Download ITV Player using RTMPDump?

[any ANONYMOUS forum user]

Originally Posted by gsd4me

First of all, does anyone know what format the ITV iPlayer programmes are streamed in? FLV, asf?
Are they "DRM'd" ?
What is the best/easiest method of obtaining the 'real' URL for a given http url? i.e. what tools would one need to obtain this information and how to go about doing so?

ITV Player uses RTMPE streams.

Software fore recording RTMPE streams:
RTMPE recorders

Software for finding RTMPE URLs and other parameters of RTMPE streams:
How to find RTMPE stream URLs

[gsd4me]

KSV

Thanks for this - will give it a try over the weekend

BTW - are the instructions for Windows or Linux or both? I usually used Ubuntu Linux but have a dual boot machine

Many thanks
ADB

[gsd4me]

KSV

Did what you said - saw the relevant information flying past in rtmpsrv window.
Closed down both rtmpsrv and RTMPexplorer

However - couldn't find "COMMAND.BAT" - is this supposed to be created in the user directory somewhere?

Am getting there, albeit very slowly!

[Paulus]

Originally Posted by KSV

here's the short version. this method also works for non UK users with restrictive vpn's.

1. Run RTMPexplorer and close rtmpsrv by pressing q or closing it's window.
2. open your video url in RtmpExplorer.
3. when channel logo video starts playing quickly start rtmpsrv again.
4. when you see the activity in rtmpsrv window (Duplicate request, skipping) etc. close the RtmpExplorer and rtmpsrv.
5. copy the last command line from Command.bat. it should be like following.
   

   rtmpdump -r "rtmpe://cp72511.edgefcs.net:1935/ondemand" -a "ondemand?ovpfv=1.1&auth=eaEbIcWdPc0csdGdzc9cZaYc1acaLd_dobka.ddbVchdcc1a3dqdxcSclb9aqaRa5dz-boHts0-eV-8zu4DCplDuys&aifp=v002&slist=production/" -f "WIN 10,3,183,10" -W "http://www.itv.com/mercury/Mercury_VideoPlayer.swf" -p "http://www.itv.com/itvplayer/video/?Filter=273823" -C Z: -y "mp4:production/CATCHUP/e98b52c6/13b6/4d00/8397/2846345a1073/1-0694-7695-001_CORONATION-STREET-(SERIES-52)-2011_TX190911_ITV400_16X9.mp4" -o 1-0694-7695-001_CORONATION-STREET-(SERIES-52)-2011_TX190911_ITV400_16X9.flv

6. change the bitrate in command line to download high quality version. e.g replace ITV400_16X9 with ITV1200_16X9

Originally Posted by gsd4me

KSV

Did what you said - saw the relevant information flying past in rtmpsrv window.
Closed down both rtmpsrv and rtpmexplorer

However - couldn't find "COMMAND.BAT" - is this supposed to be created in the user directory somewhere?

Am getting there, albeit very slowly!

I am running Windows Vista Home Premium SP2

I don't see Command.bat, either. I simply press CTRL-S in the rtmpsrv windows to pause it, and copy from it the command line in it, which is chopped up to short lines of 80 characters per line. So you will have to patch them back manually or using a program. (I am using "recording" feature in the VIM editor.)

Changing the bit rate in the command works most of the time but for some shows/games not all the bit rates are available. And sometimes the file name does not follow their naming convention (e.g. RWC U.S. vs. Russia _http://www.itv.com/itvplayer/video/?Filter=273630 ). Is there a way to find out all the available bit rates and the corresponding file names when they are named following the naming convention? It would be nice to if that info can be had. (GetFLV lists all the bit rates. I guess we either have to pay or labor through it.)

[KSV]

Originally Posted by gsd4me

are the instructions for Windows or Linux or both?

These instructions are windows specific.

Originally Posted by gsd4me

However - couldn't find "COMMAND.BAT" - is this supposed to be created in the user directory somewhere?

I have personally added this feature to rtmpsrv and rtmpsuck to create Command.bat. you can either use my binary or manually copy the command line from rtmpsrv window.
http://stream-recorder.com/forum/sho...1&postcount=23

http://stream-recorder.com/forum/showpost.php?p=31201&postcount=23

Originally Posted by Paulus

Changing the bit rate in the command works most of the time but for some shows/games not all the bit rates are available. And sometimes the file name does not follow their naming convention (e.g. RWC U.S. vs. Russia _http://www.itv.com/itvplayer/video/?Filter=273630 ). Is there a way to find out all the available bit rates and the corresponding file names when they are named following the naming convention? It would be nice to if that info can be had.

