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Off the Clock: RealPlayer SP downloads and converts web videos (even SFW ones!)
There are still glimpses of the past, of course. The installer does offer a toolbar (at least it's Google and not Ass...er, Ask). It also offers the pro version and a 14 day trial of something, but I can't tell you specifically what it was. Instead of reading, I quickly located the "leave me the hell alone" button and closed the screen.
The plugin works with all major browsers, which is great for me since I could be using IE, Firefox, Opera, or Chrome at any given time. RealPlayer recognizes just about any embedded Flash video - not just the ones on major sites like some downloaders do.
That means you can grab videos from other sites that might not be quite as SFW as YouTube. You know which ones I mean - they typically include either "you" or "tube" in the name, just with other words mixed in. Mostly words like "porn."
To cap it all off, RealPlayer SP also does mobile conversions to iPhone, Blackberry, the G1, PSP, and many others. Even in the free version the conversion quality is very good. For iPhone and iPod Touch conversions, the video is automatically zapped into your iTunes library when complete.
The app does other things, too. The player and media manager are actually fairly good as well. All in all, this is a far cry from the craptacular versions that made me walk away from Real years ago.
Comments
9
Subscribe to commentsEndejasSep 20th 2009 2:04PM
I don't think there's a force in this world that will get me to use a RealPlayer product again.
KarlWSep 20th 2009 2:54PM
I had to use RealPlayer to access the stream of BBC London Radio. The Mac version isn't that bad, actually.
I still couldn't bring myself to keep it. I wonder how the hell Real still exists and makes money.
anthony4helpSep 20th 2009 3:13PM
I use it for one thing and one thing only and it's just as described, that little tab that basically says, "Leech this video now?". Otherwise, RealPlayer is done. But it does make it so much easier to download videos and then use my real tools to convert them to something else so I can take them with me.
totoroSep 20th 2009 3:28PM
Real could release a player that makes breakfast in bed and I still wouldn't install it on my computer.
People keep telling me they've changed their crappy business practices of the past, but I just look at their website, and see the same people running the place that have always been there.
Kenn.keeperSep 20th 2009 3:58PM
Free is Good,,,,,But there are limits to what I even use or recommend....and this isn't one of them.
Kenn - Keeper
Gardiner WestboundSep 20th 2009 4:10PM
RealPlayer is like a 50-gallon enema, the hurt never goes away. Why would anybody use it when Real Alternative is available and free?
http://tinyurl.com/mqb5fg
Lacy KempSep 21st 2009 4:18PM
HI all- Lacy from RealNetworks here. I'm seeing lots of love in the comments... (kidding..) Ok, so I can see that you guys have a lot of ill-will towards RP. We've openly acknowledged that some of the past versions were less than stellar. We've also really incorporated a ton of user feedback into our latest versions and really hope that you'd be willing to give it a try. We'd love to know what you think of RPSP. It is a very small piece of software to download and we think it works really well. But, again, feedback is something we take very seriously so feel free to try it and leave your honest thoughts.
Thanks.
Lee JonesSep 21st 2009 4:23PM
Alright, Lacy, I'll give it another shot. :-)
Sanjay GoelSep 23rd 2009 3:04AM
Doesn't seem free to me. Its saying free trial and asking for credit card information.