Hi all,
Thanks for your feedback.
Uniti 1’s and old servers
If these are very first generation Uniti’s (2008-2012) then unfortunately these devices do not support HLS due to the sheer age of the processor, so BBC radio streams will no longer. If on the home internet radio menu there is no BBC then your unit cannot support it. The BBC have asked us to stop using the old MP3 stream and they are switching it off very very soon.
I’ve checked other non BBC stations and as long as they play in AAC or MP3 format, then they should play.
The only real option is use the FM/DAB module built into those products to get BBC Radio.
For reference the menus on the front display and Naim app are identical content wise. The app reads the menus from the product and formats then in a nicer way on the app.
As a side note the Unitiserve, HDX, NS01, NS02, NS03 also do not support HLS so will also loose BBC radio support. Due to the age of the platform and the tech company Digifi that made the platform back in 2006 closed down in 2015, we have no opportunity to add HLS support to them.
Everyone else
There should be nothing new to see for those based in the UK. It’s a backend server change and it should just play. Bit rates of either 320K (HD) or 128K (SD) are offered.
For those based outside of the UK BBC geozone, then the old MP3 stream is replaced with an HLS AAC 96kbit stream. Based on some packet overhead that reports on now playing as ~101-102kbit, but it’s the same stream. Based on the more efficient and superior audio codec sound quality wise its better than an MP3 at 128kbit.
I see someone posted some URL’s in this thread for BBC stations. The MP3 link posted will stop working very soon so this at most will be a very very short term life line. The HLS (m3u8) link are now legacy and that will also stop working later on this year. The new BBC URL’s take a rolling token parameter and each distribution channel has a unique private key after signing their distribution licence with the BBC.
Best wishes
Steve Harris
Software Director
Naim Audio Ltd.