BBC iPlayer downloads

I just decided to download a few episodes of the new series of The Bridge. Using the iPlayer downloader that it seems to insist on me using, the darn thing self-caps to about 1.3 or 1.4MBps. (8-9Mbps). So I tried starting another two episodes and all it does is spread it among the three. Wired to the router.

I'm on an FTTC 59Mbps connection and ran a speedtest in the middle of it to make sure it wasn't my ISP. 54MBps! Linky.

I'm not happy!

the iplayer has gone downhill a lot I think due to budget cuts.

Try get_iPlayer > https://github.com/dinkypumpkin/get_iplayer

Much better than the iPlayer downloader if your comfortable with CLI

Edited by Davey_H (Sun 26-Jan-14 09:36:21)

With a limited pipe. Would you not expect a limited individual download speed. To enable multiple use.
As a software company, we have to use multiple sites and restrict individual speeds at software update time. Better to be able to download than not be able to connect.
1.3MBps a speed 1000's of people can only dream of getting let alone download at.

Edited by flippery (Sun 26-Jan-14 12:13:46)

I have it almost maxing out my internet connection at the moment. 6.7MBps (53Mbps roughly)

I downloaded a documentary on Russia 2 nights ago at peak time and that also came down nice and speedy. This is VM so could be a plusnet fault?

I managed to max out my ADSL connection on an iPlayer download at 1.9 MB/sec. Obviously without fibre I can't do a more comparative test.

could be but I wont be testing as the bbc make it not easy to download, using an app instead of direct links.

Re a limited pipe, I did consider that for several minutes before posting. Whilst it is almost certainly the case I'm not sure rate capping an individual IP connection is the result of straight thinking.

What worries me is that they may be doing it in a noddy fashion, with a connection limit of perhaps 12Mbps at all times, rather than a demand-based variable cap. A demand-based one I couldn't really argue against except to feel they should increase the pipe capacity.

By capping to that degree they hugely prolong the time for the download. As they no doubt have multiple downloaders beginning and ending their downloads at any given time, this results in a vastly increased number of people actually downloading over a period. They therefore considerably inflate the capacity requested at any given time.

If they were able to allow fast downloaders to complete quickly, their requirement is removed from the system. So at any given time there would be fewer downloaders and the bandwidth available for each would be higher.

I don't do gaming, but gather many game updates are huge. They don't limit to 1.3MBps. I do get Microsoft updates, at high speed.

Ok I testing now.

Started off maxing out at approx 36mbit, but then moved down as if a rate limiter switched to about 29mbit/sec.
Then downloaded a different show and is at 40mbit.

Theories are either, rate limiting or limited send buffer bbc side which requires very low latency to max out.

I tried to get the sender server ip to do some diagnosis from netstat but is just showing ipv4 loopback and I couldnt get from my router either.

I'll be downloading later episodes once I've watched the first four. I'll report back .

ok I got 2 ips, both are akamai.

Both are in london but plusnet/level3 is routing one of them to france and back.

Whats bizzare is both ips have the same edge router but a longer route is taken to the edge router on the 2nd ip via level3.

My gut guess is its a send buffer issue, configured to a low send buffer maybe requiring sub 12ms latency to max out. The uk ip I get 20ms and the via france ip 33ms. But I wouldnt rule out plusnet's traffic management affecting it either.

I don't use BBC software to download Iplayer stuff, because i don't agree with their DRM with dictates what player you use to watch content and how long you have until it self destructs
The app i use just downloads the content DRM free so i can watch on VLC ect next month if i wish
akamai cdn is is rate limited to around 12mbps per stream, and plusnets akamai cdn box won't allow downloads using the app i use,(if you use their dns servers) the other CDN for bbc iplayer is Limelight networks they rate limit too, but it typically around 20mbps per stream , this is the 12mbps and 20mbps are regardless of isp

Level 3 routing /peering those guys are the best they think routing from london to paris and then back to london is better than the direct shorter route,

As for the iplayer download via the web site, iirc it used to run a line speed a few yrs ago

Edited by tommy45 (Sun 26-Jan-14 15:07:55)

In reply to a post by Davey_H:

Try get_iPlayer > https://github.com/dinkypumpkin/get_iplayer

Much better than the iPlayer downloader if your comfortable with CLI

I might have a look, thanks.

CLI? Not a big issue having started on CP/M before Microsoft even existed .

Four! I only thought there had been two, I must be behind haha.

it comes (or the Windows version does anyway, I assume the same applies to the others) with the WebPVR front end.

In reply to a post by RobertoS:

I just decided to download a few episodes of the new series of The Bridge. Using the iPlayer downloader that it seems to insist on me using, the darn thing self-caps to about 1.3 or 1.4MBps. (8-9Mbps). So I tried starting another two episodes and all it does is spread it among the three. Wired to the router.

I'm on an FTTC 59Mbps connection and ran a speedtest in the middle of it to make sure it wasn't my ISP. 54MBps! Linky.

I'm not happy!

If you don't want to know who might have dun-it read no further >>









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