Can no longer capture audio from BBC iPlayer

[Morph]

I've been using RMC v3.02 to capture audio from the BBC iPlayer with no problems for well over a year now, generally from Radio 4 streams.

That all stopped at the start of this week; now RMC just can't "see" the stream and sits there doing nothing.

Is this linked to the BBC tightening up their Secure RTMP implementation from 18th Feb ? If so, is there an way around it or am I now forever blocked from capturing audio ?

UPDATE: This seems to only be affecting Firefox 3.5.8 and IE8 - RMC still works when using portable versions of Chrome 4 and Opera 10.5.

[juanlfm]

I love BBC radio and record most of the programs to listen to later on my portable device. However I have always used the Applian WM14 Windows Media Recorder and have never had any problems.
I don´t have the Media Catcher so I am curious as to why you use it.

[Morph]

Firstly I should point out that this problem now seems to have disappeared; whatever was preventing correct operation previously has now apparently been resolved and I can now use RMC with IE8, FF3.6, Opera 10.5 and Chrome 4.

To answer juanlfm's question, I previously used RM Recorder and WM Recorder to record BBC radio progammes from BBC7 and Radio 4 and they worked brilliantly, as I could suck the RM files straight off the BBC servers in just a few minutes using the Turbo mode.

However, when the BBC stopped using RMs and moved their content to the iPlayer platform I found that approach became less and less reliable. Sometimes the files were available and sometimes they weren't.

The final straw was when I bought a new PC and RM Recorder / WM Recorder would not recognise the network adapter chipset, so I was unable to download anything.

I moved to RMC when a friend recommended it because they were using it to download from the iPlayer website; the program's Super Download functionality works well to grab recordings quickly so I don't have to record in "real time".

[myersph]

I find that there is a big difference now that I have WM14 loaded - even if it not actually open. MC now seems to pick up links several times even on just opening the site and before actually pressing 'listen'.

[stream-recorder.com]

Firstly I should point out that this problem now seems to have disappeared; whatever was preventing correct operation previously has now apparently been resolved and I can now use RMC with IE8, FF3.6, Opera 10.5 and Chrome 4.
Do you use Windows 7? Did it disappear after installing Windows updates?

[Morph]

I've found the culprit !

I'd already ruled out Windows Updates as possible culprits as I always record what I install and I hadn't applied any updates recently; I also knew I hadn't made any changes to FF or IE.

What I overlooked was the recent installation of a security application called "Truster Rapport", recommended by my bank to protect online banking sessions. I originally dismissed this as a possible culprit as it was installed several weeks prior to the problem manifesting, during which time I wasn't having any difficulties recording via RMC. However, it occured to me today that Rapport is only integrated with FF and IE: if it was at fault it could explain why I was able to use Chrome and Opera OK.

I began to wonder if Rapport may have been updated automatically without me realising, with the update "breaking" the link between FF/IE and RMC.
I deactivated Rapport and tried to capture Radio 4 content via iPlayer and RMC: it worked fine in both FF3.6 and IE8. Reactivating Rapport and repeating the test reproduced the original problem.

So there you have it: RMC, FF/IE and Trusteer Rapport do not play well together. :D

[myersph]

Morph

how do you disable Rapport?

[OofyProsser]

Morph
You are an absolute star, and I am eternally in your debt.
I too record a lot from BBC Radio 4 and BBC 7. I either schedule it to stream capture live, using Replay AV 8, or use Replay Media Catcher to capture past programmes via BBC iPlayer.
Then, on 19 February, RMC stopped noticing iPlayer. I had to resort to Quick Record in RAV8, but that meant only one programme at a time and was quite laborious. Applian Support were very unhelpful, suggesting I buy Reply Video Capture, which clearly wasn’t the answer.
Then I saw your post, but was dismayed to find that the problem did not resolve, as it had for you. I was about to post a request for further help, when you posted about Trusteer Rapport, which I too have recently installed.
I took your advice to turn off Rapport and, hey presto, RMC is back in business! Thank you so much. I would never have made that connection in a thousand years.
You have also, in passing, told me about Super Download, which I had not previously spotted, so I’m a doubly happy bunny. Thanks so much.

[Morph]

myersph:
I have a "Rapport Console" entry on my Start Menu; this allows access to the program's configuration options, including stopping it.

OofyProsser:
I'm relieved to have found the cause, and more than happy that I'm not the only one to benefit ! I'm also glad you now know about Super Download - it's a major time-saver.

[myersph]

Thanks Morph, I had just found it myself and made a shortcut from my Replay programs folder. By the way I feel Super Download should be mentioned in the User Guide more clearly. It is a life-changer.