How to watch BBC programmes online

All the main terrestrial TV channels – BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and Five – have their own ‘video on demand’ websites that allow people to use their computers to watch programmes that have already aired. This is often called a ‘catch-up service’.

 

BBC iPlayer is arguably the best known of these. For seven days after transmission, you can watch or listen to almost all of the BBC’s output using the iPlayer. However, some of it is still unavailable because the BBC hasn’t reached agreement with the owners of the programmes – particularly of international films – or with the owners of certain elements of them, particularly the music.

 

The iPlayer allows you to download both TV programmes and radio programmes (the latter by streaming – see below – and as podcasts). Here we’ll be describing how to download TV content by streaming and by downloading entire programmes.

 

 

 

 

The most common way of watching TV programmes via iPlayer is to ‘stream’ them. In this, a TV programme in data form is sent in a continuous stream from the BBC to you via the internet and the iPlayer. You can watch the programme while it’s downloading, and it remains within the iPlayer, not in your computer.

 

Step 1: Go to the BBC iPlayer website.

 

Step 2: On the iPlayer site, you can search for the programme you want to watch by channel, by what’s ‘most popular’, via an A–Z or by category. Or you can type the name of the programme into the ‘Search BBC iPlayer’ box at the top of the page. 

 

 

Step 3: When you’ve found the programme you want to watch, click on the picture and you’ll be taken to a new page dedicated to it. Here you’ll find out more about it and, if it’s part of a series, whether other programmes are available. It might also offer you recommendations of other, similar programmes you might like to watch.

 

Step 4: Click the CLICK TO PLAY button in the centre of the screen.

 

 

Usually a ‘channel ident’ – a very short bit of film identifying which BBC TV channel the programme came from – plays before the programme begins.

 

Step 5: You can modify the way you watch and listen. At the bottom right of the screen are buttons that let you:

 

 

At the bottom left of the screen, you’ll find buttons that let you pause or restart the programme. It’s even possible to pause it and then leave it – even closing your browser. When you reopen the programme, iPlayer should remember where you left off. You can also click and drag the progress bar at the bottom to select a certain point within the running of the programme.

 

 

Step 6: With this method, you have up to seven days from the original transmission to catch up with your programme, After that, the link to the programme disappears.

 

 

You can also download entire TV programmes from the iPlayer and keep them for up to 30 days to watch at your convenience. To do this, you’ll need to download and install the BBC iPlayer Desktop.

 

Step 1: Find a programme that you want to watch. Instead of clicking ‘CLICK TO PLAY’, click Download options in the box immediately below the video picture.

 

 

Step 2: If you’d like to download and play the programme on Windows Media Player instead of on iPlayer, or access it as a podcast on your MP3 player (for example, an iPod), you should choose those options if they’re offered. However, if you’d like to store the programme for up to 30 days, select the option For iPlayer Desktop.

 

 

Step 3: The Download option will take you to the installation page. Click Install BBC iPlayer Desktop.

 

Step 4: A prompt will now appear: ‘Installing this application requires Adobe AIR which will also be downloaded and installed. Press yes to continue.’ Click Yes.

 

Step 5: A further prompt will ask you if you’re sure you want to install the application. Click Install.

 

Step 6: A box will appear asking for your ‘Installation Preferences’, including three pre-checked boxes. Leave the boxes checked and click Continue.

 

Step 7: The terms and conditions box will appear. If you want to, you can read the terms and conditions, and if you agree, click I Agree.

 

Step 8: If you’re using a PC with Windows installed, the Windows User Account Control window will now appear asking: ‘Do you want to allow the following program to make changes to this computer?’ Click Yes. The program will now install.

 

Step 9: Your firewall security program may intervene, saying: ‘This application is trying to access the internet, do you wish to allow access?’ Follow the access recommendation and click OK.

 

Step 10: You now have the BBC iPlayer Desktop installed on your computer. To prove it, a window will now appear saying: ‘Welcome to the BBC iPlayer Desktop’! Return to the TV programme you originally chose on iPlayer, click Download options and select For iPlayer Desktop.

 

Step 11: The programme should now download to your computer and will appear listed under ‘Downloads’ on the iPlayer Desktop.

 

 

If the programme doesn’t appear or the iPlayer Desktop doesn’t seem to be working, you may need to perform a system restart to complete the installation.

 

Step 12: It may take some minutes for your programme to download, depending on your broadband connection. Once it appears on your list of downloads, you can play it in the same way as you did for streaming (see above). If you wish to watch it at a later date, the number of days you have left in which to watch it will appear next to the programme in the list.