BBC iPlayer closing their desktop app

[GMJ]

Some of you folks may be aware that the BBC are closing their desktop app in April. We use this on our laptop for when we are away: I download a load of stuff for us to watch when abroad so we don't burn data.

I asked the BBC why they are doing this and they replied...

We have made the difficult decision to close the Desktop Downloads app for BBC iPlayer, due to the low number of people using it and the cost required to keep it going. This does not affect downloads on the BBC iPlayer mobile or tablet apps, and viewers can continue to stream programmes on BBC iPlayer on their PCs and Macs.

Please be aware that from Monday 11 March 2024, you will no longer be able to download programmes from the web. Any existing programmes will be available to watch until Monday 8 April 2024, when the BBC iPlayer Downloads app will be closed.

The question I wanted to ask you folks was whether it would be possible to wire up from a tablet to our laptop so in effect we use our laptop as a screen only?

I know that we can get the programmes on the tablet and our phones but that is not really practical if 2 of us want to watch a couple of hours of stuff.

 

[Nabsim]

Some of you folks may be aware that the BBC are closing their desktop app in April. We use this on our laptop for when we are away: I download a load of stuff for us to watch when abroad so we don't burn data.

I asked the BBC why they are doing this and they replied...

We have made the difficult decision to close the Desktop Downloads app for BBC iPlayer, due to the low number of people using it and the cost required to keep it going. This does not affect downloads on the BBC iPlayer mobile or tablet apps, and viewers can continue to stream programmes on BBC iPlayer on their PCs and Macs.

Please be aware that from Monday 11 March 2024, you will no longer be able to download programmes from the web. Any existing programmes will be available to watch until Monday 8 April 2024, when the BBC iPlayer Downloads app will be closed.

The question I wanted to ask you folks was whether it would be possible to wire up from a tablet to our laptop so in effect we use our laptop as a screen only?

I know that we can get the programmes on the tablet and our phones but that is not really practical if 2 of us want to watch a couple of hours of stuff.

It will depend on what ports you have on your laptop. I have a cable that uses the lightening port on my phone or iPad and will connect to my laptop or tv using hdmi.

That said I can’t remember last time I used it, I usually just mirror what I play on my phone/ipad using Bluetooth .

I am almost certain you can do exactly the same with Android but wait for an android user to confirm

 

[AndyWill64]

There may be a better solution, but as far as getting video into your laptop is concerned you can use a video capture card, which connects via USB ...

Video Capture Card, 4K HDMI Game Capture Card to USB 3.0 Loop-Out Switch Capture Card 1080P 60FPS Live Streaming Audio Video Recorder Device, Pack of 1 https://amzn.eu/d/46C8rCP


Getting video out of your phone/tablet depends on the device itself, maybe with something like this ...

BENFEI USB C to HDMI Cable, 4K 1.8M USB Type C to HDMI Adapter (Thunderbolt 3/4, iPhone 15 Pro/Pro Max Compatible) Male to Male Gold-Plated Cord https://amzn.eu/d/5hVDidX

 

[TJBi]

There may be a better solution, but as far as getting video into your laptop is concerned you can use a video capture card, which connects via USB ...

Video Capture Card, 4K HDMI Game Capture Card to USB 3.0 Loop-Out Switch Capture Card 1080P 60FPS Live Streaming Audio Video Recorder Device, Pack of 1 https://amzn.eu/d/46C8rCP


Getting video out of your phone/tablet depends on the device itself, maybe with something like this ...

BENFEI USB C to HDMI Cable, 4K 1.8M USB Type C to HDMI Adapter (Thunderbolt 3/4, iPhone 15 Pro/Pro Max Compatible) Male to Male Gold-Plated Cord https://amzn.eu/d/5hVDidX

I suspect that the video capture card would be a non-starter in this particular case because of the way that iPlayer works; you don't get a standard format file capable of being read by other media players, so, as I understand it, you can't transfer a file from one device and play it on another. USB to HDMI certainly worth investigating.

