Click on a topic below:

• General Information
• System Check
• Purchasing downloads on BBC Shop
• The BBC Shop Download Manager
• Downloading and Playback
• DRM and Licences
• Portable Media Players (Devices)
• Further help with Downloads
• Burning downloads

• 1. Digital Downloads
• 2. Compatibility – Apple, iPods and Windows
• 3. WMA and WMV (file format)
• 4. Subtitling
• 5. Windows Media Player
• 6. Troubleshooting problems with Windows Media Player
• 7. Usage Rights
• 8. Encoding Rates and Download Speed
• 9. Sharing digital download files
• 10. BBC Shop Download Manager
• 11. Guidance

A digital download is an electronic file that you can store on your PC, or a portable music or video player. When downloads are played on your PC, or on your portable player, they deliver a quality of sound or video that is almost as good as an audio CD or DVD, but without the need to store the very large files associated with music in audio CD or Video in DVD format.

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You can only play the files you purchase at BBC Shop using Microsoft Windows Media Player 10 and above because this is compatible with the Digital Rights Management (DRM) encrypted audio and video files that BBC Shop offers. Windows Media Player runs on Desktop PCs, Laptops and on some portable media players.

To transfer the files to a portable media player it must conform with the Microsoft ‘Plays for Sure’ standard. Look for the Microsoft Windows Media logo and 'Plays for Sure' logo on the box, or within the instructions for the player.

Unfortunately Apple Macs and iPods use an encoding format that is unique to Apple and the iPod. Therefore Apple Macs and the Apple iPod do not directly support transfer of files in the secure format downloaded from the BBC Shop.

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Officially Windows Media Audio and Windows Media Video, these are encoding formats developed by Microsoft and used by BBC Shop. WMA delivers superior sound quality to an MP3 file. Both WMA and WMV incorporate Digital Rights Management which protects and licenses content to the user.

WMA, WMV and files protected with Microsoft’s DRM, such as the BBC Shop downloads, WILL NOT WORK on Apple iPods.

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At this time we are unable to offer subtitles on Downloaded Video files. We are actively seeking ways of doing this.

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You can only play the files you purchase at BBC Shop using Microsoft Windows Media Player 10 and above because this is compatible with the Digital Rights Management (DRM) encrypted audio and video files that BBC Shop offers.

Windows Media Player is a free piece of software that is normally included as part of the suite of software programmes provided when you buy your PC. However, if you do not have Windows Media Player, you can download Windows Media Player version 10 for free here.

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If you are having problems using Windows Media Player, go to the Microsoft Windows Media Knowledge Center.

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Usage rights are the activities set by the individual Rights Holders stating what you are permitted to do with a download. Usage Rights will usually state how many downloads you are allowed per computer/device and how many burns to CD/DVD are permitted.

By default BBC Shop allows you to obtain only 1 license per digital download. This means you can download the file to one computer. However, you are then allowed to copy the download to up to 5 windows portable devices. NOTE: This may become less restrictive on a file-by-file basis depending on the permissions we get from the Rights Holder. If the Usage Rights differ from this default, they will be stated in the product description on the product page.

These Usage Rights are dictated by the Rights Holder, not by BBC Shop

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The encoding rate is the rate at which the original audio file is sampled in order to create the digital file. Audio files with a higher sampling rate (in other words a higher number) have the best quality and so will have the best sound quality. At BBC Shop we are offering a superior quality encoding rate on both Audio and Video.

Download speed is the time it takes to download a file from the internet and is determined by three main factors: the size of the file to be downloaded, the speed of your connection to the internet and the volume of traffic on your internet connection.

At BBC Shop we recommend you have a 1 Megabit (Mb) internet connection, or better (the bigger the number, the faster your connection) and that when downloading, you try and minimize other traffic on your internet connection or (better still) use the BBC Shop Download Manager to let your files download whilst you are away from your PC.

See below table for further information on some indicative download speeds:

Program Length	Quality(kbps)	File Size (Mbs)	Connection Speed	Download (Mins) *
Audio
60	192	84	1Mb Broadband	15
Video
30	800	176	1Mb Broadband	31
60	800	352	1Mb Broadband	62

*assume 75% utilization of connection speed

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All content downloaded from BBC Shop is copyrighted and it is a criminal offence to share copyrighted material with other people. However, subject to the Usage Rights, you can copy the content to other devices for your personal use.

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Before you can download an audio or video from the BBC Shop you must have pre-installed the BBC Shop Download Manager.

