Is it possible to save RealMedia movies from the BBC website?

[a]

Is it possible to save RealMedia movies from the BBC website?

I know that it is usually possible to download a .RAM file and read
the address of the .RM file, but, I can't see how to do this from the
BBC website. Any ideas?

 

[Richard Steinfeld]

Is it possible to save RealMedia movies from the BBC website?

I know that it is usually possible to download a .RAM file and read
the address of the .RM file, but, I can't see how to do this from the
BBC website. Any ideas?

An essential ingredient of the Real Networks business model is to ensure
that the end user be denied the ability to save program content. The
monetary engine of Real Networks streaming is advertising. When you
think that you've "saved" a real file, what you've saved is a link. The
object of this behavior is that if you want to view or listen to content
again, you'll be "served" with fresh advertising, and Real gets their
nickel.

As far as I know, when you contact a site with Real content, you will
typically make two additional connections. The first will be to Real's
site to keep tabs on you (it's spyware, folks). This is typically named
"Real is downloading new software;" the second will be to a Real
advertising download site. An additional link may be persued to "serve"
you with ads for program content.

Now you know why, when you use Real Player, the company seems so
insecure that it has to constantly give you "new software." (Did you
ever wonder about that?) If you are unlucky to have installed Real's
software on your machine, you may enjoy using Sygate firewall, which
will alert you to every outcall that Real is performing. It will be your
chance to watch the action on your screen and mutter, "What -- the -- hell!"

This is how I've gleaned their audio feeds work. I've got no reason to
think that their video is any different. I'm pretty troubled that BBC
has replaced their shortwave broadcasts to North America with this
sleazy internet invader.

Looked at another way, Real's technology is pretty slick. It's no small
achievement to download content-on-demand in real time (Real, get it?)
and communicate with your computer as if it was your computer and
printer talking with each other. What's especially impressive is the
system's ability to recover when the connection's momentarily messed up.
Of course, since then, other media have come along that can almost do
the same thing, with better quality.

If you use an alternative to Real Player for your downloads (the Real
Alternative codec set plus Media Player Classic or JetAudio), your
installation will run more nicely and you'll be able to uninstall the
thing. I know that there are a few free utilities that can allow you to
convert a real audio stream to a different, universal, audio format. I'm
not so sure about the image. I suspect that compressing a real picture
further could result in quite a mess. One way to always capture Real
audio is as a straight audio signal since it's got to be in that form to
get to your speakers.

If anyone has anything to add to my description or disagrees, please
holler up, y'hear?

Richard

 

[Harvey Van Sickle]

On 18 Aug 2005, Richard Steinfeld wrote

-snip of stuff I agree entirely with-

If you use an alternative to Real Player for your downloads (the
Real Alternative codec set plus Media Player Classic or JetAudio),
your installation will run more nicely and you'll be able to
uninstall the thing. I know that there are a few free utilities
that can allow you to convert a real audio stream to a different,
universal, audio format. I'm not so sure about the image.

I use Real Alternative and a (paid-for) stream-capture program for
audio. Works a treat on the BBC feeds, and converts them to
..wav/.mp3/OggVorbis, etc.

I've not come across -- but nor have I really searched for -- a
streaming-video capture program, but my impression is that it's a *lot*
harder to achieve. (The FAQ of the program I use keeps saying they're
looking at a video-capture, but they've been saying that for a few
years now and there's no sign of it yet.)

 

[andrew at portablefreeware dot com]

Hi,

Try Real7ime Converter (R7C).

Direct link: http://r7cproj.euro.ru/indexe.htm

Regards.

 

[Anthony Deane]

(e-mail address removed) wrote:

This is how I've gleaned their audio feeds work. I've got no reason to
think that their video is any different. I'm pretty troubled that BBC has
replaced their shortwave broadcasts to North America with this sleazy
internet invader.

In fairness though, it's us licence payers in the UK that are paying for it,
so you are getting something for nothing ;-)

Anthony

 

[KeithS]

In fairness though, it's us licence payers in the UK that are paying for it,
so you are getting something for nothing ;-)

Think that Overseas services of BBC (BBC World Service) are funded from
Government.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/info/licencefee/ look under 'what your licence
provides'

 

[a]

Hi,

Try Real7ime Converter (R7C).

Direct link: http://r7cproj.euro.ru/indexe.htm

Thank you for the replies so far.

My setup is a clean Win98 install with the K-Lite Mega codec pack.
This gives me Media Player Classic and RM plugins for IE and Firefox

A file on a website with a .ram extension is just a pointer to the
actual media file(s) location.

After downloading the .ram file I usually rename the filename
extension to .txt to allow it to be read by Notepad.

This usually reveals the ACTUAL media file location.

Example:

Download dds.ram from the following address:

http://www.waramps.ca/multi/ddds.ram

Rename to dds.txt and open in Notepad. You should see the following
line of text.

http://www.waramps.ca/multi/ddds.rm

Copy the address into your browser, and Save the file to your HD.