Normally they provide video in four bitrates 400, 600, 800 and 1200 kbps. however if a particular video doesn't follow their naming convention or doesn't have all available bitartes or have different bitrates then you can use Wireshark to easily get info about all the resolutions and bitrates available for that particular video.

[gsd4me]

Following on from the sequence that is being described above, I am almost there!

I have downloaded the RTMPexplorer that saves to the COMMAND.BAT file and have found the command that I need - fairly long but it is there.

Set up a terminal command window, ran the command.bat file and watched as the well-known error appeared:
Handshake type mismatch, client sent 6 server answered 9
INFO Connect ...
ERROR RTMP server sent error
ERROR RTMP server requested close

I am using the very latest version of rtmpdump that I could find - 2.4 GIT-6230845 2011-9-25, hence only a few days old.

All the postings and literature that I can find says that the various protocols have been written in but this error is still appearing on people's machines
Any ideas?
I see that the latest build is for Windows 7 and I am using Windows VISTA Basic
Would this make a difference?
Also is there any sort of mismatch between the latest RTMPDUMP and any other versions (eg the 2.4 version produced by KSV that has the COMMAND.BAT creation facility inbuilt)? I have kept the two versions completely separate, using KSV's version to find the command details whilst using the very latest version to actually do the RTMPDUMP

Getting closer to actually recording the rugby that I want to - just one little push will do it! (I hope!)
Many thanks
adb

[Paulus]

KSV,

Thanks for showing the Wireshark example. What is your OS?

Wireshark only works for me under Windows XP in finding the "PlaylistService" XML from ITV. But it can't find it on my Windows Vista PC.

[KSV]

Originally Posted by gsd4me

I have downloaded the RTMPexplorer that saves to the COMMAND.BAT file and have found the command that I need - fairly long but it is there.

if you have got the command line from command.bat then it should work. command.bat file contains one command per line so only copy the last one. the command also contains auth parameter which expires after few minutes so be little quick.

Originally Posted by gsd4me

I see that the latest build is for Windows 7 and I am using Windows VISTA Basic
Would this make a difference?

no, rtmpdump works fine on all windows versions (XP, Vista, Win 7).

Originally Posted by gsd4me

Also is there any sort of mismatch between the latest RTMPDUMP and any other versions (eg the 2.4 version produced by KSV that has the COMMAND.BAT creation facility inbuilt)? I have kept the two versions completely separate, using KSV's version to find the command details whilst using the very latest version to actually do the RTMPDUMP

there isn't any mismatch between those versions.

Originally Posted by Paulus

KSV,

Thanks for showing the Wireshark example. What is your OS?

Wireshark only works for me under Windows XP in finding the "PlaylistService" XML from ITV. But it can't find it on my Windows Vista PC.

I am using Win XP SP3. it shouldn't make any difference. make sure you are selecting the correct network adapter to monitor in vista.

[Paulus]

Originally Posted by KSV

if you have got the command line from command.bat then it should work. command.bat file contains one command per line so only copy the last one. the command also contains auth parameter which expires after few minutes so be little quick.

no, rtmpdump works fine on all windows versions (XP, Vista, Win 7).

there isn't any mismatch between those versions.


I am using Win XP SP3. it shouldn't make any difference. make sure you are selecting the correct network adapter to monitor in vista.

KSV,

Thanks again for the reply.

I am redirecting the rtmpsrv.exe output by running in the RTMPexplorer directory (folder) right after the video starts playing:

rtmpsrv > Command.bat

This way, I can get the Command.bat file like using your version of rtmpsrv so I don't need to concatenate chopped up lines copied from the command windows.

Somehow VPN connections only show up in the "Interface List" of Wireshark on Windows XP PC but not on Windows Vista PC. On a Vista PC, I am seeing in Interface List:

1. 10/100 Network Connection
2. Microsoft
3. MS Tunnel Interface Driver
4. TAP-Win32 Adapter V9

I have to connect through the TAP-Win32 Adapter but not a VPN.

But on a Windows XP PC the first under the list is:

1. Adapter for generic dialup and VPN capture
   ...

The latest release 1.6.2 also crashes when the PlaylistService.XML for the USA-Russia RWC game is loaded. Release 1.4.9 does not crash on the same file.

[KSV]

Originally Posted by Paulus

I have to connect through the TAP-Win32 Adapter but not a VPN.

TAP-Win32 Adapter is installed by OpenVPN. so you need to select that adapter when using VPN.

Originally Posted by Paulus

The latest release 1.6.2 also crashes when the PlaylistService.XML for the USA-Russia RWC game is loaded. Release 1.4.9 does not crash on the same file.

Wireshark's latest svn version (1.7.0-SVN-39234) works fine on XP SP3.