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RealPlayer 11 Is a Real Rip Contender

rishimathew writes to tell us TechNewsWorld is reporting that the new RealPlayer 11, not even out of beta yet, has a lot of great new features including the ability to easily rip streaming videos from sites like YouTube, Revver, and Heavy.com. "With the release of RealPlayer 11, the company is boldly moving into another dicey realm: ripping streaming video. Sure, there are lots of means out there to capture video from sites like YouTube Latest News about YouTube, Revver, Heavy.com and such. There are programs like WM Recorder (US$49.95) and Replay A/V ($49.95), as well as Web sites like Keepvid.com and Mozilla Latest News about Mozilla Foundation Firefox add-ons like VideoDownloader. I've tried some of them. Few, though, can match the slick ease of use of RealPlayer 11 -- and it isn't even out of beta yet."

226 comments

  1. Holy Fucking Slashvertisment, Batman! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    I've tried some of them. Few, though, can match the slick ease of use of RealPlayer 11 -- and it isn't even out of beta yet. Alright, alright, I get it, I should buy RealPlayer 11. Enough already, Salesman! You've won. I submit. Here, I will tender all my cash to you. Give me one ... no, two ... no fifty licenses! I need them. I want them all, I don't care if it isn't out yet, I want it. I need it. I have to have it.

    MY LIFE IS NOTHING WITHOUT REALPLAYER 11!

    What? Limited supplies?

    Holy shit, give me the license now or I'll kill you. I'll kill you just like I killed that mother of four for my son's tickle-me-elmo doll. I'll do it. *makes stabbing motions* Ha-HAAAA! *stab, stab, stab* Ha-HAAAA!

    I'm a sick man ... daddy ... needs his ... RealPlayer 11!
    1. Re:Holy Fucking Slashvertisment, Batman! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      You shouldn't put an exclamation mark after 'Reaplayer 11'. Especially not if you begin the next scentence with the word 'one'. Or 'OMG' for that matter.

    2. Re:Holy Fucking Slashvertisment, Batman! by Propaganda13 · · Score: 4, Informative

      I was going to download, but then I realized that the rip would be in a native proprietary format. Unless, of course, you pay them.

    3. Re:Holy Fucking Slashvertisment, Batman! by fm6 · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Not only a proprietary format, but Real has always been very aggressive about going after people who try to interoperate without paying for the privilege. Which makes the fancy ripping features of RP 11 just a little ironic.

    4. Re:Holy Fucking Slashvertisment, Batman! by Ilgaz · · Score: 3, Informative

      I am following your blog, they say actually secured (e.g. DRM) content can't be ripped and the people from industry should already use a secure media format (doesn't have to be Real) if the content was such precious.

      Digging the file from your browser/quicktime/flash cache is already possible and I don't think Youtube will go after them since half of content there are ripped from commercial TV and they make money from it already. What Real does is to make it more practical for average user.

      Before Real we should speak about a certain company who advertises their "Pro" version of player when user clicks browser plugins menu to "Save as source" (rip!). They have a file metadata/flag (in spec) to disable that option in plugin but it mysteriously gets ignored. This is going on for years now.

    5. Re:Holy Fucking Slashvertisment, Batman! by Ilgaz · · Score: 1

      "I am following your blog"
      is
      "I am following THEIR blog" which is at http://realplayer.com/blog/

      apologies

    6. Re:Holy Fucking Slashvertisment, Batman! by Warbothong · · Score: 1
      I was under the impression that the only actual product Real has to offer is its streaming formats, the point of which is that they are incredibly tiny and difficult to save (aside, of course, from "streamripper $(cat filename.rm)"). That is why the Linux version of Realplayer is better than the Windows one, it plays Real's formats and that's it. None of this arcade jukebox crap.

      Of course, if this new player's ripping features only work for non-Real technologies then it is an advert in their favour ("If you don't want your theiving viewers to steal your videos, you'd better be using RealMedia!").

      Personally I have a lot of respect for Real, as a Linux user. Of course their formats are proprietary, but if they weren't then Real would cease to exist overnight so they're not about to open them. They work hard on everything besides opening their format though (Helix player/engine, free MP3 support for patent-opressed Americans, etc.).

    7. Re:Holy Fucking Slashvertisment, Batman! by Propaganda13 · · Score: 1

      After seeing that they respect DRM, I would find it extremely funny if YouTube automatically started slapping DRM on all uploads.

      Real,
      Being a hypocritye doesn't make bad karma go away.

    8. Re:Holy Fucking Slashvertisment, Batman! by Ilgaz · · Score: 1

      Every multimedia server vendor will reply "Enable DRM" if you come to them with "how to make it extremely hard to rip our content", it is not widely used but Quicktime also has DRM built in for ages.

      I am saying "hard" as "Not practical", not impossible of course.

      What Youtube does is enabling people post copyrighted content and make money from them without sharing a cent. "Text ads" or "How cool Google is" doesn't matter.

    9. Re:Holy Fucking Slashvertisment, Batman! by fm6 · · Score: 1

      I think you clicked the wrong reply button. I don't have a blog, unless you count my Slashdot journal, which I haven't updated in months.

    10. Re:Holy Fucking Slashvertisment, Batman! by css_crazy · · Score: 1

      Real Player is far down the preferred list of available media handlers and always will be.

  2. What's the second generation of YouTube video? by rueger · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Oh boy, now instead of mediocre YouTube video quality, we can enjoy second or even third generation copies of bad video of frat boys and drunks.....

    1. Re:What's the second generation of YouTube video? by nocomment · · Score: 4, Funny

      So basically the same way we watched pornos in 8th grade?

      --
      /* oops I accidentally made a comment, sorry */
      /* http://allyourbasearebelongto.us */
  3. Yea but if history tells me anything by DustyShadow · · Score: 5, Informative

    ...it will be the worst hijacking player of all time. I've never used Real Player because of the sole reason that it would never let me disassociate it with file types. Don't play nice, fine...you don't get installed...ever...again. Some reputations just can't be fixed, and Real ruined theirs long long ago.

    1. Re:Yea but if history tells me anything by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      So, it looks like there is no incentive for them to fix it for YOU, then. Maybe a more forward thinking view of things would serve us all better.

      For RealPlayer in particular, they do seem to pay attention when people hate something that the current version is doing.

    2. Re:Yea but if history tells me anything by Otter · · Score: 4, Informative
      From TFA:

      With the latest version, installation was trouble-free and surprisingly well-mannered. In the past, Real had an irksome habit of planting icons on the desktop without an owner's permission, as well as making a power grab to associate all multimedia file extensions with the player.

      This release of the software is very scrupulous about modifying a system that it has been invited to enter. What's more, the program, by default, will only claim as its own files not associated with any other applications on a computer.

    3. Re:Yea but if history tells me anything by namityadav · · Score: 1, Troll

      For RealPlayer in particular, they do seem to pay attention when people hate something that the current version is doing. Only after people start hating something. Maybe they should pay attention to people before they add/modify something
    4. Re:Yea but if history tells me anything by DustyShadow · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Like I said, their reputation has already been ruined. What website uses real media these days anyways? I've gotten by this long without it. There are too many random media players out there. I don't need another. If Real wants to get anywhere, they should just change their name.

    5. Re:Yea but if history tells me anything by Angostura · · Score: 4, Informative

      "What website uses real media these days anyway?"

      The BBC for one. And the free version for the Mac is excellent. Don't know about the Windows version.

    6. Re:Yea but if history tells me anything by everphilski · · Score: 3, Informative

      /shrug. Sucks to be you then. The rest of us will enjoy. I have the latest version (non-beta) at work, no popups, no annoying links, no annoying file associations. My CD's play in Windows Media Player, as do my MP3's. Just because you can't change, or comprehend that a company can listen to customers and change, doesn't mean they won't change.

    7. Re:Yea but if history tells me anything by iminplaya · · Score: 1

      Well, I have used real player, and I can and do disassociate it from other file types. It just takes a bit more effort than most are accustomed to. And it's possible to to kill most of its spyware activities and other intrusive behaviors. So, it's not really as bad as most people think, but I don't install it anymore simply because I like to stay clear of most third party software when I can. I only apply this "rule" to Windows machines due to the awful, sloppy way programs are installed.

      --
      What?
    8. Re:Yea but if history tells me anything by drspliff · · Score: 1

      Only because their licensing agreement (or whatever they had) finished, and now they've jumped on the Windows Media Player bandwaggon.

      Real streaming stuff is now only used:
        * By people who want DRM but want cross platform
        * People who don't know about MP3
        * Companies who's contracts haven't expired yet.

    9. Re:Yea but if history tells me anything by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Insightful

      Like any virus: "installation was trouble-free".

      So how well worked the uninstall?

    10. Re:Yea but if history tells me anything by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Sure, now instead of registering file associations, it probably installs a rootkit or something, a la Sony. Wouldn't surprise me one bit.

    11. Re:Yea but if history tells me anything by Ecuador · · Score: 3, Insightful

      I 've also had horrible experience with Real Player in the past.

      Once, I really needed to install it for a course. The professor was ingenious enough to have notes in some streaming format that required Real Player (real alternative couldn't handle it). Instead of setting up something like a VM for it, I was in a hurry so reluctantly decided to give Real Player another try (don't remember which version, it was around 2004). Despite my previous bad experiences I was unprepared for what awaited, as Real Player for some reason assumed that everybody had Windows Media Player installed and that it could hijack it as it pleased. I, of course, did not have Windows Media Player, I had replaced it completely with Media Player Classic. So, the installation crashed halfway through. It left me with a system whose registry was full of Real's (failed) hijacks, a system on which trying to launch a media file resulted in a call to mplayerc with some unrecognised command line options and a few error popups. Of course no automatic uninstallation was possible - the installer crashed before creating that.

      For me, Real is up there with Sirius Cypernetics in the all-time hall of shame, and there is no way I will ever trust their products again in an unprotected (i.e. non-vm) environment.

      --
      Violence is the last refuge of the incompetent. Polar Scope Align for iOS
    12. Re:Yea but if history tells me anything by heinousjay · · Score: 1

      Two questions:

      1) Who the hell does that now?