Media Player Classic will play either the .ram (If you give it
permission to stream it from the net) or the .rm on your HD.

However, this technique does not work with the BBC site.

Real7ime Converter (R7C) v1.1 looks for the REAL plugins in C:\Program
Files\Common Files\Real\Plugins

Changing this to:

C:\Program Files\K-Lite Codec Pack\Real\Plugins

Still doesn't work. Any ideas?

 

[Dave]

Hi a@b,

I don't know if this is of any help, but what I normally do is play the
video all the way through, (sometimes I listen and sometimes I don't) and
when it's finished I open up my Temporary Internet Files, locate the Real
Media file, Right click on it and COPY - then Right click on my desktop and
PASTE and that's it.

I have found this method works with Flash Files (SWF) Windows Media Player
Files and QuickTime. If you try the above method I would suggest you EMPTY
your Temporary Internet Files then go get the Video or whatever you want,
then when you go back in the temp internet folder your file is easy to find.

I went to http://www.bbc.co.uk/totp/video/

and played the Jessica Simpson Full Video (Nice as well..AHEM) then I just
done what I have explained and found it no problem.

That's about it.

Dave.

To reply remove the NO SPAM from my email address.

 

[elephant]

Hi a@b,

I don't know if this is of any help, but what I normally do is play the
video all the way through, (sometimes I listen and sometimes I don't) and
when it's finished I open up my Temporary Internet Files, locate the Real
Media file, Right click on it and COPY - then Right click on my desktop and
PASTE and that's it.

I have found this method works with Flash Files (SWF) Windows Media Player
Files and QuickTime. If you try the above method I would suggest you EMPTY
your Temporary Internet Files then go get the Video or whatever you want,
then when you go back in the temp internet folder your file is easy to find.

I went to http://www.bbc.co.uk/totp/video/

and played the Jessica Simpson Full Video (Nice as well..AHEM) then I just
done what I have explained and found it no problem.

That's about it.

Dave.

Dave, I've been making use of my temporary internet files like that for
a long time. It's worked for me 98% of the time. Sure saves the time
and effort of having to install software to capture the stream, when
it's already sitting on your computer. Most people think that the
temporary internet file folder is junk. There is a treasure trove of
good stuff in there.

Thanks for bringing it up 1st. I was going to, but you put it in better
terms than I could have.

 

[hummingbird]

Think that Overseas services of BBC (BBC World Service) are funded from
Government.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/info/licencefee/ look under 'what your licence
provides'

Who do you think funds the government?

 

[Klaatu]

Who do you think funds the government?

The people.

Who do you think determine what the government funds?

I'll give you a hint: lobbyists are used by these groups.

 

[Richard Steinfeld]

The people.

Who do you think determine what the government funds?

I'll give you a hint: lobbyists are used by these groups.

Dunno. When I think of lobbyists (in the USA; this topic is about the
UK), I think about corporate pimps who have been actually writing laws
for the politicians, directly for the advantage of their clients, and
usually to the detriment of the rest of us. Corporate lobbyists and
their bedded congress partners rip our democracy to shreds. (Who does
your representative work for?) This is our true elephant in the
livingroom, strangely ignored by our press.

In the case of our getting "something for nothing" from the BBC, it's
partially true, partially false.

BBC programs shown on American TV are paid for per broadcast by the
transmitting station, usually public. The BBC extracts extremely high
prices for this, often (in the case of Dr. Who, for example) the rates
are so high as to be prohibitive. So high that the BBC shoots their own
feet with diminished exposure and diminished business. In other words,
the local outlets here have chosen to not broadcast the show despite a
large loyal following because the rates are so exhorbitant.

Similarly, the BBC has released music recordings here via a partnership
arrangement. As with the broadcasts, the method of sale (only by annual
subscription, all-of-nothing) is so expensive that I believe that the
business is defunct. I believe that the BBC has not chosen their
American marketing partners wisely.

That's all too bad. I don't think that you folks in the UK are aware of
this situation. I know that the BBC has been under right-wing pressure
as a "lavish waste." The BBC actually brings in money through the sale
of broadcast rights elsewhere in the world. I believe that the BBC could
relize a greater return if they'd lower their prices.

Make sense?

Richard

 

[a]

Yes I agree, a very useful technique, unfortunately it doesn't work in
this particular case.

 

[a]

I've found the location of the actual file, but I can't access it
because its on an RTSP server. Read on, dot dot dot.

Click on a link on the BBC site to run a RealMedia file, for instance
anything on this page:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/nationonfilm/topics/railways/

will run the RealMedia file using a plugin in a new browser window (I
have the K-Lite Mega codec pack installed). This gives the option to
run in a stand alone player. Hover your mouse over 'Launch this in a
standalone player' and the location of the .ram file is now shown (You
may need to maximise the window to see it)

For instance:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/nationonfilm/nb/00377_4x3_nb.ram

Download the .ram file. Rename the filename extension to .txt to allow
it to be read by a plain text editor such as Notepad.

