rm file problem

[charliemouse]

Hello.

I can't convert a .rm file to wav:
I installed real alternative, added the extentions to 'configure directshow decoder', ran configuration.

It does see the file and coverts the first fraction of a second to a few bytes of wav file. The file plays fine in real plalyer though. It was recorded using net transport so should have no protection etc.

I'm trying this with v11.5 as it purports too working. I use both v 11.5 (registered) and 12 (reference, registered).

Thanks for help.

[charliemouse]

Re: rm file problem

If it is of any help, I've loaded the file into audacity, which should be able to read rm files: It plays a second of what sounds like incredibly speeded up sound.

The original file is 33MB, and definitely contains the audio real player plays.

Is it possible there is some different from of coded used for real player these days...?

[charliemouse]

Re: rm file problem

one further point for info, mediacoder (which also won't decode it) reports it as being as using codec "real audio 10 aac" 96kbps, 28 mins long.

[LtData]

Re: rm file problem

To double-check:
You installed Real Alternative and do NOT have any official RealPlayer installed
You added followed the instructions on the Real Audio page about the extensions to add and then ran dMC Configuration to make sure it took

Can WMP play the file? If it can't, it means the RealMedia Splitter isn't able to decode your file properly. You can use Auxiliary Input to re-record the file to WAV as you play it, or try using the old real-time Real Audio decoder.

If it can, then we will have to investigate further.

[charliemouse]

Re: rm file problem

Hi,
OK - I tried Windows media player as you suggest: Yes and no: It plays 2 seconds of it then crashes.
All convertors I (Total video convertor, Super etc) also fail (crash). They read the length correctly, but can't play it. Nero also fails to play it as does jetaudio (both used on a different PC).

VLC ought to be able to play this file, but it also crashes.

A small utility called tinra along with tinra gui can convert it to an avi! I notice it took ages, probably the length of time of the file, so I guess it probably hooks into realaudio (it said loading racore or something at start), so it is probably the equivalent of your aux input utility (except it creates a damn avi, so obviously I could go with yours.)

Yet real alternative's media player plays the file without a problem! This and realaudio its self are the ONLY utilities which will play the file.

So what is the realmedia splitter? You said if it doesn't play in WMP we can't use it - but it does play in realalternative: as that is needed is that not where the directshow plugin gets its decoding ability from?

>If it can, then we will have to investigate further.

- Does "it can and it can't" mean further investigation or not.

If not, I'd be very interested to know why real alternative is needed, can play, but can't decode.

Thanks for your help again!

[LtData]

Re: rm file problem

The RealMedia Splitter is what enabled any DirectShow-compliant player play real audio files. That is, that is what WMP and dMC use to decode Real files.

Since WMP does the same thing dMC does (uses a few seconds), then apparently the RealMedia Splitter doesn't like your file. Media Player Classic, the player that RealAlternative installs, directly uses the Real codecs, though, which is probably why it can play it when nothing else can.

If you have an AVI file, try downloading VirtualDub and extracting the audio as a WAV file.

[charliemouse]

Re: rm file problem

PS - I missed a point in your email - I did indeed take real player 10.5 off the system. Same problem.
Note, with it removed, mediaplayer was still able to play the file.
I'm not sure having media player causes problems? I need it to get the file in the first place as the .smil won't open with alternative. No problem if any fix involved not having it on the same computer - anything to get .rm files decoded!
Thanks

[charliemouse]

Re: rm file problem

So there isn't any way to get dbpoweramp using the codecs in real (alternative) not the 'real media splitter'?

What incidentally is the 'real media splitter'? Quick search I notice 1.0.1.1 was 2005, the last release of this? I presume there are no other codecs which read ra files? - any you know of would give me something to hunt on for things that can employ that codec! I guess everyone uses this free splitter?

[LtData]

Re: rm file problem

The "Real Media Splitter" is installed by RealAlternative, but not used by the program itself. Rather, that program decodes most real files and allows programs that use DirectShow to decode/play the files.

There is another solution for you to get dMC to decode your files: Uninstall RealAlternative, install the RealPlayer and then use the older real-time Real decoder to decode your files. More information is in Legacy Codec Central under Real Audio.

[charliemouse]

Re: rm file problem

OK, I'm onto something.
I installed realone player (gold, V2 - before they went to 10.5 and annoyed people even more than before).

