )
--search <search term>
GetOpt compliant way of specifying search args
--since
Limit search to programmes added to the cache in the last N hours
--type <type>
Only search in these types of programmes: livetv,tv,liveradio,radio,all (tv is default)
--versions <versions>
Version of programme to search or record. List is processed from left to right and first version found is downloaded. Example: '--versions signed,audiodescribed,default' will prefer signed and audiodescribed programmes if available. Default: 'default'

Display Options:

--conditions
Shows GPLv3 conditions
--debug
Debug output
--dump-options
Dumps all options with their internal option key names
--help, -h
Intermediate help text
--helpbasic, --usage
Basic help text
--helplong
Advanced help text
--hide
Hide previously recorded programmes
--info, -i
Show full programme metadata and availability of modes and subtitles (max 50 matches)
--list <categories|channel>
Show a list of available categories/channels for the selected type and exit
--listformat <format>
Display programme data based on a user-defined format string (such as <pid>, <name> etc)
--listplugins
Display a list of currently available plugins or programme types
--long, -l
Show long programme info
--manpage <file>
Create man page based on current help text
--nocopyright
Don't display copyright header
--page <number>
Page number to display for multipage output
--pagesize <number>
Number of matches displayed on a page for multipage output
--quiet, -q
No logging output
--series
Display Programme series names only with number of episodes
--show-cache-age
Displays the age of the selected programme caches then exit
--show-options
Shows options which are set and where they are defined
--sort <fieldname>
Field to use to sort displayed matches
--sortreverse
Reverse order of sorted matches
--streaminfo
Returns all of the media stream urls of the programme(s)
--terse
Only show terse programme info (does not affect searching)
--tree
Display Programme listings in a tree view
--verbose, -v
Verbose
--warranty
Displays warranty section of GPLv3
-V
Show get_iplayer version and exit.

Recording Options:

--aactomp3
Transcode AAC audio to MP3 with ffmpeg/avconv (CBR 128k unless --mp3vbr is specified)
--attempts <number>
Number of attempts to make or resume a failed connection
--bandwidth
In radio realaudio mode specify the link bandwidth in bps for rtsp streaming (default 512000)
--ffmpeg-liveradio-opts <options>
Add custom options to ffmpeg re-muxing for liveradio
--ffmpeg-livetv-opts <options>
Add custom options to ffmpeg re-muxing for livetv
--ffmpeg-radio-opts <options>
Add custom options to ffmpeg re-muxing for radio
--ffmpeg-tv-opts <options>
Add custom options to ffmpeg re-muxing for tv
--force
Ignore programme history (unsets --hide option also). Forces a script update if used with -u
--get, -g
Start recording matching programmes. Search terms required unless --pid specified. Use --search=.* to force download of all available programmes.
--hash
Show recording progress as hashes
--liveradiomode <mode>,<mode>,..
Live Radio recording modes: flashaachigh,flashaacstd,flashaudio,flashaaclow,wma. Shortcuts: default,good,better(=default),best,rtmp,flash,flashaac. ('default'=flashaachigh,flashaacstd,flashaaclow,wma)
--livetvmode <mode>,<mode>,...
Live TV recording modes: flashhd,flashvhigh,flashhigh,flashstd,flashnormal,flashlow. Shortcuts: default,good,better(=default),best,rtmp,flash. ('default'=flashvhigh,flashhigh,flashstd,flashnormal,flashlow)
--metadata-only
Create specified metadata info file without any recording or streaming (can also be used with thumbnail option).
--mmsnothread
Disable parallel threaded recording for mms
--modes <mode>,<mode>,...
Recording modes. See --tvmode and --radiomode for available modes and defaults. Shortcuts: default,good,better(=default),best. Use --modes=best to select highest quality available (incl. HD TV).
--mp3vbr
Set LAME VBR mode to N (0 to 9) for AAC transcoding. 0 = target bitrate 245 Kbit/s, 9 = target bitrate 65 Kbit/s (requires --aactomp3)
--multimode
Allow the recording of more than one mode for the same programme - WARNING: will record all specified/default modes!!
--overwrite
Overwrite recordings if they already exist
--partial-proxy
Only uses web proxy where absolutely required (try this extra option if your proxy fails)
--pid <pid>
Record an arbitrary pid that does not necessarily appear in the index.
--pid-recursive
When used with --pid record all the embedded pids if the pid is a series or brand pid.
--proxy, -p <url>
Web proxy URL e.g. 'http://USERNAME:PASSWORD@SERVER:PORT' or 'http://SERVER:PORT'
--radiomode <mode>,<mode>,...
Radio recording modes: flashaachigh,flashaacstd,flashaudio,flashaaclow,wma. Shortcuts: default,good,better(=default),best,rtmp,flash,flashaac. ('default'=flashaachigh,flashaacstd,flashaudio,flashaaclow,wma)
--raw
Don't transcode or change the recording/stream in any way (i.e. radio/realaudio, rtmp/flv)
--rtmp-liveradio-opts <options>
Add custom options to rtmpdump for liveradio
--rtmp-livetv-opts <options>
Add custom options to rtmpdump for livetv
--rtmp-radio-opts <options>
Add custom options to rtmpdump for radio
--rtmp-tv-opts <options>
Add custom options to rtmpdump for tv
--rtmpport <port>
Override the RTMP port (e.g. 443)
--start <secs|hh:mm:ss>
Recording/streaming start offset (rtmp and realaudio only)
--stop <secs|hh:mm:ss>
Recording/streaming stop offset (can be used to limit live rtmp recording length) rtmp and realaudio only
--suboffset <offset>
Offset the subtitle timestamps by the specified number of milliseconds
--subsraw
Additionally save the raw subtitles file
--subtitles
Download subtitles into srt/SubRip format if available and supported
--subtitles-only
Only download the subtitles, not the programme
--tag-only
Only update the programme tag and not download the programme (can also be used with --history)
--test, -t
Test only - no recording (will show programme type)
--thumb
Download Thumbnail image if available
--thumbnail-only
Only Download Thumbnail image if available, not the programme
--tvmode <mode>,<mode>,...
TV recording modes: flashhd,flashvhigh,flashhigh,flashstd,flashnormal,flashlow. Shortcuts: default,good,better(=default),best,rtmp,flash. (Use 'best' for HD TV. 'default'=flashvhigh,flashhigh,flashstd,flashnormal,flashlow)
--url "<url>"
Record the embedded media player in the specified URL. Use with --type=<type>.
--wav
In radio realaudio mode output as wav and don't transcode to mp3

