ESPN3...Is there a way to force RMC to capture at 1600k?

[Sam Sport]

RMCatcher will usually start capturing the first level of streaming,usually at 400k and then it might later start capturing the 1200k stream. If I look at the stream in my browser, it will occasionally go to 4 bars (or 1600k) but RMC almost never starts recording this stream. There must be a way to get it to record this stream. If anyone has any tips to do this it would be great to know. By the way I'm still sticking with RMC 3.1 as I prefer it. If ESPN3 didn't have such a terrible interface I wouldn't want to download the events but I prefer to watch them in true full screen,be able to go backwards and forwards easily with my mouse , play slow motion etc.Thanks.

[Sam Sport]

Well, no answer so far but maybe someone with more knowledge about RMcatcher could help with this. When I go to properties for file being downloaded it has this long stream of info.

This one is for the 400k stream:

Downloading RTMP stream:
RTMP App: rtmp://cp88998.edgefcs.net:1935/ondemand?auth=da.bdbNcccrcicTd0aKa.cra7dnbUbNcCce-bnskuQ-O-5yCpyLKEy-oblep2mUr4tgmgqhtprgn8nqtmldqasmo5mlpclarms5mapesd rbn3mftql8rrr4pomoqlldrksanop6tnr9nfmftkl4qer9o6l7 p5lbq3sgmep4s9r7nb&aifp=v0001&slist=88998/espn/2011/01/31/176-6523/web-encodes/118928_espn3&ct5=01-Feb-11&ct6=72.204.88.205&ct7=13103377:FMS_CLOUD&ct8=39&ct1=espn_us&ct3=cox:%7BD92FA63A-B73C-4864-9E1F-BEB6A2D0B299%7D&ct4=espn_us
Media Path: mp4:88998/espn/2011/01/31/176-652rtmp://cp88998.edgefcs.net:1935/ondemand?auth=da.bdbNcccrcicTd0aKa.cra7dnbUbNcCce-bnskuQ-O-5yCpyLKEy-oblep2mUr4tgmgqhtprgn8nqtmldqasmo5mlpclarms5mapesd rbn3mftql8rrr4pomoqlldrksanop6tnr9nfmftkl4qer9o6l7 p5lbq3sgmep4s9r7nb&aifp=v0001&slist=88998/espn/2011/01/31/176-6523/web-encodes/118928_espn3&ct5=01-Feb-11&ct6=72.204.88.205&ct7=13103377:FMS_CLOUD&ct8=39&ct1=espn_us&ct3=cox:%7BD92FA63A-B73C-4864-9E1F-BEB6A2D0B299%7D&ct4=espn_us[mp:mp4:88998/espn/2011/01/31/176-6523/web-encodes/118928_espn3_400k/118928_espn3_400k.mp4][pg:http://espn.go.com/espn3/player?id=118928&league=NCAAM]

If I wait around it will usually start a 1200k stream with properties info:

