How can I download bbc radio from the iplayer in mp3 format?

January 11, 2018 12:09 PM

I have a long drive this weekend and I'd like to listen to Radio 4's production of Anansi Boys in the car. And maybe Good Omens too. But the iplayer doesn't offer these programmes for download, and my car-listening device is an ipod classic. How can I download the iplayer radio streams as mp3s?

Further details:
I'm a British license-payer so as I understand it, I am not trying to do anything illegal.
I don't want to touch itunes. I use sharepod to load my ipod.
I have a smartphone but no way to connect it to my car radio.
I've found this site and tried feeding it Anansi Boys' VPID, but I'm not sure how to make use of any of the download formats it offers.
And that should give you a good idea of my tech-literacy. More exotic suggestions might well be beyond me.

Any help appreciated.

posted by Lorc to Computers & Internet (7 answers total)

Best answer: I believe that get_iplayer may do what you want, but I've not personally used it. There's also probably a reasonable amount of noodling involved in getting it to work.
posted by togdon at 12:35 PM on January 11, 2018 [3 favorites]

They are both available on Soulseek which is a Napster-like program for sharing MP3s. If you are not comfortable doing this send me a Mefi message and I'll get them for you.

Thanks for the reminder to get Good Omens for myself!
posted by irisclara at 1:34 PM on January 11, 2018

Yeah, get_iplayer is what you want.
posted by pharm at 2:25 PM on January 11, 2018 [1 favorite]

How loud does your iPhone speaker go? Mine is plenty loud enough to listen to radio programmes in the car.

We also have a small transmitter which plugs into a headphone socket and the cigarette lighter, and lets you tune the car radio into your phone/cd player/iPod. Something like this (but not that one because we bought it about ten years ago before Bluetooth was a thing). Not sure it’s strictly legal without a broadcasting licence, but nobody’s going to pull you over for interfering with Capital FM.
posted by tinkletown at 2:52 PM on January 11, 2018

Best answer: Not sure it’s strictly legal without a broadcasting licence

It's legal, as of 2006 ;)

And if get_iplayer sounds like something you'd like to try but are hesitant about mucking around with command line, folks have developed some different front-ends.
posted by filthy light thief at 7:22 PM on January 11, 2018 [1 favorite]

The BBC 'iPlayer Radio' app does allow you to download for later, on iPhone anyway. Anansi Boys is available for 12 more days, go via the Menu > Highlights > search

Once downloaded they sit in the Menu > Downloads section.
posted by paulash at 4:16 AM on January 12, 2018

Response by poster: That frontend for get_iplayer is about my speed. Thanks for the help.
posted by Lorc at 11:36 AM on January 12, 2018