      2) Who gets to decide what is essentially matters of opinion?

      --
      Slashdot - where whining about luck is the new way to make the world you want.
    13. Re:Yea but if history tells me anything by cbhacking · · Score: 4, Informative

      As somebody who, back in the Win9x days (I forget, 95 or 98) installed a early version of RealPlayer that hijacked my entire sound card while in Windows (neither system sounds nor sound from other players would play, whether RP was running or not, although I could get sound in other programs like Warcraft 2) I can certainly appreciate your view on this. That was, however, roughly a decade ago, and while I still don't care for the company and certainly won't claim they've been perfect angels since then, every now and then you should give somebody a second chance.

      RealPlayer 11 is actually a pretty good product, considering its beta status (the version I downloaded had a couple showstopper bugs on Vista, mainly involving volume control, so I don't use it much). RP10 is absolute garbage on Windows - huge, slow, bloated, ad-filled, and aggressive system changes set by default (although they can be unchecked) that I really don't care for. The version for Linux is actually a good product though - I prefer Amorak for casual listening, but for some video formats RP is a better bet than anything else I have installed.

      Also, Real has recently begun selling DRM-free MP3s through their Rhapsody online music store. The tracks are ripped at 256kbps (same as their DRMed versions) and cost the same as well. Most of their catalog is still DRMed, and the Rhapsody player itself isn't going to win any awards from me for being great software, but moving even a little away from DRM earns them big points IMO. Now, if only they would make it possible to purchase MP3s on Linux it would be even better...

      --
      There's no place I could be, since I've found Serenity...
    14. Re:Yea but if history tells me anything by turnipsatemybaby · · Score: 1

      "Just because you can't change, or comprehend that a company can listen to customers and change, doesn't mean they won't change."

      Yeah, and it only took them to version ELEVEN to figure out that people hated having their computers being commandeered. What's your apology for the other 10 versions of crap they put out until now? The first couple versions weren't bad, but then they got obnoxious real fast and I've also avoided them since.

      You don't have the luxury of being snide when the company in question has been VERY resistant to changing a universally condemned practice. I'll wait maybe another version or two and see if Real is able to maintain this newfound idea of etiquette before I consider going back to them. I suppose you have no qualms about Sony products either, despite worldwide recalls of exploding batteries, repeated attempts at installing rootkits on users machines, and various other obnoxious behaviours? Anyone who is willing to say "Oh it's ok now they've learned their lesson!" is just willfully naive.

    15. Re:Yea but if history tells me anything by IndustrialComplex · · Score: 1

      Just based on your post you have a piece of software that DOES the following:

      1. Aggressivly associates file types to it.
      2. Spyware activities.
      3. Intrusive behaviors.

      These are things which you state takes a bit of effort to do. Normal software does NOT do such things.

      How the heck is that "Not really as bad as most people think"?

      --
      Out of modpoints but really liked a post? 1BDkF6TtmmeZ3yqXbz9yhdYVqRYnwFoXDj
    16. Re:Yea but if history tells me anything by Tsiangkun · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Oh cool, "not fucking up my computer" is a new feature in
      VERSION 11 !

      I think it is great that you can give people second chances,
      and third, and fourth, and fifth, and sixth, and seventh, and eighth
      and ninth and tenth chances too . . .
      but really don't you see the pattern here ?

      Real's reputation is horrible, and they deserve to
      have a horrible reputation. They have been a shitty
      company.

      I don't do business with shitty companies like Adaptec, SONY, and Real.

    17. Re:Yea but if history tells me anything by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I've used the BBC's version of RealPlayer fpr Windows, for so long I can't remember why,
      but that's the one which doesn't do some bad thing the US version has always done...

    18. Re:Yea but if history tells me anything by Oktober+Sunset · · Score: 4, Funny

      well, the commonly held belief that real play farts in your face while you are asleep is totally false.

    19. Re:Yea but if history tells me anything by Ash+Vince · · Score: 0, Troll

      Only because their licensing agreement (or whatever they had) finished, and now they've jumped on the Windows Media Player bandwaggon. Unfortunately you are right, the BBC are now moving towards DRM'd WMV files.

      But half the reason is fuckwitts like you. You bitch and moan about things Real did years ago despite the fact that they are now a much better choice than a lot of the alternatives. Although actually you do not realise that there is only one alternative to Real, and that is MS WMV. And before you counter this by spouting 8 million open source formats let me explain my answer.

      Large corporations like the BBC who make money from producing content want to protect that content from unauthorised distribution. At present the two commercially established methods of doing this for both video and audio are WMV and RM. The key points in that sentence being:

      Commercially established - This is important as no manager wants to bet on a product with no track record unless the ROI is far higher than if they went with established solution.

      Both Audio and Video - If you have another solution that only does half of what you want it stands no chance. So the same streaming solution must deal with both in order to convince someone who produce both audio and video.

      I know we would all like to see nothing but open formats like MP3 as far as the eye can see, but it is not going to happen. It's like wishing you lived in utopia and never going outside until you do. Until MS die a horrible death Real are the best alternative so we need to start encouraging companies to use it more often. Either that or we can give up on accessing streaming content from anything other than Windows.

      I use Linux far more than I do windows nowadays and the Linux version of realplayer is one of the best video players available for linux. And more to the point it is available for Linux, unlike Quicktime or DRM'd WMV files. If anyone out there hasn't tried using the Linux version of realplayer I would recommend it as it doesn't suffer the same problems that effect the windows version.
      --
      I dont read /. to RTFA, I read /. to offend people in ignorance.
    20. Re:Yea but if history tells me anything by UncleTogie · · Score: 1

      1) Who the hell does that now?

      2) Who gets to decide what is essentially matters of opinion? 1. Quite a few companies do, some for free!

      2. The customer, if their software company does the job right. Anyone else remember the days before "skinnable" apps?
      --
      Don't tell me to get a life. I'm a gamer; I have LOTS of lives!
    21. Re:Yea but if history tells me anything by Ash+Vince · · Score: 1

      Yeah, and it only took them to version ELEVEN to figure out that people hated having their computers being commandeered. What's your apology for the other 10 versions of crap they put out until now? The first couple versions weren't bad, but then they got obnoxious real fast and I've also avoided them since. Actually they have been fine since atleast version 8 from memory. What version / timeframe are you whining about anyway? What was the last version you installed and on what platform?
      --
      I dont read /. to RTFA, I read /. to offend people in ignorance.
    22. Re:Yea but if history tells me anything by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I never hated any vendor so much as I hate real. Their business practices and hijacking of my machine are simply intolerable, and I do not for a minute believe these scumbags have changed their stripes. They have made disrespecting their users into an art form over the years, and they have NOT changed. No way. I don't believe it.

      For years now, I have very used root@real.com as my email when signing up for sites I expected to spam me severely, just because they were at the top of my loathe list. Funny thing is, any number of times, I have found someone else beat me to it, with the site rejecting the mail as already taken.

      I wouldn't be surprised if it signed me up for spam, scanned my hard drive for DMCA violations, rootkitted me so I could never uninstall it, and deleted all of my other media players. That's how real has behaved in the past. That's why they are hated more than Microsoft, more than Osama Bin Laden, more than Cthulhu. Real is in a category all it's own.

      So, yeh, I think I'll pass on that piece of software.

    23. Re:Yea but if history tells me anything by Ash+Vince · · Score: 1

      Ubuntu are not a company moron, Ubuntu is a product.

      The company is called Canonical Ltd. Also please note that Canonical are a very small company who don't make any money. They will probably go broke soon when nobody buys their support offering.

      --
      I dont read /. to RTFA, I read /. to offend people in ignorance.
    24. Re:Yea but if history tells me anything by JimDaGeek · · Score: 1

      RealPlayer 10 for Mac is very nice. No issues at all. And for the uninstall? Just drag the app from /Applications to your trash and empty. Done. RealPlayer 10 for Linux is nice as well. Uninstall is a matter of deleting the directory you installed in.

      As for RealPlayer 10 under MS Windows, I wouldn't know since I have not used RealPlayer under MS Windows since version 8. Though I can't see Real making the player play nice and easy to uninstall under Mac/Linux and then making it crapWare under MS Windows.

      --
      General, you are listening to a machine! Do the world a favor and don't act like one.
    25. Re:Yea but if history tells me anything by ConceptJunkie · · Score: 1

      I'm with you. I don't care if Real's latest player is the best piece of software since Nethack. For what they've done to me in the past, and what they made me put up with, including their crap not even working right when it came pre-installed on the laptop, I will never again use their software. And if that means I miss out on content, well, I'm willing to live with that, and let the people providing content in Real's format that they won't be getting my business.

      I won't be happy until Real is gone forever.

      Besides, who wants DRM'ed video, regardless of the format? Not me.

      --
      You are in a maze of twisty little passages, all alike.
    26. Re:Yea but if history tells me anything by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      >I don't do business with shitty companies like Adaptec, SONY, and Real.

      Nor, apparently, with companies that sell 80-column monitors.

    27. Re:Yea but if history tells me anything by BlueScreenOfTOM · · Score: 1
      Before you continue to defend RealPlayer, there's something else you should know. To quote Wikipedia:

      [Morgan Webb] is married to Rob Reid who founded listen.com, and was involved in the creation of the RealNetworks music service Rhapsody. Yes, the guy who married Morgan Webb is, in some way, associated with RealNetworks.

      It's like the nail in the coffin.
    28. Re:Yea but if history tells me anything by badasscat · · Score: 1

      Like I said, their reputation has already been ruined. What website uses real media these days anyways?

      Not sure you're quite getting this.

      The new RealPlayer plays everything. No, that's nothing new, but given its ripping feature, what that means is that it will also *rip* anything. This is totally seamless, too - you'll be on a web site like YouTube watching an flv file and up pops a tiny little "download this video" button (you can turn that off if you want). You never even actually need to deal with the RealPlayer itself to do this. It works like a Firefox extension, and it works on anything that isn't DRM-protected (which means most video on the net, whatever the format). It's not just certain sites that work (like the YouTube FF extensions), it's *every* site. Even sites that obfuscate their file locations.

