iPlayer downloading multiple episodes

[nannynick]

Does anyone use iPlayer Desktop and find that when Series Record is selected, it downloads episodes you have already downloaded and watched?

I tend to watch something, then delete it. What I am finding is that sometimes, Series Record, then redownloads what I have already watched. Is that a bug... or does iPlayer Desktop expect the entire series to be kept, rather than deleted upon watching?

I think it downloasd any episodes you dont alreday have. It cant tell that you have had it but have now deleted. But im not a geek and i mihgt be wrong

Hmm, no, I've never noticed it do this. Have you downloaded the previous episodes through the iPlayer Desktop application, rather than just watched them online?

It certainly doesn't expect the series to be kept; it has rather stringent limits on the amount of disk space it uses by default!

When did you last reinstall the Desktop application? I'm wondering if the cache has been corrupted and it can't always tell which eps you've already downloaded.

Yes, I have downloaded episodes through the iPlayer Desktop app. For example: I previously had The Bridge 3 and 4, watched them and deleted. Then last night iPlayer Desktop downloaded The Bridge 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6.

Episode 1 and 2 I have not previously downloaded as watched at the time. Though iPlayer didn't download 1... it started at 2.

The desktop App I think was last re-installed about 2 months ago.

Hmm, I've had a look at the files for the Desktop's cache and there doesn't seem to be anything in it that link episodes together - which makes me think the series record information lives on the server (it can be a bit random about when it punts out a placeholder for upcoming episodes).

I'd raise a call with the Beeb - wasteful to be sending you stuff it should know you've had already, and they might want to look into it.