Output Options:

--command, -c <command>
Run user command after successful recording using args such as <pid>, <name> etc
--email <address>
Email HTML index of matching programmes to specified address
--email-password <password>
Email password
--email-port <port number>
Email port number (default: appropriate port for --email-security)
--email-security <TLS|SSL>
Email security TLS, SSL (default: none)
--email-sender <address>
Optional email sender address
--email-smtp <hostname>
SMTP server IP address to use to send email (default: localhost)
--email-user <username>
Email username
--fatfilename
Omit characters forbidden by FAT filesystems from filenames but keep whitespace
--file-prefix <format>
The filename prefix (excluding dir and extension) using formatting fields. e.g. '<name>-<episode>-<pid>'
--fxd <file>
Create Freevo FXD XML of matching programmes in specified file
--html <file>
Create basic HTML index of matching programmes in specified file
--isodate
Use ISO8601 dates (YYYY-MM-DD) in filenames
--metadata <type>
Create metadata info file after recording. Valid types are: xbmc, xbmc_movie, freevo, generic
--mkv
Output video in MKV container instead of MP4. Currently no tagging supported from get_iplayer for MKV output
--mythtv <file>
Create Mythtv streams XML of matching programmes in specified file
--nowrite, -n
No writing of file to disk (use with -x to prevent a copy being stored on disk)
--output, -o <dir>
Recording output directory
--outputliveradio <dir>
Output directory for live radio recordings
--outputlivetv <dir>
Output directory for live tv recordings
--outputlocalfiles <dir>
Output directory for localfiles recordings
--outputpodcast <dir>
Output directory for podcast recordings
--outputradio <dir>
Output directory for radio recordings
--outputtv <dir>
Output directory for tv recordings
--player '<command> <options>'
Use specified command to directly play the stream
--stdout, -x
Additionally stream to STDOUT (so you can pipe output to a player)
--stream
Stream to STDOUT (so you can pipe output to a player)
--subdir, -s
Put Recorded files into Programme name subdirectory
--subdir-format <format>
The format to be used for the subdirectory naming using formatting fields. e.g. '<nameshort>-<seriesnum>'
--symlink <file>
Create symlink to <file> once we have the header of the recording
--thumb-ext <ext>
Thumbnail filename extension to use
--thumbsize <index|width>
Default thumbnail size/index to use for the current recording and metadata (see --info for thumbnailN: to get size/index)
--thumbsizecache <index|width>
Default thumbnail size/index to use when building cache and index (see --info for thumbnailN: to get size/index)
--whitespace, -w
Keep whitespace (and escape chars) in filenames
--xml-alpha
Create freevo/Mythtv menu sorted alphabetically by programme name
--xml-channels
Create freevo/Mythtv menu of channels -> programme names -> episodes
--xml-names
Create freevo/Mythtv menu of programme names -> episodes

PVR Options:

