bbc iplayer and audio description

By Diamond tears, 19 March, 2015

Forum
iOS and iPadOS

Hi there, I don't know if its me going bonkers, but I'm wondering if anyone has an issue where, if you go into a programme in the a.d category with several episodes, I can only get a.d on the latest episode? I'd be interested if anyone else has noticed it, or if there are any workarounds to this that I might have missed.
many thanks

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Comments

By Hubert on Thursday, March 19, 2015 - 08:03

Yes, I've noticed this issue when using the app. It's unfortunate, but as far as I'm aware at the moment there's no work around to it.

By Caroline on Thursday, March 19, 2015 - 17:06

Can you please tell me how you get a d. Thanks

By Usman on Thursday, March 19, 2015 - 17:10

Just wondering, is it possible to get archived sporting events on iPlayer as well for example soccer or cricket matches?

By Hubert on Thursday, March 19, 2015 - 18:17

As for how to get AD, you go to the categories tab, then from the top of the screen flick through the various categories until you hear audio described, then select it and you'll be presented with a list of audio described shows.
As for sporting events, all shows are available on BBC iPlayer for 30 days, but as far as I'm aware that's as far back as you'll be able to go.

By James O'Dell on Sunday, April 19, 2015 - 20:12

Workaround is to use Safari instead of the app as this does not suffer with the same problem. I have reported the bug to the BBC but it has still not been fixed. This is a confirmed but as when two episodes appear in the "most popular" subcategory under audio described category they both play with AD. In addition, if you favourite a programme and access it from favourites you will not get the AD.

By Ray on Monday, April 20, 2015 - 10:26

Hello.

DOn't mean to be thick, but just to clarify. Is there audio description on the BBC iPlayer app on iPad?

I usually record programmes with AD on my DVR, and on occasion go through the BBC iPlayer website for AD programmes when desperate. But if it does have AD on the iPad app, then that's more flexible...

Thanks

By Logan9Fingers on Friday, July 17, 2015 - 10:53

As far as I know, AD is not switchable on the BBC iPlayer app. The iPlayer app is doing exactly the same thing as on the web based iPlayer, in that only the episodes listed under the audio described category play with AD all ready to go. Also on the website, if you click on the extra episodes link (it usually says something like '3 episodes' or however many there are) you will be given a complete list of available episodes for that programme. All episodes will be listed, whether or not they have AD. If an episode you want is marked as havng AD, then you can click on that episode and go to the online player. This is where the online player and the app, as far as I know, differ. The online player has the facility to click on a link that says 'Watch with AD', if AD is available for that episode. At the moment, I think, the app doesn't have this link to switch on or off AD. I believe it is planned though, so keep an eye out for it! This does however explain why there are other episodes available on the app, that don't appear to have AD.