[SOLVED] BBC Radio streams

[Haroldfinch]

Hi all,

Just a heads up, I've been listening to a BBC 6 music stream and there's a notice injected  saying the feed is going to end on the 21st March 2021.

This is a real shame as it's so easy to play it via Moode rather than via the BBC sounds app.

[the_bertrum]

There seems to be a great push from the BBC to move everything onto the sounds app. I can understand that I suppose, they get all that lovely data that way. Shame though, using Bluetooth with interruptions from notifications on my phone is not as good as direct streaming for "listening to the radio".

[Zigzag]

I don't think the BBC is ending its radio streams in March, but intends to make a number of changes then to address legacy methods of broadcasting - see: https://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/internet/ent...8ce549108c.

[the_bertrum]

Good find @Zigzag I can never find anything on the BBC websites...
Looks like no action needed in moOde then, good news.

Edit after reading the post from Kent below, then going back and looking properly...

The 320K streams will not be affected (those are the ones I listen to most so I did not do enough due-diligence), but most of the standard streams will.  Kent has done the job I failed to do and found replacements.

[Haroldfinch]

Indeed. Great find @Zigzag .

Thanks for following up on my post :-)

[FizzyTea]

Indeed. Great find @Zigzag .

Thanks for following up on my post :-)

Glad to find people here are on this. I was super annoyed this morning when I heard the announcement interrupt my alarm clock! (yes, I am cranky in the mornings)

I did attempt to find information on the bbc website but without success.  

Just to clarify, we will have to update the url used to stream or not?

It seems to say we will but then doesn't give the new urls.
If we don't have to update the url why does the stream contain the message?

[TheOldPresbyope]

Well, yes, it appears that one does need to change URLs.

From the cited BBC Blog entry

The old URLs will then stop working completely by 31st March 2021.

Further down the entry it says

Systems that use our Media Selector APIs on the domain 'open.live.bbc.co.uk', we will be updating these APIs and so no action is required by you.

If you directly use URLs from either of the following hostnames:

1. bbcmedia.ic.llnwd.net
2. bbcwssc.ic.llnwd.net

Then you will need to update to prevent impact to your customers as these endpoints will not work after March 2021.

But wait, there's more!

Some helpful soul has created a github gist with a .m3u file containing what appears to be the new [1] open.live.bbc.co.uk media selector endpoints!

Code:

#EXTM3U
#EXTINF:-1,BBC - Radio 1
http://open.live.bbc.co.uk/mediaselector/5/select/version/2.0/mediaset/http-icy-mp3-a/vpid/bbc_radio_one/format/pls.pls
#EXTINF:-1,BBC - Radio 2
http://open.live.bbc.co.uk/mediaselector/5/select/version/2.0/mediaset/http-icy-mp3-a/vpid/bbc_radio_two/format/pls.pls
#EXTINF:-1,BBC - Radio 3
http://open.live.bbc.co.uk/mediaselector/5/select/version/2.0/mediaset/http-icy-mp3-a/vpid/bbc_radio_three/format/pls.pls
#EXTINF:-1,BBC - Radio 4
http://open.live.bbc.co.uk/mediaselector/5/select/version/2.0/mediaset/http-icy-mp3-a/vpid/bbc_radio_fourfm/format/pls.pls
#EXTINF:-1,BBC - Radio 5 live
http://open.live.bbc.co.uk/mediaselector/5/select/version/2.0/mediaset/http-icy-mp3-a/vpid/bbc_radio_five_live/format/pls.pls
#EXTINF:-1,BBC - Radio 6
http://open.live.bbc.co.uk/mediaselector/5/select/version/2.0/mediaset/http-icy-mp3-a/vpid/bbc_6music/format/pls.pls
#EXTINF:-1,BBC - Radio 1 Extra
http://open.live.bbc.co.uk/mediaselector/5/select/version/2.0/mediaset/http-icy-mp3-a/vpid/bbc_1xtra/format/pls.pls
#EXTINF:-1,BBC - Radio 4 Extra
http://open.live.bbc.co.uk/mediaselector/5/select/version/2.0/mediaset/http-icy-mp3-a/vpid/bbc_radio_four_extra/format/pls.pls
#EXTINF:-1,BBC - Radio 5 Live sports extra
http://open.live.bbc.co.uk/mediaselector/5/select/version/2.0/mediaset/http-icy-mp3-a/vpid/bbc_radio_five_live_sports_extra/format/pls.pls
#EXTINF:-1,BBC - Radio Asian Network
http://open.live.bbc.co.uk/mediaselector/5/select/version/2.0/mediaset/http-icy-mp3-a/vpid/bbc_asian_network/format/pls.pls
#EXTINF:-1,BBC - BBC World Service
http://open.live.bbc.co.uk/mediaselector/5/select/version/2.0/mediaset/http-icy-mp3-a/vpid/bbc_world_service/format/pls.pls
# GistID: 8705765

Of course we can't use the .m3u playlist directly while the endpoints in it are themselves .pls playlist files so one must dig out the actual URLs. 

