IPlayer access on virgin internet (not TV!!)

Gurberly · 14-05-2008, 20:34

Up until about 2 weeks ago we had no problems accessing BBC's IPlayer on any of our 3 home PC's.

Then starting from about two weeks ago, we launch IPLayer, it plays the intro and then just dies before the programme launches.

A mixtue of XP and vista machines (None will play when they did before)
Have reinstalled flashplayer

Tried it with the firewall and antivirus disabled
Tried it with a PC direct to modem (by passing router) and still no joy.

Any other suggestions to fix it or are Virgin doing something crappy to encourage you to take it up on a TV package instead!!

Cheers

Gurb

JackSon · 14-05-2008, 20:47

I haven't noticed any problems to date with accessing iPlayer on VM XL. My usage is mostly off-peak though, at what times are you having the prolems, or is it more or less constant throughout the day?

Jelly · 14-05-2008, 20:49

Working on my size L connection. Have you scanned for viruses and spyware?

Gurberly · 15-05-2008, 07:51

Thanks for the replies.

Guess its a problem this end then

We generally use it offpeak, Sunday mornings in bed in fact!!

Absolutely evrything else works (streaming video/UTube etc) just not I Player... which frustratingly used to work.

G

BloodyL · 15-05-2008, 10:45

Are you viewing the programmes on the website itself or are you using the actual iPlayer application?

iPlayer does not use Flash, it uses Windows Media Player.
Consider any applications that you have installed on all three machines that might interfere with Media Player such as media codec packs, media players, things like that.

Gurberly · 15-05-2008, 18:44

We are viewing on the website rather than downloading the file.

Website definitely does use Flash as if Flash is not installed you get the messgage as below.

Whether Media Player is wrapped within there somehow I don't know.

This is getting frustrating, have tried it with and without firewall, with and without router, with Firefox and IE

In the good old days of NTL it used to be possible to change/switch proxy servers. Is that still possible?

Have removed codec packs if installed (2xp machines and 1 vista machine)

Is there a list of up to date servers somewhere?

Thanks for suggestions so far!!

G

**Stuart C** · 15-05-2008, 19:01

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gurberly

Whether Media Player is wrapped within there somehow I don't know.

Flash does not use Windows Media Player. It has it's own video decoding system built in..

Have you tried uninstalling Flash player, then installing the latest player from http://www.adobe.com ?

BloodyL · 15-05-2008, 21:00

Ahh, my mistake, sorry!

Gurberly · 15-05-2008, 21:10

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stuart C

Flash does not use Windows Media Player. It has it's own video decoding system built in..

Have you tried uninstalling Flash player, then installing the latest player from http://www.adobe.com ?

Hi thanks.

Yes uninstalled/re-installed Flash (and some other Flash plugin that was listed in the Windows add/remove programmes applet)

G

JackSon · 15-05-2008, 21:11

Only asking as I can't see it mentioned; tried alternative browser(s)?

Gurberly · 16-05-2008, 06:58

Thanks... tried Firefox and IE7 no joy....

**Graham M** · 16-05-2008, 07:53

Do you have any programs such as a firewall which block Javascript?

wintergreen · 17-05-2008, 01:18

I started having similar problems with iplayer about a week or so ago.
For a few days I could not get iplayer to work at all, it just stopped working for no reason at all and at the same time web browsing became really slow although I am still able to download files at normal speeds. I tried different browsers IE and Firefox but they were both slow, I even put together another computer with a fresh install of windows and connected straight to the cable modem without connecting to my firewall to make sure it wasnt a problem my end
Now iplayer is working sometimes but not always and browsing the net is still slow at times (not just peak times).
I havent bothered getting in touch with virgin yet because I know it will mean sitting and listening to some muppet in india telling me to reboot my computer over and over again until they realise they dont know what they are talking about and then hang up on me and all for the discount price of 25p per minute

Gurberly · 17-05-2008, 15:30

OK I think I am starting to understand why IPlayer won't play....

The BBC thinks I'm located in Ireland!!!

Just noticed that when I go to default Google page, it takes me to the Irish domain, not the UK one.

i.e. http://www.google.ie/

If Google thinks I'm Irish, I guess the BBC might do also (and I know IPlayer is blocked from access outside the UK)

BUT I'M NOT IRISH...AND I DON'T LIVE IN IRELAND. I'M ENGLISH AND LIVE IN CAMBRIDGESHIRE!!!

So the question now, is why do these sites think I'm Irish. Country location is set to UK on all my PC's. How else do they decide which country you live in?

G

**Maggy J** · 17-05-2008, 15:49

I'm having no trouble with iPlayer apart from the occasional really slow download times.I just leave it and try again later.