Realplayer opinions please

[djg05]

I hope this is the right section for this, if not perhaps the Mods will move it.

In the past it has always been muted that RealPlayer was a bit of a risk to use with spyware etc. There was a program on the BBC that I wanted to listen to so tried installing RP.

I used the link on the BBC site. On reading through the EULA it still seems to gather information from you. I went ahead and installed it. I have PG and Kerio 4 running and just allowed each pop up on a once only basis. I have never had a program produce so many. There must have been 20 or more before one asking to connect. That was denied but left it running. Then later it started again to request access. At this point I had had enough and un-installed it. Never did get around to trying to listen to the program I was after.

I am not sure whether I am being paranoid about this or whether RP is now safe to use.

I would welcome some opinions please.

[trickyricky]

I too got fed up with Real Player despite being able to lock it down fairly tightly with perseverance. I now use Real Alternative which plays all the files the BBC throws at it yet doesn't have the privacy concerns of the Real Thing.

http://www.free-codecs.com/download/Real_Alternative.htm is the relevant web site. They also do Quick Time Alternative, which I use for the same reasons.

[djg05]

Thanks for that. I tried last year and could not get it to work at all. Just tried the latest d/l and it is working fine. Great relief to get rid of RP

[Robyn]

The BBC site is the one which I find I can't use in full due to the use of Real Player.
I was just asked today about playing files on the site - some work with WMP others don't esp.radio

When installing the alternative to RP is it best to select the included media player classic even if the PC has WMP10?
Would it be preferrable given it would be lighter than WMP?

[trickyricky]

I have always installed Media Player Classic when setting up Real Alternative as I'm not a great fan of Windows Media Player either. MP Classic is much leaner and meaner than the full-blown Media Player, so it fires up more quickly when launching real media or quicktime sessions.

Also note that installing MP Classic doesn't seem to affect the later versions of Media Player on the PC - I have Media Player 9 and I can use it if I really need to/want to.

[Robyn]

Thanks for this extra info light to load is very appealing.
I don't use WMP much at all online - I have watched news clips with the BBC detection of WMP but this is not the actual full version.
Good to know the Real Alt will not affect - I do like some of the radio stations for the BBC but they needed RP so I was never able to listen.
I need itunes for my pod but would prefer a nice light media player for online with my laptop.

My neighbour wants to use the BBC site in full so I can install this alt. player for him 8)

[ghodgson]

I got rid of real player a long time ago. But speaking of which anybody know of a converter from a .rm file to say an mp3 or .wma file, that would be useful, and which would make real media obsolete.