If I am running Real Media player to display streaming video using my
Internet connection, what is the best way to capture the video to a
file for later viewing when I'm offline?

You will need some software to record real streaming files to you
local system to save for offline viewing.
I found a rather comprehensive website for you where you can 
"read about Streaming Video Recorders - shareware and freeware
software recording Real Video and Real Audio Streams including but not
limited to Live Streaming Video, Streaming News Video, Streaming Music
Videos, Streaming Adult Content, Web Radio Streams, Scientific (i.e.
NASA video), News Features, Corporate Videos and any other Windows
Media? streaming content. Record you favourite streaming video and
audio from Real Player (Real One Player)."
( http://emoney.al.ru/capture-streaming-video-and-audio/record-streaming-video-real-video.htm
)

On this page you will find a big, commented selection of real video
capturing sofware, just follow this link:
( http://emoney.al.ru/capture-streaming-video-and-audio/record-streaming-video-real-video.htm
)
There are programs that will record the real-video protocol (pnm,
rtsp) as well as Windows media player formats (http, mms).
The programs are rated and the best rated freeware solution is Net Trasport 1.8
( http://www.xi-soft.com/download.htm )
I tried the program and must say that I was impressed by the ease of
use. I recorded a real file form the web with a few clicks.

I hope this helps to solve your problem. If you have any questions
please post a clarification request.

till-ga 

Search strategy used:
( ://www.google.de/search?sourceid=navclient&hl=de&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&q=capture+real+video
)

---

Request for Answer Clarification by nosecone1023-ga on 06 Mar 2004 12:22 PST

I tried Net Transport 1.8 but upon entering the link only a 4K file is
saved. Any ideas on how to troubleshoot this?

---

Clarification of Answer by till-ga on 06 Mar 2004 12:33 PST

Maybe that´s a redirect (indirect adressing of real media file)
problem. Please open the file using your real player software and then
open netdirekt.
Then the software will save both the redirect link and the file you want so save.
I had the same problem.

till-ga

---

Request for Answer Clarification by nosecone1023-ga on 08 Mar 2004 19:38 PST

Yes, I'm having a redirect problem. However, from your instructions I
cannot figure out what to do to make it work. Could you step me
through it in a little more detail?

---

Clarification of Answer by till-ga on 08 Mar 2004 23:35 PST

Allright, here is a step by step instruction what I do when indirect
adressing is used.
Example:
Open the page where the real file you want to download and copy the
redirect link using your browsers functions (right click and save
link).
You will get a link similar to this one:
http://www.domain-name.com/real-file.ram
The ram file will contain the following redirection statements:
rtsp://maybe-other-domain.com/real-file.rm
--stop--
pnm://maybe-other-domain.com/real-file.rm

Now open Net transport and select "Insert URL" from the "download"
menu. At "Source Url" please paste the link to the ram file you copied
before.
Net Trasport will then find out the redirection statement in the ram
file and you should be able to download the rm file then.

I tested this procedure several times and it worked perfect. If you
should still have any problems please makle sure that you´re not on
pages that use any kind of access control (password protection). I
doubt if the software can help you downloading files on protected
pages. (And this could be a violation of copyright rules).

till-ga