Downloading RTMP stream:
RTMP App: rtmp://cp88998.edgefcs.net:1935/ondemand?auth=da.bdbNcccrcicTd0aKa.cra7dnbUbNcCce-bnskuQ-O-5yCpyLKEy-oblep2mUr4tgmgqhtprgn8nqtmldqasmo5mlpclarms5mapesd rbn3mftql8rrr4pomoqlldrksanop6tnr9nfmftkl4qer9o6l7 p5lbq3sgmep4s9r7nb&aifp=v0001&slist=88998/espn/2011/01/31/176-6523/web-encodes/118928_espn3&ct5=01-Feb-11&ct6=72.204.88.205&ct7=13103377:FMS_CLOUD&ct8=39&ct1=espn_us&ct3=cox:%7BD92FA63A-B73C-4864-9E1F-BEB6A2D0B299%7D&ct4=espn_us
Media Path: mp4:88998/espn/2011/01/31/176-652rtmp://cp88998.edgefcs.net:1935/ondemand?auth=da.bdbNcccrcicTd0aKa.cra7dnbUbNcCce-bnskuQ-O-5yCpyLKEy-oblep2mUr4tgmgqhtprgn8nqtmldqasmo5mlpclarms5mapesd rbn3mftql8rrr4pomoqlldrksanop6tnr9nfmftkl4qer9o6l7 p5lbq3sgmep4s9r7nb&aifp=v0001&slist=88998/espn/2011/01/31/176-6523/web-encodes/118928_espn3&ct5=01-Feb-11&ct6=72.204.88.205&ct7=13103377:FMS_CLOUD&ct8=39&ct1=espn_us&ct3=cox:%7BD92FA63A-B73C-4864-9E1F-BEB6A2D0B299%7D&ct4=espn_us[mp:mp4:88998/espn/2011/01/31/176-6523/web-encodes/118928_espn3_1200k/118928_espn3_1200k.mp4][pg:http://espn.go.com/espn3/player?id=118928&league=NCAAM]

If I watch the original stream on my browser the quality levels will usually stay at 1200 or lower but sometimes it does go to 4 bars or 1600. Isn't there a way that I can take some of the web address info (as listed in the properties), change the 1200 to 1600 and request RMcatcher to download that stream? If so could someone tell me how I could do that? Thanks

[Jeff Lenney]

Good evening, I have forwarded this issue to our RMC support queue - somebody should respond shortly.

Thanks for hanging in there :-)

[Shellie Heggenberger]

Hi Sam,
I do not have access to ESPN 3. I would like you to send me a debug log from Replay Media Catcher through our support system:https://secure.applian.com/help/index.php?pid=newticket&user=&department=1
Please, run a test in de-bug mode if you would:

1. Open Replay Media Catcher
2. Don't start monitoring
3. Help > About and expand Support and check Debug Mode and then OK
4. Start monitoring.
5. Go to ESPN 3 and start watching in your browser. Wait until Replay Media Catcher should have picked it up and started downloading. This should be within the first few seconds of the video playing.
6. Stop monitoring
7. Help > About and expand Support and click the "email logs to support"
link. Please attach the file it makes to this ticket.
Best regards,

Shellie Heggenberger
Applian Technologies, Inc.

[Sam Sport]

Hi Sam,
I do not have access to ESPN 3. I would like you to send me a debug log from Replay Media Catcher through our support system:https://secure.applian.com/help/index.php?pid=newticket&user=&department=1
Please, run a test in de-bug mode if you would:

1. Open Replay Media Catcher
2. Don't start monitoring
3. Help > About and expand Support and check Debug Mode and then OK
4. Start monitoring.
5. Go to ESPN 3 and start watching in your browser. Wait until Replay Media Catcher should have picked it up and started downloading. This should be within the first few seconds of the video playing.
6. Stop monitoring
7. Help > About and expand Support and click the "email logs to support"
link. Please attach the file it makes to this ticket.
Best regards,

Shellie Heggenberger
Applian Technologies, Inc.

Hi. Thanks for the reply. I am using version 3.11 and don't see a "Support" to expand.Maybe you refer to version 4? Regarding my question, though, I wanted to know if it's possible to enter the url directly into RMCatcher or do I always have to start a stream in my browser. FYI..If your not familiar with the way ESPN3 works. They don't allow the user to specify the streaming level. It just goes from poor quality to hd quality as they wish to give it to you. I have a pretty fast connection which has been checked a number of times by the cable company but RMCatcher just seems to lock on to 400k and 1200kbut almost never 1600k.

