Opinions on Real Audio?

erik · Post by **erik** » 29 Aug 2001 4:16 am

I would like to hear the live broadcast of the ISGC but remember hearing bad things about Real Audio selling personal information and messing with your computer's registry. Any comments?

Jack Stoner · Post by **Jack Stoner** » 29 Aug 2001 4:38 am

I don't know about selling lists, but some of the older versions (free versions) tended to be a little cranky with configurations. I had avoided reloading RealPlayer for that reason for quite a while. However, the current version seems to "behave" pretty good and I haven't had any problems with it.

Ernie Renn · Post by **Ernie Renn** » 29 Aug 2001 5:45 am

The only problem I have with the Real Player is that if you take it off the start up menu with MSCONFIG and then you open a file with it, it puts it right back. That can be annoying. Is that what you're talking about, Jack? Or some other peoblem?

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My best,
Ernie

The Official Buddy Emmons Website
www.buddyemmons.com

Craig Allen · Post by **Craig Allen** » 29 Aug 2001 6:13 am

I don't mind Real Player as much as I HATE Quicktime.

I do keep it on my system as some foolish writers still use it, and to see their streaming stuff you need to have it.
But, I disable all of it's atributes, so that it doesn't take over certain progs., and SPY on me.

It does contain spyware, and so I choose to castrate it.

erik · Post by **erik** » 29 Aug 2001 2:17 pm

Quicktime has spyware? What about RealPlayer? Is it an opt-in, or opt-out thing? I remember the folks at RealAudio getting exposed for violating user's privacy. So if i want to hear the broadcast what should i download? Just the audio? Or, do you have to take the whole system? Thanks.

erik · Post by **erik** » 29 Aug 2001 2:23 pm

Never mind i see i can get RealPlayer 8 Basic for free. That is what i'd download... if i do.

Jack Stoner · Post by **Jack Stoner** » 29 Aug 2001 2:55 pm

Ernie, the configuration options within RP did not have an option for the startup (RealTray) on some older versions. The current Version (V8) has an option to have it startup at windows start up or not.

Quicktime, as was mentioned, is another program that does what it wants to do not what you want it to do. I downloaded the latest version as I needed it to view something. After I got it on the PC I couldn't view or even play MP3/Wav files with my Windows Media Player. No matter how I tried to configure it, I had problems. I uninstalled Quicktime (went back to an earlier time using the Windows ME restore option) and the Windows Media Player problems went away. Napster was another that did what it wanted to do. I downloaded Napster and set up the configuration panel to what I wanted but it still configured the way it wanted so I immediately uninstalled it.

erik · Post by **erik** » 29 Aug 2001 7:44 pm

I spent a half hour downloading Real Player 8 Basic. I got an error at the end. So i got nothing. Then i had a registry error that required fixing by the Windows O.S. I really wish someone could create a computer somewhere between WebTV and PC. It's really frustrating. It's really not worth my time to fiddle with. Or, let's say it wastes a lot of valuable time.

Jack Stoner · Post by **Jack Stoner** » 30 Aug 2001 4:28 am

Erik, welcome to the "wonderful" world of computers. I don't like the term "they all do that" but it does apply to computers.

If you only have a special purpose computer, such as web tv that only does one thing then you don't run into most of the problems. But when you have general purpose PC's, with a multitude of configurations and software, problems can arise.

If we really think about it, it's a wonder anything works. We have various hardware configurations with many different hardware rev levels, different operating system versions and releases and then the many different add on software programs and versions. Combine them all together and there are potentially several hundred thousand combinations that any given program has to operate with.

Ernie Renn · Post by **Ernie Renn** » 1 Sep 2001 2:43 am

Jack;
I downloaded and installed the newest version.
You can update your player by clicking "help" on the player. Then select "check for updates".

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My best,
Ernie

The Official Buddy Emmons Website
www.buddyemmons.com

erik · Post by **erik** » 1 Sep 2001 3:21 am

I tried downloading again yesterday right before the convention. I got the same "illegal operation" at the end. So i didn't get to hear the broadcast. You need RealPlayer to hear the broadcast, yes?

erik · Post by **erik** » 1 Sep 2001 7:28 am

I downloaded WINAMPLITE and now can hear the broadcast.

Allen · Post by **Allen** » 3 Sep 2001 1:16 pm

For what its worth, IMHO Real Player can't hold a candle to Windows Media Player or MusicMatch Jukebox. I had no problem with the broadcast this weekend using MusicMatch Jukebox or WMP. Both programs are freebies.
My system is a 1.0ghz Pentium III, Windows ME, SB Live! Digital Sound Card. Dial-up ISP @approx. 56kbps.

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Allen Harry
Mullen D-10, 8 & 6
Nashville 1000

erik · Post by **erik** » 3 Sep 2001 4:09 pm

I downloaded Netscape 6.1 which came with RA8 Basic. I tried it out at cdnow. It sounded horrible. I deleted it. The WINAMP has been workin' great for me. Finally i can gear MP3s at MP3.com The WINAMP plays 'em fast. I could never get in with WMP or GAMUT.