How do I download videos with RealPlayer?
When I upgraded to FireFox 13 my RealPlayer Browser Record Plugin was disabled as being unsafe and unstable. Now I can't download videos I watch with RealPlayer. When I Enable the Plugin, I can't watch the video (I get a blank video screen). So how do I Download and Record the videos I want like those on Planet Pulse by Rick Levine or other sites with recordable videos? I have downloaded and installed the latest version of RealPlayer and they say I will be able to download videos but I can't. Is this problem also related to this disabled Plugin?
Modified by Bill5040
Chosen solution
Hi To All Freaked Out Firefox and RealPlayer users,
This is the proper workaround for the problem of not being able to see videos after the Adobe defective 11.3 update (either the 11.3.300.257 or the latest 11.3.300.262) and not being able to download them with the RealPlayer Browser Record Plugin extension because Firefox disabled it.You can enable it but you won't be able to see videos unless you roll back the defective update and disabling the extension doesn't even work for some users to even let you see videos, much less download them. I successfully tested uninstalling adobe's update 11.3 and reinstalling with two different versions - 10.3 and 11.2 and posted this on other threads beginning 6/11. People who have tried it have been very grateful once they stopped listening to all the confusing and misleading recommendations by Firefox and Adobe. It's the ONLY one that gives full use of RealPlayer as well as updated security on the Flash Player and I've provided the most direct link to that version without having to download a cumbersome .zip file. It's a link to the 10.3 version. You will see other references to the 11.2 version on this thread. Although I tested that first and it works equally well, there are known critical vulnerabilities as reported by Secunia and Adobe,so I don't recommend it unless you have top security software. I do, and had no trouble with it. The 10.3, however, is up to date on security and works equally well -I've tested both. Just remember to enable the RealPlayer Browser Record Plugin extension after you roll back the update.
Alternatively, if you want, you can simply switch browsers 'till this is fixed. And for many of you for whom FF disabling the RealPlayer extension does not even work to allow you to see videos - it didn't for me, and a Level Three Case Manager I know at RealPlayer said the same thing- obviously it's not the best solution and even if it allows you to see videos, these geniuses at Firefox have not been even telling you how to then download videos with RealPlayer - they've been too busy following Adobe's "pass the buck and blame RealPlayer so just disable it" nonsense without telling what to do next, or that there are other much better choices. RealPlayer is likely not the cause (although there is a conflict in the interaction with the Adobe update.
The Best Choices are:
First Choice:
Roll Back the Update to the 10.3 version -
See links below for both Adobe's uninstaller - to first uninstall the 11.3- and for the 10.3 version. Choose the 10.3 that says "for other browsers"- this is for Firefox. The other one is for IE Active X. IE and has to be reinstalled also because the uninstaller removes both version.
And on Adobe clean uninstall directions, step 4, that says to delete the extra files and folders is not generally necessary and you may be denied access to delete all the files. RealPlayer also says that's not necessary.I know how to create special permissions but didn't bother because most users would not know how to do that - I didn't have to, although I'm almost certain one of these Firefox gurus will tell you I'm wrong. It's fine to do the step, it just can be difficult for many and it didn't seem necessary for me or anyone else I've heard back from.
Note: When you reinstall the 10.3 change the update setting from automatic to "Never check for updates" to avoid any more problems until this is finally fixed. Adobe already updated to the 11.3.300.262 for Firefox (which was designed to ONLY fix the crash problems and not the video viewing problems) and didn't even fix that -I don't trust anything Adobe says right now until this is permanently fixed. And in the future I strongly urge you to do the same, keeping it on "Notify me if there are updates" in a future version where that choice is available. If you forget, you can change the setting from the control panel. Click on Large Icons, then Flash Player and on then the Advanced tab and dot the lower radio button for "Never check....." in the 10.3 If you don't get notified of a new version you can always check this forum which you need to do anyway because any new version at this point is going to be a beta version fix until we test it thoroughly and I don't care who disagrees with me on that, or what Firefox says either.
Second Choice:
Change Browsers -
The Adobe problem only involves Firefox . You can view videos and download them with RealPlayer download button if you don't want to do the rollback. You can even leave the RealPlayer extension disabled (if that allows you to see videos) and use another browser to download (just copy and paste the video URL onto the address bar) and the RealPlayer download button will work.
