RealPlayer

[Straylight]

Does anyone else here really dislike RealPlayer? I'm sure a lot of Windows users dislike it like I do... (I haven't tried the Mac version or the Linux version - if there is one)

It's slow, difficult to download (puts you through loads of ads) and the interface is really annoying.

[Heaven's Cloud]

Yeah I dislike it. That's why I use Winamp.

[Link Antilles]

I despise RealPlayer and don't get me started... lol
I also, like Windows Media player and WinAMP better than Quick time.

(BTW, Djnoz, you have converted me to Mozilla!)

[Heaven's Cloud]

Mozzila will not open for me so I can't use it.

I enjoy Windows Media Player just as much as Winamp.

[madphilb]

I've never had good "luck" with Real... and the latest incarnation of their free player is more annoying than ever.

I refuse to run any of the newer Win Media Players, and I think the lastest version or two won't run on 98se anyway....

Given the choice I'll run WinAMP and Shoutcast my streaming audio... which I don't even attempt at 28.8k.

Either way, if the option is Real only, then I just do without

PHIL

[Fsiphskilm]

The latest real player..

[shooraijin]

Yes, the Mac version stinketh too.

[Tet-chan]

Real Player SUCK!!

[ShiroiHikari]

Real player = spawn of Satan.

Okay, so maybe it's not that bad. But it's bad. Ugh. And somehow it weaseled its way back onto my machine >_<

[andyroo]

Yeah, I can't stand real player either. So that's why I use winamp (2.x) as my one-in-all media player. There's no longer any need for Win Media Player, Real Player, Quick Time (except as a browser plugin) and anything I haven't already listed. Gotta love those plug-ins people make.

[Orange Kitten]

Windows Media Player = Best all around player for pretty much all media.

Winamp = Best for music. It's video playback kinda sucks.

Quicktime = GOD of video players. You can do ANYTHING with it. You can even edit and export to whatever you want. :-D

[inkhana]

No need to say this, but...eheh, can't help myself...

Realplayer sucks.

I use Winamp. Media Player works ok for some stuff (at least for me), but I still prefer Winamp.

[Straylight]

Hmm, I'm wondering is there anything alternative that plays .rm files?

[Orange Kitten]

Hmm, I'm wondering is there anything alternative that plays .rm files?

The alternate is to not download .rm files

[uc pseudonym]

Yes, I'm not too big on RealPlayer. Unfortunately, it's one of the few things I can get that easily suits my needs. I use the Windows Media Player when possible.

Off topic, does anyone know an easy way to play .avi files?

[Gypsy]

Off topic, does anyone know an easy way to play .avi files?

I find that .avi media plays best in Quickime, and then Windows Media Player. They'll work in Winamp, but just as Orange Kitten said, it's not always wonderful.

As for playing .rm files with something other than RealPlayer, there are some decent free ware converters floating around. I have one buried on this comp somewhere. Try to get one that will convert to .mov rather than .avi, because .avi files do a wonderful job of chewing up hard drive space.

For music, I go with Winamp all the way. I think I liked v2.0 better than v3, (it seemed much more stable) but it's free so I won't do too much complaining. For watching video files, I use Quicktime.

[Mithrandir]

I work with streaming media quite a bit, and I have to say that Quicktime is all round the best there is. It runs on both Win and Mac, and it doesn't buffer every 3 seconds. Plus, I don't have to pay exorberant fees to connect more than 5 people to it. And for a small ammount, you can upgrade QT to QT pro, and edit movies inline.

If your .avi's don't play in QT, you may have to download the DivX plugins. Oh, and there's a freeware DivX viewer that plays all AVI files, too.

And Gyper: Nan?!? I've never seen an AVI take up more space that a mov. When using QT, mov's are nicer, because you can jump anywhere you want in them without having to decode all the way to the point you're at, but I don't think I've ever seen a file that started out as an AVI becoming smaller when converted to a MOV.

Just my $0.02.

[Straylight]

Quicktime is cool, the installer for it definatly isn't. It requires the computer you're installing on to be connected to the internet -- you cannot download it as a single package. This becomes very annoying sometimes.

(might not be true for the new version though)

[Gypsy]

And Gyper: Nan?!? I've never seen an AVI take up more space that a mov. When using QT, mov's are nicer, because you can jump anywhere you want in them without having to decode all the way to the point you're at, but I don't think I've ever seen a file that started out as an AVI becoming smaller when converted to a MOV.

