Playback problems blight iPlayer viewers

iPlayer users were unable to watch programmes that they had downloaded for a period of time this weekend.

Many reported seeing messages telling them that downloaded files were 'temporarily unavailable'.

Several frustrated viewers left messages in the iPlayer forums about the problems.

"I've just downloaded a programme using BBC iPlayer and it states it's 'ready to play'. However, when I click the play button it says [it] is temporarily unavailable. Please try again later. How can a downloaded programme be 'temporarily unavailable'? Is the message for real or does it mean the file is corrupt?" one wrote.

"The MP4 is on my hard drive. Because of the insane notion that a file on my hard drive is not available to me to play when I can clearly see it's downloaded in iplayer and does exist, I'm very strongly inclined to find any hack I can so that I can watch it," another said.

The BBC confirmed to Web User that the iPlayer had suffered problems over the weekend and that it was looking into the cause of them.


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