BBC Radio Streams gone?

[mikeedanz]

Was listening to BBC 6 Music today and now...nothing. Neither the Wiim BBC Radio Music Service option nor the direct Internet stream works. Worryingly the Internet stream simply says "gone" when inserted into my Web browser.

I know the BBC is pushing everyone to BBC sounds but this isn't integrated into the wiim app which is a problem....

Anyone experiencing the same issue?

 

[Burnside]

It would be useful they could add BBC sounds as a music service

Depends if they could use the BBC Sounds API like is used in Lyrion/LMS, although that isn't officially sanctioned. Maybe an alternative aggregator like Airable could provide a more robust solution

 

[Peter H]

Outrageous! The BBC is messing everyone around to deal with real or imagined slights (which do not even directly impact their revenue stream). I have been listening to Radio 3 / Third Programme, man and boy, for some 60 years (!) and have invested significantly in Tuners during that time. Currently I still have my old Arcam T32 FMJ, but ATM there is an issue with my FM aerial, forcing me to use DAB. This stream has now been degraded to 160 kbps Joint Stereo, meaning the WiiM stream is much better - when available! Thank goodness for Chromecast - at least there is a workaround using BBC Sounds, which is stable and lossless but without the source compression which can otherwise be an issue for the broadcast signal at certain times.

Trusting that WiiM can sort it out, in due course, from their end. Their product support, thus far, has been exemplary.

 

[Burnside]

Outrageous! The BBC is messing everyone around to deal with real or imagined slights (which do not even directly impact their revenue stream). I have been listening to Radio 3 / Third Programme, man and boy, for some 60 years (!) and have invested significantly in Tuners during that time. Currently I still have my old Arcam T32 FMJ, but ATM there is an issue with my FM aerial, forcing me to use DAB. This stream has now been degraded to 160 kbps Joint Stereo, meaning the WiiM stream is much better - when available! Thank goodness for Chromecast - at least there is a workaround using BBC Sounds, which is stable and retains the original bandwidth and without the source compression which can be an issue at certain times for direct broadcasting.

Trusting that WiiM can sort it out, in due course, from their end. Their product support, thus far, has been exemplary.

You can also use the Wiim remote to ask “Alexa, ask bbc to play radio 3”

 

[Peter H]

You can also use the Wiim remote to ask “Alexa, ask bbc to play radio 3”

Great tip - thanks!

Don’t use the remote much; looks like I may do in future.

 

[lostinmusic]

Outrageous! The BBC is messing everyone around to deal with real or imagined slights (which do not even directly impact their revenue stream).

It does impact their revenue because bandwidth isn't free of charge. Is it really unreasonable to try to prevent 3rd parties from making money off the back of the BBC's material by bundling it up with adverts?

If you copied somebody's web site and plastered the content with ads, I think the owner of the original site would be pretty annoyed.

 

[Peter H]

I agree that it is immoral and (probably) illegal, but the only way I can see it actually costing the BBC money is if they have to increase their streaming capacity because these operators are tapping into it. Of course, if they have plans to sell or licence the relevant output overseas then it will impact them in terms of potentially increased revenue, since people will presumably tend to listen to the “free” ad-supported stream. Perhaps I should have said impacting their UK revenue.

Whack a-mole tactics do seem very crude, but I am not aware of an alternative strategy. My central issue is that the BBC seem to have stopped considering their listeners and are quite content to water down the “product” without compunction. Whether this is unreasonable is a matter of perspective. Admittedly, the number of people who will notice, or care, is small - but the BBC have certainly moved a long way from their original Charter values. Yes, things change and we must change with them, but this is a sad comment on our times. Applies in Spades to the demise of the World Service.

 

[DRC]

BBC Radios 1-6 seem to be working this morning.

 

[Peter H]

BBC Radios 1-6 seem to be working this morning.

So too are Radio Merseyside and Radio Cymru!