Is installing Realplayer a bad idea?

[Dudster]

Hi all

I want to install Realplayer on my machine as a load of sites I go to have .ram type clips and no Win Media Player clips. I spose what I'm asking is, would you install it on yours? :)

[jadison]

I'd give the new RealOne Player a try, I'm writing an article that talks about this media player in more detail but here's a link to give it a 14-day test drive (Let us know what you think!) and after the 14 days if you don't purchase it you'll still be able to use the basic features.
But, I bet you already knew that. :)

Click Me! (http://www.real.com/realone/index.html?lang=en&loc=us)

[Dudster]

So Realplayer is now RealOne Player. Ok, I was half expecting a "don't install that rubbish, it'll mess your system!" :D I'll download it now and give it a go. If things go wrong, I could do with formatting and reinstalling Windows anyway ;)

[Mntsnow]

One note....Make sure you go thru all the screens very carefully and (scroll them as they hide some settings (check marks) at the bottom) dealing with Privacy and what "content" you want shown to you and if you want to send info back to them!

[NDC]

I'm still using an old version of Real Player 8 (build#6.0.9.684) on my Windows 2000 and Windows XP systems and it work flawlessly.

[Dudster]

Thanks guys :)

Just downloaded the gold version so I'll have a good play with it and post my thoughts.

All this for 10sec long sound clips :D

[cyclone2]

don't install that rubbish, it'll mess your system!

I hate it, same with Divx or whatever it is

[Dudster]

Too late :D

No problems so far and I think it's pretty nifty (just listening to BBC Radio1 on enhanced stream mode 44/45Kbps, sounds great) though it's not worth me paying the monthly premium (If there was a one off charge, I'd pay as long as it was reasonable). I'm pleased that it hasn't put anything in my Systray.

I'd like to be able to completely switch off the thing that throws news up onto your desktop like new player updates (though at least I could set it to only do it when the player is running). If it gets too annoying I could try not allowing it internet access with ZA (it's a seperate app called RealNetworks Dynamic app launcher). I think it's set to check for news every week or 2. It can be changed to like once a month but I can't find the setting now :D

I've had a look for privacy type settings and I'm not sure what I should be turning off. There's "send connection-quality data to RealServers", cookies, HTML clip info and "Allow websites to add items to Now Playing". Am I right in thinking I should turn all but HTML clip info off?

I just need to work out how to cancel my subscription before they charge me. Though I've got nearly 2 weeks to work that out.

Oh yeah, one small complaint - When adjusting the volume in ROP, it changes the "Windows master volume" which irritates (unlike Win Media Player where the volume is totally independant). I just have to remember to set it back to full before I close the player.

Edit - I like the toolbar viewmode, puts a player in a bar that stretches across the bottom of the screen above the taskbar.

[surrealchereal]

Yeah the big problem with Real Audio is the player thinks it's ET and is always trying to phone home :rolleyes:

[NDC]

But you can block ET with just about all software firewall... :)

Anyhow, it seems that "ET Phone home" is a real common thing nowadays. Sheesh! Even Adobe Photoshop and GoLive tr phoning home! :(

I discovered the following media players where ET tried to phone home...

Winamp
WMP
Real player

[brandon]

I dislike both RealPlayer & WMP 7... I'll stick to Winamp and WMP 6. :D

- Brandon
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[DavidBrookes]

I've been running the RealOne Player on my Win XP system since it went gold (and I got XP) and I haven't had any problems. At least it allows me to listen to Liquid Audio files.

[Foggy]

I installed it once and it reminded me of my X motherinlaw, you know the take charge type. :rolleyes:

[storm2k]

i don't mind real player, if you know how to tame it, it's all good... real one is actually pretty decent.

[Axel]

From a system support standpoint I absolutely HATE REAL software - it fills the registry with dozens of entries that the REAL uninstaller doesn't remove. It conflicts with lots of stuff in my experience and I don't allow it on boxes I support because of that.

Cleaning a REAL load out of a registry takes over an hour a box even with the basic free install. It typically wrecks other media installs with it's own reg entries and typically doesn't do a good job of cleaning up it's file association re-points.

I hate it and won't use it because it destroys and conflicts with so much.