Real Makes Its Video Move: Downloads
Real is announcing today a test version of its new RealPlayer, fully 2.5 years since the product’s last major update and well behind the explosion of web video. We give the company points for trying to add something different to all the other official options out there: a plug-in that helps you download streaming video from anywhere on the web.
The Windows-only (for now) plug-in detects a video on a page and offers the option to download it to a desktop video collection (screenshots below).
The idea is to enable convenient video collecting for enjoyment offline, in the living room, or anywhere else at the user’s convenience. What is lost is the context of a video on a page with the comments and links surrounding it. What’s gained is the opportunity to build a permanent web video library.
The product is free, and Real plans to make money by charging people to burn videos to DVDs (CDs are free). Beyond the RealVideo format, playback works for Windows Media, QuickTime, and most importantly Flash.
As for the obvious question — what about copyright and terms of use violations — Real says it will not download when a video site has wrapped protection around its content. In that case, the plug-in displays a message saying “the provider of this content does not allow downloading or recording.” This is not done through formal arrangements, but rather automatic detection.
In any other case, “When something is streaming it’s in the clear. It’s like TiVo,” Jeff Chasen, Real VP of RealPlayer and Horizontal Products told us.
The beta is to be available in mid-June, though Real promises it will set aside some pre-release accounts for NewTeeVee readers who leave their emails below. Get it fast — we wouldn’t rule out legal challenges in this product’s future!
Here’s a video demo from Andy Plesser at Beet.TV:
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new RealPlayer pre-release account, please
Rick Hanley on May 31st, 2007 at 12:10 pm - Permalink
The Real Media format, for personal encoding uses, at least, is my preferred: Small, with good quality…
I’d like to test the pre-release new player version…
Lee on May 31st, 2007 at 12:14 pm - Permalink
Real Player somehow seems to sneak onto my computer every few months, then throw up “helpful” updates until I get round to uninstalling it.
I look forward to a new era of moderately intrusive video pop ups from the moderately intrusive folks at Real.
Mark Day on May 31st, 2007 at 1:21 pm - Permalink
I’d like to try out the beta…
Thanks NewTeeVee !
JM on May 31st, 2007 at 1:39 pm - Permalink
[...] NewTeeVee’s coverage. [...]
RealNetworks Tries For Relevancy Again. Might Succeed. « Mike Cane’s Blog on May 31st, 2007 at 2:31 pm - Permalink
Please may i have an invite
steve at ohear.net
Steve on May 31st, 2007 at 3:35 pm - Permalink
Will I have to admit I now avoid RealMedia like the plague, there was a time when they had what was, to a geeky kid at film school, some of the most exciting technology I’d ever seen. I have to give them credit for getting me into web video distribution when I was yet a wee tot.
Jackson West on May 31st, 2007 at 4:36 pm - Permalink
The content providers or video sites could always opt to use flash protection services like http://www.enscramble.com that would effectively limit their exposure.
MG on May 31st, 2007 at 5:18 pm - Permalink
I would love to try the new real player. Thank you.
impreza@gmail.com
andy on May 31st, 2007 at 7:10 pm - Permalink
[...] links surrounding it. What’s gained is the opportunity to build a permanent web video library. Continue Reading on NewTeeVee Share This | Sphere | Print | Topic: Asides [...]
GigaOM Real makes web videos downloadable... its cool « on May 31st, 2007 at 8:58 pm - Permalink
Sounds cool. Sign me up for an invite !
BA on May 31st, 2007 at 10:04 pm - Permalink
Ooohh.. me. Pick me. :D
avantbond@gmail.com
Breckster on May 31st, 2007 at 10:29 pm - Permalink
Sign me up for the beta, please.
John Babich on May 31st, 2007 at 10:51 pm - Permalink
I’d rather let a cabal of Russian hackers unlimited access to my computer then the scumbags at Real Networks.
Thanks god, this desperate move signals the begging of the end of Real.
“…And there was much rejoicing”
markus on May 31st, 2007 at 11:02 pm - Permalink
Amen to that markus. Thankfully I am on a mac which means i don’t have to deal with Real. In fact stopped listening to streaming music in real and windows formats all together.
Now their Real Rhapsody on Sonos - that’s sweet.
Om on May 31st, 2007 at 11:21 pm - Permalink
First time commenter, long time reader, very long time Om fan. Great blog.
Grady on June 1st, 2007 at 12:30 am - Permalink
Like many others, I uninstalled RealPlayer years ago. But I would like to try the new version.
I wonder what file format the saved video is in? Can it subsequently be manipulated in an editing software?
Malcolm Thomson (sandlander@gmail.com)
Macthomson on June 1st, 2007 at 3:42 am - Permalink
Would love a beta invite–thanks.
Brian on June 1st, 2007 at 9:39 am - Permalink
Sounds cool. I’d love a pre-release beta.
Jamison on June 1st, 2007 at 10:33 am - Permalink
We still use Real to encode for some of our clients, so I’d be very interested in getting a beta invite. Thanks!
BTW - love the blog, it’s on my must read daily list.
Mike Allan on June 1st, 2007 at 10:47 am - Permalink
Would love a beta invite. Real manages to stay behind the cutve and would like to see if they have somehow managed to pull up any closer on this one.
MikeM on June 2nd, 2007 at 3:11 am - Permalink
One other thought… The best thing Real could do is to use their tremendous bandwidth and worldwide audience to jump start their own free hd video hosting site…. The sooner they wake up and realize that this all about staking out video channel viewers, the better off their stockholders will be…they need to become RealTV and not just Real TiVo
MikeM on June 2nd, 2007 at 3:15 am - Permalink
[...] [Source: NewTeeVee] [...]
SolSie.com / The Lighter Side of Mobile Technology » Blog Archive » Real Player: Download Streaming Videos on June 2nd, 2007 at 6:00 am - Permalink
Sounds like something I’d like to try out
Can I please get an invite
thanks and keep up the good work
jooster on June 2nd, 2007 at 9:40 am - Permalink
Too intrusive previously. Hopefully, they wont be, or they will get dumped again.
SDPS on June 8th, 2007 at 7:41 am - Permalink
Oooh I want one too! Oh yeah! Thank you sir!
Rich Henry on June 12th, 2007 at 1:39 pm - Permalink
[...] company that was one of the first companies to bet on streaming media (first audio and then video) recently released a new player, adding click-and-save web video feature. The company executives, while not being explicit, seemed pretty bullish about their [...]
NewTeeVee Can Real Stage a Comeback? « on June 18th, 2007 at 4:00 am - Permalink
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Sounds interesting.
I’d like to trial the app if the offer is still good.
Cal Tod on June 24th, 2007 at 3:21 am - Permalink
[...] Releases Online Video Recorder. Company succeeds in making a splash with its new player. Now it’s time for people to actually use it. [...]
NewTeeVee Tuesday Morning Vid-Biz Headlines « on June 26th, 2007 at 10:05 am - Permalink
[...] an earlier briefing with NewTeeVee, Jeff Chasen, Real VP of RealPlayer and Horizontal Products, was quoted as saying “When [...]
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