Open the file in Notepad. The location of the ACTUAL media file should
be in plain text.

rtsp://rmv8.bbc.net.uk/nationonfilm/nb/00377_4x3_nb.rm

Unfortunately, it's rtsp: (Real Time Streaming Protocol)

I seem to recal a program that could handle all sorts of protocols,
does anybody know how to do this?

 

[Onno Voors]

rtsp://rmv8.bbc.net.uk/nationonfilm/nb/00377_4x3_nb.rm

Unfortunately, it's rtsp: (Real Time Streaming Protocol)

I seem to recal a program that could handle all sorts of protocols,
does anybody know how to do this?

Net Transport 1.87 dowloaded this file without any problems.

 

[John Corliss]

Dunno. When I think of lobbyists (in the USA; this topic is about the
UK), I think about corporate pimps who have been actually writing laws
for the politicians, directly for the advantage of their clients, and
usually to the detriment of the rest of us. Corporate lobbyists and
their bedded congress partners rip our democracy to shreds. (Who does
your representative work for?) This is our true elephant in the
livingroom, strangely ignored by our press. (clipped)

Richard, this isn't really strange at all when you consider that (at
least in the U.S.) most of the articles you read in the press, or see
and hear in media come from one huge monopolistic press agency - the
"Associated Press".
"IMO" AP is totally in bed with the government. I.e. the government
doesn't need to control the press since they both kiss each other's asses.

Free press, free speech, freedom of association, etc. all of these no
longer really exist in many ways. However, our (U.S.) government strives
in a half-assed way to maintain the illusion that this isn't the case.
You might notice that you rarely hear references to the United States as
being a "free country" anymore.

As for simply viewing and hearing the RealMedia streams, Real
Alternative works on my system to view or listen to BBC streaming media.
However, the following questions:

1. where does Real Alternative originate

2. if it's on the level, why doesn't Real go after the person who is
responsible for it

still haven't been answered to my satisfaction.

As for saving streaming RealMedia to one's hard drive, a cursory
research on the internet has shown me that this is usually not going to
be possible for two reasons:

1. Real has incorporated proprietary coding in their media format that
blocks players which do things which Real doesn't want them to do, like
recording streaming media for instance.

2. Real agressively pursues legal action against companies who put out
software for downloading streaming media.

This isn't to say that all RealMedia can't be saved to hard drive, but
companies who want to block this from happening can easily do so.

 

[andrew at portablefreeware dot com]

Hi,

I just converted some BBC RealMedia streams to MP3 using Real7ime yesterday with
no problems. Example follows:

Analysis: http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/programmes/analysis.shtml
Audio link: http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/meta/tx/nb/analysis_fri_au_nb.ram
Paste into Real7ime URL field.
Select "Convert to WAV" (dunno why, but "Convert to MP3" directly didn't work
for me).
Convert WAV file to MP3 using winLame: http://www.portablefreeware.com/?id=58

Regards.

 

[a]

Net Transport 1.87 dowloaded this file without any problems.

Excellent. Thank you Onno, that's the prog.

 

[hummingbird]

The people.
Right.

Who do you think determine what the government funds?

I'll give you a hint: lobbyists are used by these groups.

That's probably true in the US but not so much in the UK...

Whereas BBC World Service Radio is funded by the Foreign Office
on the basis that it spreads happiness and warmth about Britain; the
BBC World TV channel is supposedly self-funding from selling itself
around the world and various add-on services. I have little doubt this
is untrue and that World TV is very likely discreetly subsidised by UK
taxpayers like WS Radio.

 

[hummingbird]

Richard, this isn't really strange at all when you consider that (at
least in the U.S.) most of the articles you read in the press, or see
and hear in media come from one huge monopolistic press agency - the
"Associated Press".
"IMO" AP is totally in bed with the government. I.e. the government
doesn't need to control the press since they both kiss each other's asses.

Free press, free speech, freedom of association, etc. all of these no
longer really exist in many ways. However, our (U.S.) government strives
in a half-assed way to maintain the illusion that this isn't the case.
You might notice that you rarely hear references to the United States as
being a "free country" anymore.

As for simply viewing and hearing the RealMedia streams, Real
Alternative works on my system to view or listen to BBC streaming media.
However, the following questions:

1. where does Real Alternative originate

2. if it's on the level, why doesn't Real go after the person who is
responsible for it

still haven't been answered to my satisfaction.

Do you have a theory about Real Alt's origins?
I thought it was from some Eastern Europeans or Russians...

As for saving streaming RealMedia to one's hard drive, a cursory
research on the internet has shown me that this is usually not going to
be possible for two reasons:

1. Real has incorporated proprietary coding in their media format that
blocks players which do things which Real doesn't want them to do, like
recording streaming media for instance.

2. Real agressively pursues legal action against companies who put out
software for downloading streaming media.

This isn't to say that all RealMedia can't be saved to hard drive, but
companies who want to block this from happening can easily do so.

I used to use a program called 'Audio Record Wizard' which was
chargeable but used to record anything going through the soundcard,
including Real streams.