Recording from the BBC

I still have a radio incorporating a tape cassette recorder, with which I used to be able to record direct from the radio up to 2 hours of stuff. Unfortunately the cassette mechanism is damaged. Until digital came along it was possible to record radio to a DVD recorder with a TV tuner.

Since the advent of digital TV this no longer seems to be easy to do.

The BBC is concerned about copyright so that it is difficult now to record music programmes.

Is there are a legitimate way to record without having to pay a monthly subscription?

Can't you just use the catch up service from iPlayer or many of the BBC radio sites let you listen again for a week or more.

Also if the program is published as a podcast, you can download it through iTunes and keep it as long as you like

There is a way but we aren't allowed to tell you due to being able to record copyrighted material for free. Don't want to get Mac Forums in trouble!

Honestly it's quite complicated to set up and requires multiple program downloads and audio routing knowledge so I'm not sure you would even consider it worth it anyway.

If we're talking about BBC Radio, you can listen to any radio show you like on the service for up to seven days after it has aired. BBC does not block their radio service in any fashion.

If we're talking about the TV service, by far the best way to enjoy it (assuming you are outside the UK) is through a subscription to the global BBC iPlayer. It costs $90 a year (a pittance compared to what you get IMO), what's that $7.50 a month? A great value for money.

Downloading permanently from radio

chas_m said:

If we're talking about BBC Radio, you can listen to any radio show you like on the service for up to seven days after it has aired. BBC does not block their radio service in any fashion.

If we're talking about the TV service, by far the best way to enjoy it (assuming you are outside the UK) is through a subscription to the global BBC iPlayer. It costs $90 a year (a pittance compared to what you get IMO), what's that $7.50 a month? A great value for money.

Click to expand...

I am in UK and TV isn't a problem as you can legitimately record using a DVD recorder. I get BBC radio podcasts for free but, for copyright reasons, these only include short music excerpts.

It looks as if the only legitimate way round this is either to get my radio cassette recorder repaired and buy a gadget that converts recordings to mp3s or, if there is such a thing, buy an all-in-one radio/cassette player/CD player/mp3 player that will do the job.

Recording from radio in UK

louishen said:

Can't you just use the catch up service from iPlayer or many of the BBC radio sites let you listen again for a week or more.

Also if the program is published as a podcast, you can download it through iTunes and keep it as long as you like

Click to expand...

Thanks. I already do the last but, for copyright reasons, Auntie will only let you have short music excerpts on its podcasts.

Alwyn said:

I am in UK and TV isn't a problem as you can legitimately record using a DVD recorder. I get BBC radio podcasts for free but, for copyright reasons, these only include short music excerpts.

It looks as if the only legitimate way round this is either to get my radio cassette recorder repaired and buy a gadget that converts recordings to mp3s or, if there is such a thing, buy an all-in-one radio/cassette player/CD player/mp3 player that will do the job.

Click to expand...

I used to record BBC radio using a Sony Mini System which had a Mini-Disk Player and Recorder as part of the set-up. It wasn't your usual separates set up but it did the job. I used to listen to the discs either on the set-up or on my portable Sharp Mini-Disc Player and recorder which would probably have accepted a line from a radio or have been hooked onto other amplification and recording gear if you had wanted to.