Can anyone help/advise how to download streaming video?

[jeffonthego]

Hi,

I would like to download video off the following links:

1)

http://toronto.bluejays.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/tor/fan_forum/commercials.jsp

When I look at the links for the videos, they refer to a J***Script link to .rm files:

j***scriptlayMedia('mlb/open/2003/teams03/tor/video/demand/promo_canoe_300.rm','http://mlb.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/mediaplayer/context_2003/avcontext.jsp',400,241,'false','c_id=mlb&pid=mlb_p ghs&loc=/components/mediaplayer/mc_avcontext.jsp');

Any idea how I can access and download these .rm files?

2)

http://www.pulse24.com/news/west_nile_info/index.asp?id=953&mth=5&yr=2003&dy

In this case, the link is to an .asx file:
http://www.pulse24.com/videos/newsserials/953_primary_220.asx

Any help/advice would be most appreciate.

Thanks!

[antonv]

The files like *.rm and *.asx are only the links to the streaming or normal video file. In any case you can get the file (or the part of the file if it is a streaming video) to your computer.
Try Streambox VCR. It works fine for me getting asx/asf streams but it should also work with real media files.

[jeffonthego]

Thanks a lot antonv, Streambox VCR is what I'm looking for.

Tried it on my (2) file and it was no problem, downloaded an .asx file.

However, I can't seem to access the files in my (1) option.

The problem isn't that they are Real Media (StreamBox page says they'll work), but that the URLs aren't clear - seem to use JavaScript.

Tried copying shortcut (leads to a .jsp file not the .rm one) and highlighting link and copying (leads to an .html file).

However, if I copy the shortcut and paste the link, you can see that it does point to an .rm file, but that this is within a javascript:PlayMedia link, which StreamBox can't seem to work through.

Any idea how to solve this?

It's so frustrating because I can see the .rm file in the shortcut link!

[antonv]

What you see in the link is not an actual rm file. Moreover, in this case jsp scrip gives you the streaming file in real time (you can not find this rm file until you run the jsp script). I tried the following and although a little complicated, it worked for me:

1) Click on the link to get this file played in Real Player.
2) Go to Clip Info and copy the file source (it is a different link from the initial one).
3) Download this source using any download manager (Download Accelerator f.e.)
4)View the downloaded file and copy the big link to the rm file created on the server starting from rtsp (not http). This is the link you need for StreamBox. (Do not forget to choose RTSP as a protocol in StreamBox)

[jeffonthego]

Thanks Antonv, glad to hear it worked for you!

I've tried your instructions but I'm still not getting there. Would you mind running through a concrete example with me from the page I liste:

http://toronto.bluejays.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/tor/fan_forum/commercials.jsp

Here's what I've tried:

1. Played the first file on the page (Canoe 56K) in Real Player.

2. Copied the following link from 'Clip info':

http://play.rbn.com/?url=mlb/open/2003/teams03/tor/video/demand/promo_canoe_56.rm&rpco..._avcontext.jsp

3. Downloaded the source file "mc_avcontext.jsp" in GetRight download manager.

4. Opened "mc_avcontext.jsp" in Notepad and got the following:

rtsp://rx-wes-sea104.rbn.com/farm/*/encoder/mlb/open/2003/teams03/tor/video/demand/promo_canoe_56.rm?rpcontextwidth=400&rpcontextpara ms=c_id=mlb&rpcontexturl=http://mlb.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/mediaplayer/context_2003/avcontext.jsp&rpcontextheight=241&loc=/components/mediaplayer/mc_avcontext.jsp&pid=mlb_pghs
--stop--
pnm://rx-wes-sea104.rbn.com/farm/*/encoder/mlb/open/2003/teams03/tor/video/demand/promo_canoe_56.rm?rpcontextwidth=400&rpcontextpara ms=c_id=mlb&rpcontexturl=http://mlb.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/mediaplayer/context_2003/avcontext.jsp&rpcontextheight=241&loc=/components/mediaplayer/mc_avcontext.jsp&pid=mlb_pghs

Tried pasting different variations on this rtsp link into Streambox VCR and clicked RTSP protocol, but they just timed out or didn't work.

The best-looking one was:

rtsp://rx-wes-sea104.rbn.com/farm/*/encoder/mlb/open/2003/teams03/tor/video/demand/promo_canoe_56.rm?

This puts the "promo_canoe_56.rm" as the filename, but then doesn't download. StreamBox says "found lost index tag, truncating file to 434, indexs created".

Could you confirm the link I should be pasting in for this particular file?

Maybe something's wrong with my settings, though I am selecting the RTSP protocol.

Really appreciate your help on this - I know I'm close, just need a helping hand.

[antonv]

I forgot to mention:
there are multiple StreamBox programs in StreamBox Suite. You would need try to use rtsp://rx-wes-sea104.rbn.com/farm/*/encoder/mlb/open/2003/teams03/tor/video/demand/promo_canoe_56.rm? in "Streambox Vcr 1.0 beta 31smf+turbo (try this first - fastest)"
I just tried it myself and everything downloaded fine.

[jeffonthego]

Hmmm, the version I was able to download from DVDrHelp is:

StreamBox VCR 1 beta 31 - SMFfix

Don't see any mention to "Turbo" - Is this a different version or an add-on?

If so, would you have a link for this?

Here's the log from my version of StreamBox's attempt to get this file:

Waiting...
Filename C:\Program Files\StreamBox_VCR\received\promo_canoe_56.rm
Attempt 1
rtsp://rx-wes-sea104.rbn.com/farm/*/encoder/mlb/open/2003/teams03/tor/video/demand/promo_canoe_56.rm?
Flying Raichu RTSP protocol
Connecting rx-wes-sea104.rbn.com:554, ip: 66.203.121.119
Found lost index tag, truncating file to 434, indexs created
Connection lost
Receiving Data
Retry idle 20 seconds

It retries unsuccessfully a few times then stops.

[jeffonthego]

Actually, nevermind - did a quick Google search for StreamBox Turbo and found this:

http://fin.dawnload.net/video_ohjelmat/videokaappausohjelmat/streambox_vcr_suite.cfm

It calls itself StreamBox VCR Suite 2.0 and includes, among other things, the Turbo version.

Have done a quick test and it seems to work.

Will play around with it more when I get home from the office.

Anyway, thanks a lot for your help and patience!

[jeffonthego]

Actually, one more peculiar thing - though more of an .rm issue.

Each of the files tested comes in a "56K" version:

rtsp://rx-wes-sea104.rbn.com/farm/*/encoder/mlb/open/2003/teams03/tor/video/demand/promo_canoe_56.rm?

and a "300K" version:

rtsp://rx-wes-sea104.rbn.com/farm/*/encoder/mlb/open/2003/teams03/tor/video/demand/promo_canoe_300.rm?

Have managed to succesfully download both version (thanks again), but I only get a good playback with the 56K one. When I try the better quality (?) 300K one, the audio is fine, but the video is halting - only playing a few frames out of the 30-second clip. It's like the player has the video speed wrong or something.

Do you have any idea why this might be happening?

[antonv]

Try to play with the Bandwidth setting on Conection tab of StreamBox. It is usually set to 56K by default. Set it to your current internet speed (not the highest setting) I assume that is a reason you have 300K with bad quality. (obviously if you have high-speed internet)

[jeffonthego]

antonv, you really know your stuff! That was bang on.

I changed my Connection setting to LAN and instead of getting a malfunctioning 130KB .rm file (as mentioned before), this time I received the full 1MB working version.

Thanks a lot for solving this problem - and giving me a StreamBoat tutorial at the same time!