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Changes to BBC Recordings

ptrduffy — Fri, 16 Aug 2024 10:27:19 GMT

I received an email from EE today with the following info:

As you're watching EE TV in Internet Mode (without an aerial), the way you watch your BBC recordings will change.

From 21st August, your BBC recordings will launch through the BBC iPlayer app. There's no change to how you'll record a programme, or where it will be stored.

A quick search on the forum threw up this post from last year, where it appears this feature was being tested in a trial group.

I have the same question as the author of that post - does this mean that my recordings will now expire when the show in question is removed from iPlayer?

Re: Changes to BBC Recordings

tweetSP0RT — Fri, 16 Aug 2024 11:20:21 GMT

I'm guessing so no more keeping big events on your hard drive. It's going to get to the point where recording in IP mode will be pointless and it will be basically like Sky Glass/Stream's so called 'cloud recording'.

Off air recording is going to go the way of the dodo as first satellite then DTT transmission comes to an end and TV companies get ever greedier for all our data (and want to flog premium ad-free subscriptions). I'll use my HD HomeRun for recordings whilst I can but this is a really anti-consumer move that you assume was instigated by the BBC.

Re: Changes to BBC Recordings

DarrenDev — Fri, 16 Aug 2024 11:46:58 GMT

Yes, unfortunately - we know it's not going to be popular, but it's forced upon us.

It does now mean that if the programme isn't on iPlayer (either hasn't ever been added - as is the case with some regional programmes - or has expired) then it won't be watchable.

Edit: recordings that are already on your box will remain watchable - the new rules only kick in for recordings made from activation date onwards.

Re: Changes to BBC Recordings

ptrduffy — Fri, 16 Aug 2024 11:27:56 GMT

Thanks for the clarity @DarrenDev.

The email states that "There's no change to ... where [the recording] will be stored" - so this means that the recording will take spoace on my TV Box hard disk, but I'll be limited to only watching it while it's available on iPlayer? If that's right, it sounds like the worst of both worlds, unfortunately.

The TV providers do seem determined to use IP delivery as a mechanism to control viewers' options.

Re: Changes to BBC Recordings

DarrenDev — Fri, 16 Aug 2024 11:31:40 GMT

You are correct @ptrduffy

Re: Changes to BBC Recordings

zulu17 — Fri, 16 Aug 2024 11:39:23 GMT

so is there any point in setting a BBC recording in IP mode where it seems to use storage space for IP delivered content that will not be used for replay ?

Would it not be simply more efficient on box storage to add the programme to the Watchlist to watch on IPlayer ?

Re: Changes to BBC Recordings

DarrenDev — Fri, 16 Aug 2024 11:42:15 GMT

Yes, @zulu17 - that is the better option, and if you remember to do that, then you'll get the better experience. The record button is just there as a fallback option, for those who continue to use it.

Re: Changes to BBC Recordings

Midnight_Voice — Fri, 16 Aug 2024 13:55:14 GMT

@DarrenDev

Yet another nail in the coffin of IP Mode 😢

So glad our recordings of The Singing Detective, whether from IP or broadcast mode, won’t fade to grey in November when it leaves the BBC iPlayer, like any future IP Recordings are going to.

Re: Changes to BBC Recordings

Hunter2660 — Fri, 16 Aug 2024 15:14:09 GMT

@DarrenDev Just a quick question. Using Match of the Day as an example, can you watch the recording on the box if it's not available at the time on iplayer. (MOTD usually arrives on Monday if I recall correctly). Of course it's immaterial if you have the Apple TV box anyway.

Oooo! Just a thought. If BT goes down the Sky Stream route in the future and everything is on demand, or cloud recorded, just think..... no more missing the end of programmes. 😃

Re: Changes to BBC Recordings

Anonymous — Fri, 16 Aug 2024 15:16:13 GMT

This bit in the email did make me laugh:

Does the iPlayer app on the Pro Box (or any device), support 5.1 surround as the BBC broadcast channels have available for many films, series and events?

Because if it is still churning out a max of 192kbps AAC 2.0, it is not the “best quality” then compared to the recording of a live broadcast.

