Catching Streaming Vs Buffered Flash Movies

[chetcope]

A site I used to download 2 hour flv files using RMC no longer works. It starts & ends with a tiny tiny file.

I've tried RMC 2.30, 2.20 & 2.10.

I learned via another site that this is probably because the FLV site no longer buffers but streams. Only buffered flv (just like buffered radio webcasts) can be downloaded.

I have the full arsenal of Applian software and nothing seems to quite do the job now (I've experimented with both Vista & WinXP).

So I'm relegated to using a screencapture program.

Using Screencast & Vista is an option but I have to choose full screen mode & invariably Vista sooner or later pops up with a report that it's out of memory (I have Vista Home Premium's graphics intense candy permanently turned off). And of course there's the popup in the screencapture clip!

I've tried 2 other company's offerings and find one (newish) of them much better than any of Applian's offerings. I won't name them but I sure hope Applian gets off its duff & updates its offerings! It captures the screen on Vista & XP -- without the need to resort to full screen (Vista) or using to much processing power (the situation with Screencast in XP).

[tpro]

A site I used to download 2 hour flv files using RMC no longer works. It starts & ends with a tiny tiny file.

I've tried RMC 2.30, 2.20 & 2.10.

I learned via another site that this is probably because the FLV site no longer buffers but streams. Only buffered flv (just like buffered radio webcasts) can be downloaded.

I have the full arsenal of Applian software and nothing seems to quite do the job now (I've experimented with both Vista & WinXP).

So I'm relegated to using a screencapture program.

Using Screencast & Vista is an option but I have to choose full screen mode & invariably Vista sooner or later pops up with a report that it's out of memory (I have Vista Home Premium's graphics intense candy permanently turned off). And of course there's the popup in the screencapture clip!

I've tried 2 other company's offerings and find one (newish) of them much better than any of Applian's offerings. I won't name them but I sure hope Applian gets off its duff & updates its offerings! It captures the screen on Vista & XP -- without the need to resort to full screen (Vista) or using to much processing power (the situation with Screencast in XP).

The latest excuse for this kind of buggy behavior, from Applian support, is "What happens is that a lot of the streams are coming out with new features and ways of streaming. What worked a week ago on one site, as an example, will not work on the same site this week due to the way they have changed the streaming format."

Well, that *might* be a little more credible if the exact same video that failed to capture on my Vista system hadn't captured perfectly the same day when running RCAT on my other system, which uses Win XP.

So, this has nothing to do with a "change in stream format". In other words, even though Vista has been in developers' hands for more than 18 months, RCAT still doesn't work correctly. Very disappointing!

[Jeff Lenney]

The latest excuse for this kind of buggy behavior, from Applian support, is "What happens is that a lot of the streams are coming out with new features and ways of streaming. What worked a week ago on one site, as an example, will not work on the same site this week due to the way they have changed the streaming format."

Well, that *might* be a little more credible if the exact same video that failed to capture on my Vista system hadn't captured perfectly the same day when running RCAT on my other system, which uses Win XP.

So, this has nothing to do with a "change in stream format". In other words, even though Vista has been in developers' hands for more than 18 months, RCAT still doesn't work correctly. Very disappointing!

I would call it more factual, than an excuse.

Over new years eve of 2007/2008, CMT, Vh1 and mtv, along with Yahoo Music changed their streams making them un-recordable by certain software programs, including one of ours....it took a few months, but we were able to update the software and get those programs recording again.

More recently, CMT Changed their streaming media again, as did God.TV, hulu.com, and a few other companies...

These are not excuses by any means, they are what they are, for lack of better words.

At any rate, we try to keep our customers happy to the best of our ability, so please understand we ARE aware of these types of things happening, and we start working on them as soon as we find out enough information!

Thanks all for your patience.

[Andy Heinlein]

It really is a pain keeping on top of how much sites change the way they do things. I know it ticks a lot of people off... including myself

Instead of making new features, we get to sit and fix old ones.

Sorry for all the trouble it causes everyone... but, we really do pay attention and try to fix them asap.

-andy.

[Susi]

if you send in the site you are having trouble with the Techs seem to work pretty quickly on getting it to work.

It is very hard to stay on top of all of the sites when the sites are purposely working to make them so that you need to buy them instead of record them.

[geekymamaw]

We appreciate all the work you are doing. Any progress on Hulu? I just tried to record a movie to take with me to watch while traveling where there is no internet access. I don't understand why they are opposed to this. They offer the movies for free. The movie I just tried to download only came in partially at 403 MB. I tried it twice with the same results. What do you think?

[Cheryl Wester]

A suggestion is to make an adjustment in the buffer settings. I find that this works a lot of the time when we are capturing a large file. You do this by going to Tools-Settings-plugins. Thanks.

[geekymamaw]

I did as you suggested and it seems to solve the problem for now. Thanks!!!!!! I increased the buffer to the highest number 5. Even though I have broadband, it still seemed to help to do this.

[goldwings98se]

{Snipped}
"Quoted from user"
I've tried 2 other company's offerings and find one (newish) of them much better than any of Applian's offerings. I won't name them but I sure hope Applian gets off its duff & updates its offerings! It captures the screen on Vista & XP -- without the need to resort to full screen (Vista) or using to much processing power (the situation with Screencast in XP).[/QUOTE]
"End Quote"

You sure you don't want to name that "other" company that offers the a product that Applian no longer seems to support?

I, and likely many others, would enjoy seeing the other options available.

[Cheryl Wester]

HI

We are in the process of updating several of our programs to handle some of the new technology that is coming out. We hope to have these ready by the end of summer-including a new Screencast that works great with Vista. Thanks for your patience.