      The one format I haven't tried is QuickTime... but Apple's basically become a non-player in streaming media lately anyway. It's all about flv and wmv.

      If you don't want to download, it's really your loss. I was as anti-Real as you before trying this. But it really works, and it does something - for free - that nobody else does.

      I'm actually a little worried about it being posted here, though. Content owners are *not* happy about this. I should know, I work for one, and this is the first application that's been able to download our video (we obfuscate our file locations). The only reason we haven't done anything about it is that the number of people using it is miniscule. As soon as it gets big, though, you can bet one of two things are going to happen:

      a) Real will get sued out of business,
      or
      b) DRM will become even more pervasive in streaming video

      or both.

    29. Re:Yea but if history tells me anything by iminplaya · · Score: 1

      To me, normal software does not require installation at all, other than simply copying it to the folder of your choice.

      Some examples would be:
      1) For Windows,
      The Mozilla suite
      Filezilla
      Blender
      Exact Audio Copy
      Audacity
      Miranda
      And many more that I can't remember right now but have stashed away somewhere

      2) For the Mac,
      Almost everything

      These programs I can put on a thumb drive and run from any machine. These are the kind of programs I recommend to others.

      How the heck is that "Not really as bad as most people think"?

      Because, unlike what was stated to the post I responded to, you can disable the problem parts. And if he never used Real Player, how could he possibly know this? It would otherwise appear that his assumptions are unfounded, which as it turns out, they are.

      --
      What?
    30. Re:Yea but if history tells me anything by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      And fuck Netscape too, nobody will ever use that shitty browser ever again.

    31. Re:Yea but if history tells me anything by turnipsatemybaby · · Score: 1

      Um... all of them? It's like Real tried to out-obnoxious itself with each successive version. The very first ones were okish. But from taking over all your file associations unless you were very careful, to installing spyware and other crap, to making it almost impossible to find and download the free version, to the latest versions that have some kind of moronic messaging centre sitting in your system tray consuming resources and spitting out useless information.

      And never mind the general wierdness it would do to your system, which other people have already commented on.

      And yes, I know most of it is uninstallable or disable-able, but that's not the point, now is it? It shouldn't *have* to be. All the annoying stuff Real does shouldn't be there in the first place.

    32. Re:Yea but if history tells me anything by Ilgaz · · Score: 1

      Only because their licensing agreement (or whatever they had) finished, and now they've jumped on the Windows Media Player bandwaggon.

      Real streaming stuff is now only used:

        * By people who want DRM but want cross platform

        * People who don't know about MP3

        * Companies who's contracts haven't expired yet. People who don't know about MP3? No, they know but they want to pay for the music they listen. Doesn't iTunes store customers know about mp3 too?

      Also Real Server can and does serve WMV. For hugely popular sites it could be the only choice since it runs on Linux and Solaris server farms unlike Windows Media Server. They aren't "forced" to use it, they use it because it suits their needs, e.g. serving thousands.

      http://www.realnetworks.com/products/media_deliver y.html

    33. Re:Yea but if history tells me anything by Ilgaz · · Score: 2, Informative

      Real Networks gives a commercial quality open source media framework and player for free and those stuff you see (e.g. V10/11) are based on that.

      https://www.helixcommunity.org/

      Don't ask why they do such a favour while people posting outdated information from 1999 exists.

    34. Re:Yea but if history tells me anything by finiteSet · · Score: 1

      "What website uses real media these days anyway?"
      The BBC for one.
      All of the video lectures I've watched via Berkeley's Webcast or MIT's Open CourseWare video selection were in RM, too. Side note: while I've heard a lot more about MIT's OCW, I was surprised and impressed by Berkeley's collection of video lectures, which I find are far easier to learn from than simply reading course notes pdfs...
      --
      If we start buying CDs then the terrorists have already won.
    35. Re:Yea but if history tells me anything by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Yeah, and it only took them to version ELEVEN to figure out that people hated having their computers being commandeered.

      No. It was perfectly possible, with minimal effort, to install RealPlayer 8 without it "commandeering" your machine. However, peoples unfounded whinging has continued all the way up to version 11, because you're all clueless.

      Still, you got what you wanted. Real is dying out. Now everyone is using Windows Media Player or Quicktime. Yeah, that's so much better.

    36. Re:Yea but if history tells me anything by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I worked at the technology division of a major broadcaster who used alot of Real and did a smaller amount of WMV. We trialed Realserver with Windows Media. Yes, it offers you Windows and Real in one box, but Windows Media Server could serve something like 3 or 4 times as many Windows streams and still with less CPU load. Realserver was great at serving Real but if you were dealing with significant amounts of Windows streams, you were far better off with Windows Media server. Less CPU load, less RAM usage and more streams.

      We went with Realserver for Real and Windows Media Server for Windows in the end. Even the company Linux zealots admitted defeat on that one (about the only time ever).

    37. Re:Yea but if history tells me anything by Xabraxas · · Score: 1

      Yeah, and it only took them to version ELEVEN to figure out that people hated having their computers being commandeered. What's your apology for the other 10 versions of crap they put out until now? The first couple versions weren't bad, but then they got obnoxious real fast and I've also avoided them since.

      It's obvious you haven't used version 10. I have heard a lot of hatred directed towards real but version 10 has been out for a while and it is a small, excellent applicatoin. Not only that but it uses GTK+ which fits in nicely with my GNOME desktop. I really can't find anything wrong with it and you haven't actually presented any real reason to hate it.

      --
      Time makes more converts than reason
    38. Re:Yea but if history tells me anything by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I have a great idea. Lets pardon every criminal that has been in the pokey for "roughly a decade". Surely they have changed their evil ways too. Ok... too extreme, but...

      I am with the majority here... Real blew it years ago. I'll never install their software again. I can't be more emphatic in that. And I will make sure those around me remember the history of Real. No matter how cool you think they have become, their history is dark... and history is the greatest predictor in actions.

    39. Re:Yea but if history tells me anything by IndustrialComplex · · Score: 1

      Oh don't get me wrong, I agree that those parts can be disabled, but the fact that those parts were implemented by design left a lot of users feeling sour about the whole Realplayer experience.

      For me its a bit of a 'Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me until Release 11...'

      Realplayer would have much more success if they partnered with another company to release this product under an entirely different name. There is a lot of bad publicity and resentment to this product.

      --
      Out of modpoints but really liked a post? 1BDkF6TtmmeZ3yqXbz9yhdYVqRYnwFoXDj
  4. Obligitory by Ralphus+Maximus · · Score: 4, Funny

    Buffering........... Cheers, RM

    --
    Nobody's as dumb, as I appear to be
  5. Heresy has clouded your mind. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Purge the mutant, the unclean, products from Real. For the Emperor of Mankind!

    (Some of us have long memories, and a few fancy features aren't going to suddenly make RealPlayer not complete and utter crap in our minds.)

    1. Re:Heresy has clouded your mind. by egandalf · · Score: 1

      Amen. and Amen. I've refused to install it, even told my VP that I wouldn't install it. Like AOL software, I refuse to infect my PC with its filth. Besides, I only use Windows at work anymore, I've converted to linux (ubuntu - best damn distro period for those with the "it should just work mentality") full-time at home.

      --
      Those who have telepathy have no need to RTFA.
  6. Possessed? by RevHawk · · Score: 1

    Is the summary writer/editor/site possessed? Not only did it not make a ton of sense...

    1. Re:Possessed? by HTH+NE1 · · Score: 1

      Is the summary writer/editor/site possessed? Not only did it not make a ton of sense... It's a copy-and-paste job from another site that inserts links in the form "Latest news about X" after key company names that the submitter didn't bother to strip out.
      --
      Oh, say does that Star-Spangled Banner entwine / The myrtle of Venus with Bacchus's vine?
  7. If it's from Real I won't use it. by casualsax3 · · Score: 5, Insightful

    It's unfortunate, but I'm among those users so horribly scarred by Real so long ago that I'll just never use another product by them. I think it's the name - it just makes me nauseous now. It could be the best app on the planet - but unless they change the name I just won't go near it. End of story.

    1. Re:If it's from Real I won't use it. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Offtopic

      I thought similar thoughts about Apple around the time of the Apple ][gs, around late 80s early 90s they were horrible, and several people I talked to had horrible experiences with them. Swearing never to ever buy from them again, and understandably so, even worse than free software, if you're out $2500 on a new computer and it doesn't work right on top of being a crapple...

      So fast forward to now, I switched and bought an Apple, I never thought that day would come. But to me, it's not about brand loyalty, it's about trying to find the best value and products. If I talk to a bunch of people who say the new real player is actually incredible/really really good and absent all the things that made you hate the company of old, I'm willing to give them another chance. But it can't just be pretty good, it has to be better than what the other guys are doing.

    2. Re:If it's from Real I won't use it. by MMC+Monster · · Score: 3, Insightful

      I used RealOne player as my sole audio player for quite some time. Once it was set up, it worked quite well. (The setup was a b!tch, though). I made the mistake of downloading version 2 when it was available. It was definitely a downgrade rather than an upgrade, and I did go back to version one for a while. I finally realized that I wanted to use a player that respected me, and started using winamp.

      (Of course, now I'm using amarok, but that's another story...)

      --
      Help! I'm a slashdot refugee.
    3. Re:If it's from Real I won't use it. by Boomer_Zz · · Score: 1

      If they changed the name to RealPoo, would you? or does a double negative not make a positive?

    4. Re:If it's from Real I won't use it. by rinkjustice · · Score: 2, Interesting

      I've used realplayer almost exclusively for Linux, where it's been a multi-featured godsend. I know Real burned Windows users really bad, but Linux users got hella use out of RealPlayer 10 Gold.

    5. Re:If it's from Real I won't use it. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Yeah Yeah, I had that same experience with Apple years ago.
      Guess what? I gave them a 2nd chance with OSX, and another
      with their ipod. I switched to OSX. (I still prefer other
      mp3 players to the ipod)
            bottom line: Companies change with time. Don't lock yourself
      out.
            Date a girl you didn't like? Give up on girls? Didn't think so.

    6. Re:If it's from Real I won't use it. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      errr, you wanted the best value in your product, so you bought a mac?

