Jim Lesurf wrote:
In article , Andy
Furniss spam@spam wrote:


snip
Agree.

Below is probably flawed/outdated - just first impressions from a bit of
random searching.

However AIUI at present the engineers are really at the stage of testing
and seeing how well their 4.0 streams may work. They hope the new streams
will be good. Their main focus will be on that. From their POV a limit on
browser choice probably isn't their concern *at present* since it isn't a
standard service. Mine at present would be on assessing sound quality *if*
I can manage to capture a stream!

As I see it the browser is the player here and chrome is closed and
using it's own licensed AAC dec (maybe fdkaac which is available in
source form). The open version of chrome by default at least will only
play open codecs to avoid IP issues. I also don't know if it will do
DASH - maybe, as it's javascript that the the BBC use - as stated in the
link Rupert gave it's a version of an open reference implementation.

Also the link says the stream is 320kbit fixed rate and the DASH is only
used for chunking.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/rd/blog/2014/03...rce-extensions

So currently I don't think you will be able to cap the stream as easily
as using wget or mplayer on the R3 HD stream.

For capping decoded PCM - I guess you can already do that - follow the
sursound thread for others experience and some ready made samples.


That they are using Proms for the tests is good, as the quality has the
potential to he high, and the results impressive.

So I am prepared to install a suitable distro and chrome on, say, my
laptop, for the purposes of such a test. Even if I then replace the
distro/chrome once done and get rid of it. LIke others, I don't trust
Chrome, and also prefer a choice of browsers to be available. Not a
monopoly dicatated by one desired use.

I'm hoping FF developers can and will realise this issue needs addressing.
It probably won't go away.

From reading their tracker threads they are addressing it - but of
course their are (were?) potential IP/licence issues that come when
anything with MPEG in the name is is involved, so both DASH and the
browser being the player could be/have been tricky.

It will be handy if they do manage - open source = can cap the raw
stream, I am not so sure content providers will be as pleased.

But at present I don't know:

A) Which distro(s) would work.

B) If any other browser or software would work.

C) If I can capture the 4.0.

So info on those points would be welcome. Failing that I may try something
like xfce Mint sometime. But its a bit of a faff as a temporary measure if
someone can tell me in advance that won't do the job and point me at a
better choice. (I'm asking at the BBC about this as well.

Seems to be just chrome currently, as for distro - no idea.