I'll include a couple of references if anyone wants to confirm anything [feel free to edit out, moderator]:

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4963560

Plays fine - it is said to be Real media V 8.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=6504311

Real player says it needs to download an update to play: it offers V10.5!

Elsewhere I find this file is Real media V10.
I find each file can be downloaded quickly with nettransport (the rtsp address gained from either real player 10.5 or wm recorder, which incidentally won't download it).

The V8 file decodes using dbpoweramp fine.

So V8 plays with RM splitter, V10 doesn't.

There is another solution for you to get dMC to decode your files: Uninstall RealAlternative, install the RealPlayer and then use the older real-time Real decoder to decode your files.

So: Bearing in mind v 10 will not play with older real players, will the older real-time decoder you recommen work with v10.5 (as if it requires pre-10 versions, the file will not play on those anyhow)?

(coded central states "this had the limitation of requiring Real Player 8 and would only decode in realtime")

Well I've certainly learned something. Ofcourse there is a perfectly playable WMA stream, only I hate being defeated by something, and at some point there will be lots of V10s and no one will be able to decode them :s

[LtData]

Re: rm file problem

The old real-time decoder says it requires RealPlayer 8 and therefore I have no idea if it works with the newer versions of RealPlayer.

Thanks for researching this issue some, I will note this thread for future .rm issues.

[charliemouse]

Re: rm file problem

Ltdata,

Thanks also for your help. With your help and that of everyone who's written on this subject on the web, and slightly sore back from sitting at my PC for too long, and now having worked through a bottle of wine as it is friday and I ought to have gone out tonight, I've now found *more than one way* to convert rm files. And I'm not going to tell anyone. Oh go on.

1. Get the RM file:
You may find wm recorder gets it. Works great for wma streams, but poor for real streams. It does tell me the rtsp address, but you don't need that. RA 10.5 tells you the address of the file you want.
Bung it in the most up to date 'net transport' program (google it). You have the RA file.

2a. Convert it to wav using real player (!)
Yes, programs like dbpoweramp are superb, but they don't have RM's codec for this particular task. Most use 'realmedia splitter'. It won't deal with recent RM files, as won't realplayer (pre 10.5)

2b. To convert it to wav:

2b(i) Use tara plugin in winamp 5 or 2: this seems to use realplayers core (the only way you'll get the content out of the file). Select nulsoft disk writer as an output. Wheeee. A wav to give to dbpoweramp to create your mp3/wma/flac etc!

2b(ii) Use most recent tinra and it's gui to create an avi (this also uses's realplayer's core), with the uncompressed output. Use a utility called avi2wav to create a wav of the avi.

The advantage of 2b(i) over 2b(ii), appart from less stages, is that winamp creates the wav *fast*. tinra plays it in realtime.

re dbpoweramp development: hooking the realplayer core looks to be the way forward - tinra and tara are rather old, yet they work with new version. If dbpoweramp can hook realplayer using something like tara it could whiz through a rm to [anything] conversion and be the first widely used program to do it.

Then again, if you did, I'm probably making a rod for my own back:real will make a core no one can employ in the future and new rm files will require that version, and I'll not be able to record streams. Still, like a few on this board, I also work in IT there's always someone who'll rise to the challenge. Maybe you could use real-alternative's core, as that is the only other thing that plays recent rm files.

Anyhow,
Have hope this helps some.

Now I can go and listen to some of my recordings while I wait for 12.1 reference to be released so I can convert my wma to mp3 maintaing folder structures *without* crashing.

Robin

[addendum - you must be logged in as a user with admin rights to use winamp method: I tried as standard user (XP), which is how I normally run at home, but using 'run as administrator' and it crashes. It plays rm fine, but the nulsoft disk writer requires you to log in as admin.]

[LtData]

Re: rm file problem

Re: Winamp crashing as a normal user
What did you have the output location set to? Make sure it is somewhere you can write to.

[charliemouse]

Re: rm file problem

Re: Winamp crashing as a normal user
What did you have the output location set to? Make sure it is somewhere you can write to.

It was set to a drive all users have write/create access to. I know child processes of something running as admin should also run as admin, so I can only imagine it calls up something already running as non-admin. (eg explorer is one of those things that if you call up with a 'runas /user:admin' it fails unless quotes and a '/separate' are used.
No problem at all though. I'm very pleased to be able to convert the files to wav so I can get them back into dbpoweramp to convert