Really? I have to convert files all the time because the video editing program I use *hates* After Effects and any interactive dvd program, and although I'm rendering out the same clip, my avi folder is always much larger than my mov folder. Perhaps it's the compression settings and clip sizes that I use. Which, now that I'm thinking of it, I do have to render .avi files at a higher standard to get them back into dps (the editor). If you drop a frame while importing an avi, it's ... highly frustrating. So I set the frame rates differently and use high quality codecs. Sorry, in my mind automatically went to conversions that I'd use for work for the stupid reason that my two main programs can't communicate.

[Fsiphskilm]

Ewwwwwwww DIVX???

[Orange Kitten]

For music, I go with Winamp all the way. I think I liked v2.0 better than v3, (it seemed much more stable)

You can still download Winamp 2. I agree that winamp3 sux0rz. Go to winamp.com and in the top right corner it says "looking for Winamp 2?" There ya go

Also, what compression rate are you exporting to in DPS (Deluxe Pinnacle Studio, or..?) ? If you use full DV quality: NTSC 29.97 FPS, 720x480, 0.9 pixel aspect ratio and uncompressed audio (48k) then yep, you're files will be huge. (and it's the same if either .avi or .mov) But that's what you want when you're editing, especially when going from one program to another (such as A.E.).
Never compress your footage with anything else when transfering to another editing program

You might already know this, so sorry if this is repeated info.

[inkhana]

Winamp 2 was definitely more stable for me. Although I was disappointed when I had to give up those awesome skins you could get for 3...

[Orange Kitten]

I Don't really know what i'm talking about, that was 2 years ago, i sort of quit the FMV encoding business.

Divx has gone through some major changes in the past 2 years. It's definitely not the same as it was. It is much better. And you kinda have to know what you're doing to get the best bitrate for your movie. When that happens, dixv is actually the best looking codec out there (with full screen).
The newer codec that is catching peoples attention is Xvid. It is similar to Divx but not. And it looks SWEET.
Also, for best encoding, use a two pass bitrate method.
Mpeg is good for a universal file. Any computer can play it. The downfall is it's really hard to get it good looking with small file size.
Mpeg2, definitely not for the web. Use for dvd authoring.
.Mov, best streaming for the web.

Go to doom9.net for guides on how to encode with the best codecs.

[Link Antilles]

WinAMP 3 runs fine for me, but does require more resources. Still, I went back to WinAMP 2. I hope the next version fixes the problems.

[Straylight]

I prefer winamp 3 because it has better playlisting, but that's just me.

[Retten]

Just so you know winamp 5 is in beta http://fileforum.betanews.com/detail.php3?fid=1066336873

Edit: I put 4 instead of 5 fixed now

[Gypsy]

You can still download Winamp 2. I agree that winamp3 sux0rz. Go to winamp.com and in the top right corner it says "looking for Winamp 2?" There ya go

Also, what compression rate are you exporting to in DPS (Deluxe Pinnacle Studio, or..?) ? If you use full DV quality: NTSC 29.97 FPS, 720x480, 0.9 pixel aspect ratio and uncompressed audio (48k) then yep, you're files will be huge. (and it's the same if either .avi or .mov) But that's what you want when you're editing, especially when going from one program to another (such as A.E.).
Never compress your footage with anything else when transfering to another editing program

You might already know this, so sorry if this is repeated info.

DPS is actually short for DPS Velocity (I'm currently using 8.2). I capture into dps at full quality, then convert the .dva (file that dps uses and that I set at NTSC 29.97 FPS, - the only difference is that it's at 720x486 instead of 720x480) and then to whatever. Also, when I'm bringing them over from one editor to another, audio is a whole separate issue that's usually not involved in that particular process. Then the final compression conversions are made depending on what I'm doing with the clip, like if I'm putting it into an interactive dvd, vcd, or archive dvd and all that fun stuff.

But yes, I know this stuff - good thing too because it's my job.

I've only produced things for standard at 48kHz. Ever messed around with widescreen? And does the mpeg heartbeat bother anyone else but me?

[Gremio]

Real Player sucketh bad, especially the new RealOne player, but you can still find Real Player 7 online and it wasnt good either.

Windows Media Player does the job for me, especially the handy version 9 minimising to the task bar thingie ^_^ I sometimes use Winamp and MusicMatch Jukebox as well. And I find QT highly annoying.

[inkhana]

I also find QT highly annoying, but one might call me prejudiced because one time my sister had it on her computer and couldn't get rid of it. Every time you turned around, it was activating. Tried to uninstall, and it wouldn't come out, even so. I ended up having to pick it by hand out of the registry. No fun. I've hated it ever since. Maybe it's better since then...but...

[Gypsy]

Well, it is better now, because it's easier to set to not take over all of your media.