--comment <string>
Adds a comment to a PVR search
--pvr [pvr search name]
Runs the PVR using all saved PVR searches (intended to be run every hour from cron etc). The list can be limited by adding a regex to the command. Synonyms: --pvrrun, --pvr-run
--pvr-add <search name>
Save the named PVR search with the specified search terms. Search terms required. Use --search=.* to force download of all available programmes. Synonyms: --pvradd
--pvr-del <search name>
Remove the named search from the PVR searches. Synonyms: --pvrdel
--pvr-disable <search name>
Disable (not delete) a named PVR search. Synonyms: --pvrdisable
--pvr-enable <search name>
Enable a previously disabled named PVR search. Synonyms: --pvrenable
--pvr-exclude <string>
Exclude the PVR searches to run by search name (regex or comma separated values). Synonyms: --pvrexclude
--pvr-list
Show the PVR search list. Synonyms: --pvrlist
--pvr-queue
Add currently matched programmes to queue for later one-off recording using the --pvr option. Search terms required unless --pid specified. Use --search=.* to force download of all available programmes. Synonyms: --pvrqueue
--pvr-scheduler <seconds>
Runs the PVR using all saved PVR searches every <seconds>. Synonyms: --pvrscheduler
--pvr-single <search name>
Runs a named PVR search. Synonyms: --pvrsingle

Config Options:

--expiry, -e <secs>
Cache expiry in seconds (default 4hrs)
--limit-matches <number>
Limits the number of matching results for any search (and for every PVR search)
--localfilesdirs <dir>[,dir,]
Directories/Folders to scan for new files
--nopurge
Don't ask to delete programmes recorded over 30 days ago
--packagemanager <string>
Tell the updater that we were installed using a package manager and don't update (use either: apt,rpm,deb,yum,disable)
--plugins-update
Update get_iplayer plugins to the latest
--prefs-add
Add/Change specified saved user or preset options
--prefs-clear
Remove *ALL* saved user or preset options
--prefs-del
Remove specified saved user or preset options
--prefs-show
Show saved user or preset options
--preset, -z <name>
Use specified user options preset
--preset-list
Show all valid presets
--profile-dir <dir>
Override the user profile directory/folder
--refresh, --flush, -f
Refresh cache
--refresh-exclude <string>
Exclude matched channel(s) when refreshing cache (regex or comma separated values)
--refresh-future
Obtain future programme schedule when refreshing cache (between 7-14 days)
--refresh-include <string>
Include matched channel(s) when refreshing cache (regex or comma separated values)
--skipdeleted
Skip the download of metadata/thumbs/subs if the media file no longer exists. Use with --history & --metadataonly/subsonly/thumbonly.
--update, -u
Update get_iplayer if a newer one exists
--webrequest <urlencoded string>
Specify all options as a urlencoded string of "name=val&name=val&..."

External Program Options:

--atomicparsley <path>
Location of AtomicParsley tagger binary
--ffmpeg <path>
Location of ffmpeg or avconv binary. Synonyms: --avconv
--id3v2 <path>
Location of id3v2 or id3tag binary
--lame <path>
Location of lame binary
--mplayer <path>
Location of mplayer binary
--rtmpdump <path>
Location of rtmpdump binary. Synonyms: --flvstreamer
--vlc <path>
Location of vlc or cvlc binary

Tagging Options:

--no-artwork
Do not embed thumbnail image in output file. All other metadata values will be written.
--no-tag
Do not tag downloaded programmes
--tag-cnid
Use AtomicParsley --cnID argument (if supported) to add catalog ID used for combining HD and SD versions in iTunes
--tag-fulltitle
Use complete title (including series) instead of shorter episode title
--tag-hdvideo
AtomicParsley supports --hdvideo argument for HD video flag
--tag-longdesc
AtomicParsley supports --longdesc argument for long description text
--tag-longdescription
AtomicParsley supports --longDescription argument for long description text
--tag-podcast
Tag downloaded radio and tv programmes as iTunes podcasts (requires MP3::Tag module for AAC/MP3 files)
--tag-podcast-radio
Tag only downloaded radio programmes as iTunes podcasts (requires MP3::Tag module for AAC/MP3 files)
--tag-podcast-tv
Tag only downloaded tv programmes as iTunes podcasts
--tag-utf8
AtomicParsley accepts UTF-8 input

AUTHOR

get_iplayer was written by Phil Lewis <iplayer2 (at sign) linuxcentre.net> and is now maintained by the contributors at http://www.infradead.org/get_iplayer/html/get_iplayer.html

This manual page was originally written by Jonathan Wiltshire <jmw@debian.org> for the Debian project (but may be used by others).

COPYRIGHT NOTICE

get_iplayer v2.83, Copyright (C) 2008-2010 Phil Lewis
  This program comes with ABSOLUTELY NO WARRANTY; for details use --warranty.
  This is free software, and you are welcome to redistribute it under certain
  conditions; use --conditions for details.