    7. Re:If it's from Real I won't use it. by Tsiangkun · · Score: 2, Insightful

      me too. I don't use applications that are on version 11, and tout not taking over all my multimedia files as a feature. Give me a break, VERSION 11 !. This company deserves no love or sympathy. They already demonstrated how much respect they have for their users with the previous slew of shitty releases.

    8. Re:If it's from Real I won't use it. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      You have no idea, do you?

    9. Re:If it's from Real I won't use it. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I thought the Apple IIgs was an amazing machine for its day. The only thing it lacked was a hard drive, which were extremely expensive back then. Way more innovative than the PC, though Atari ST's weren't too bad either (if not for a lack of software). In the end, Wintel won because it was cheaper and you could download more shit from the BBSs.

    10. Re:If it's from Real I won't use it. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      How fucking near sighted and ignorant is that? To base your judgement on their name instead of actual said product. I thought nerds were supposed to be more open minded. Insightful my ass.

    11. Re:If it's from Real I won't use it. by 11_biznatch_11 · · Score: 1

      It doesn't matter if they change their name, but I completely agree with the rest of your comment. I use Real Alternative for the few times I have to play a real media file (almost never) but I can't see myself ever going back to one of their products. To many horrible, horrible memories of their old versions.

    12. Re:If it's from Real I won't use it. by jadin · · Score: 1

      It's unfortunate, but I'm among those users so horribly scarred by Real so long ago that I'll just never use another product by them. I think it's the name - it just makes me nauseous now. It could be the best app on the planet - but unless they change the name I just won't go near it. End of story. This doesn't make a lot of sense to me. A rose by any other name...

      Lara See gets made at it's customers for unknown reason and poisons all of their Light&Fluffy line of muffins. People naturally stop buying Light&Fluffy muffins. They continue to repackage and resell these same poisoned muffins for 10 years. In their 11th year, they get upset that nobody is buying their muffins. They rethink their strategy and rename their old muffins to Fluffy Top muffins instead, and promise they are poison free!

      Would you seriously buy a Lara See brand Fluffy Top muffin?
    13. Re:If it's from Real I won't use it. by XavidX · · Score: 1

      Real player is soooo not good. I will never download it again. Back in the day when i actually installed it, it was suck a pain in the ass. And the download process was horible. I for one agree that the Real brand is dead. I havn't even seen an rm file in years. And if i seen one I would not even attempt to watch it.

    14. Re:If it's from Real I won't use it. by Kazoo+the+Clown · · Score: 1

      Yes, the problem with Real is about trust-- they violated it seriously in the past and that makes them PNG (persona non grata).

      Frankly, I suspect this is a lead-in to a DRM lock-in power grab. As another poster opined-- this puts them in a position to undermine the ability of their competitors to provide protected streams. They can ultimately choose to only provide this downloading feature for all streaming schemes except their own proprietary format to be utilized by those who pay them for the download protection.

  8. And the company are still die-hard spammers, no? by seebs · · Score: 4, Insightful

    So, back in the day, Real spammed. A lot. They spammed constantly, they spammed everybody (like IETF role accounts), and they did so unrepentantly, with forged addresses in the headers and everything.

    Has anything changed?

    I somehow don't think so.

    --
    My blog: http://www.seebs.net/log/ --- My iPhone/iPad app: http://www.seebs.net/seebsfrac/
  9. A Real(tm) Comeback by __aamnbm3774 · · Score: 0, Interesting

    Real seems to be trying hard for a comeback.
    Rhapsody (though full of DRM) has an amazing to-go service that I find unbeatable at the moment.
    Even though REAL's old software (with blinking systray icons) was more than annoying, I admit I'll probably give this a try.

    1. Re:A Real(tm) Comeback by Constantine+XVI · · Score: 3, Informative

      And their Linux version is pretty good (not fantastic, but pretty good). It's built off the Helix DNA backend (headed by Real themselves) which is open-source. The major difference in the closed-source version (RealPlayer) is the DRM "support"

      --
      "I think an etch-a-sketch with an ethernet port would beat IE7 in web standards compliance."
    2. Re:A Real(tm) Comeback by cortana · · Score: 1

      Their Linux version is shit, it can't even use ALSA!

      This means that it will fail to work if any other app has your sound device open when it wants to play sounds; and that, while it has the sound device open, all other apps will similarly fail...

  10. Change in tactics? by jma05 · · Score: 5, Informative

    Amusing, given that they sued companies which made software that ripped real streams back in 2000.

    1. Re:Change in tactics? by SmittyTheBold · · Score: 1

      That was my impression. My how times have changed.

      Streambox VCR showed some real promise for a while there, before Real decided it should not exist as a product. This was back when their primary revenue was from content creators - now that it's not, their priorities seem to have shifted.

      --
      ± 29 dB
    2. Re:Change in tactics? by Doug+Neal · · Score: 1

      That was my impression. My how times have changed. They must have a completely different bunch of people in charge nowadays. You definitely wouldn't catch the old "Progressive Networks" as they were then called, putting out this kind of software, not to mention all the open source stuff and Linux players they've been releasing more recently.
    3. Re:Change in tactics? by rastoboy29 · · Score: 1

      I think that means you can be pretty confident they'll find some way to screw it up.

    4. Re:Change in tactics? by evilviper · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Yes, that's why it's news... The sheer irony of it all.

      If Real would have endorsed or adopted such copying capabilities into their player circa 2000, they might have had a chance of staying relevant through the years. Now, when there are hundreds of other programs that can easily do the same thing, it's not even a notable feature, except for the ironic aspect.

      --
      Slashdot gets worse every day... Pipedot: News for nerds, without the corporate slant
    5. Re:Change in tactics? by SmittyTheBold · · Score: 1

      To be fair, the Helix server has been out for over 4 1/2 years now. They've been working on changing their ways for some time.

      --
      ± 29 dB
  11. Alternative: by UncleTogie · · Score: 5, Informative

    Wait for Gutsy and use clive...

    --
    Don't tell me to get a life. I'm a gamer; I have LOTS of lives!
    1. Re:Alternative: by padonak · · Score: 1

      GenTube looks similar, although it only supports Youtube at the moment.

    2. Re:Alternative: by Slashcrap · · Score: 1

      Wait for Gutsy and use clive...

      I'll let you in on a secret. It's written in Python, so if you're a really advanced Ubuntu user you might not have to wait for Gutsy in order to run it.

    3. Re:Alternative: by cliveholloway · · Score: 1

      I knew they'd find a use for me one day...

      --
      -- Trinity in high heels carrying a whip: The donimatrix - there is no spoonerism
  12. Crapware? by TechwoIf · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Does it still load a ton of unless features and hides settings to turn off most of the undesirable ones? Last time I used it, it hog most of the system resources and did nearly everything but played the video.

    1. Re:Crapware? by boris111 · · Score: 1

      Looks like Nero turned into that. I used to like you Nero! You've changed... we've grown apart.

  13. I haven't read the fine article by LordSnooty · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Yay, so now I can convert streaming video in one proprietary format into another local storage proprietary format? Joy.

    1. Re:I haven't read the fine article by cbhacking · · Score: 1

      I'm suspect it just downloads the swf or whatever file, although I could be completely wrong about that. In any case, RealPlayer 11 claims it can play Flash movies, which suggests it would work even with local ones... thus, downloading the file itself makes the most sense.

      --
      There's no place I could be, since I've found Serenity...
    2. Re:I haven't read the fine article by LordSnooty · · Score: 1

      wow, in that case it's truly no better than VideoDownloader FF add-on & VLC. When will Real get a clue. I've already started collecting .flvs of interesting clips, I'm ahead of the game, Real!

  14. Re:If it's from Real I won't use it. - AGREED by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    I couldn't agree more. My catchpa is "unhappy" and it perfectly describes my experinces with Real anything.

  15. Reversal of Policy by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Gee, I thought the whole "Streaming Media" thing, was specifically designed to PREVENT stream ripping, or make it difficult at best. I do remember when REAL would take extreme steps to protect their 'Content' providers, disabling ripping, etc.

    This is just yet another ploy by Real, to get us to use their crappy, spyware ridden product. I hate real almost as much as I hate QuickTime. I don't use either.

    1. Re:Reversal of Policy by OECD · · Score: 1

      I hate real almost as much as I hate QuickTime.

      Wait, what? What's the problem with QT?

      --
      One man's -1 Flamebait is another man's +5 Funny.
    2. Re:Reversal of Policy by Frogbert · · Score: 1

      Oh I don't know, the fact it has a dickhead tray icon just sitting there taking up space?

      Or the fact that to use iTunes you have to install it?

      And hey while were installing Quicktime player why not install Quicktime picture viewer. Why in hell would I need a picture viewer? Windows XP already has a perfectly good one.

      Plus the tens of thousands of "PRO" menu options that you can't get rid of unless you are going to pay for them.

      I'll give you a hint if there is a "Alternative" codec out for a player it means the player sucks. /rant off.

    3. Re:Reversal of Policy by hoopshank · · Score: 1

      It seems a lot of computer companies think they can take over the world with underhand tactics, installing crap on our computers that we don't want and doing everything they can to stop us uninstalling that crap. And when they lose a load of users for that very reason, they want a second chance?

      Tough. Same goes for gator (remember them?), Sony (that rootkit...) and good ol' Microsoft. F*** them all. Boycott them all.

      (unfortunately I'm not yet in a position to boycott Microsoft but I will as soon as the stuff I need is available on Linux or similar :) )

    4. Re:Reversal of Policy by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      That tray icon is the first thing I get rid of when I install Quicktime. If only you could get rid of the damn "Get Pro now!" advertisements as easily....

      What you can do, though, is install Quicktime without iTunes - there's an option (at least there used to be) on the website.