The BBC Shop Download Manager controls the download of what can be rather large files from the BBC Shop servers. The Download Manager allows you to download multiple files that you’ve purchased from the BBC Shop, pause and restart downloads and also gracefully handles computer failures mid-download.

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The guidance certificate is there to help you make an informed choice about programmes that could contain challenging content such as violence, strong language or disturbing scenes and therefore may not be suitable for young children.

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• 1. Listening to Samples
• 2. Minimum System Requirements

Before purchasing a download, you can check your system is compatible by downloading a sample. You do not need to be registered at BBC Shop to listen to or view a sample. However, you will need Windows Media Player 10 or above. Download Windows Media Player 10 for free here.

If you find you cannot play the sample, please recheck the minimum system requirements.

The samples can sometimes be affected by the type of network you are using to access BBC Shop. For example, if you are accessing BBC Shop via a corporate network at work, the network might not allow the music/video stream to pass through to your computer. In this instance we advise that you check with your system administrator. Similarly, if you are having problems listening through a personal firewall installed on your modem or computer at home, you may have to adjust your settings. If you have Pop-Up Blockers activated on your browser - you will need to disable these. If you are on a slow connection, samples will take a long time to download or stream.

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Before downloading files from BBC Shop please check that your PC meets the following minimum requirements:

• Windows XP with Service Pack 2 or better installed
• Internet Explorer 5.5 or higher
• Windows Media Player 10
• Microsoft.net Framework 1.1
• A minimum of 10 MB of free disk space to install the BBC Shop Download Manger. You will need approximately 70 MB of free disk space if you need to install Windows Media Player and .Net Framework 1.1

To download video files we recommend:

• A broadband internet connection the speed of which is at least 1Mbps.

Once you've checked that your PC and internet connection meet these requirements, then you can download and install the BBC Shop Download Manager from the BBC Shop website. NOTE: BBC Shop downloads WILL NOT WORK on Apple iPods due to the nature of the Digital Rights Management protection we have to employ.

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• 1. Purchase by phone or post
• 2. Listening to extracts before purchasing
• 3. Purchasing downloads and physical goods at the same time
• 4. Distribution outside the UK and Europe
• 5. Payment methods
• 6. Viewing previously purchased downloads

Due to the nature of download delivery it is not possible to order downloads via phone or post. Downloads require you to be logged into the BBC shop and the BBC Shop Download Manager to be installed on the PC you wish to download the product to. The two interact to ensure the correct order is despatched – when ordering by phone or post, the first half of this vital security check (being logged into the BBC Shop) cannot happen.

Shopping with the BBC Shop is safe and we ensure the highest level of security throughout the site, especially with regards to credit card purchasing.

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There is often the option to listen to a sample of an audiobook or preview a video before you download it. When you have found the item you wish to preview, if a sample is available, you will find it in the 'Description' tab on the product information page.

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You can purchase downloads at the same time as physical goods such as CDs, DVDs and merchandise at BBC Shop. Digital and physical products are purchased in the same way by clicking on the ‘Add to Basket’ button to place the item into your shopping basket. Once you have added an item to your basket, the bag on the top header of the page will turn pink and the number of items in your basket and total cost will show next to it.

To see what you have selected and amend the quantities or remove products from your basket, click on the ‘View Basket’ link in the top header to be taken to the basket review page.

If you are happy with the selection of titles in your basket and wish to proceed to the checkout, click on the ‘Checkout’ button on the basket review page, or on the ‘checkout’ link in the top header.

If you are pre-ordering physical goods (for example a CD or DVD), or the items you wish to purchase are temporarily out of stock, you will only be charged for your download when you place your order. You will not be charged for your physical goods until they are despatched. For more information on pre-orders click here.

For further information on ordering, click here.

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For information on where the BBC Shop delivers to, click here.

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BBC Shop accepts most major credit/debit cards. For further payment information click here. If you have a promotional voucher/coupon which entitles you to a discount off your order, you can enter this on the final order summary page. For more information on BBC Shop coupons/vouchers click here.

When paying with a credit/debit card, once you have confirmed your details and finalised your purchase in the checkout, the cost of your download will automatically be deducted from your card.

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You can view your previously purchased downloads by visiting the ‘My Account’ page and clicking on 'View My Orders' in the menu on the left hand side.

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• 1. BBC Shop Download Manager
• 2. Installing the BBC Shop Download Manager
• 3. Troubleshooting for the Download Manager

Before you can download an audio or video from the BBC Shop you must have pre-installed the BBC Shop Download Manager. The BBC Shop Download Manager controls the download of what can be rather large files from the BBC Shop servers. The Download Manager allows you to download several files, pause and restart downloads. It also gracefully handles computer failures mid-download.

