Downloading BBC WS "Top Of The Pops" With "rtmpdump"

I would have preferred if I could download it off the BBC's Podcast web-page but unfortunately I can't. Below is the command that I use to download the BBC World Service radio programme "Top Of The Pops" to my desktop computer, thanks to the software rtmpdump.


rtmpdump.exe -r "rtmp://wsondemandflash.bbc.co.uk/ondemand/mp4:48502/worldservice/css/latest/topofthepops" -o "topofthepops.flv"

This command should be typed into the "Command Prompt", all on a single line - sorry for the word-wrap. I actually keyed in this command into a .BAT file to make things easier for me. All I need to remember is to rename the downloaded file, "topofthepops.flv", to something else so that it does not get overwritten, assuming that I still need the file.

As reported by SMPlayer , the audio stream is in the MP4A format, stereo at 128kbps 48000Hz, and (obviously) no video despite being in the .FLV format. The downloaded file size is about 25MB and the play time is about 53 minutes. I have tested playing this downloaded file with WinAmp and SMPlayer and it played just fine. WinAmp actually pops up a window for displaying video but it can be safely closed.

The parameter in RED is extracted from the content in the file

http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/meta/tx/flash/toppops.xml

- a part of the parameter for listening online.

I used to record "Top Of The Pops" every Monday night at 9 PM from the local Malaysian radio station TraxxFM - albeit the show is delayed by about a week and sometimes there were repeats. Unfortunately, "Top Of The Pops" suddenly went off the TraxxFM airwaves sometime around mid-November 2013. I don't like listening online, so I went about looking for a way to download it. Luckily I succeeded. Nothing like having the audio file on my computer so that I can play, pause, rewind and forward at my pleasure. Who wouldn't actually.

Update (2014 November 10)
I am using this command now since I had some problems downloading last week - I got the same file that I had a week prior. Again sorry for the word-wrap. The command was generated via rtmpsrv.exe with the old BBC Worlservice "Top Of The Pops" link- the current linkgives a "Sound Of Silence" error and does not play.

rtmpdump -r "rtmp://wsondemandflash.bbc.co.uk:1935/ondemand" -a "ondemand" -f "WIN 10,1,53,38" -W "http://www.bbc.co.uk/emp/10player.swf" -p "http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/emp/pop.shtml?p=/worldservice/meta/tx/flash/toppops.xml&l=en&t=audio" -C O:1 -C O:0 -y "mp4:48502/worldservice/css/latest/topofthepops" -o "topofthepops.flv"

Update (2015 Dec 30)
The BBC made some changes 2 weeks ago. Downloading of "Top Of The Pops" is still available, but there is no one single command anymore like what I have been doing previously as described above. Instead this is what I do now:

• Go to the this page http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p029zl67/episodes/player to get the list of "Top Of The Pops" episodes that is available for listening online (downloading in my case).

• Note down the URL address of the episode that you are interested in. It should look something like this:
  
  http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p03b1t49
  
  p03b1t49 is the Programme ID (PID).

• Head over to this page http://www.iplayerconverter.co.uk/convert.aspx. Copy the Programme ID into the field "Enter PID:" and click on the button "Convert".

• About half way down of the result page, you should a line similar to the one below:
  
  RTMPDump command line: rtmpdump -r "rtmp://cp107663.edgefcs.net:1935/ondemand?auth=daEcnaNcccxc3cudEcmdgdRcac2dgdpbOdS-bwG6Bj-bWG-EnuFCpzpKDnHnyE&aifp=v001&slist=/prod_af_mp4_heaacv1_96/iplayerstream/l2o/p03b1t91_fb3f7177-a592-476b-8619-fe22f0b2cb90.mp4;/prod_af_mp4_heaacv1_48/iplayerstream/l2o/p03b1t91_a20cd51b-fb7b-4cda-8d84-c08245e0f603.mp4" -a "ondemand?auth=daEcnaNcccxc3cudEcmdgdRcac2dgdpbOdS-bwG6Bj-bWG-EnuFCpzpKDnHnyE&aifp=v001&slist=/prod_af_mp4_heaacv1_96/iplayerstream/l2o/p03b1t91_fb3f7177-a592-476b-8619-fe22f0b2cb90.mp4;/prod_af_mp4_heaacv1_48/iplayerstream/l2o/p03b1t91_a20cd51b-fb7b-4cda-8d84-c08245e0f603.mp4" -y "mp4:/prod_af_mp4_heaacv1_96/iplayerstream/l2o/p03b1t91_fb3f7177-a592-476b-8619-fe22f0b2cb90.mp4" -o p03b1t91.flv
  
  The rtmpdump command that you need is in italic.

Word of warning though: the file size is now 15 MB LARGER - at 40MB versus 25 MB previously. Sound quality wise, they sound the same to me. I use Audacity to compress it down to 25 MB OGG file at level 0 settings - FLV Extract to extract the audio file out for Audacity to work.

Update (2016 Apr 24)
Hint: "youtube-dl.exe". I shall not say more.

Update (2016 June 21)
Hint: youtube-dl -f mp4

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