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Topic: BBC Beethoven mp3 downloads (Read 18429 times) previous topic - next topic
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BBC Beethoven mp3 downloads

Available for a limited time:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio3/beethoven/downloads.shtml

They're only 128kbps mp3s, but it's significant that the BBC has decided to make these downloads available in the most common format, without DRM.

Hopefully, this is a sign of things to come.

Cheers,
David.

BBC Beethoven mp3 downloads

Reply #1 –
And of course you post this now that the 1st and 3rd symphonies aren't available anymore (they were until yesterday afternoon). 

Still, there are "alternate" ways of getting them, of course.

I do like this initiative from the BBC, though.
Over thinking, over analyzing separates the body from the mind.

BBC Beethoven mp3 downloads

Reply #2 –
Encspot says they're encoded with Lame 3.92, stereo mode (no joint). Ugh.

BBC Beethoven mp3 downloads

Reply #3 –
Thanks for the link
For interested people: the encoder is LAME 3.92 [Edit: tycho was faster]


From lame tags:
Code: [Select]
C:\Mes documents\temporaire\2005.06.14\symphony5_beethoven_radio3.mp3
------------------------------------------------------------
Tag revision:        0
Version string:      3.92 
Quality:             58 (V4 and q2)
Encoding method:     cbr
Lowpass:             13 800Hz
RG track peak:       <not stored>
RG track gain:       <not stored>
RG album gain:       <not stored>
nspsytune:           no
nssafejoint:         no
nogap continued:     no
nogap continuation:  no
ATH type:            2
Bitrate:             128
Encoder delay:       576 samples
Padded at end:       1 345 samples
Noise shaping:       1
Stereo mode:         stereo
Unwise settings:     no
Source sample freq:  44.1kHz
MP3Gain change:      <none>
Preset:              <not stored> - unable to guess
Surround info:       none
Music length:        31 694 679 bytes
Music CRC:           9888
Actual Music CRC:    9888
Info tag CRC:        777D
Actual Info Tag CRC: 777D

Average/poor quality (tested with a poor sound card and 5€ earbuds): strong artifacts. But it's free

BBC Beethoven mp3 downloads

Reply #4 –
I wasn't being difficult PoisonDan - I didn't find out about them myself until this morning. I didn't get chance to listen to any of Beethoven week last week either, sadly.

If you were going to make a bad 128kbps encoding, you couldn't do better!

I suppose 128k ABR was out of the question.

Cheers,
David.

P.S. It's not free for those of us who pay our TV license fee to the BBC!

P.P.S. It is very useful that the BBC are making things like this available on-line, and especially downloadable form. However, it would be nice if the quality was good. In fact, it would be quite nice if _any_ digital output from the BBC was provided in high quality.

BBC Beethoven mp3 downloads

Reply #5 –
I have nos. 1 and 3 from when they were up - I can email them to people when I get home (about two hours time) if anyone wants.

BBC Beethoven mp3 downloads

Reply #6 –
Quote
I have nos. 1 and 3 from when they were up - I can email them to people when I get home (about two hours time) if anyone wants.
[a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=306031"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

You're going to e-mail 70MB to everyone who asks?

Anyway, be warned that you are not allowed to redistribute this, apparently. From the download disclaimer on the BBC website:
Quote
You may not copy, reproduce, edit, adapt, alter, republish, post, broadcast, transmit, make available to the public, or otherwise use this audio in any way except for your own personal, non-commercial use.


Not that I mind, it's just a warning.

I also only got to know about it yesterday, shortly before symphony 1 and 3 went offline. So I wasn't able to download it from the BBC website. But, as I mentioned before, there are alternate ways of getting it if you really want to.

It's also worth mentioning that nowadays CD box sets containing the full 9 symphonies are really cheap. And then you also get better audio quality.
Over thinking, over analyzing separates the body from the mind.

BBC Beethoven mp3 downloads

Reply #7 –
Quote
It's also worth mentioning that nowadays CD box sets containing the full 9 symphonies are really cheap. And then you also get better audio quality.
[a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=306050"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

Listening to a Beethoven symphony in MP3 with 128kbps simple stereo with a lowpass of 13.8 kHz(!) is like getting a great new Hi-Definition or whatever TV and then smearing a pound of grease on the screen. Waste of time and bandwidth IMO.
Proverb for Paranoids: "If they can get you asking the wrong questions, they don't have to worry about answers."
-T. Pynchon (Gravity's Rainbow)

BBC Beethoven mp3 downloads

Reply #8 –
If you fill in the comment form, the following text appears:
Quote
Thank you very much for your feedback.
Many people are sending us their feedback, most of it appreciative of the download service and all of it constructive.

We are hearing about sound quality, downloading issues and getting technical suggestions too.

Whatever your comment it is much appreciated and will help us at the BBC develop better, innovative services for licence fee payers.


It may be worth a few of people here giving them some hints on this matter...

BBC Beethoven mp3 downloads

Reply #9 –
Quote
You're going to e-mail 70MB to everyone who asks?

