The BBC launched their iPlayer service earlier this year, allowing users to download and watch TV shows on their computers. Programmes such as Top Gear and Doctor Who could be accessed via the BBC website legally, and free of charge, for people who missed them on BBC 1, or just wanted to watch them again.

iPhone and iPod users have been able to download content from the BBC iPlayer for a while, but MP3 player users have been so far left in the cold. MP3 players and Windows Media Devices were unable to play content from iPlayer, but now the BBC has embraced those devices.

Anthony Rose of the BBC announced the plans on their blog:

As part of our ongoing mission to make BBC iPlayer available on more devices, I’m pleased to announce that BBC iPlayer TV programmes can now be downloaded to portable media players that are able to support Windows Media-protected content.

This doesn’t mean however that you can stream the content from the site, you have to download content and transfer it to your device.

These devices do not have internet connectivity, so we’re talking about a download rather than a streaming experience…These devices are not the only devices that support Windows Media Protected playback - others do as well, but we’ve tested BBC iPlayer on these devices and are happy with the user experience.

If you’re unsure if your MP3 player or media device can access the content, the BBC website features a list of players and gadgets that work with their content.