  16. cut-n-paste by PadRacerExtreme · · Score: 3, Informative
    The submitter just cut-n-pasted from the article. Which had links. It looked like this on screen

    sites like YouTube (magnify glass), Revver, Heavy.com but when you cut-n-paste the (magnify glass) turned into

    sites like YouTube Latest News about YouTube, Revver, Heavy.com
    So not only are the editors not reading the submissions, the submitters aren't reading the submissions!
    --
    Just remember - if the world didn't suck, we would all fall off.
    1. Re:cut-n-paste by _anomaly_ · · Score: 1

      So not only are the editors not reading the submissions, the submitters aren't reading the submissions!
      Isn't it ridiculous?

      i know i'm not adding any value to the conversation, so mod me down if you wish... but i couldn't resist after an editing job as terrible as this
      --
      "I have no special gift, I am only passionately curious." - Albert Einstein
    2. Re:cut-n-paste by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      No. The submitter read the article and assumed that cut-n-paste would work as intended. Unfortunate, but not ridiculous.

    3. Re:cut-n-paste by Bob+Cat+-+NYMPHS · · Score: 1

      I wish this was reddit.com ,so I could mod you up.

  17. Dude. Wait. What? by LMacG · · Score: 1

    > as well as Web sites like Keepvid.com and Mozilla Latest News about Mozilla Foundation Firefox add-ons like VideoDownloader.

    I'll take a wild guess here and assume that everything from the first Mozilla through to Foundation can be ignored.

    As far as using any Real product? Sorry, but their past behavior condemns them to a future of being completely ignored.

    --
    Slightly disreputable, albeit gregarious
  18. They'll fix the beta by GreatRedShark · · Score: 1

    " Few, though, can match the slick ease of use of RealPlayer 11 -- and it isn't even out of beta yet."

    Don't worry! By the time it's out of beta they'll have added tonnes of extra bulky bloated features and loads of great ads! It'll be as slick as sandpaper! ;)

  19. Couldn't agree more... by xgr3gx · · Score: 2, Interesting

    I remember the early days of real player. Back when you could legally download full southpark episodes from comedycentral.com in real media format at only 50MB each, it was great!
    Not horrible quaility either back around 1999, and even for today's standards. Then came the blinking try icon, ok I found where to disable that.
    Then came registering, then the brutal automatic association of every media file to real player if you didn't carefully check your installer options.
    The the annoyware tactics to upgrade to "Real Player Gold" so annoying.
    Then came me not using realplayer anymore.

    --
    Shameless plug alert: Game server control panel
    1. Re:Couldn't agree more... by tkrotchko · · Score: 1

      It's not worth it anymore when you can use two free products: iTunes and VLC Media player. Those two products are good enough that you probably don't need anything else. And if you do, WinAMP is there to pick up the slack.

      --
      You were mistaken. Which is odd, since memory shouldn't be a problem for you
  20. Why do you need RealPlayer for that? by antdude · · Score: 1

    You can use VideoDownloader's extension and any other Web sites. However, it doesn't seem toi work with MySpace and YouTube videos anymore due to recent changes/upgrades.

    I also use free Orbit Downloader for Windows to download streaming videos. This works fine for me.

    Both are free.

    --
    Ant(Dude) @ Quality Foraged Links (AQFL.net) & The Ant Farm (antfarm.ma.cx / antfarm.home.dhs.org).
    1. Re:Why do you need RealPlayer for that? by Ben174 · · Score: 1

      However, it doesn't seem toi work with MySpace and YouTube videos anymore due to recent changes/upgrades.
      I think you answered your own question :)
      --
      Here is my home page.
    2. Re:Why do you need RealPlayer for that? by egandalf · · Score: 2

      There's also a Firefox extension called DownloadHelper - I use that. Hasn't failed me yet.

      --
      Those who have telepathy have no need to RTFA.
    3. Re:Why do you need RealPlayer for that? by antdude · · Score: 1

      Oh nice. Thanks for the tip. Unfortuanely, I use SeaMonkey (Mozilla's suite) and I don't think it is supported. :( I sent an e-mail to the support about it.

      --
      Ant(Dude) @ Quality Foraged Links (AQFL.net) & The Ant Farm (antfarm.ma.cx / antfarm.home.dhs.org).
    4. Re:Why do you need RealPlayer for that? by yo_tuco · · Score: 1

      "Firefox extension called DownloadHelper..."

      Do you know how that compares to the VideoDownloader extension?

    5. Re:Why do you need RealPlayer for that? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      At present videodownloader does not work with youtube, so I've just switched to downloadhelper and (once I turned the annoying animation off and set the default save directory) it was just fine - I'll probably stick with it even if they fix videodownloader.

    6. Re:Why do you need RealPlayer for that? by egandalf · · Score: 1

      I think I tried an early version of VideoDownloader that opened a new window and all kinds of stuff. This put an icon and menu in your toolbar (for me next to the address bar). Meaning two clicks and the file gets downloaded. The icon even animates when there's downloadable content in the page.

      --
      Those who have telepathy have no need to RTFA.
    7. Re:Why do you need RealPlayer for that? by yo_tuco · · Score: 1

      According to the VideoDownloader extension it says:

      Sites supported:
      Youtube, Google Video, iFilm, Metacafe, Dailymotion, Myspace, Angry Alien, AnimeEpisodes.Net, Badjojo, Blastro, Blennus, Blip.tv, Bofunk, Bolt, Break.com, Castpost, CollegeHumor, Current TV, Dachix, Danerd, DailySixer.com, DevilDucky, Double Agent, eVideoShare, EVTV1, FindVideos, Free Video Blog, Grinvi, Grouper, Hiphopdeal, Kontraband, Lulu TV, Midis.biz, Music.com, MusicVideoCodes.info, MySpace Video Code, Newgrounds, NothingToxic, PcPlanets, Pixparty, PlsThx, Putfile, Revver, Sharkle, SmitHappens, StreetFire, That Video Site, TotallyCrap, VideoCodes4U, VideoCodesWorld, VideoCodeZone, vidiLife, Vimeo, vSocial, Yikers, ZippyVideos... and any other webpage with embedded objects.

    8. Re:Why do you need RealPlayer for that? by antdude · · Score: 1

      I got a reply:

      Thanks for your interest in DownloadHelper.

      Sorry but no. DH is ot available for those platforms.

      Regards, /mig

      --
      Ant(Dude) @ Quality Foraged Links (AQFL.net) & The Ant Farm (antfarm.ma.cx / antfarm.home.dhs.org).
    9. Re:Why do you need RealPlayer for that? by antdude · · Score: 1

      But it's broken with MySpace and YouTube. The author hasn't updated it since 2006!

      --
      Ant(Dude) @ Quality Foraged Links (AQFL.net) & The Ant Farm (antfarm.ma.cx / antfarm.home.dhs.org).
  21. I think RealPlayer 11 rocks by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Informative

    I have been using the RealPlayer Beta over the past month to download videos from Youtube, Yahoo Video & Google Video. Sometimes when the video gets too long, it is a better idea to store them to disk so that you can time-shift the viewing.

    One additional feature that I like is the way rewind and fast-forward works. Very close to a full DVD like experience. Plus the ability to play back almost all relevant formats makes it the best player available today.

    One request would be to allow me to move my videos to the video Ipod or phone. I think that would make this a killer.

    1. Re:I think RealPlayer 11 rocks by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      What is with the shill action? Real is still in business?

  22. Amusing by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    On my webpage I'm gonna put 1x1 white pixels that expand into obscenities when you copy-paste them.

  23. Alternatives to Real Player in Linux by Jeff+Carr · · Score: 0, Troll

    This may not be the best place to ask, but since I can't believe anyone on Slashdot would actually install anything by Real Networks, this is likely to be the most use we will get out of this article.

    I refuse to install Real Player, and see Helix as just a wolf in sheeps clothing. What alternatives are there for listening to real audio streams in Linux. The only thing I miss about Windows is listening to the BBC with the Real Alternative codecs.

    --
    The television will not be revolutionized.
    1. Re:Alternatives to Real Player in Linux by everphilski · · Score: 1

      and see Helix as just a wolf in sheeps clothing.

      Well, the source is there, is it not? Go through it and find out for yourself. That's what these open source advocates keep telling me, anyways, a thousand eyes ...

    2. Re:Alternatives to Real Player in Linux by egandalf · · Score: 1

      Not sure, but VLC may open the stream. Worth checking out - it's the best platform-independent player available.

      --
      Those who have telepathy have no need to RTFA.
    3. Re:Alternatives to Real Player in Linux by Jeff+Carr · · Score: 1

      Good idea, and I will, right after I finish all my pet projects...

      --
      The television will not be revolutionized.
    4. Re:Alternatives to Real Player in Linux by everphilski · · Score: 1

      ... exactly. I'm glad we are in agreement. Open source does **not** instantly guarantee security.

      That being said, to answer your question, I do use Real products, and have not had issues with Real or Helix. The modern incarnation of RealPlayer is really non-intrusive, and does not want to associate itself with every media format known to man, and does not pop up ads on your computer.

    5. Re:Alternatives to Real Player in Linux by Jeff+Carr · · Score: 1

      It is entirely possible that they've changed their tune, and I'll even admit that it's possible that Rob Glaser isn't entirely evil. But until they issue a public apology for their past practices, and pledge not to repeat them, they fall into my ever growing list of companies I will not do business with including Sony, SBC (Now AT&T), MBNA (Now Bank of America), I could go on...

      --
      The television will not be revolutionized.
    6. Re:Alternatives to Real Player in Linux by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      VLC will open the stream. But for sites like YouTube, you need to get/find the real link to the stream. But I have not been able to successfully trans code a flash stream yet with it.

    7. Re:Alternatives to Real Player in Linux by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Actually, mplayer is.

      VLC has really horrible support for Matroska (.mkv), Ogg (.ogm), and .mp4 containers (at least the last time I checked).

      And subtitles look horrible.

    8. Re:Alternatives to Real Player in Linux by Cal+Paterson · · Score: 1

      ... exactly. I'm glad we are in agreement. Open source does **not** instantly guarantee security.
      No, and no one notable ever said it did.

      Raymond never said that simply releasing source code resulted in quality. In fact, if you were to actually read his book (advisable, if you want to discuss Open Source) you'd see that, in fact, at no point does he ever even imply that simply releasing source code will result in quality code (in fact, he rather succinctly addresses the point you raise in his "epilog").

