I just spent 30 dollars on the Real Player “PLUS” as you can now “Download video to your ipod.” Now I'm not stupid, I know there is going to be some sort of conversion process from the .rm real format to a format fit for the ipod (.mv4 probably). The problem has always been getting the the “Raw” .rm especially if you (like me) are waching Real video from a college website that wants to stop you from downloading the file. Now there is a “download this file” link right in the video with the “PLUS” version of the player. HOORAY!
I thought, “Awesome download the rm file and convert it to an ipod compatible format.” – Not so fast.
When you click the “Download video” what you end up doing is “re-recording” the video into an irv file. So it takes 2 hours to record a two hour movie – that's convienient. Then you go into the “burn and transfer” part of the real player to transfer it to your ipod. This means it will now convert the irv file to an ipod format.
Well the video I watched was 2 hours. I'm sitting here adding (converting) it to my ipod and I'm 6% done and it has taken ONLY 15 minutes. So who knows how long it will take to “download the video” to my ipod so I can take my homework with me (are you listening Akron University?). If I wanted to spend 4+ hours watching a two hour movie this makes sense. In the meantime, save your 30 bucks and stick with the free real player (after all, except for my college, I don't know anybody that is using this format in the first place).