To save you the effort, here's the URLs contained in the above .pls files (notice the pattern?). They all play for me here in Maryland USA.

Code:

http://stream.live.vc.bbcmedia.co.uk/bbc_radio_one
http://stream.live.vc.bbcmedia.co.uk/bbc_radio_two
http://stream.live.vc.bbcmedia.co.uk/bbc_radio_three
http://stream.live.vc.bbcmedia.co.uk/bbc_radio_fourfm
http://stream.live.vc.bbcmedia.co.uk/bbc_radio_five_live_online_nonuk
http://stream.live.vc.bbcmedia.co.uk/bbc_6music
http://stream.live.vc.bbcmedia.co.uk/bbc_1xtra
http://stream.live.vc.bbcmedia.co.uk/bbc_radio_four_extra
---
http://stream.live.vc.bbcmedia.co.uk/bbc_asian_network
http://stream.live.vc.bbcmedia.co.uk/bbc_world_service

The Radio 5 Live Sports Extra station .pls file is apparently geofenced; I get a 403 error trying to access it.

Who knows, these may still work in future but there's also hints of BBC moving to HTTPS.

Regards,
Kent

ETA
[1] - Hmm, rereading, I wonder if these are the existing URLs and whether they will change once again when the BBC finishing "updating these APIs". It isn't clear what "no action is required" means.

[FizzyTea]

hmmm yes, exactly!

[FizzyTea]

Before I found this thread I was trying to find information about the changes to the BBC streams.
As mentioned above I failed to find the blogpost on the BBC website.

In the absence of further information I decided to contact the BBC so I could come here with at least some information about the changes before I posted looking for assistance.

I contacted them saying I used an open-source community developed dedicated music player and the options offered as alternatives to the current streams were insufficient for many radio listeners as they required a pc with web browser or a mobile device with a particular app or a big-tech produced surveillance device (aka a smart speaker I believe) none of which was a satisfactory alternative for the community.

They finally got back to me today. (Though they did not directly address my enquiries - just a standardised response I suspect)

I post the response here in case it may help understand what is happening and what we might be able to do in future.
The page linked at the bottom is the same blogpost linked above.

Hello there,

Thanks for getting in contact with BBC Sounds Support regarding the upcoming changes to BBC radio.

The changes we are making affect the URLs of our radio streams. The radio streams will continue, but the URL for our streams will change.

Distributing our radio and TV services, both live and on-demand, is a significant operational cost. To ensure good value for money to how we’re funded, we decided to bring ICY streams (sometimes referred to as Shoutcast or Icecast) distribution in-house. These changes are to make sure we can continue to efficiently deliver streams through ICY for the foreseeable future.

This also enables us to offer these streams securely over HTTPS, something which is increasingly requested by radio manufacturers and service aggregators.
A service aggregator is a third party that collects and collates a list of radio stations (and how to connect to them) over the internet. Most internet radio manufacturers and app developers do not maintain such lists themselves but partner with a service aggregator to use their stations lists.

If you are using an app or programme that is fed by a service aggregator, it could be worth getting in touch with them (if you can hear the in-stream message) to see if they are working towards updating the URLs for BBC live radio.

If you no longer hear the message informing you of the changes (repeated every two hours), then the service aggregator (should you be using one) has updated the URLs.

The BBC has decided to not publish the new URLs and we’re asking service aggregators to enter an agreement with the BBC in line with the BBC’s distribution policy.

We advise those that are requesting URL’s (perhaps using bespoke computer programs/app) to consider accessing BBC Radio online either through the BBC Sounds app (Amazon Fire, Android and Apple iOS) or via the BBC Sounds website at www.bbc.co.uk/sounds.

You can read more about this here:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/internet/ent...8ce549108c

Thanks again for getting in touch.

All the best,
.....

[the_bertrum]

The BBC has decided to not publish the new URLs and we’re asking service aggregators to enter an agreement with the BBC in line with the BBC’s distribution policy.

Ah well, once they are broadcasting on them someone will examine the traffic over their own network and work out where the data are coming from...
.. Oh, look they already have.