Using BBC iPlayer on the Nokia N96

The Nokia N96 is a multimedia powerhouse of a smartphone, offering an exceptional variety of features to keep you entertained. Among these are a BBC iPlayer application, giving you access to recently broadcast television and radio programmes from the BBC.

In a similar way as you can with a desktop PC, you can enjoy TV programmes or radio shows directly on the handset. You can choose from a wide selection stored on the UK public service broadcaster's iPlayer website, with the choice of watching or listening to programmes immediately via a streaming, or downloading content to view or listen to later.

It's a fantastic application to have on a mobile phone, and the performance of the service is exceptionally good. It's well worth giving it a go and finding out for yourself. Here we show you how to find the programme you're after and get tit delivered straight to your phone. Note that you will need to use a Wi-Fi rather than a mobile connection to stream programmes.

Using BBC iPlayer

1. From the standby screen, press the BBC iPlayer softkey (Figure 1) or highlight the iPlayer icon on the top row of the standby screen shortcuts and press Open (Figure 2).
2. Alternatively, press the Menu button and scroll down to highlight iPlayer in the main menu (Figure 3). Press Open.
3. A message appears: Allow connection to network? (Figure 4). Press Yes.
4. You will be presented with a list of connection options. To view programmes on the initial beta version of BBC iPlayer you will need to use a Wi-Fi connection. Highlight Search for WLAN (Figure 5). Press Select.
5. A list of visible WLAN networks appears. Scroll down to highlight the one you wish to use (Figure 6). Press Select.
6. In a few moments you will be connected to the iPlayer home page (Figure 7). A list of featured TV highlights is displayed on the top of the page, with thumbnail images of programmes and details of running times next to them.

Finding programmes

1. Scrolling lower down the page, there are additional headings for Radio Highlights, Most Popular TV and Most Popular Radio (Figure 8). To expand these headings to see more details, use the cursor to highlight the appropriate heading and press the navigation pad select button (Figure 9). Press again to minimise the option onscreen.
2. In addition to the main home screen, there are tabs on the top of the page to help browse through iPlayer content under TV, Radio or Search headings, giving you options to search through the full range of available content.
3. Within the TV or Radio pages, you can use the cursor to click on options to browse by Channels (or Stations) (Figure 10), or by Categories (Figure 11).
4. Clicking on one of the channels/stations or categories expands the options available. In the channels or stations, you are presented with daily listings options (Figure 12).
5. Click on these, and the programmes available for those days are listed (Figure 13). Within the categories, further more detailed sub-categories appear, which you can explore until you find the content you're after (Figure 14).
6. Clicking on the Search tab enables you to type in the name of the programme you're looking for directly (Figure 15). Click on Go to get your search results.

Viewing or listening to programmes
Once you've found the programme you're after on iPlayer, downloading or streaming is simple.

1. Move the cursor to highlight the programme (Figure 16). Press the central navigation key to select.
2. In a few moments the programme appears onscreen, with details below (Figure 17). You now have the option of watching it (or listening to it) immediately via streaming, or alternatively  downloading the programme to watch or listen to later.
3. To play the programme immediately, move the cursor to highlight the Play button in the centre of the screen (Figure 18). Click the central navigation select button.
4. In a few moments the programme begins to play (Figure 19). You can watch the programme full screen by turning the phone into landscape mode (if auto rotate is on, this will happen automatically; if not, press Options, and select the Continue in full screen option).
5. To download the programme, move the cursor to highlight the Download option onscreen (Figure 20). Click the central navigation select button.
6. On the next screen, highlight the Download option (Figure 21). Press the central navigation select button. You will be asked to select a connection point. Highlight Search for WLAN (Figure 22) and press select.
7. Programme details appear onscreen (Figure 23). Press Accept. The download begins, with progress shown in a bar on the bottom of the display.
8. You are asked to register with the content provider to receive a license to view the content. Press select. A confirmation message appears.
9. The programme has now been downloaded and is ready to play (Figure 24). It has also been stored in the phone's video gallery for viewing or listening to later. Press Hide and then Close to exit the download screen.

Watching downloaded programmes from BBC iPlayer
Downloaded video can now be viewed in the phone's RealPlayer application.

1. In the main Menu highlight Applications (Figure 25). Press Open.
2. Highlight Media (Figure 26). Press Open.
3. Highlight RealPlayer (Figure 27). Press Open.
4. Highlight Video clips (Figure 28). Press Open.
5. You will now see a list of your available video clips, including the ones you have downloaded from BBC iPlayer. Highlight the file you want to view (Figure 29). Press Play.