      Instead, the entire book in devoted to covering the merits of the "bazaar" method of development. And seeing as Raymond is probably the strongest figure involved in the term and its related ideology, I think that's pretty much definitive.
    9. Re:Alternatives to Real Player in Linux by everphilski · · Score: 1

      I like ESR, I agree with a lot of what he has to say, but you will find a lot of people here don't. I've read part of CATB, just haven't had time to finish it. But yes, sadly, you will find a *lot* of OS/FS people who claim that OS/FS is **inherantly** more secure, by definition.

  24. Finally! by umbrellasd · · Score: 1

    I can rip my entire YouTube music library to an iPod. YES!

    RIAA Disclaimer: the above statements are facetious and in no way condone or indicate that I will do anything illegal. Honest.

  25. Ease of use? by VE3OGG · · Score: 3, Informative

    Now, surely you jest... I find unplug works very well, and is quite reliable, and is very easy. If you have access to a unix box, you can even issue a simple conversion (or write a simple script):

    ffmpeg -i filename.flv filename.mpg (or ogg, or mp3, or...)

    If no Linux box is available, then you could always just watch it straight through VLC. And the nice thing about all of this: it is free (as in beer and as in choice). And of course you get to not support a company that has (rightfully) earned the ire of many IT people the world over...

    1. Re:Ease of use? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Bah. Just install ffdshow, check the FLV box, and play them in WMP, MPC, [insert favorite DShow player]. No conversion necessary.

  26. Re:It's closed, so it's dead by Constantine+XVI · · Score: 4, Interesting
    --
    "I think an etch-a-sketch with an ethernet port would beat IE7 in web standards compliance."
  27. RealPlayer.... Isn't that a virus? by MarkToronto · · Score: 4, Insightful

    I treat RealPlayer like a virus or mal ware. Everytime some jackass installs it on my computer I immediately get rid of it. That and Adobe Reader. Down with bloated software !!!

    1. Re:RealPlayer.... Isn't that a virus? by Chlorus · · Score: 1

      Wait...you let other people install stuff on your computer? I think you have bigger security problems than just a bloated app...

    2. Re:RealPlayer.... Isn't that a virus? by MarkToronto · · Score: 1

      hahahah no no... I should have said "my extended friends' & families' computers". I'm their local resident IT nerd. Whenever I run across it. But yes I have had friends come over and install crap like that when they "just have to show me something". ;o)

    3. Re:RealPlayer.... Isn't that a virus? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      How exactly do you "get rid of it"? Crapware doesn't really uninstall, the only way I know is to reimage the operating system from backup.

    4. Re:RealPlayer.... Isn't that a virus? by vandit2k6 · · Score: 1

      Really so how do you open your pdfs?

      --
      Its nice to be important but its more important to be nice
    5. Re:RealPlayer.... Isn't that a virus? by MarkToronto · · Score: 1

      Foxit Reader. MUCH Faster than Adobe at opening PDF files. And not nearly as annoying.... i.e., every time you open it, it doesn't try to download 20 different "updated components".

    6. Re:RealPlayer.... Isn't that a virus? by daeg · · Score: 1

      Foxit is great for generic PDFs, but don't count on it for massive press-type PDFs. It chokes and doesn't get some of the elements right. I generally install Foxit on office computers and save Adobe Reader for those of us that frequently view larger, more complex files. Reader 8.1 isn't very annoying, you can finally disable the ridiculous updater featuer. Supposedly you can customized the 8.1 installer to not install the updater program at all.

      Currently my only gripe about Reader is that their website tries to insist you download a downloader/installer program. Just give me the damn EXE!

    7. Re:RealPlayer.... Isn't that a virus? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      You uninstall Adobe Reader from your friends' and family's computers? That's rude. We call people like you "keyboard grabbers."

    8. Re:RealPlayer.... Isn't that a virus? by XSforMe · · Score: 1

      Version 8 does seem to be a step in the right direction. It seems to be less bloated, and might I even suggest that it feels faster?

      --
      My other OS is the MCP!
  28. Am I the only one by Cro+Magnon · · Score: 2, Funny

    who read it as "RealPlayer 11 is a Real Rip Off"?

    --
    Slow down, cowboy! It has been 4 hours since you last posted. You must wait another few hours.
  29. Why Bother... by eno2001 · · Score: 1

    ...when there is 'mplayer'. It does stream dumps for just about any playable stream out there. That's how I'm ripping the "Play again" content on the BBCs radio sites for time shifting onto my Rio Karma digital music player.

    --
    -"...bad old ideas look confusingly fresh when they are packaged as technology" - Jaron Lanier (Digital Maoism on Edge.o
    1. Re:Why Bother... by Billly+Gates · · Score: 1

      On Linux color calibration is off. I have not found documentation on how to fix this in XOrg. Real player is hte only one that displays videos that are not too dark or oversaturated if your on linux.

    2. Re:Why Bother... by Slashcrap · · Score: 1

      On Linux color calibration is off.

      It's fine here.

      I realise that this would be something of a first for Slashdot, but is it possible that you have taken your own anomalous experience with a single piece of software or hardware and extrapolated it to cover Linux in general? Next thing you know, people will be trying to use anecdotal evidence to win arguments.

      Real player is hte only one that displays videos that are not too dark or oversaturated if your on linux.

      If that's true, then either the problem is with the other media players you use and not Linux in general, or RealPlayer makes videos lighter and less saturated by just the right amount to compensate for the issues in Linux. I find the idea of RealPlayer fixing an issue with an OS instead of causing one rather difficult to swallow.

    3. Re:Why Bother... by eno2001 · · Score: 1

      This works with xine:

      xine --post eq:brightness=-24

      It drops the brightness on FLV files (the only ones I've seen that problem with) by 25 ticks and looks about right to me on my laptop. Seems to fix the color issues that FLV (from Youtube and the like) files have. For other files, the color is perfect: DVD (MPEG2), MPEG4, etc... There are many ways to fix the problems and that's just one. The other one I used to use with the older NVidia drivers on my Linux Media center, were to have my script that calls xine to play files send the NVidia driver directives to adjust RGB and C/B values since it only affected overlay and not the desktop itself. (Yes there are TWO sets of color and brightness/contrast settings. One for the desktop and one for the overlay that Xine, Mplayer and a host of other media apps use. It's like this on Windows too.)

      --
      -"...bad old ideas look confusingly fresh when they are packaged as technology" - Jaron Lanier (Digital Maoism on Edge.o
  30. I'm with a lot of posters here. by OneMHz · · Score: 1

    I'm not going near RP11. They lost their credibility with all the crap they pulled in their last versions (spam, annoying "features" that couldn't be disabled or avoided, poor quality software, etc). I look forward to uninstalling it from relatives' computers because it's nearly torched their setup... I'd even go so far as to say I question the credibility of the article... "Few, though, can match the slick ease of use of RealPlayer 11 -- and it isn't even out of beta yet." Beta is when they're working out the last bugs... Beta doesn't mean they're still designing features. Sounds like company PR masquerading as news.

    1. Re:I'm with a lot of posters here. by Billly+Gates · · Score: 1

      Real used to be teh AOL of the media player market. Real player 8 and 9 installed spyware and could mess up machine configurations. Recently they repented and supported Linux. On my gnu/Linux partition running ubuntu real is the only player with correct color calibration for my lcd laptop screen. Videos playing would be too dark or oversaturated on any other play but play fine under Windows. Real Player also is alot leaner then previous versions. I will keep the linux version on my machine for now and I hope this release is better than the really bad early versions.

      Your right in that it lost alot of credibility and alot has to be re-earned.

  31. Do they put commercial in the saved video by cyfer2000 · · Score: 1

    Do they put commercial in the saved video like at the beginning of the video or every 10 minutes?

    --
    There is a spark in every single flame bait point.
    1. Re:Do they put commercial in the saved video by jma05 · · Score: 1

      Please don't give them any ideas.

  32. ffmpeg by colfer · · Score: 1

    Compiled fmpeg binaries for Win32 were here, last time I checked: http://arrozcru.no-ip.org/ffmpeg_builds/

    1. Re:ffmpeg by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Then I see even LESS reason for those with even a modicum of technical know how to jump ship to REAL. Of course it doesn't help that I am mostly preaching to the choir...

  33. Videos of LOLcats set to Nickelback Songs by Patrick+Cosmos · · Score: 1
    Encoded for YouTube, then ripped and compressed again

    All aided by a single piece of software that will tinker with all of my preferences repeatedly without asking and doubtlessly be twice as large as necessary

    If they add in nag screens about constantly updating and tether spyware to it at the installation phase, I'm so there.

    1. Re:Videos of LOLcats set to Nickelback Songs by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Sounds good. Id also like a realplayer auto-updater that keeps adding itself to msconfig every time you play a local video. Even after youve deleted it and renamed it.

  34. Someone saying something nice about Realplayer? by jollyreaper · · Score: 4, Funny

    Is this another Dvorak troll masquerading as an article?

    --
    Kwisatz Haderach
    Sell the spice to CHOAM
    This Mahdi took Shaddam's Throne
  35. Roomates are wonderful! by El+Fantasmo · · Score: 1

    I'll just take my roommate's computer off the LAN (after I download the new real player on his machine with mine temporarily off the LAN); let it run a couple of days then ATTEMPT to uninstall it. On a similar vein... Ever try to uninstall MS Office 97 without the install disc handy?

  36. Done. Remember Belkin? by dazedNconfuzed · · Score: 1

    Gratuitously abuse users, and many won't come back no matter what.
    Remember Belkin and their "hey, let's randomly replace requested web pages with Belkin ads"? Still not buying them either.

    --
    Can we get a "-1 Wrong" moderation option?
    1. Re:Done. Remember Belkin? by poopie · · Score: 1

      Gratuitously abuse users, and many won't come back no matter what.

      Here's another one: Remember x10 and popunders?
  37. youtube-dl by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Have we all forgotten the youtube-dl python script or something? Who cares if Real Player 11 can do it, a simple Python script under the MIT license can do a better job.

