Perfectly clean MP3's now have bits of static now and then, and noise like a
radio station is trying to break in. Not very pronounced. Lately I have
installed a USB 2.0 card, and reinstalled RealOne, latest free version.
Windows Media Player plays exact same MP3 perfectly clean.
Ideas what's wrong with my RealOne?

--
--
Member Business Sources - Beaverton Oregon
Ethical, Resourceful Professionals at Your Service Since 1992
www.BusinessSources.net

Nottoman wrote:
complaints concern the EULA and AdWare. The link below will take you to a
letter that Fred Langa published from one of his readers. An alternative is
suggested, and there is a link to a discussion that took place at
news:alt.comp.freeware concerning this topic.

http://www.langa.com/newsletters/2003/2003-04-28.htm#1

--
HTH

I get Fred, but that link 404s. Is it to a *subscribed* page?

"George Richards" <BigGuy@FatMan.com> wrote in
news:d1nyb.1408$zf2.38902@news20.bellglobal.com:

The entire "2003" web folder is empty, Greg. It's here:
http://www.langa.com/newsletters/2003-04-28.htm#1


On Sun, 30 Nov 2003 09:20:38 -0600, in
<Xns94435EDF3A1A8oo2@216.196.97.132>
Greg M scrawled:

<snip>

--
Basic computer maintenance
http://uk.geocities.com/personel44/maintenance.html

Greg M wrote:
I got the link by doing a search on his site for RealOne. The link still
works for me. I don't know why it wouldn't work for you.

For your benefit I have copied the contents of the article below.


I recently exchanged mail with reader Phil Freed, who was having trouble
with RealPlayer:

Hi, Fred. Love the newsletter--- not to mention that the Plus edition is
the best bargain in town (but don't tell your accountants!).

I have a question about audio players. I'm hoping that you or your readers
can give me a hand. Before I reloaded my laptop, I used to play RealAudio
songs on it for my daughters. When I went to download the latest free
version (RealOne), the license agreement made me stop. In part, it says:

"Once you log into the Software, user information including your user id
will be sent in communications with RN's servers. This information is used
to access your regular account, premium content, non-premium content,
services, features, and other personalized services. RN may match the user
id to personally identifiable information in order to provide you with
products, services, and software that you're entitled to and to provide you
with relevant information."

Good gracious. All I want to do is play some music for my daughters! I
don't mind trading usage information for free software, but the phrase "user
information including your user id will be sent" is a little too broad.
Given Real's less than stellar privacy record, I'm disinclined to install
their software.

I'm willing to pay for a product that protects my privacy, but I have been
unable to find any Windows-based alternatives for playing RealAudio. I know
that past versions of the Real player have allowed users to disable most of
the more intrusive "features" of the software, but it's not clear whether
this is still true. So:

1) Are there alternatives to RealOne for playing RealAudio files? I've
found WinAmp and Innover, but this combination no longer seems to be
supported.

2) Can the spyware aspects of RealOne be effectively disabled?...

I agree that RealPlayer has become obnoxiously aggressive in their
marketing. In fact, I'm amazed that we don't hear more about it from the
privacy mavens who love to pillory (say) Microsoft for even minor
infractions. RealPlayer---like AOL/Netscape--- is, if anything, much worse
than Microsoft in aggressively scooping user data, yet few seem at all
alarmed about it. Makes no sense.

Anyway, I simply avoid using RealPlayer, so I didn't have a good answer for
Phil. But he kept digging:

Usenet comes to the rescue once again! I would have tried there first, but
I hadn't yet reinstalled my newsreader.

There's a freeware product called JetAudio that seems to fit the bill
perfectly: http://www.jetaudio.com

It plays .RA, .RAM, and .RMI files (which isn't all RealAudio content, but
it meets my simple needs.) It appears to be free of spy-, ad- or nag-ware,
and (outside of some initial twiddling with the file associations) it
appears to work perfectly. I tested the software on Real's test site:
http://service.real.com/test/index.html

It even supports ripping and burning audio CDs, with some extra MP3
features in the non-free "Plus" version.

For a bit more info, see the discussion in "alt.comp.freeware" with the
subject line "Real Audio Codecs". It began on 4/15/2003. This link might get
you there: http://tinyurl.com/a8un

Thanks again for your wonderful newsletter.

Excellent detective work, Phil. Thanks!


--
HTH

Nottoman wrote:
I don't know if this is any help.
'RealAlternative' (free)
http://www.neowin.net/comments.php?id=14513

°Mike° <ZHNTPDWBLECA@fcnzzbgry.pbz> wrote in
news:3fe20c13.6427141@localhost.dot.net:


Ah. But the first one works now. (maintenance?)

"George Richards" <BigGuy@FatMan.com> wrote in
news:Sjoyb.2034$zf2.69232@news20.bellglobal.com:

<snip>

Dah. It's working now.

Thanks so much. Just what I was looking for.


"George Richards" <BigGuy@FatMan.com> wrote in message
news:d1nyb.1408$zf2.38902@news20.bellglobal.com...

On Sun, 30 Nov 2003 17:05:55 -0600, in
<Xns9443B814695A1oo2@216.196.97.132>
Greg M scrawled:

Yeah, probably maintenance.