Re: Changes to BBC Recordings

Andy005 — Fri, 16 Aug 2024 16:31:27 GMT

@Hunter2660 The reply given in post 3 suggests that the answer is no from 21st August onwards. If I've understood the change correctly, from 21st August when pressing Record you're simply adding a 'marker' to notify iPlayer that you want to watch a particular programme. If they haven't added it to iPlayer or it's subsequently removed then you won't be able to watch it.

Re: Changes to BBC Recordings

Midnight_Voice — Fri, 16 Aug 2024 18:21:52 GMT

@Andy005 @Hunter2660

Make that ‘pressing Record in IP Mode’.

You may wish to revert to Broadcast Mode, if you are in a position to, before that date.

Re: Changes to BBC Recordings

Lizzie — Fri, 16 Aug 2024 19:08:53 GMT

Does this mean that I may just as well buy a recording box, rather than have a subscription?

I currently do not buy extra channels.

Re: Changes to BBC Recordings

ptrduffy — Fri, 16 Aug 2024 19:41:10 GMT

@Lizzie the issue (if we can call it such) only applies if you choose to receive channels over IP, and you need a subscription to do so.

But, as I see it, the main advantages of BT/EE TV over competitors are IP delivery of programming and ability to record (and keep recordings as long as you like). The erosion of recording functionality - first with ITV disallowing ad skipping, and now the BBC disallowing long-term keeping of recordings - to my mind erodes this competitive advantage.

I have a year still to run on my contract, so I think I will switch to aerial mode for the duration and then not renew (unless something significant changes in the next 12 months).

Although, as I type this, I'm starting to think that this change constitutes a significant reduction in functionality. I may decide to ask BT to let me cancel the remainder of my TV contract on the basis of this. Something to ponder over the weekend.

Re: Changes to BBC Recordings

Hunter2660 — Fri, 16 Aug 2024 20:46:13 GMT

@Andy005wrote:
@Hunter2660 The reply given in post 3 suggests that the answer is no from 21st August onwards. If I've understood the change correctly, from 21st August when pressing Record you're simply adding a 'marker' to notify iPlayer that you want to watch a particular programme. If they haven't added it to iPlayer or it's subsequently removed then you won't be able to watch it.

Ah yes, didn't read that properly. Not a problem for me as my pro box is packed ready to be sent back to BT. Just curious really.

Re: Changes to BBC Recordings

zulu17 — Fri, 16 Aug 2024 21:07:19 GMT

From what i have read in this thread it does seem that the BBC programme is still recorded , so presumably using one of the two available simultaenous IP stream and writing to disc but is not shown as a (playable) recording on the box but rather the programme tile will default to playing in iplayer (if present) and presumable some Not Available message if not present in iplayer'

This change does seem a strange and untidy implementation.

Re: Changes to BBC Recordings

Andy005 — Sat, 17 Aug 2024 05:37:22 GMT

@zulu17 Presumably if it is still recorded than it can only be for reasons of ease of implementation and cost.

I'm struggling to see where EETV (via IP) is going now. Ads can't be skipped on ITV, you can't record BBC and no channels have been added that I know of. I'm only a few months into my current contract but once it ends I'm likely to switch to a provider that offers a full and consistent service. Whilst we're probably heading for all streaming in the long term, these changes make EETV look as if they have no say with broadcasters whatsoever, presumably due to low subscriber numbers.

Re: Changes to BBC Recordings

jparnell82 — Sat, 17 Aug 2024 08:24:15 GMT

I don't understand why the recordings are still held on the box and consuming storage of they're not used? Can anyone clarify this please?

Re: Changes to BBC Recordings

Midnight_Voice — Sat, 17 Aug 2024 08:42:44 GMT

@jparnell82

At a guess, because there are probably hundreds of places in the YouView code where assumptions about how the recording process operates are baked in, whereas it is relatively simple and clean to put something in the replay process that diverts the request into being one to play from the iPlayer instead of from the hard disc, at a single place in the code.

So trying to implement the marker idea, while cleaner than making a recording, would be very messy in terms of picking up all the places where assumptions about what the recording process were entailed, and modifying them. And they would likely miss a few.

Re: Changes to BBC Recordings

jparnell82 — Sat, 17 Aug 2024 08:53:52 GMT

@Midnight_Voice

Good points. I think the term is 'technical debt'