    1. Re:youtube-dl by Tatsh · · Score: 1

      Right when I saw this article, I searched youtube-dl to see if anyone had already posted this. And I agree, who cares. I would much rather use free (as in speech) to rip FLVs, if I actually wanted to. That is not a new feature, yet it probably is marketed as that to the Winblows-world. GAH

  38. Saving YouTube videos by ThePyro · · Score: 5, Informative

    Am I the only one who just copies the videos directly from the FireFox cache folder? It's pretty easy to find them - they're huge compared to the other cached stuff. Just copy the file, rename to .flv, and you're ready to play it.

    1. Re:Saving YouTube videos by rs79 · · Score: 1

      "Am I the only one who just copies the videos directly from the FireFox cache folder?"

      No. Even my grandmother does this.

      --
      Need Mercedes parts ?
    2. Re:Saving YouTube videos by ben+there... · · Score: 1

      I do something similar. Use LiveHTTPHeaders extension, look for a URL in a header with FLV mime-type, copy/paste/save as...

    3. Re:Saving YouTube videos by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I've used this technique with Firefox for as long as I can remember (and the same technique works under IE (and probably every browser under the sun)).

      The thing is that I have tried many of these media download tools and I have come to the conclusion that they all have the same flaw: by the time you know that the media is worth downloading it's already in your cache, but these download tools don't seem to know this and so they end up requesting another copy. What a waste of bandwidth and time!

  39. Does it do streaming H.264 by mbone · · Score: 1

    Is RP 11 when Real finally starts supporting streaming H.264 ? The article doesn't say, but inquiring minds want to know...

  40. Ever try working FOR them? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I did for about a year... sleezy company... after seeing business practices and the extent of people who don't know they are being charged monthly since real conveniently held onto credit card info in case they wanted to come back, or they bought the "essential addons" to RP10, since they were checked by default at about $40 each...

    just terrible...

    I stay away after all that...

    I don't think they can totally change unless they have completely new management and new ownership...

  41. say what by blackmonday · · Score: 1

    How did this get through Firehose? For starters, the description makes no sense, I read it 3 times and i still don't fully get it. Now let's add Real, a company who squandered it's good position in the marketplace, to become an irrelevant player in the streaming media world. I once used Real on my website, but now it's a laughable notion to use it. MP3 + flash has killed it completely.

    I can only hope that [buffering...]

    1. Re:say what by bwy · · Score: 1

      You're not the only one. I'm not sure it was written in 100% English.

    2. Re:say what by totally+bogus+dude · · Score: 1

      I think they just managed to copy some tooltips or something along with the word.

      I imagine "YouTube" was meant to be a link with a title of "Latest News about YouTube", and "Mozilla" was meant to be linked with a title of "Latest News about Mozilla Foundation".

      Just how ScuttleMonkey managed to post it like that is beyond me though. (Actually, I can guess: he didn't actually read it.)

  42. So...... by demachina · · Score: 4, Informative

    ...you work for Real don't you rishimathew. It looks like all three of your Slashdot submissions are about Real. Nice free advertising for them, good work /. editors.

    --
    @de_machina
    1. Re:So...... by Andrei+D · · Score: 1

      Nah. Most likely Miss South Carolina Latest News about Miss South Carolina submitted it.

      --
      We often refuse to accept an idea merely because the tone of voice in which it has been expressed is unsympathetic to us
    2. Re:So...... by BigDukeSix · · Score: 2, Informative

      At least you can't say he's hiding.

  43. All is not well... by Herms · · Score: 5, Informative

    Few, though, can match the slick ease of use of RealPlayer 11 -- and it isn't even out of beta yet.
    Also, few can match the problems caused to completely unrelated software by simply installing it. The mechanism they use for flash video ripping is (as far as I've been able to tell) pretty much undocumented and, as it currently stands, breaks lots of stuff. My company's product breaks in a couple ways, even though our product has nothing to do with Real Player and doesn't serve video. Here are some links with info on the problems: I also created a wiki page on the osflash site to document them and workarounds/fixes if they're found: http://osflash.org/flashcoders/realplayer_bugs I honestly wouldn't be surprised if Real gets sued by someone over RP11. Either for stream ripping or simply for breaking Flash related products.
    --
    ~Herms
  44. just save the stream buffer by joejor · · Score: 2, Informative

    After all, the stream has to be buffered somewhere on your system. It doesn't get deleted until you navigate away. For example, with YouTube, I just save the /tmp/Flash????? file to watch later with xine. Maybe this only works with linux ...

    1. Re:just save the stream buffer by stinerman · · Score: 1

      Better yet, try clive.

    2. Re:just save the stream buffer by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Years ago, I subscribed to danni.com (NSFW). They had many videos on their site. The two options for viewing were WMP and Quicktime. The movies streamed to you, with no download option back then. I noticed really quickly that if I used Quicktime the .mov file would be in my cache. I would pause the video and go do something else. When the video was fully downloaded to my system (indicated by a full navigation bar), I would copy it from my cache and watch it full screen. I believe danni.com now has a download option with a higher cost membership. Not completely sure, I have not been there in at least three years.

      In regards to Real, I have been through many of the same issues that a normal /. reader has seen. I did use RP to watch downloaded episodes of Southpark as the files were small and the quality was not needed to enjoy the show. However, when Southpark did the WoW episode, I had to download the non-RP version, and ever since I have not used RP.

      When I switched to Linux back in March, I did install Helix/RP for a few files I had. However, after I switched distros shortly later, I kept it off my system. It was an added bonus to repartioning to see RP gone again.

  45. it's a trap! by Scrameustache · · Score: 1

    I have the latest version (non-beta) at work, no popups, no annoying links, no annoying file associations. My CD's play in Windows Media Player, as do my MP3's. Just because you can't change, or comprehend that a company can listen to customers and change, doesn't mean they won't change. ..or change back.
    --

    You can't take the sky from me...

  46. Re:It's closed, so it's dead by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Note to mods - please read the "Helix Community" Licence before moderating +1 Informative. I did, and it put me right off my dinner.

  47. Re:It's closed, so it's dead by rishistar · · Score: 2, Informative

    Helix also supports OGG, which RealPlayer 11 Beta doesn't. The web recording facility doesn't go with Opera either. Although it is slicker and seems less evil than previous stuff, lack of Ogg and Opera support mean I personally won't use it as my main player.

    --
    Professor Karmadillo Songs of Science
  48. Re:And the company are still die-hard spammers, no by Obfuscant · · Score: 2, Interesting
    So, back in the day, Real spammed. A lot.

    Two words: Maria Cantwell. The woman who thought that YOUR email system was installed so she could use it to sell you Real products.

    She's now a Senator, and still clueless.

  49. Re:It's closed, so it's dead by cortana · · Score: 1

    A shame that it's useless because it can't use ALSA.

  50. Useless. Why no Windows 98 or Linux download? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    You won't get a dime from me on free software if it's not available for an OS I use.

    1. Re:Useless. Why no Windows 98 or Linux download? by TriezGamer · · Score: 2, Funny

      You won't get a dime from me on free software

      I should hope not... It would be rather foolish of you.
  51. Why Adobe Reader? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    How do you view PDFs without Acrobat?

    Last time I checked Windows still doesn't have a "Preview" equivalent.

  52. Re:And the company are still die-hard spammers, no by seebs · · Score: 4, Informative

    Ahh, yes. It was "her" address (actually, a /dev/null box, as they later confirmed) that was put on all the spam, to give the impression that they gave a fuck whether it was bouncing or not. They didn't. I think it's funny that they apparently never complied with the law that she claimed was a good anti-spam law. I mean, it's bad enough that she was involved with legislation that was utterly worthless; so far as I know, their spam never even complied with that worthless legislation. Insult to injury, that.

    --
    My blog: http://www.seebs.net/log/ --- My iPhone/iPad app: http://www.seebs.net/seebsfrac/
  53. mplayer by giorgosts · · Score: 2, Informative

    $ mplayer /movie.rm -dumpstream -dumpfile movie.avi

  54. It's already stored on the HDD by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Most streaming content (like that from Youtube) gets already saved to the HDD. For example in Opera it's in the 'cache4' folder (for as long as you have the page open).
    I assume it's similar in other browsers.

  55. Works as advertised, but can't play .RA files by techvet · · Score: 0

    I've used RealPlayer 11 to download streaming videos and it's worked great for YouTube + local TV station. Very convenient for someone who doesn't always work deep in the engine room. I was looking for something like this this back in early June. As noted, the installation is quite non-invasive and doesn't grab preferences belonging to other media players. The one issue I have right now is that it won't play old *.RA files. TechVet

  56. Showing your age by swb · · Score: 1

    In 8th grade, we had to sneak into theaters.

    1. Re:Showing your age by nocomment · · Score: 1

      lol, we had to make VHS copies of copies of others friends copies of their dads copy of a friends of theirs copy of yet another copy.

      --
      /* oops I accidentally made a comment, sorry */
      /* http://allyourbasearebelongto.us */
  57. Yeah, sure by Ctrl-Z · · Score: 1

    It's a real rip alright. Just like everything else from Real.

    --
    www.timcoleman.com is a total waste of your time. Never go there.
  58. I was in the pub just last night by Bertie · · Score: 3, Interesting

    And there was a girl there who I hadn't met before. She used to work for my company, but now works at RealNetworks, managing what content they make available for purchase or something. Now, like most of you, my first reaction was "boo, hiss" when she told me who she worked for. But she swore to me that their top brass have seen the light and realised that annoying the living shite out of all your users isn't a good long-term business plan. She was raving on about their new player that's about to come out, particularly about its ability to save stuff from Youtube etc., and advised me to give it a chance, because it wasn't the RealPlayer we all know and hate from the past.

    And I probably will give it a chance, purely because she's extremely attractive...

    1. Re:I was in the pub just last night by snoggeramus · · Score: 0

      That's the best reason I can think of too. Works for me!

    2. Re:I was in the pub just last night by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Yeah, but did you fuck her?

  59. Oh right thats smart. by k1e0x · · Score: 0

    Hea man.. don't let your emotions get in the way or anything. You hate real and any illogical excuse you have to keep away from it is dammed well good enough for you, right?

