RealPlayer keeps freezing

[Irving Patrick Freleigh]

Why, oh why has Real Player decided to become such a bitch lately?

Just about every time I try to play music or videos on Real Player, it freezes up and stops responding and I have to close it and start it again.

This is getting really annoying. I'm sick of having to close and restart Real Player 8 times just to hear one freaking song!

[ArcticChicken]

Because it's not Itunes?

[Broomjockey]

Please. The only thing worse than Real Player is iTunes. Have you checked for updates? Have you done anything to your system recently before this started? Have you tried uninstalling and reinstalling the program, incase a file was corrupted?

[Irving Patrick Freleigh]

I was hoping you wouldn't say uninstall and re-install.

The size of the program+dial-up internet connection=at least a couple hours shot waiting for everything to download. It's one of those programs where you click the icon to install the program, and then and only then it starts to download the necessary files.

Otherwise, haven't changed anything in the system. Will look for updates.

[Andara Bledin]

I won't use RealPlayer.

Admittedly, my last use of it was back when Netscape was top dog, but I still hold a grudge over when it borked my system.

^-.-^

[lordlundar]

I was hoping you wouldn't say uninstall and re-install.

Okay, we'll only do the first part.

For general media playback, I use VLC player and the Windows Media player for the windows files. For the proprietary real media files, I use Real Alternative, which is a plugin that reads the real media files.

[Irving Patrick Freleigh]

I did install an update last night. Everything seems to be working fine for now.

If I have to uninstall and re-install, I'll just have to go to the public library and sponge off their wi-fi I guess.

[LostMyMind]

I won't use RealPlayer.

Admittedly, my last use of it was back when Netscape was top dog, but I still hold a grudge over when it borked my system.

It still does that, I don't use realplayer either. Same for quicktime. Mainly because both of em can't seem to work without having a startup program running all the time. (I really hate programs who "need" an startup program to work)

Basically, every time I deal with a realplayer problem with my parents/siblings it's always uninstall, install, uninstall, install older one, uninstall, ask do you really need to see that one movie on that one website that you probably won't ever visit again?

[Broomjockey]

I did install an update last night. Everything seems to be working fine for now.

You'll probably be okay then. The update likely over-wrote whatever file was corrupted (assuming one was). I seriously suggest finding a different program though, unless you have a personally compelling reason to continue to use the program. Bash.org said it best. "There's a special spot in Hell, just down the hall from Hitler, for Real Player."

[Naaman]

You could also try Real Alternative (they also do a Quicktime Alternative).

Fraction of the size, no bloat and no ads

[earl colby pottinger]

Solution

Stop buying into the garbage that you *MUST* have the latest and greatest version of everything.

Go to http://forms.real.com/real/player/blackjack.html

There you will find the older versions as SINGLE .exe downloads. That is what I have on my XP hard drive. Once downloaded you can install it as many times as you wish WITHOUT downloading a single extra byte.

[MadMike]

Seconded (thirded?) on Media Player Classic, Real Alternative, and Quicktime Alternative.

The only problem with the latter -- if you have iTunes, you also have to have the regular Quicktime. ITunes gets really cranky if you try to remove it.

[Irving Patrick Freleigh]

I have downloaded the Real Alternative player and it works great.

Do not have iTunes, do not have an ipod, and don't intend to have either.

Thanks for all your help.

[PepperElf]

and another option is the VLC player. it plays just about every single video file out there.
the only issue i've had with VLC is that quicktime movies play better on quicktime, but that's about it.

and for dialup, back when i was using that, i use to save a lot of my downloaded programs to an external drive whenever possible. that way, if i needed to reinstall, i'd have a copy already handy. granted it doesn't always help for updating programs, but it does save a hour or two (or more) of re-downloading what you already have.