To uninstall 11.3
http://forums.adobe.com/message/4041846#4041846
To Install 10.3
http://forums.adobe.com/thread/889580 Important Note: Remember, you have to reinstall both versions, the one for Firefox and for Internet Explorer because the uninstaller removes both. This has worked perfectly for many others I've heard back from - hope it works for you.Read this answer in context 👍 8
All Replies (12)
@Bill5040
Great! You really were paying attention and thinking it through once you had all the clues and knew that it's definitely supposed to work. Nice going trying the 10.3 and then realizing you should reinstall RealPlayer even after uninstalling RealDownloader which is why I told you that that's exactly what that doctor had to do.
By the way. Just ignore that message from Firefox. I have that to. Firefox only created that caution because of the conflict with the infamous 11.3. You're no longer using that version , so there's no conflict anymore, which is the reason for the rollback to the previous version! There's an update from RealPlayer sometime this week but I was told it has nothing to do with this conflict - but you never know till you try it, so check for updates.
Just to show you how screwed up this whole thing is, another FF user was describing how she tried to research this before finding my post on the 10.3 vs 11.2 on another thread. She saw how ridiculous the instructions were to disable the RealPlayer Web Download and Recording checkbox (couldn't download videos with any browser) and then she rolled back to 11.2 . Said she was sorry she hadn't read me first, but she has good security software so she's OK and everything was working fine. But she noticed that the Record Plugin extension was reading that it was "Disabled" and the button on the right was reading "Enable", yet it was working normally! She even posted screen shots to prove it and then I disabled mine to test it and she was right - it was still working !!!
Like Alice In Wonderland, this is getting "curiouser and curiouser".
Modified by CheckMate
Thnx for this! Your Awesome!
Thanks - install the earlier (10.......) flashplayer, reinstalled Real Player and everything works fine i.e. the download the video button is back.
Realplayer download function has always worked with both IE and Chrome without problems. Same for flash. The problems are always there with EVERY firefox upgrade. Evidently the problem is with Firefox being the worst browser of the three. Change browser.
Thanks for your POST! I continue having problems with FireFox's use of RealPlayer's Video Download function. Even though RealPlayer Download works automatically most of the time, I continually have to re-boot my PC to get RealPlayer to function in FireFox. I am going to change browsers to Chrome and see if I get consistent success like you do. I think the major problem is FireFox!!!!!, not RealPlayer and Adobe Flash Player.
Dear CheckMate, thank you for your clear solution. Saved this butt! I uninstalled Adobe 11.3 and installed 10.3, and I now have 1 click downloading. Per your suggestion, I did not download the RealDownloader which I was using before.
You seem very familiar with RealPlayer; I have been using VLC solely for playback. Are there any advantages to RealPlayer? I have seen many derogatory comments about it.
Thanks again.
@rocco573
Hi rocco573,
Good question. The only reason I mentioned not having both Real Downloader and RealPlayer installed is that they can conflict with each other. I actually use the VLC Player myself, with RealPlayer for downloads. Most people were having problems with RealPlayer and the Adobe Flash update 11.3 versions, so I explained it that way.
I've used the Real Downloader when there were temporary compatibility update problems with the RealPlayer download extension and FF and it worked fine, although I assume you're using RealPlayer if you're getting one click downloading without the Real Downloader. Is RealPlayer any easier to use for downloads? I don't think it is, but there are more features.
RealPlayer does have more features in the Free version.
1. It has it's own library, but I prefer the speed of scrolling and features of the Windows Video Library if it's large. But .flv thumbnails are NOT supported by Windows natively. They WILL show in RealPlayer automatically, or you can import them, which you do when you first install it. . Click the RealPlayer button>File>Scan Disc for media>Videos.
However, if you have the K-lite pack version with the page to allow thumbnails for flv's in Windows it now works. I have 64bit so I need the 64 bit version of K-lite pack to do it but you can experiment with that if you want because K-lite had a recent update and I no longer have to use a workaround for that, that actually partly involved the VLC Player. Just make sure it has that page to allow different file type thumbnails to display in Windows, if you want to experiment.
2. It also has other folders for Pictures and Music and can create playlists, although so can the VLC Player.
3.RealPlayer has Tools like a Converter and Trimmer if you want them and some visualizations for audio play. They're also working on a permanent fix for the Flash problems.
