You can watch a get-iplayer stream and simultaneously record it to v. good quality mp4-format file (at a location of your choice) with this command:

get-iplayer --stream --get *** (or --pid b*******) --player="vlc - --sout '#duplicate{dst=display,dst=record{dst-prefix=/path/filename(no .mp4)}}'"

- works very well in Precise and Raring.

Just thought I'd mention it.