updated
Sep 7, 2026
36MB
file size
5
downloads
get_iplayer is a free, open-source command-line and web-based utility for Windows and Mac that indexes, searches, and downloads TV and radio broadcasts from BBC iPlayer and BBC Sounds without quality degradation or web player limitations.
Downloading broadcast TV shows, radio programs, and podcast series from BBC services should not mean struggling with temporary browser caches or proprietary web players.
get_iplayer is a free, open-source search and download utility for Windows, Mac, and Linux that streamlines saving content from BBC iPlayer and BBC Sounds. It converts streams into clean, standard MP4 and M4A files ready for local playback on any media device.
It provides complete index searching across broadcast schedules, automated series recording via PVR capabilities, and automatic metadata tagging using integrated processing engines.
Direct Stream Recording Is Not Screen Capture
Understanding how get_iplayer operates is essential before scheduling your first download, as it functions differently from real-time screen recorders.
Screen recorders capture canvas video output while re-encoding frames in real time, consuming heavy CPU resources and dropping overall picture quality.
get_iplayer fetches original media streams directly from broadcast content servers. The video and audio data pass through untouched into standard containers, ensuring the downloaded file retains the exact quality provided by the source broadcast.
Tools like HandBrake handle re-encoding tasks after downloading. get_iplayer focuses purely on stream acquisition and automated archiving.
The Web UI And The Command Line Are The Same Download
There is no separate Web Manager package to hunt for—everything required is bundled into a single installer for Windows.
Launch the Web PVR Manager from your browser for a clear visual menu with search boxes and series queues, or run get_iplayer directly from the command line for powerful regex searches and batch scripting.
The setup process is straightforward: search for your favorite series or PID code, select your target quality profile (from HD 1080p down to mobile), and begin downloading. Every option in the Web UI corresponds directly to command-line arguments.
Self-contained Windows setup. The Windows installer automatically sets up all required dependencies, including Perl runtime environment, FFmpeg for stream remuxing, and AtomicParsley for embedding cover art and episode tags.
Which Formats And Streams It Handles
On the television side, get_iplayer retrieves H.264/AVC video streams up to 1080p 50fps HD quality from BBC iPlayer.
Radio and podcast downloads cover high-bitrate AAC audio streams from BBC Sounds, saving them directly as M4A files with full ID3 metadata.
Subtitle retrieval is fully integrated: image-based broadcast subtitles are automatically extracted and converted into standard SRT text subtitles for seamless playback across all software players.
If you need to analyze media attributes of downloaded files, MediaInfo identifies bitrate, resolution, and audio channels in seconds.
Automated PVR Series Recording
get_iplayer includes a built-in Personal Video Recorder (PVR) engine that automates downloading new episodes as soon as they air.
That matters because BBC programmes are often available for limited availability windows, making manual tracking tedious for ongoing series.
You can save specific search queries to your PVR list, enabling automated tasks via Windows Task Scheduler or cron jobs to grab new broadcasts quietly in the background.
Check PID availability before queueing. Content availability depends on regional license parameters. Always ensure your search query matches active programme PIDs listed on the official BBC programme pages.
Where get_iplayer Fits In Your Media Pipeline
get_iplayer functions as the primary acquisition tool in a broader home archival setup.
A typical media management routine runs like this: use get_iplayer to search and download series episodes, verify track details using MediaInfo, and convert or compress archived copies with Shutter Encoder if smaller sizes are needed.
What Changed In Version 3.36
The 3.36 release introduces critical stability fixes and updates for changes to BBC schedule endpoints.
- Removed schedule-page fetching for discontinued index feeds during cache updates to improve indexing speed.
- Fixed recursive PID options where full-series queueing encountered restructured API payloads.
- Resolved show-metadata validation issues on web-page scraping routines to prevent incomplete downloads.
- Upgraded underlying Perl dependency references for the automated Windows installer packages.
- General performance tweaks and stream acquisition improvements across BBC iPlayer and BBC Sounds.
Tools That Go With It
After downloading, play your saved programs in VLC Media Player or install the K-Lite Codec Pack for system-wide format support.
For editing or trimming downloaded MP4 files without re-encoding, LosslessCut offers quick lossless cuts.
If you need to mux additional audio tracks or subtitles into Matroska containers, MKVToolNix works alongside get_iplayer perfectly.
Who Should Look Elsewhere
If you are looking to download videos from general commercial streaming services, YouTube, or Vimeo, get_iplayer does not support them by design.
For multi-site video downloads across universal platforms, tools like yt-dlp are purpose-built for that task.
Quick questions
Is get_iplayer free to use?
Yes. get_iplayer is free and open-source software distributed under the GNU General Public License v3 (GPLv3).
Does get_iplayer download subtitles automatically?
Yes. You can enable subtitle retrieval in the settings or via command line flags to automatically save SRT subtitle files alongside your video downloads.
Do I need to install FFmpeg separately on Windows?
No. The official Windows installer bundles FFmpeg and AtomicParsley automatically so stream multiplexing works out of the box.
Can I run get_iplayer via a graphical user interface?
Yes. The package includes the Web PVR Manager, which opens a local browser interface for searching, queuing, and downloading programs without typing commands.
Download get_iplayer 3.36 to manage your broadcast archives, or share your thoughts in the review section below.