Anyway, be warned that you are not allowed to redistribute this, apparently. From the download disclaimer on the BBC website:
Quote
You may not copy, reproduce, edit, adapt, alter, republish, post, broadcast, transmit, make available to the public, or otherwise use this audio in any way except for your own personal, non-commercial use.


Not that I mind, it's just a warning.

[a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=306050"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

Sure I would to 5 or 10 people, although I found my account only allows 10MB emails, which was quite surprising with 2GB of storage. But no one asked and the BBC don't want me to anyway, so it's a bit of a moot point. I agree everyone should let them know about VBR 

BBC Beethoven mp3 downloads

Reply #10 –
Beethoven in mp3 ??? 128 ???
Maybe its just an anti-Beethoven campaign ... 

BBC Beethoven mp3 downloads

Reply #11 –
Quote
Beethoven in mp3 ??? 128 ???
Maybe its just an anti-Beethoven campaign ... 
[a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=307033"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

Roll over Beethoven!

BBC Beethoven mp3 downloads

Reply #12 –
3 more symphonies are available - in the same "quality" as before :-(

Nos 6, 7 and 8

BBC Beethoven mp3 downloads

Reply #13 –
@tgoose: could you email me nos. 1 to 3?

everchangingmoods [at] gmail [dot] com

thx
kindofblue
WavPack 4.31 / LAME 3.98 alpha 3 -V9 -vbr-new

BBC Beethoven mp3 downloads

Reply #14 –
Sorry, I've figured out gmail only allows 10MB attachments.

BBC Beethoven mp3 downloads

Reply #15 –
Aughh. Too bad.
WavPack 4.31 / LAME 3.98 alpha 3 -V9 -vbr-new

BBC Beethoven mp3 downloads

Reply #16 –
Quote
Sorry, I've figured out gmail only allows 10MB attachments.
[a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=310012"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

Maybe you could binarily split it into several 10MB files ?

PS: If you, tgoose, called kindofblue your "friend", it should be OK to give him the record, because private copies are legal...
I know that I know nothing. But how can I then know that ?

BBC Beethoven mp3 downloads

Reply #17 –
Quote
PS: If you, tgoose, called kindofblue your "friend", it should be OK to give him the record, because private copies are legal...[a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=310053"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]


 

Anyway, I think it's worth reminding people Symphonies 6, 7 and 8 are already available, and 9 will be available tomorrow.


Edit: Painfully slow speeds though. It seems these downloads are really popular :-/

BBC Beethoven mp3 downloads

Reply #18 –
Quote
Sorry, I've figured out gmail only allows 10MB attachments.
[{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

Why don't u use something like [a href="http://www.yousendit.com]YouSendIt[/url]?
This way u store the files on YouSendIt's server and u e-mail only the link to d/l it from.

BBC Beethoven mp3 downloads

Reply #19 –
Quote
Why don't u use something like YouSendIt?
This way u store the files on YouSendIt's server and u e-mail only the link to d/l it from.
[a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=310069"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

I still haven't used it, but this seems to be a great service.

There's one thing that puzzles me, though. According to their website, they transfer about 34 TB (!!) of data each day. Yet the service is completely free and I don't even see any advertising on the site.

How the hell do they pay for such an enormous amount of bandwidth?

Edit: not 100% correct, 33,973,865,717,760 bytes = approx. 30.9 TB. Still huge, though...
Over thinking, over analyzing separates the body from the mind.

BBC Beethoven mp3 downloads

Reply #20 –
Quote
Edit: Painfully slow speeds though. It seems these downloads are really popular :-/
[a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=310060"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

Pretty fast here, one symphony <10 seconds. (ideal conditions on my side...)
I know that I know nothing. But how can I then know that ?

BBC Beethoven mp3 downloads

Reply #21 –
Quote
How the hell do they pay for such an enormous amount of bandwidth?[a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=310075"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]


Well, they are THE BBC, they probably have their very own backbone :B

Quote
Pretty fast here, one symphony <10 seconds. (ideal conditions on my side...)[a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=310076"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]


Meh. They are probably capping the bandwidth for people outside Yurop.

BBC Beethoven mp3 downloads

Reply #22 –
205 kByte/s here, matches my conditions. Good.

BBC Beethoven mp3 downloads

Reply #23 –
Quote
Quote
How the hell do they pay for such an enormous amount of bandwidth?[a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=310075"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]


Well, they are THE BBC, they probably have their very own backbone :B

Quote
Pretty fast here, one symphony <10 seconds. (ideal conditions on my side...)[a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=310076"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]


Meh. They are probably capping the bandwidth for people outside Yurop.
[a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=310084"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]



He was refering to YouSendIt.
"You can fight without ever winning, but never win without a fight."  Neil Peart  'Resist'

BBC Beethoven mp3 downloads

Reply #24 –
Is there any way i can get symphonies 4 and 5. I can provide an ftp account for uploading. I also have 1 & 3, and i can provide a link for all of them if anyone needs them.

Thanks in advance.