[Sam Sport]

There are two ways for someone at Applian or outside to help with this question: 1)Show if there's a way to directly enter the streams web address with the highest quality video or 2) Tell me how I can reinstruct RMCatcher to download the stream when it changes to higher level video. For example, right now RMCatcher has started recording a stream at 800k but the actual website shows it is varying bewteen streaming at 2 bars or 800k and 3 bars or 1200 k. Sometimes RMCatcher will start recording several streams of the same event like streams at 400k or 1200k. That's fine as I can just delete the 400k stream. There must be a way for me to manually say "OK, start recording the stream as it is right now". For me, this is currently hit or miss,sometimes it does it sometimes not. Thanks

[king_d]

Maybe a dumb question, but how the hell can I capture video from ESPN3? I'm trying the demo version of RMC to check the program as I'm thinking about buying it. I open the program first, then espn3.com in google chrome and I press record and nothing happens :confused:


Edit : Youtube doesn't work also

[stream-recorder.com]

If I watch the original stream on my browser the quality levels will usually stay at 1200 or lower but sometimes it does go to 4 bars or 1600. Isn't there a way that I can take some of the web address info (as listed in the properties), change the 1200 to 1600 and request RMcatcher to download that stream? If so could someone tell me how I could do that?

Try the following:
Start recording with Replay Media Catcher. After detecting the stream, cancel its download. Double click on the recording and copy the URL from the top of the log.
Then go to "Tools" -> "Download..." and paste the URL, replacing 400k with 1200k.

[stream-recorder.com]

Maybe a dumb question, but how the hell can I capture video from ESPN3? I'm trying the demo version of RMC to check the program as I'm thinking about buying it. I open the program first, then espn3.com in google chrome and I press record and nothing happens :confused:

Edit : Youtube doesn't work also
Try to close RMC and Chrome, them open RMC and start recording with it. Then open Chrome and play your stream.

[Slayer_ch]

I made a ticket for this. It always connects to all available stream qualities but as the first stream started is the 400k stream it only records this one. The 1800k recording gets rejected because the access gets denied. Can you make a special program in the RMC to record automaticly the 1800k stream from ESPN Player / ESPN3?

[walker428]

I made a ticket for this. It always connects to all available stream qualities but as the first stream started is the 400k stream it only records this one. The 1800k recording gets rejected because the access gets denied. Can you make a special program in the RMC to record automaticly the 1800k stream from ESPN Player / ESPN3?

I realize you probably wont read this but hopefully this will help someone else who reads the forum. The problem with this and espn3 is that espn3 controls the feed as to which you receive. If they detect heavy memory usage, heavy cpu loads, and low internet bandwidth the feed is reduced to the lower rates. To get the higher speeds from espn3 make sure you delete the lower streams as they populate but leave rmc4 recording you have to leave your browser open, but I suggest minimizing it and leaving it run in the background if ESPN3, while at the same time manually stopping and deleting the lower 2 feeds that start to download on RMC4 with more bandwidth available and more ram espn3 can send the higher stream. I rarely get the highest stream to catch on my pc but it is a 1.8ghz single core with minimum specs like 1.5gb or ram and really struggles with rmc4 and firefox being run at the same time. Hope this helps someone.

[Jeff Lenney]

I realize you probably wont read this but hopefully this will help someone else who reads the forum. The problem with this and espn3 is that espn3 controls the feed as to which you receive. If they detect heavy memory usage, heavy cpu loads, and low internet bandwidth the feed is reduced to the lower rates. To get the higher speeds from espn3 make sure you delete the lower streams as they populate but leave rmc4 recording you have to leave your browser open, but I suggest minimizing it and leaving it run in the background if ESPN3, while at the same time manually stopping and deleting the lower 2 feeds that start to download on RMC4 with more bandwidth available and more ram espn3 can send the higher stream. I rarely get the highest stream to catch on my pc but it is a 1.8ghz single core with minimum specs like 1.5gb or ram and really struggles with rmc4 and firefox being run at the same time. Hope this helps someone.

