Re: Saving BBC streaming video clips?

de Terry Pinnell 01/31/2008 11:22

Manatee Memories <royalfeline!REMOVE!@hotmail.com> wrote:

>On Thu, 31 Jan 2008 10:43:20 +0000, Terry Pinnell
><terrypin@dial.pipex.com> wrote, by way of
><mq83q3dkpsi4hbpacu4shdoljh94vfofm6@4ax.com>, in alt.comp.freeware -->
>
>>Anyone have a recommendation for a straightforward method to capture a
>>BBC video clip (typically streaming RealPlayer media) to my HD please?
>>
>>I looked for a short example with which to experiment and found this
>>24 second clip:
>>http://www.bbc.co.uk/videonation/articles/d/devon_thebarton.shtml
>>I can view that OK by clicking WATCH THIS VIDEO. But how do I capture
>>it permanently? (Ideally in MPEG or WMV. But if in 'rm' format, I can
>>probably use something like SUPER to convert it).
>>
>>Apart from half a dozen commercial programs, my research produced one
>>possibility called Real7ime Converter (R7C). But I can't get it
>>working. Probably because I use RealPlayer Alternative, as I found
>>RealPlayer too intrusive.
>>
>>I also tried a method based on the assumption that, after playing in
>>full, the file must be in my Firefox cache folder. But immediately
>>after playing that short video example, I found not one but two new
>>files in there:
>>_CACHE_001_
>>_CACHE_002_
>>
>>Neither have extensions (which I find an annoyance - one small
>>advantage that IE Temporary Internet Files had!) so I tried adding
>>one, to give
>>_CACHE_001_.rm
>>_CACHE_002_.rm
>>But although d-clicking opens Media Player Classic, I just get an
>>unhelpful error message "RealMedia error".
>>
>>Any practical advice would be much appreciated please. There must be
>>some no-brainer way to do this!
>
>(the below may discuss some non-freeware, so please tread carefully)
>
>I have come-upon your situation previously. For browser, I used Opera;
>browse to the above url/site, right-click on "Launch this in standalone
>player", then "Copy Link Location". Once the link's properties are in
>the clipboard, I start "Free Download Manager"
>(<http://www.freedownloadmanager.com>), open its' main-window, click on
>(far left of button-bar) "Add download", then download the file
>"devon_thebarton_4x3_nb.ram" (all of 1 Kb in size). I then use "Hex
>Workshop" (<http://www.bpsoft.com/>) to properly view the files'
>contents, whereupon I see
>"rtsp://rmv8.bbc.net.uk/videonation/d/devon_thebarton_56.rm" prominently
>displayed.
>
>Since the "rtsp" format is not too-often seen, another downloading
>program must be used; I favour "CoCSoft Stream Down", version 6.2. This
>will download the relevant ".rm" file to your hard-drive, ready for
>playage.

Many thanks for all the further replies. Much to follow up there. Will
get on the case tomorrow.

BTW, at some stage earlier today I did actually get as far as trying
to 'open' an 'rtsp' address, but that was as far as I got.

--
Terry, East Grinstead, UK