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Before you can download your BBC Shop purchases, you will need to download and install the BBC Shop Download Manager. Please follow the steps below - the pictures will show you exactly what to expect at each stage of the installation:



1. After clicking on the 'Download here' button above, click 'Run' to continue (or if you prefer, save it to your computer first, then run)



2. After clicking ‘Run’ the application will download to your temporary folder.



3. Internet Explorer will offer you the choice to ‘Run’ or ‘Don’t Run’ the install wizard. Please click 'Run'.



4. The Install Shield Wizard will automatically run and ensure all relevant client files and folders are configured correctly.



5. Please read information and click 'Next' to continue.



6. Please read and review the End User License Agreement and then check the 'I accept' radio button and then click 'Next' to continue

Please note you can also print the agreement from this page.



7. You have the option to change the default download location from c:\Program Files\BBC\BBC Download Manager. Then click 'Next' to continue.



8. All components are now installed.



9. You can choose to automatically launch the Download Manager or simply click 'Finish' (it may take a few moments for the Download Manager login window to launch).



10. The Login Window will automatically open if selected on the wizard. Alternatively you can open the application from Start/ All Programs/ BBC. Please note: an icon will also appear in your system tray (shown below).





11. You can now use your BBC Shop Download Manager.

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You may experience some of the following problems when installing. If you do, please follow the required steps:

1. If you don't have Admin Rights on your PC, Error 1303 will occur when trying to install the Download Manager. You will need to log in with Admin Rights to install the BBC Shop Download Manager.



2. If you don't have microsoft .NET framework version 1.1 installed on your machine, as soon as you try to open the Download Manager (following installation) an application error will occur:



To resolve this click 'OK' and visit the following URL to install the .net framework free from Microsoft:

http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/netframework/aa569264.aspx

Follow the online instructions to install .NET v1.1 from Windows Update. Once this process is complete simply reload the Download Manager and the application will open successfully.

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• 1. The BBC Shop Download Manager
• 2. Downloading purchased items
• 3. Cancelling downloads
• 4. Re-downloading files
• 5. Storage of downloaded files
• 6. File Sizes

Before you can download an audio or video from the BBC Shop you must have pre-installed the BBC Shop Download Manager . The BBC Shop Download Manager controls the download of what can be rather large files from the BBC Shop servers. The BBC Shop Download Manager allows you to download several files at the same time, pause and restart downloads. It also gracefully handles computer failures mid-download.

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Once your purchase has been confirmed your download will begin automatically if you already have the BBC Shop Download Manager running and you are logged in. If you do not have the Download Manager running then you will need to start it and log in for your download to begin.

At busy times there may be a short delay (up to 10 minutes) between confirmation of purchase and the download starting.

Once the download has started you can pause it and otherwise control the download using the settings in the Download Manager.

The default option for the BBC Shop Download Manager is to save your downloads in the ‘BBC’ folder, found in the ‘My Documents’ folder on your computer. This can be changed by clicking 'Options' then 'Browse' on the Download Manager and selecting a new folder to store your files.

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After you have confirmed your purchase it is not possible to cancel it with the BBC Shop, so please choose carefully.

However, it is possible to cancel the download in the Download Manager after your purchase has been confirmed. This will cancel your download NOT your purchase. We strongly recommend that you DO NOT cancel a download once it commences unless you believe it to be incorrect. Please contact us immediately in this instance.

The 'Cancel' button is provided in the Download Manager to provide functionality for the future where we may, subject to agreements, offer other services and downloads that you may wish to cancel.

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The Usage Rights dictate how many times a file can be downloaded and/or licenses issued. The BBC Shop is currently restricted, by the rights holders of the content, to only allow a piece of content to be downloaded once and hence a license to only be issued once.

Please however check the Usage Rights on individual product pages as this may vary. We are aware that from time to time users can experience unexpected issues with computer systems and so we can over-ride this single license policy. Please contact us if you require a replacement license stating clearly how the initial license has been lost.

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By default, when you download a file the BBC Shop Download Manager will save your downloads in the ‘BBC’ folder found in the ‘My Documents’ folder on your computer. This location can be changed in the 'Options' section of the Download Manager. Click 'Browse' and select the folder that you wish your files to be stored to.

If you experience problems finding your files, consult your operating system manual for help on searching your hard drive.

