can't capture FLV stream from member site

[tjgal]

I have tried several different apps (WM Recorder, Replay A/V, FLV Recorder, DL apps etc) to capture the live flash stream from a pay site but no luck. I am able to find the URL and I can paste it in a browser address bar and get the stream so I know the URL is correct but it will not stream for any of the video capture apps or downloaders. I just get a blank swf file.

The moderator "Stream-Recorder" mentioned that:
Web-sites with membership usually use the following things to prevent recording:
1. timestamps that expire
2. cookies
3. user-agent checking

I think this may be the problem. Is there a way to have the video capture app mimic a browser? Is there a way to have the browser cache the flash file (I checked the browser cache and it currently does not cache the stream). Any suggestions would be appreciated. I tried the screen capture apps but they provide poor quality and large files sizes.

FLV Recorder captures packets from the flash player so IMHO it can capture more streams form member sites. Its recording abilities shouldn't be affected by timestamps, cookies or user-agent checking.

HTTP flash video streams are usually cached. And Replay AV can get them from the cache unless you use some web browser like Opera. But you can always open a cache folder manually.

RTMP Flash video streams can only be recorded by the above mentioned FLV Recorder as well as Replay Media Catcher and Orbit Downloader. But if I'm not mistaken they can be protected by timestamps only.

Are you sure the web-site uses flash streams? Can you PM me the stream URL? Please also post the web-site URL so that I can try to find some information about their broadcasts.

Originally Posted by tjgal

Here is the flash URL which changes:
_http://www.met-cams.com/live/viewer_2.swf?.................

This is not the URL of a stream. It is an .swf player. If they use flash video, them the filename in the URL will have .FLV extension.

You may try Replay Media Catcher or try to find the stream URL with URL Snooper.

[tjgal]

It is definitely Flash and that URL is what I found with URL Snooper2. If I paste the URL into a browser I get the flash stream so it must be the URL for the stream. I have tried many different ways to capture/record it but no success. It doesn't get stored in the browser cache either so I guess they have a technology that prevents recording.
Thanks for your help none the less.
Tim

SWF flash files are often used as players of FLV streams (Adobe Flash player is often used for this purpose). Flv streams have different URLs (http://, https://, rtmp://, rtmpt://). URL Snooper is not very good at finding RTMP URLs even after adding "flv;rtmp" to the "Also search for" edit box.

Demo versions of Replay Media Catcher and FLV Recorder can find the RTMP URLs. They can also record RTMP and HTTP flash video .FLV streams automatically. The demo versions are limited, but they allow you to evaluate whether the programs will be able to record the streams or not.

SWF flash files can get external content like a bunch of images. So there might be some other way of broadcasting video through the SWF file, but I really doubt that it is done this way on web-sites like this one.

[tjgal]

So you are saying that the URL http://www.met-cams.com/live/viewer_2.swf?.................
is not the actual URL for the stream even though I can enter it in my browser's address bar and get the stream? It is just the player for the stream?
Replay media catcher is not very good for catching URLs. I even tried it on some radio stations and it didn't find the URL. I did not try FLV recorder but I will see if it can find the stream URL.
Do you think the problem is finding the correct URL and once that is done it should be recordable?
I don't understand why the browser (IE and FF) do not cache it.
Thanks for your help.
Tim

Replay Media Catcher is very good at finding URLs of the stream formats it supports.

RTMP flash streams are not cached.

SWF must be a player for flash .FLV videos.

[tjgal]

You must have better luck than me with RMC and FLV recorder. I find them to be both very crappy apps. RMC has virtually no options but a record button and FLV recorder is even worse. Perhaps I will try Streambox.

[compn]

Originally Posted by tjgal

You must have better luck than me with RMC and FLV recorder. I find them to be both very crappy apps. RMC has virtually no options but a record button and FLV recorder is even worse. Perhaps I will try Streambox.

i dont think anyone recommended streambox. orbit might do the job...

if you give us the login we can try it. the moderator of this forum also talks with the developers of Replay Media Catcher so if its a problem with that, it can be fixed...

good luck!

Originally Posted by compn

i dont think anyone recommended streambox. orbit might do the job...

+1

Originally Posted by compn

if you give us the login we can try it. the moderator of this forum also talks with the developers of Replay Media Catcher so if its a problem with that, it can be fixed...

We have contacts with almost all major developers of streaming media recording software and DRM removal software. Usually we try to solve the problem ourselves. The tough cases are forwarded to the support teams of the software developers. You may have already seen them answering in the forums.

tjgal, you should believe compn. He is one of the most experienced and respected persons in the streaming media recording. I'm in the field since 2003 and he still amazes me by his skills.

Originally Posted by tjgal

You must have better luck than me with RMC and FLV recorder. I find them to be both very crappy apps. RMC has virtually no options but a record button and FLV recorder is even worse. Perhaps I will try Streambox.

The less "options" the software has, the easier it is for users. If software does the job perfectly why not having an easy to use interface? IMHO it is a big advantage.