They're always improving RealPlayer, but the Real Downloader is useful if there's a compatibility issue with Firefox alone, like after a FF update (although RealPlayer has gotten much better with this, too).
Modified by CheckMate
@Bill5040
I finally realized why this last post of yours is more recent - you're having problems with RealPlayer Download button and having to reboot to get it working again? You shouldn't have to do this with the 10.3 Flash version. Are you still having the problem? It won't happen with the other browsers, but you could try resetting Firefox or even reinstalling it. Did you fix it or is it still a problem?
@CheckMate I finally gave up TOTALLY on using FireFox and went to Chrome. Now I have NO PROBLEMS whatsoever. I really want to Thank You for your Helpful Support and also say that this Forum is better than Chrome's, but I found a better solution: Change Browsers!!!! Good Bye FireFox!
Modified by Bill5040
@Bill5040
Can't say I blame you. I actually recommended that as a second option till these problems are fixed but I understand you're switching browsers permanently. I really hope examples like yours are a wakeup call to Mozilla. I know that RealPlayer has a special engineering team working on a permanent fix for all Flash problems with Firefox.
The reason I suggested reinstalling or resetting Firefox, however, is for the same basic troubleshooting that you're likely to be needing to do with Chrome as well sooner or later. I know that because I was testing Chrome again myself a couple of weeks ago and there was a corrupt file for the Norton Toolbar that was ONLY fixed by reinstalling Chrome, and an excellent Norton Case Manager was working with me on it. She uses Chrome at work for speed,(she works very fast) but uses Firefox at home so when you say you're not having any problems whatsoever, I believe you, but I also said the current Adobe Flash problem was only with the Firefox's plugin. A lot of people love Chrome - but it doesn't come close to having the features and add on choices that Firefox has and although it has more speed, Firefox is catching up fast.
Staying with Chrome is fine, of course. My only point here is that it pays to try to learn something from these troubleshooting steps. What you described in the end, does sound like something was possibly corrupt, or the cash needed to be cleared, etc. And that could happen with any browser and really has nothing to do with Firefox. If I reacted like that when I was having that problem with Chrome, I could have switched to Firefox and not have learned anything. How did the file get corrupt? Maybe Chrome was the lousy browser!!!!! I'm just sayin'.
To say that the problem is only with Firefox is wrong. FF was released on June 5 and all hell broke loose on June 8 when Adobe release the 11.3. So it certainly was Adobe's fault primarily, although all three companies should have been coordinating in the beta testing and they're doing that now to fix it.
Modified by CheckMate
@CheckMate I agree with you about FF having more Add-ons, but I don't need that many yet. I'm just really learning the vast world of Add-ons and what they can do to enhance my browsing experience.
About some problems with Chrome: Every time I reboot my PC Chrome's Profile file gets CORRUPTED and I have to work around that. I got smart and save my current uncorrupted Profile weekly as a "copy". Then when Chrome gives me a sign on ERROR Message that my Profile is CORRUPT I just go to the Profile location and delete the current corrupt profile (listed as "DEFAULT") and change the name of my uncorrupted Profile to DEFAULT. This may be a Windows 7 problem that needs to be solved. I have noticed other files on my PC get corrupted besides browser files.
I will watch Mozilla's FireFox because, like you, I think it may be a better browser. It's just having growing problems in that it grows faster than RealPlayer, Adobe, Java, and others that need to solve compatibility problems like I'm having now. Keep in touch!!!! Thanks for the Updates and Support. I'm learning daily!
@Bill5040
Apparently there is something else causing these problems. You can try a restore point, restoring the computer to a time when things were working O.K. You can also try reinstalling both browsers and RealPlayer. Did you test Internet Explorer for these problems? Did you follow my caution to reinstall the Flash Active X for Internet Explorer after running the Adobe unintsaller which removes both versions of Flash? When you say there are other files that are corrupt besides browser files, it's hard to know what they are- are you getting errors? Try starting Windows in Safe Mode and see if the problems still occur and if they don't, try starting programs one by one to try to find any conflict. Are security scans OK? RealPlayer does have a download button freezing problem they're working on. I see it on Chrome, testing the new Adobe version with Protected Mode disabled. You're still using the 10.3, right?
A full System Recovery might be needed but you should rule out any other possible causes if you can.
Modified by CheckMate