Great tip, thanks Walker for all of your helpful posts! :cool:

[UGotServed]

I realize you probably wont read this but hopefully this will help someone else who reads the forum. The problem with this and espn3 is that espn3 controls the feed as to which you receive. If they detect heavy memory usage, heavy cpu loads, and low internet bandwidth the feed is reduced to the lower rates. To get the higher speeds from espn3 make sure you delete the lower streams as they populate but leave rmc4 recording you have to leave your browser open, but I suggest minimizing it and leaving it run in the background if ESPN3, while at the same time manually stopping and deleting the lower 2 feeds that start to download on RMC4 with more bandwidth available and more ram espn3 can send the higher stream. I rarely get the highest stream to catch on my pc but it is a 1.8ghz single core with minimum specs like 1.5gb or ram and really struggles with rmc4 and firefox being run at the same time. Hope this helps someone.

I've found that for ESPN3, I have to hit the rewind button on the flash player, then pause, play, and keep doing this sequence until I get the indication of the highest quality video (even without RMC). There's a bit of a delay caused by RMC as it identifies the stream, and as walker428 said, you have to kill any RMC lower bandwidth streams as this will lower your download capacity.

If RMC actually had an indication of the stream speed it is recording, that would be awesome. Presently, I use the play (right click play) to figure out what is the best quality stream, and then delete the ones that are of poor quality.

Anyway, I found the following at ESPN3.com, and it basically describes what both walker428 and I said:


Everytime I start playing a video, why does it start in a poor quality format?

This behavior is expected. When first launching a clip, you will be streamed a lower quality version while your connection speed is determined. After a few seconds, the clip should change to a higher quality version. If the quality issue persists after the first couple of seconds, try removing and re-downloading ESPN by following the steps below. If problem still occurs, please contact 888-549-ESPN.


Why does audio or video playback stop and/or stall?

Playback should not stop or stall under normal circumstances. However, video delivery may be disrupted during periods of internet congestion or when too many computer applications are open at the same time.

What can I do if the video playback stops or plays slowly?

If playback stalls, stops or plays slowly, try one or all of the following:

Refresh your browser or close your browser and open it again.
Drag the rewind button back in time several minutes in the program timeline.
Avoid internet congestion by waiting several minutes before viewing the programming again.
Close other computer applications that may be open at the same time.
If viewing in mosaic mode, try clicking "Pause Video Feeds" to pause play in the smaller windows.

[qiqiangzhu]

How come RMC can only record 2GB size of flv file?

Try to get some replay of Australia Open, some of them over 4 hours long, but RMC can only catch about 2 hours long.

[Jeff Lenney]

How come RMC can only record 2GB size of flv file?

Try to get some replay of Australia Open, some of them over 4 hours long, but RMC can only catch about 2 hours long.

That's a limit from the site you're trying to record from unfortunately. Replay Media Catcher is able to record files as large as your hard-drive will allow for. Unfortunately, there is no work around for this as it's a limit imposed by the site itself.

[UGotServed]

How come RMC can only record 2GB size of flv file?

Try to get some replay of Australia Open, some of them over 4 hours long, but RMC can only catch about 2 hours long.That's a limit from the site you're trying to record from unfortunately. Replay Media Catcher is able to record files as large as your hard-drive will allow for. Unfortunately, there is no work around for this as it's a limit imposed by the site itself.

I just captured the Australian Open final, which is 7 hours long.

It's currently Russian roulette.

On other streams, RMC finished prematurely. So I enabled the option "Automatically resume." This created multiple stream files, but helped with diagnosing what was going on. It seems that various streams are started and stopped while the source (ESPN3) tried to figure out what stream to send (rather than defaulting on the highest and allowing a buffer to fill up on the Flash 11.x player). Even though a stream stays stable at 3 bars (ESPN interface) and the video is playing, the capture still ends prematurely.

This is when I reboot my computer, since I notice that the amount of physical memory being used increases as times goes on (RMC or FLV player memory leak issue perhaps?). Then I can stream videos stably for several more hours before having to reboot again.

[juanlfm]

Thank you. Useful to know.

