Can .ra Files Be Converted?

Chip Fossa · Post by **Chip Fossa** » 27 Nov 2000 5:00 am

I've been reading over, with interest,
Joe Delaronde's post on RealPlayer.
I, too, really dislike RealPlayer. She's a pig alright. Hog, more like it.

As mentioned in a previous post on 'Computer'
I went and got another pc, but have resisted so far in downloading RP; and obviously the only reason to download it would be for Rebel's/Ricky Davis' great steel tab archive.
So as it stands now, I can not listen to it.

But can't those .ra files be converted into another audio format - mp3, wave, midi etc.?

We've talked about conversions here before, like going from midi to wave, wave to mp3 etc.
Why not .ra to something more user friendly?

I wonder, why were .ra files used for the steel tab archive in the 1st place?

Also, is there some plug-in or download that
will enable Windows Media or maybe MusicMatch Jukebox to play .ra files? Those links and posts on Joe D's post wasn't quite clear on this.

Thanks All
chipsahoy

Everett Cox · Post by **Everett Cox** » 27 Nov 2000 11:21 am

Chip-- As stated in the other thread, Windows Media Player version 6.0 does just fine with .RA files. I just downloaded a couple from Ricky's site and used MP to play them. Two things to note

1)I had a bit of trouble with standard downloading when clicking the file TITLE per Ricky's instructions and (2)This older version of MP was included in the Internet Explorer SP2 upgrade and MicroSoft doesn't seem to have it as a stand-alone anymore. --Everett

Jack Stoner · Post by **Jack Stoner** » 27 Nov 2000 1:43 pm

According to the program description, at ZD Net, Jet Audio + will handle .ra files.

Here's the link to it.
http://www.zdnet.com/downloads/stories/info/0,,000I87,.html

Jon Light (deceased) · Post by **Jon Light (deceased)** » 27 Nov 2000 3:48 pm

I definitely may be wrong here--I just don't recall--but I thought that there was a prompt during RealPlayer download where they try to get you to select RP as the default player and I thought that if you unchecked this you could prevent the takeover of your system. Like I said, I could be wrong. I have four different players on board now which I know is silly but at the moment there's no conflict and RealPlayer , somehow, knows its place and does not intrude unless I am playing ra files.

Chip Fossa · Post by **Chip Fossa** » 27 Nov 2000 4:08 pm

Everett...so there is a bit of a hassle here
with MP 6.0? I just-right clicked on the taskbar icon for MP [brand spankin new HP pc]
and looked at 'properties' and guess what?
It couldn't tell me which version of MP I
am using.
Jack...Is JetAudio a free download? And is it less invasive than RP? I had ZDNet on my old pc at one time and thought the general ZD experience was a bit overwhelming...but this is coming from memory now, and I could have a few things askewed.
And Jon...you may have the answer...but I thought that I did de-default RP at one point on the old pc, but somehow it came back to haunt.
Thanks Guys...
FWIW
chipsahoy

Jack Stoner · Post by **Jack Stoner** » 27 Nov 2000 4:14 pm

Chip, click on the link I provided and check it out. I don't have it and just did a search for ra compatible players and that one came up.

Jon Light (deceased) · Post by **Jon Light (deceased)** » 27 Nov 2000 4:15 pm

Chip--open MediaPlayer, (on my system it's START>>PROGRAMS>>ACCESSORIES>>MULTIMEDIA>>WINDOWS MP) click HELP and click ABOUT WMP--that'll tell you what version you've got.

Graham · Post by **Graham** » 27 Nov 2000 5:33 pm

Chip:
The reason I went with .ra files when I started the site can be summed up in two words:

FILE SIZE!

I am currently paying for over 50 meg of server space to run the site and a comparable mp3 (file size) can only be done with a loss of sampling rate on the audio. I encode my clips at 40 in .ra and would have to go with 20 in mp3 being as how they were originally set down at 11025 hz, 16-bit mono. I could redo them at 22050 hz 16-bit and then save them as mp3 at a sampling rate of 40 but with the number of clips on the site now, I have neither the time nor the inclination to do that.
Like Jon, I too am running 4 different players and Real Audio handles ONLY Real Audio files. Winamp handles mp3, Windows Media Player handles .wav and Cooledit2000 handles any format I choose it to, of the formats it supports.
Winamp can be set up to handle .ra files but then, some don't like the way it behaves on their computer either.
I can tell you this tho', based on complaints I've received thru email about the .ra files and copyright infringement, I'm pretty close to just shutting down the site and saying the hell with it.
To paraphrase: You can please some of the people some of the time, but you can't please all of the people all the time.
It is a monumental task to try to please everybody.

------------------
Rebel™
ICQ 614585
http://users.interlinks.net/rebel/steel/steel.html

Chip Fossa · Post by **Chip Fossa** » 27 Nov 2000 7:00 pm

Graham,
I was hopin' you wouldn't take exception to my inquiry. I know nothing at all about the little inner [or big inner for that matter] workings of 'files'. I've just never come across a .ra file before your archive site.
OK - it costs less to run and takes up less room.....that's good enuff reason I would say why anyone would rather use a .ra file.

I sure hope you don't close down your site.
It's a real treasure.

And what's this about copyright infringement?
I'd be willing send in a yearly fee for your
site. I'm gettin' a little cranky about this copyright stuff.
If I was to send anyone a copy and tab of Joy of Man's Desiring by J.S.Bach, is he or some bigtime lawenforceragentman gonna come and cuff, fingerprint, and jail me? I think not.
What is the give here. Are we supposeed to sit down and write a check out everytime we access a song or piece of literature?

If this keeps up, then there's no point in playing music.

Hey, right or wrong, I've been taping music all my life...ever since grade school. I'm not about to stop now. Amen.
chipsahoy<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by CHIP FOSSA on 27 November 2000 at 07:08 PM.]</p></FONT>

Chip Fossa · Post by **Chip Fossa** » 27 Nov 2000 7:05 pm

Jon,
I found the version...but I had to launch WMP and then click HELP/About WMP.
The version is: 7.00.00.1440.
Is this good or bad or both?
chipsahoy