streaming bbc iplayer

I found it impossible to stream some programs from the bbc iplayer when
using IE 9; they could be downloaded to my desktop but not viewed "alive".
I have now taken out IE 9 and gone back to IE 8 and all works perfectly.
Has anyone any idea why IE 9 could not function as well as IE 8?
Thank you.

Stewart wrote:

> I found it impossible to stream some programs from the bbc iplayer when
> using IE 9; they could be downloaded to my desktop but not viewed "alive".
> I have now taken out IE 9 and gone back to IE 8 and all works perfectly.
> Has anyone any idea why IE 9 could not function as well as IE 8?
> Thank you.

http://iplayerhelp.external.bbc.co.u...desktopwindows

Says the BBC iPlayer requires Adobe Air. Not everyone that installs
Adobe Reader chooses to also get stuck with installing Air (or Adobe's
downloader). Since Adobe hasn't made 64-bit versions of some of its
software available, maybe with IE9 you were using its 64-bit version
(where Air wouldn't be available) and with IE8 you used its 32-bit
version (for which the Adobe plug-ins would work).

Were you using the 64-bit version of IE9? Did it show Adobe Air in its
list of add-ons? Was it enabled if listed? Did you try running the
32-bit version of IE9?

http://techdows.com/2011/03/install-...windows-7.html

http://www.adobe.com/products/air/systemreqs/ lists 64-bit versions of
Windows but that's for installing it. I don't have Air to know if there
is a 64-bit version of the *plug-in* to use inside a web browser.
http://kb2.adobe.com/cps/407/kb407625.html says how to determine the
version of Air but not if it's the 32- or 64-bit version. Apparently
you're supposed to assume it got installed in the correct path and that
determines if you have the 32- or 64-bit version (also mentioned at
http://kb2.adobe.com/cps/403/kb40315...main_determine).

http://iplayerhelp.external.bbc.co.u...desktopwindows
has a link for "recommended specifications" for using their iPlayer;
however, in typical fashion there, they do NOT provide you with a list
of minimal hardware and software requirements for their product. For
example, there is no minimal versions of the most popular web browsers
listed there.

Thank you, my computer is running windows 7 32 bit so I just assumed that
all downloads would likewise be 32 bit. I did install Adobe Reader and AIR
but have mot checked whether for 32 bit or 64.
At the moment IE 8 is working perfectly and I can get all I want however I
do prefer IE 9; I have it on my laptop and have no problems there.
I shall try to implement some of your ideas at the weekend.



"VanguardLH" <> wrote in message
news:iu0asj$i76$...
> Stewart wrote:
>
>> I found it impossible to stream some programs from the bbc iplayer when
>> using IE 9; they could be downloaded to my desktop but not viewed
>> "alive".
>> I have now taken out IE 9 and gone back to IE 8 and all works perfectly.
>> Has anyone any idea why IE 9 could not function as well as IE 8?
>> Thank you.
>
> http://iplayerhelp.external.bbc.co.u...desktopwindows
>
> Says the BBC iPlayer requires Adobe Air. Not everyone that installs
> Adobe Reader chooses to also get stuck with installing Air (or Adobe's
> downloader). Since Adobe hasn't made 64-bit versions of some of its
> software available, maybe with IE9 you were using its 64-bit version
> (where Air wouldn't be available) and with IE8 you used its 32-bit
> version (for which the Adobe plug-ins would work).
>
> Were you using the 64-bit version of IE9? Did it show Adobe Air in its
> list of add-ons? Was it enabled if listed? Did you try running the
> 32-bit version of IE9?
>
> http://techdows.com/2011/03/install-...windows-7.html
>
> http://www.adobe.com/products/air/systemreqs/ lists 64-bit versions of
> Windows but that's for installing it. I don't have Air to know if there
> is a 64-bit version of the *plug-in* to use inside a web browser.
> http://kb2.adobe.com/cps/407/kb407625.html says how to determine the
> version of Air but not if it's the 32- or 64-bit version. Apparently
> you're supposed to assume it got installed in the correct path and that
> determines if you have the 32- or 64-bit version (also mentioned at
> http://kb2.adobe.com/cps/403/kb40315...main_determine).
>
> http://iplayerhelp.external.bbc.co.u...desktopwindows
> has a link for "recommended specifications" for using their iPlayer;
> however, in typical fashion there, they do NOT provide you with a list
> of minimal hardware and software requirements for their product. For
> example, there is no minimal versions of the most popular web browsers
> listed there.

Stewart wrote:

> Thank you, my computer is running windows 7 32 bit so I just assumed
> that all downloads would likewise be 32 bit.

Typically yes unless you're shown a list of downloads and it's up to you
to pick the correct one for your OS. You didn't mention which version
of Windows, which edition, and which bit size. Unless you choose the
download, it's likely the installer figured out you have a 32-bit
version of Windows and installed the 32-bit version of their software
(assuming that Adobe even has a 64-bit version of Air).

> I did install Adobe Reader and AIR but have mot checked whether for 32
> bit or 64. At the moment IE 8 is working perfectly and I can get all
> I want however I do prefer IE 9; I have it on my laptop and have no
> problems there.

Since you went back to IE8 and iPlayer works there, there's not much you
can do to diagnose the problem with IE9. I haven't bothered moving up
to IE9. Typically I wait a year before I even consider moving up to the
next major version, so I won't bother even considering IE9 until another
9 months from now. I figure by then that the major bugs have been
zapped.

If you do go back to IE9, I'd suggest loading it in its no add-ons mode
to eliminate any problems from any add-ons you installed to IE,
especially if they were installed for older versions of IE and simply
tagged along in an upgrade from pre-9 to version 9 of IE. You might
also want to uninstall Air and let the iPlayer do the Air install (the
web page to which I linked shows Air will get installed if not already
installed).