    --
    Bringing liberty to the masses. - http://freetalklive.com/
    1. Re:Oh right thats smart. by Televiper2000 · · Score: 1

      I think you're under estimating how bad Real Player's reputation is. Besides... I think you have it backwards. You don't need a compelling reason to avoid real player, but you should have one before installing it.

      --
      New! Device Legs: These legs will help your poor OEM installed product escape any hamfistedness it may encounter. Ava
    2. Re:Oh right thats smart. by k1e0x · · Score: 1

      I hated Real too, but I changed my opinion like smart people do when a situation changes. Retards don't, they keep arguing the same irreverent points. (like Republicans supporting the war for WMD's)

      I think about the time the Helix Code project started I started to like them.

      --
      Bringing liberty to the masses. - http://freetalklive.com/
  60. RP10 for Linux *is* a good player. by k1e0x · · Score: 1

    Yeah, I really like the Linux player, hopefully they port this one properly. Its clean and does the job.. thats all people really want.

    Oddly enough MPlayer for Windows does a good job too (I like MPUI front end actually the most)

    --
    Bringing liberty to the masses. - http://freetalklive.com/
  61. Sweet. by k1e0x · · Score: 1

    Ok, yeah.. I'm sold, putting YouTube on my phone.. thats a sweet deal, ahaha who needs a $500 iPhone and worse a $200 at&t phone bill. lol

    --
    Bringing liberty to the masses. - http://freetalklive.com/
  62. Paper Tiger by LongestPrefix · · Score: 1

    "The real tiger is never a match for the paper one, unless real use is wanted." -- FP Brooks, The Mythical Man Month

  63. Re:It's closed, so it's dead by joeljkp · · Score: 2, Informative

    Helix Player 2.0 (don't know if this will correspond to RealPlayer 11) will support ALSA:

    https://player.helixcommunity.org/2005/dev/plans.h tml

    --
    WeRelate.org - wiki-based genealogy
  64. MOD PARENT WAY UP by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    The REAL story is in the links he posted. Real are HIJACKING the Flash player, and as a result it BREAKS the way some Flash media plays back.

    This is highly unethical and should not be condoned. They are doing it so they can show that Flash video is NOT a viable "secure" method of streaming video. They have their own DRM video format that they will be pimping.

    http://blog.jaycharles.net/?p=13

  65. Nero... by tkrotchko · · Score: 1

    There are parts of Nero that are still useful though... Nerovision is a quick and dirty way to make a decent DVD out of a random video file.

    And the core of Nero, the burning tool, is still the best commercial product around.

    And of course, the thing rarely crashes, unlike Roxio, who manages in release after release to make a product that crashes when you try pretty much anything. I don't know why people buy it the the 2nd time.

    --
    You were mistaken. Which is odd, since memory shouldn't be a problem for you
    1. Re:Nero... by FoamingToad · · Score: 1

      I'll agree with you on the burn engine - I rarely use anything else. But I am with GP that they bundle an inordinate amount of cr4p on the disc these days.

      I've been using Nero since v4.01, which came bundled with my second SCSI CD burner. However for me the golden age was the period of v5.5 -> v6.3, where they did everything well with a reasonable footprint.

      IIRC a full install of a current version of Nero 7 weighs in at about 1.1GB - WTF is that about?!

  66. Why bother? by billiam247 · · Score: 1

    Why bother with Real any more when there's Real Alternative? The only thing that doesn't work is streaming audio\video, but there's usually a choice of formats and it's so rare these days that it doesn't bother me a bit.

  67. lol by IntelliMoo · · Score: 1

    ummmm.... Even if it cures cancer, I'll stick with WMRecorder (and Replay Media Catcher) than EVER use RealPlayer again. LOL

    1. Re:lol by kyashan · · Score: 1

      ummmm.... Even if it cures cancer, I'll stick with WMRecorder (and Replay Media Catcher) than EVER use RealPlayer again. LOL
      Real is cancer !
      --
      "La presi e te la pagai (480.000 Lire)"
  68. And we'll have to watch them in *RealPlayer*, too by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    (see subject)

  69. REALPLAYER IS CRAP AND MAY BE THE SPAWN OF SATAN! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I mean really. WHAT are you smoking... you better share!

    real player.

    ANY version.

    IS TOTAL CRAP.

    You cant polish a turd. but you can paint it.

    And realplayer software is a painted turd. that smells pretty ripe after all this time.

  70. Open-source alternative by oedneil · · Score: 0

    Miro (formerly known as Democracy Player) is a free way to do this and not be tied to any proprietary formats. Worth looking into.

  71. shill/astro turfer by king-manic · · Score: 1

    Lets see, the article was posted by someone who seems to be with REAL.com. A number of "try it it folks, not as bad as before" seems to smell like astro turfers. I sense this entire post is pretty much a testament that REAL hasn't changed. They're still the same old shyster trying to sell you something someone else is giving for free. All the positive posts seem to have exactly the same tone with similar style. It makes me very very suspicious.

    --
    "There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy."
  72. Download Helper and Super by David+Off · · Score: 1

    I know another poster has mentioned Mozilla download helper. This is an add-on that saves most online streaming content by right clicking on a drop down list. You can the reencode (uggh) for your DVD (divx) player using Super. Just drag and drop your flv files to the Super windown and select Avi/Divx as the output type with a bit/frame rate equivalent to Home Theater Profile of DivX. You can also reencode to most mobile devices with Super.

  73. That may be so by FoamingToad · · Score: 1

    But I ran across a problem with RP10 that annoyed me to the point of not installing it. I run as pretty-much admin on my home Windows box. However, sick of the proliferation of crap that adds itself to the Start Menu -> Startup, or HKLM....Run keys (jusched.exe and adobe, I'm talking to you here), I dropped permissions on that directory and those keys to read-only for my account, reasoning I could use privilege escalation if I needed to work with them. I later wanted to listen to something from the BBC which required Realplayer, and so picked up the installer. Bear in mind that this is an admin account _EXCEPT_ for access to HKLM...Run and Startup. The realplayer installer just fell over indicating that it needed administrative privileges to run - in essence, failing unless it could install its crapware (tkbell.exe, IIRC) into my system's startup. To software manufacturers: I don't mind waiting a couple of extra seconds on my rig for an application to start up. In fact, if each of you stopped adding junk that expects to be run every time I start my damn machine, it probably wouldn't take so long anyway. Every TSR you try and inflict upon me is a black mark against you. And refusing to install without having permission to insert junk into my system's startup will result in your software being blacklisted. For software that attempts to auto-update, a TSR is not necessary. IMO Firefox / Thunderbird have it right. Periodically check for updates when the application is in use, and notify (don't force) that an app restart is necessary to finish the install. And as for the bloated excesses of driver/TSR combos for scanners and printers I've seen on other people's machines, these guarantee that I will neither buy nor recommend anything from that manufacturer ever. F_T

  74. Did you piss someone off or by strikethree · · Score: 1

    is it your sig that has caused your post to be modded as flamebait? I see nothing wrong with your post. At least it will all get sorted out in metamoderation.

    strike

    --
    "Someone needs to talk to the tree of liberty about its ghoulish drinking problem." by ohnocitizen
    1. Re:Did you piss someone off or by fm6 · · Score: 1

      Actually, I get a lot fewer "flamebait" and "troll" mods since I started using that sig. Which is what I hoped to accomplish. But there are still lots of nitwits who consider these mods an acceptable way to say "bullshit!"

  75. Why not use KeepVid? Nothing to install. by baffo · · Score: 1
    The KeepVid site works beautifully.

    You get the original flv video, no ads, no adware, nothing to install, just the video. But, of course, if you just cannot live without a "Save as" option in a menu...

    --
    Estamos como estamos porquè somos como somos.
  76. This comment will display by themysteryman73 · · Score: 1

    This comment will display after buffering...

  77. PHB-speak by 6Yankee · · Score: 1

    Ah, but if it's in alpha test it "isn't even out of beta yet"... ;)

  78. Is it still impossible to jump in a video? by justthinkit · · Score: 1

    The versions of Real Player I tolerated enough to try a video on did not allow me to jump to later points in the video file. You would move the slider, machine would grind, and grind, quitting time would arrive and I would give up and go home...after first halting real.exe.

    By the way, I don't really care if they finally fixed this show-stopper. I want RP as much as I want one world government.

    --
    I come here for the love
  79. Re:Saving YouTube videos - use a script by bytta · · Score: 1

    You're not alone
    I once created a cygwin script to do it automatically.

    #! /bin/bash
    #Copies all videos in the cache folder larger than 500kb to $savedir
    cachedir= # path to FireFox cache dir
    savedir= # path to save dir

    cd "$cachedir"
    # -name "[0-9A-Z]*" to skip _CACHE_xxx_ files
    for i in $(find . -size +500k -name "[0-9A-Z]*" | xargs file | grep -i video | cut -d: -f1 )
    do
                    mv -v "$i" "$savedir/$i.flv"
    done

  80. flv downloading sucks? by bakamaki · · Score: 1

    "Few, though, can match the slick ease of use of RealPlayer 11 -- and it isn't even out of beta yet." Somebody tell me how ripping streams is better than just downloading the flv? Furthermore, real ain't going anywhere near my machine.

  81. If you're just reading PDFs by chihowa · · Score: 1

    ... Foxit Reader is pretty good. (and fast!)

    --
    If you want a vision of the future, imagine a youtube comments section scrolling - forever.
  82. Security Patches by ACMENEWSLLC · · Score: 1

    Why I don't use Real Player is the same reason most people here don't.

    But I also manage around 500 computers. I block real player and install MPlayerC with the add ons if someone must play real content.

    Why? This is why;

    http://secunia.com/search/?search=real+player&w=0& sort_by=date

    Security patches out the wazzo - in which they are very slow to patch. Unlike Quicktime, Media Player M$, and others - Real almost always forces you to go to each machine any manually run through the update process. But you must register an e-mail address with each machine before you can do this. They only accept real@aol.com so many times.

    With the other media players I can use GPOs, Zen, SMS, and automate the patching.

    If you are lucky, they will provide a full installer with the update eventually. But you must navigate using an unsupported browser to find it.

    Real players gets removed any time I see it, and the new file name blocked as soon as I find it. Real's in our untrusted zone in IE too.