 

[AndyWill64]

I suspect that the video capture card would be a non-starter in this particular case because of the way that iPlayer works; you don't get a standard format file capable of being read by other media players, so, as I understand it, you can't transfer a file from one device and play it on another. USB to HDMI certainly worth investigating.

Not sure what you mean by iPlayer not giving a standard file format. Do you mean it does some kind of video overlay on the mobile device which isn't output with the rest of the screen?

 

[trevskoda]

I suspect that the video capture card would be a non-starter in this particular case because of the way that iPlayer works; you don't get a standard format file capable of being read by other media players, so, as I understand it, you can't transfer a file from one device and play it on another. USB to HDMI certainly worth investigating.

You can in linux, use screen recorder and save as jpg, then you can play on anything or when you want to.

 

[Caz]

Does this mean I won't be able to watch it on my PC anymore at home and will have to go out and buy a smart TV?

 

[Nabsim]

You can in linux, use screen recorder and save as jpg, then you can play on anything or when you want to.

No need to save and convert these days Trev, easier to stream/mirror

 

[number14]

Does this mean I won't be able to watch it on my PC anymore at home and will have to go out and buy a smart TV?

Does this mean I won't be able to watch it on my PC - Yes

will have to go out and buy a smart TV - No

You will need to buy one of these :- https://www.roku.com/en-gb/products/roku-express
I have one and its very easy. Other similar things are available from Google and Amazon . They all try to track you for advertising purposes but, as far as I can tell, the Roku brand is the least worse.

Hope this helps.

 

[saxonborg]

Could you use Chromecast and cast from your tablet to the TV?

 

[AndyWill64]

Does this mean I won't be able to watch it on my PC - Yes

will have to go out and buy a smart TV - No

You will need to buy one of these :- https://www.roku.com/en-gb/products/roku-express
I have one and its very easy. Other similar things are available from Google and Amazon . They all try to track you for advertising purposes but, as far as I can tell, the Roku brand is the least worse.

Hope this helps.

I've got an Amazon FireTV Stick, and the thing I like about it is that you can set the video quality to reduce the data usage and (mostly) avoid the buffering circle of doom, although you can probably do this with other devices too. I've set mine to 720 down from 1080 and it's still perfectly watchable.

 

[barryd]

Does this mean I won't be able to watch it on my PC anymore at home and will have to go out and buy a smart TV?

No. You can still watch BBC iPlayer on your laptop or PC when the programs are live or you can rewind a couple of hours. What you wont be able to do is download them in the PC app to watch later offline. You will still be able to watch stuff thats been on though, you just will have to be connected to the internet to do it through the BBCi Player website.

 

[Boris7]

Does this mean I won't be able to watch it on my PC anymore at home and will have to go out and buy a smart TV?

No, assuming you have a smart phone/iPad etc then there’s plenty of cable options, then there’s fire stick options, black box options, free sat etc…

 

[Moped]

Just to clarify downloading is still available if you use the app with tablets or phones yes?

 

[barryd]

Just to clarify downloading is still available if you use the app with tablets or phones yes?

Yes.

 

[GMJ]

If downloading is still available on the tablet or phone app, please excuse my thickness but would it be possible to use the app suitable for a tablet on my laptop? How would the BBC/iPlayer know it wasn't a tablet but was indeed a laptop? Are the apps different?

 

[Boris7]

Are the apps different?

Exactly.

 

[GMJ]

Would there be any way of downloading the tablet app onto a laptop?

 

[Boris7]

No, you used to be able to do so on Mac’s with the M chip, but unless you already have that on the Mac now your buggered as the mobile app has been removed from the App Store for such machines.

 

[Boris7]

I have Apple TV in the van and simply cast to that from an iPad, or use a cable direct to a screen, but in general I don’t watch any TV anyway.