Free RM to MP3?

[Madz]

I have a half-dozen files in the RealAudio RM format that I'd like to convert to MP3 to listen to offline. Been searching Google for a converter but all the one's I've found are restricted shareware costing around $20-30. Just doesn't seem to me that it's worth paying that for some program I may use a few times and then never again. Anyone know of a good freeware or open source program that will do the same thing?

[Sartori]

http://rawavrecorder.homestead.com/

Its a real time encoder , so it will take the duration of your files to convert them . The site instructions say to install Real Player , I have Real Alternative installed and it works fine . Nowadays I use a plugin for Nero that will convert them instead (which is also free) but you need to have bought Nero of course .

[Richard_G]

Google for RA2WAV. It's freeware and once you have the files as WAV you can then convert to MP3 (although I've a feeling that the latest version can go straight to MP3).

[celtic_druid]

mplayer can decode much faster than realtime. Should be possible to pipe to lame for encoding.