I have a 10GB ration on my broadband contract. I sail very close to the limit most months and have been over on one occasion. I then pay £5 per 5GB, not the end of the world, but I would prefer to avoid it if I can.
My question is this. My usage between midnight and 8am is free. Can I download stuff using iPlayer and save it on my PVR? thingy? I don't have a smart TV, can I use these special plugs (whatever they are called) to connect my PC to my TV/recorder? I am normally wandering around before 7am, so if it were practical I could start a one hour download, save it to my recorder and then watch it at my leisure at a more respectable time.
Does this make any sense at all? If there is a solution, I would be very grateful.
You will have gathered that technical I am not, so please use simple words and explanations. TIA.
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Perhaps it's stating the obvious but why not speak to your provider and upgrade to a larger download cap... or even better go for unlimited use?
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You'll need to be a little bit techy to do that.
iPlayer isn't designed to allow recording to another device, so whatever you do will have to circumvent those restrictions in some way. It just wants you to download to your PC, watch it there, and it will autodelete 30 days later.
If you really want to get around that it won't be quite as simple as "press a button and there you go" without some technical jiggery pokery and software installs, even if it's possible.
Your problem is in two parts: How to record the iPlayer feed in a suitable format, and then how to get your PC to get that recording to your PVR. If we knew your PVR we might be able to tell you what options you have for connecting it to your PC; if that can't be done for whatever reason you might as well stop this route now and we can think about some other way.
Last edited by: Crankcase on Tue 25 Feb 14 at 08:22
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My Humax PVR has iPlayer. Uses a WiFi USB plug in.
Not as fully featured as the web version as it goes to a custom page and from my point of view, a total waste of money since it doesn't support subtitles. Humax 'fault' not BBC.
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>> It just wants you to download to
>> your PC, watch it there, and it will autodelete 30 days later.
Is your PC a laptop? If so, download to PC and play on PC but with TV as monitor?
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Unless your chosen program is on a torrent site somewhere, and you use a torrent client to do it, what you want to do is near impossible
Change your internet package, its clearly so restrictive as to be impractical for what you want.
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I thought it might be fairly straightforward, but obviously it's not.
The recording thing is a Toshiba RD-97DTKB and it sits in the drawing room with the main telly, which is a Panasonic TX-37L2D70. The PC and the subsidiary telly, a Panasonic TX-L24C3B, are in the study, upstairs.
Yes, perhaps I should try my negotiating skills with Plusnet to increase my download allowance without increasing the monthly fee. Does anyone know if they are normally amenable?
What's a torrent?
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As far as I can see the monthly difference between 10GB and unlimited with Plusnet is only £5... absolutely nothing in the scheme of life even if they ask for the full difference.
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= = > Does anyone know if they are normally amenable?
Askham fora MAC.
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>>>Askham fora MAC.
Indeed.
By chance today was the day I finally phoned BT for a MAC so we could move to the much cheaper PlusNet service. After a 15min phone call our monthly unlimited broadband & calls rate has been reduced by £19.20 from Thursday. Could have saved a few more pounds going to PlusNet but not worth the faff.
So it's always worth that call.
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Indeed. Good business sense I guess to have both premium and budget ends covered.
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>> = = > Does anyone know if they are normally amenable?
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>> Askham fora MAC.
>>
What's a MAC? I tried Googling and I got a load of stuff about lipstick, or Apple products?
Is it like a PAC?
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>>What's a MAC?
Just phone PlusNet: 0800 432 0200 and say you'd like a MAC code [Migration Authorisation Code]
If they ask why, just say you can get a better deal with Sky or TT, then see what inducements they offer you to stay with them.
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What if they say "Ok, bye then'? :)
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>> The recording thing is a Toshiba RD-97DTKB
Ok, there's no network interface of any description on that so that particular route is closed to you.
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>>Yes, perhaps I should try my negotiating skills with Plusnet
They were recently advertising unlimited broadband for £2.50/month, but that offer seems to have gone now.
I recently renewed my contract with Plusnet - unlimited broadband and 'phone for £10/month. They were reluctant, but when I pointed out I could get the same for less elsewhere, they offered to 'price match'. I didn't have the details to hand (and didn't want to go through the hassle of changing suppliers - particularly to Talk Talk) so we agreed to continue the same.
It's useful to know they have the authority to 'price match'.
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>>> advertising unlimited broadband for £2.50/month
Yep still there on their website as I had it up while hassling BT for lower rates a few minutes ago.
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That offer's for broadband and calls for the first twelve months of an eighteen month contract. What do they charge for the remaining six months?
You have to be careful what you agree to!
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>>>What do they charge for the remaining six months?
It's £9.99 for the final 6mths so looked at overall it equates to £4.99/mth which seems fine.
Had BT not come up with such a good loyalty discount I'd have booked that PlusNet deal later today.
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>> Unless your chosen program is on a torrent site somewhere, and you use a torrent client to do
>> it, what you want to do is near impossible
Downloading from iPlayer and removing the digital rights management (DRM) is actually straight forward. On the Mac I use Get iPlayer Automator. Also handles ITV. Also allows you to schedule the start time. So you could queue up your downloads for later.
There must be the equivalent for Windows.
Then you'd either need something connected to the TV that plays MP4 video files or connect your computer.
Last edited by: rtj70 on Tue 25 Feb 14 at 12:57
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>>>I have a 10GB ration on my broadband contract. I sail very close to the limit most months and have been over on one occasion
Just picked up on this as BT were looking at our use while trying to work out a discount. We managed to go through 170Gb last month!
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I've used 225GB so far this month! Of that over 80GB was uploads - I have backed up a load of files to AWS Glacier. Our average is currently 135GB.
But Netflix is watched as is iPlayer. And if I download an HD programme from iPlayer that's an hour long, then that's around 1GB.
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It depends as well where you live. We are on the low useage of 10GB a month and that is £28. But in our area there are few packages and companies. maybe Duncan lives somewhere similar.
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>> It depends as well where you live. We are on the low useage of 10GB
>> a month and that is £28. But in our area there are few packages and
>> companies. maybe Duncan lives somewhere similar.
>>
I live in leafy Surrey.
I phoned Plusnet this morning and gave up. I have now asked online what they can offer, the estimated response time is 26 hours!
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Have you tried doing it online?
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Have you tried a decent internet company?
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I'm with BT and happy with their service. It's £25pm for the broadband (on top of line rental). Not had a problem with it in almost 4 years of having it. And it's now faster than when I first got it (they upped the max download speed to 76Mbps from 38Mbps and doubled upload as well). I know I could get it a bit cheaper.
Every now and then do a price comparison with Virgin Media - but they are usually more expensive after the discounted period ends.
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Phone this number then 0800 432 0080, it's their sales number and you'll get through quite quickly.
Then ask for their cancellations dept ... if they did give you a MAC (which they wont) you don't have to use it.
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Downloading TV Programmes - Fenlander
