any way to record live stream of real video?

[tab75-13]

I was wondering if there is an application that would allow me to capture the video stream from a news channel being broadcast via real video? I have tried to look for the URL of the stream in the real player, but unilke for WMP, can't find its location. I believe I am using Real Player 10. I thought that ffMpegX had provisions for that, but I believe you need at least the URL for the live stream-- though I am not sure whether that was for a live stream or not. I would like to convert the stream to a quicktime movie or anything else quicktime so that the file could perhaps be portable and mail-able (what's the word if something is mail-able?)

Thanks for any help,

T

[Frobozz]

You're running head on into copyright issues if you do find a way to accomplish this. Contact the producer of the news channel and tell them you'd like a copy mailed on disc to someone. They may or may not cooperate and, if they do, they may want to be paid something.

[tab75-13]

Well, really I would just like to know if a feat such as this is technically possible. The mailing considerations are not primary. I am not interested in distributing it so much; I would just like to know if I can record it. We record TV shows, news shows presumably among them via vhs and dvr among other recording hardware and software. I would simply be interested in seeing if my rather previous generation mac can do this with the aid of some application. No doubt there might be copyright issues, but isn't time shifting permissable? I evoked the portability of any recording, presumably a QT file, because QT files can be mailed or "shared" as Apple labels it.
Does that clear me (and anyone whose help I may receive) from the possibility of encroaching into a gray or darker gray area? So to repeat, is there an application that will convert a live stream ultimately to a quicktime movie file, or any other QT format?

Thanks again,
T

[terryj]

Transcoding copyrighted material into any other format,
whether to distribute it for profit/non profit, is still
a violation of the DMCA, and therefore can get you sued into
oblivion.

The fact that the copyright holder has the video in Real Media,
which is only a STREAMABLE format, and does not allow
for TRANSCODING, is clue one that they do not want
the material to be re-distributed.

as for if you can LEGALLY record it, yes you are allowed to time shift as it is ORIGINALLY aired in broadcast.
Transcoding already BRODACASTED material is, by law, illegal.
( The MPAA is already gone after a website that wqs transcoding
already broadcasted material, available on DVD, to iPod format,
as it says it violates their copyright.)

To play it safe:

1. record using a legal time shifting device, such as a DVD Recorder, DVD-VR, or VCR at the time of Broadcast.

2. Transcode the material you recorded at time of broadcast
to your final format destination of choice.

3. For material already broadcast, transcode it with permission
of the copyright holder, or simply ask them to provide
you the proper format you need.
A lot of these sites go with RM or WMV because they are told
( by some idiot) that this is their primary audience end format
of choice. But a simple e-mail, if done by many people, can
make a site realize they need to offer other formats.

As for Apple's label of QT it is to be read as propoganda
for pushing a certain competency of format, NOT as an
admission for blatant piracy.

And for your last question, there are programs that will
record live streams onto your mac, and then allow
you to save to a QT COMPATIBLE FORMAT.
A google search of "record live stream to mac"
will turn up several apps that will allow you to do this,
but although they allow you to do so, they do not absolve
legal responsibility from the end user.