[qiqiangzhu]

I just captured the Australian Open final, which is 7 hours long.

It's currently Russian roulette.

On other streams, RMC finished prematurely. So I enabled the option "Automatically resume." This created multiple stream files, but helped with diagnosing what was going on. It seems that various streams are started and stopped while the source (ESPN3) tried to figure out what stream to send (rather than defaulting on the highest and allowing a buffer to fill up on the Flash 11.x player). Even though a stream stays stable at 3 bars (ESPN interface) and the video is playing, the capture still ends prematurely.

This is when I reboot my computer, since I notice that the amount of physical memory being used increases as times goes on (RMC or FLV player memory leak issue perhaps?). Then I can stream videos stably for several more hours before having to reboot again.

Did you record the Australian Open final through ESPN3?

Are you using 32bit Windows operating system or 64bit?

How large is the file?

Are you sure you can view the downloaded file to the end which is trophy presentation?

[UGotServed]

Did you record the Australian Open final through ESPN3?

Are you using 32bit Windows operating system or 64bit?

How large is the file?

Are you sure you can view the downloaded file to the end which is trophy presentation?

Yes.

Win XP 32-bit

3,860,198,586 7 hours 5 minutes + at level 3 quality

It actually goes past the trophy presentation after the commercial break to the final word with Chris McKendry and Brad Gilbert, final image is Djokovic kissing the trophy.

[qiqiangzhu]

Yes.

Win XP 32-bit

3,860,198,586 7 hours 5 minutes + at level 3 quality

It actually goes past the trophy presentation after the commercial break to the final word with Chris McKendry and Brad Gilbert, final image is Djokovic kissing the trophy.

Thanks for the info.

Mine is Vista 32-bit.

I'm trying it one more time.

The previous 3 times all stopped at 4GB and 5 hours before the 5th set...

[UGotServed]

Like I said. It's Russian Roulette.

Now that the AO is finished, the capture appears to be a bit more stable. But streams from ESPN still fail though, and go much slower than expected. They appear to have some servers that are not heavily loaded, and stream more effeciently.

When the capture fails, I clear my cache and reboot the computer before attempting to capture again. In order to capture the 7 hours, I made sure I defragged my system as well.

[qiqiangzhu]

Yes.

Win XP 32-bit

3,860,198,586 7 hours 5 minutes + at level 3 quality

It actually goes past the trophy presentation after the commercial break to the final word with Chris McKendry and Brad Gilbert, final image is Djokovic kissing the trophy.

You are right, this time was a success.

Looks like they changed the file size in the server or fixed the error.

[walker428]

I can chime in i was able to successfully capture a longer video from them as well. Typically you dont need to go through the effort of rebooting. just double click and see what quality the stream is recording at. If it is a low one delete it, and wait, leave the program recording though. once the speed increases to the desired bar, refresh the browser window you are recording, and that will usually refresh and pull the desired bar level. I have noticed I have had problems pulling live broadcasts though, and it only works for recording. Live broadcasts seem to end up with corrupt video that skips around really fast, any ideas on that?

Oh i should mention my settings for the larger file if that helps at all. I have it set to automatically resume when a secure RTMP connection is dropped. and the automaticaly fix live streams and those without a duration and rebase timestamps both checked (although those 2 shouldnt matter) Initial client buffer size is set to 1 and super downlad is set to to disable for live streams (shouldnt matter again)

[TCmullet]

Try the following:
Start recording with Replay Media Catcher. After detecting the stream, cancel its download. Double click on the recording and copy the URL from the top of the log.
Then go to "Tools" -> "Download..." and paste the URL, replacing 400k with 1200k.I felt it appropriate to resurrect this thread. Can you please revise these instructions for RMC 5? I have the lastest version, 5.0.1.54. I almost never get the 2200k version, but always something much smaller. I DO have a very fast computer and fast internet connection. I'm dealing with ESPN3, of course.