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The file sizes will be variable, depending on the length of the audio or video product you download – a 2 hour video can be up to 1.5GB in size (1Gigabyte = 1024 Megabytes). The table below gives some indicative sizing.

Program Length	Quality(kbps)	File Size (Mbs)	Connection Speed	Download (Mins) *
Audio
60	192	84	1Mb Broadband	15
Video
30	800	176	1Mb Broadband	31
60	800	352	1Mb Broadband	62

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• 1. Digital Rights Management (DRM)
• 2. Licences
• 3. Acquiring a license
• 4. Backing up licenses
• 5. Expiry of licenses

DRM, which stands for Digital Rights Management, helps to protect the copyright of digital material by defining how the content can be used legally. DRM restricts illegal distribution of music in several ways:

• Restricts playback to a computer with a valid license.
• Limits the number of times a track can be transferred to portable devices.
• Can limit the amount of plays of one file.
• Can create a temporary audio file with an expiry date (usually used for promotional purposes).
  
  

You should always check the restrictions prior to purchasing any content.

Audio files purchased at BBC Shop use Microsoft DRM 10. DRM encrypts each digital media file so that only those people who have legally acquired a license can play the file.

Only Windows Media Player version 10 or above can play encrypted files which have been downloaded from BBC Shop. Only Windows Media Player version 10 or above can copy downloaded files to portable media devices. NOTE: Due to the nature of Windows DRM 10 and its incompatibility with Apple’s DRM, BBC Shop digital downloads WILL NOT WORK on Apple iPods.

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When you download your purchase you will be issued with a license that enables you to store and use that file legally on your PC. This license details the Usage Rights for that item. The Usage Rights will state exactly what you can do with your purchase.

Please note, when you download your purchase to your computer, the license will automatically download with it. Once you have acquired a license you do not have to get the license again, as it is stored on your PC for future reference when needed. This means you can watch or listen to your downloads off-line.

If you accidentally delete your license, replacement licenses can not usually be issued. However, please contact us as we may be able to help.

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Windows Media Player is usually configured to acquire licenses automatically. To make sure that your Windows Media Player is set to acquire licenses automatically, please carry out the following steps:

1. Open Windows Media Player.
2. Click on the Tools menu, scroll down and select 'Options'.

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It is not possible to back up licenses on digital content purchased on BBC Shop.

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It is possible for licenses to expire based on either a time period or the number of playbacks of the content permitted. Check the Usage Rights associated with the file for more information.

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• 1. Portable Media Players
• 2. Transferring downloaded files to a portable device

A Portable Media Player is a device which stores music and/or video on a hard drive or within an internal memory, rather than on CDs or cassettes.

They are designed to play digital music and video on the go and can store a huge amount of content, which can be quickly and easily transferred to the player directly from your PC.

Only .WMA and .WMV compatible devices will play files downloaded from BBC Shop. Look for the Microsoft ‘Plays for Sure’ Logo on your player, it’s box or the instruction manual. Other, non .WMA players such as the Apple iPod will not be able to play these files. For a list of compatible devices click here.

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In order to transfer your downloaded files to a compatible device, you will need to use Windows Media Player 10 or above.

1. Click ‘Synch’ from the taskbar.
2. In the 'Items to Copy pane', select the play list or category of files that you want to copy from the Media Library.
3. If necessary, clear the check boxes beside any files that you don't want to copy.
4. In the 'Items on Device' pane, use the drop-down list to select the device that you want to copy the files to.
5. Click 'COPY'. Once the Synch is completed, you can remove the device and listen to the audio or watch the video on the portable device.

If you are having problems playing your downloaded files on your portable device, you must ensure that you have transferred the file to your portable device using Windows Media Player version 10 or above. If you try to transfer the file in any other way you won’t transfer the license attached to the file.

You must also ensure your player is able to playback DRM protected files. To check that your player is compatible click here.

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• 1. Contact us

If you are having problems with downloading items at BBC Shop and you can’t find the answer in these help pages, please contact us either by email at bbcshop@bbc.co.uk or phone 0844 848 9799(UK), +44 (0) 1795 414 989 (outside UK), Monday – Friday 08.30am-6pm – calls will be charged at national rate. Please contact us as soon as possible and provide as much detail about the problem as possible.

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• 1. Burning purchased downloads to CD or DVD

Currently, due to the restrictions right holders have placed on the Usage Rights of the content, you are not allowed to burn downloads to CD (or DVD). This may change with individual products and you are advised to check on the product pages for up to date Usage Rights information.

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