| news:86kensFQqjIAFwPu@[127.0.0.1]...
|
| > How to download RealPlayer without using their downloader?
|
| Huh? Their webpage is a carefully crafted mace of
disinformation, but
| I've never seen them offering it via their downloader. Got a
link?
|
| > And is there any way at all that you can stop it popping up
messages?
|
| Welcome to the world of annoying (and hopefully soon to be
extinct)
| media players / codecs.
|
Well, to be fair, the task of sending streaming media over a
phone line (or broadband) is daunting. There's some stuff in
common with printing, in which a buffer in the printer is
continuously filled by the computer. Here's an example of the
dialog between computer and printer:
C: Are you listening?
P: Yes, I'm ready.
C: Are you ready to receive data?
P: Yes, go ahead and send.
C: (sends data)
P: Stop, Stop! I'm full.
C: Stops sending
C: Can I send more?
P: No. Not yet.
P: Ok, I have room in my buffer for more text.
C: (sends the next batch of data).
P: Stop, Stop! I'm full.
(this routine repeats as the buffer is printed and replenished)
C: I've reached the end of the data.
P: OK I'm breaking the connection.
C: Nice knowing you. Goodbye.
Streaming media works the same way.
A couple of broadcasters I use offer .MP3 as an option to Real.
Their .MP3 is not a stream, but is saved to disk at a speed of
about 4x. After the stream is completely downloaded, it is a file
and it plays. For "live" transmission, I don't see why codecs
would not be needed.
| You have three choices as I see it. You can uninstall
RealPlayer and get
| RealAlternative. I'm not sure in the legalities of that though.
Technically
| you're probably breaking some EULA by doing so.
|
I don't see any violations so long as you are not using
copyrighted content to avoid buying it. Obviously, content that's
transmitted over free public airwaves is clearly in the public
domain at the time that it is broadcast. Some broadcast stations
provide streaming of their live transmission, but not of any
archived content. Stations that produce their own shows often
provide archives for download, but just of those programs that
they produced themselves.
As to uninstalling Real Player, Oh God! I will never install
anything from Real Networks again because the uninstallation was
such a nightmare. You can read my earlier post wherein I wrote a
bit about this. I think that many people will find it easier to
wipe their hard drives and reload all their software fresh than
trying to uninstall Real.
| You can uninstall what you have now and grab the latest beta of
RealPlayer
| 10. It's still somewhat decieving, so you have to be alert when
installing. It
| is, however, the first new version of RealPlayer that is
tamable once you've
| sifted through the options a couple of times. You can tell the
message center
| to get lost and that's always good.
|
| I also found the UI slightly more responsive, but I might be
imagining that.
|
| Download the RP10 beta here:
|
http://fileforum.betanews.com/detail.php3?fid=959031648
|
I would not do this even if I was paid! I certainly wouldn't want
my computer to be raped a second time.
| Your third options is to boycott their player and not use
streams or sites
| that require it. Remember to email these sites and tell them
why their
| choice of streaming media was a very, very bad one.
|
I have done this and I've never been given the courtesy of a
reply. However, I may have had an effect. A couple of the
broadcast sites that I've used have begun to provide alternatives
to Real streaming. MP3 download certainly sounds a hell of a lot
better.
Also, don't forget what some other people here have said: they're
using jetAudio or the Real Alternative/Media Player Classic combo
to play Real streams. In fact, that's what I do. I have found no
reason to be afraid of this software (yet).
Richard