Restriction of BBC Radio HLS/DASH to authorised third parties

[simoncn]

Thanks for this feedback.

The duplicate messages after a change of station are caused by the renderer making multiple requests for the stream. I have tried to identify repeated duplicate requests but it seems the code that does this needs some refinement. I would appreciate it if you could do the following:

1) Browse to a radio playlist
2) Open the MinimServer log window
3) Set the logging level to Debug
4) In the log window, click Clear
5) Play a radio stream and stop it after about 5 seconds of music
6) In the log window, click 'Save as' and save the log file
7) Zip or compress the log file and attach it to a post here
8) Set the logging level back to Info

[FakePlasticDunk]

I wondered if it might be something like that. Herewith the requested log.

[simoncn]

Thanks for the quick reponse. The problem is caused by the renderer sending a HEAD request for the stream followed by a GET request. This would usually not be a problem but the renderer is using slightly different User-Agent headers for the HEAD and GET. This prevents MinimStreamer from identifying these requests as coming from the same renderer.

The simplest fix is for MinimStreamer to not show the "playing" message for HEAD requests, only for GET requests. I will produce an updated test build and post back here when this build is available.

[simoncn]

The updated test build with this change is now available. I have updated post #39 with the new installation instructions.

[FakePlasticDunk]

Ah, the 'unconventional' NP30 strikes again! Just installed and tested, all good - thanks Simon. Impressed once again by the speed and smoothness of the installation/update process.

[amsub]

I have tried installing the test build using Minimwatch but it reports that "Package 'minimstreamer-2.0.11.3' conflicts with license type 'starter'". I have a full license for Minimstreamer until Apr 24.

[simoncn]

(05-10-2023 15:43)tommyrot Wrote:  As for piggy-backing authorised streams from a 3rd party, I'm uneasy about this because I suspect the BBC will just clamp down on it. Which would put us all back to square one. Sorry to sound bleak – it's more a comment on the Tzarist executives at the BBC Sounds unit than anything else.

Unfortunately this has just happened. I have removed the test build while I consider next steps.

For users who have already installed the test build, the bbcstreams=auth option will stop working soon.

[FakePlasticDunk]

Annnd it has. Fortunately they don't seem to have switched off the public streams yet.

[MDF]

Thanks BBC. You'd think in these days of competing radio choices they would be trying to make it easier for people to listen. I thought it was our BBC; I don't remember being asked if I would like my internet radio to stop working?

[simoncn]

(23-10-2023 12:19)amsub Wrote:  I have tried installing the test build using Minimwatch but it reports that "Package 'minimstreamer-2.0.11.3' conflicts with license type 'starter'". I have a full license for Minimstreamer until Apr 24.

It sounds like you have not activated your full license on the device you are using to run MinimServer and MinimStreamer. If you select Configure from the MinimWatch pop-up menu, what do you see for the license type?

After you have fixed this, you should be able to install the minimstreamer-2.0.11 package but you will not be able to install the test build (see this post).