get_iplayer
Download BBC iPlayer programmes
TLDR
Search programs by name
Record program by results of search
Record program by URL from the BBC iPlayer website
Download subtitles for a program by results of search
Search for a program, record it and download subtitles
Display help
SYNOPSIS
get_iplayer [global-options] {command} [command-options] [pid|name|url|...]
PARAMETERS
--get
Download specified programme(s)
--list
List available episodes by category (tv, radio)
--search
Search for programmes matching terms
--type
Filter by TV or radio content
--quality
Select video quality
--subtitles
Include subtitles in download
--output
Set output directory
--filename
Customise filename template
--force
Overwrite existing files
--verbose
Increase output verbosity
--prefs-dir
Set preferences directory
--expiry
Download episodes expiring soon
--thumb
Download programme thumbnail
--info
Display programme details only
--url
Download from iPlayer URL
DESCRIPTION
get_iplayer is a powerful command-line tool for searching, listing, and downloading TV and radio programmes from the BBC iPlayer service. Designed primarily for Linux but cross-platform (macOS, Windows via Cygwin), it fetches episodes in various qualities (SD, HD), with subtitles, metadata embedding, and custom outputs like MP4 or WebM. It supports PID lookups, searches by name/category, playlists, and live streams.
Key features include automatic best-quality selection, thumbnail extraction, series following, and plugin extensibility. It relies on external tools like ffmpeg for transcoding and AtomicParsley for iTunes metadata. Programmes are saved with descriptive filenames including episode info.
Usage starts with get_iplayer --prefs-add for initial setup, then commands like --get or --search. It's ideal for archiving content offline, bypassing iPlayer's streaming limits. Open-source under GPL, community-maintained to track BBC changes.
CAVEATS
Unofficial tool; BBC terms prohibit commercial redistribution.
May break with iPlayer updates; requires regular plugin updates.
Needs ffmpeg and internet access.
INSTALLATION
Debian/Ubuntu: sudo apt install get-iplayer.
Other: Download CGI script from GitHub, make executable, run --setup.
BASIC EXAMPLE
get_iplayer --get "Doctor Who" --type=tv --quality=best
Downloads latest Doctor Who episodes in best quality.
SETUP
First run: get_iplayer --prefs-add --account for login if needed (optional for most content).
HISTORY
Developed since 2009 by Phil Lewis and contributors. Evolved from simple downloader to full-featured suite. GitHub repo tracks BBC API changes; v3+ uses modern Perl modules.
