Free tool(s) to rip archived NPR audio streams (record Windows Media or Real Audio)?

NPR has almost all of their past programs available to stream, and I'd like to capture some to listen to on my iPod. Using Project URL Snooper, I can find the "hidden" URL for the WMA file. Then what? I've tried putting it into GetASFstream, and I get a "password required" error ... of course, I may not be using GetASFstream properly; I'm just fumbling around blindly with it. Can anyone confirm if this is/isn't possible and explain how to do it? Or suggest a different free software solution? (I hope to rip/save the stream [at full DSL speed], rather than just playing the stream and capturing the audio in real time.) Thanks!

Do you use the latest version of GetAsfStream?

There is no problem recording NPR streams. Just try another media stream recorders.

NPR has Windows Media and Real Audio streams so you may use lots of media stream recorders.

I right-clicked on the following link
http://www.npr.org/templates/dmg/dmg...ref=WM&getAd=1

and selected "Save target as...". It appeared to be a .WAX metafile with a bunch of links:

mms://wm.npr.org/wm.npr.na-central/me/20061218_me_01.wma?v1st=77088EB27D9ED061&mt=2&prim aryTopic=1004&assignedTopics=1001,1004,1002
mms://wm.npr.org/wm.npr.na-central/me/20061218_me_02.wma?v1st=77088EB27D9ED061&mt=2&prim aryTopic=1004&assignedTopics=1004
mms://wm.npr.org/wm.npr.na-central/me/20061218_me_03.wma?v1st=77088EB27D9ED061&mt=2&prim aryTopic=1003&assignedTopics=1003,1012,1070
mms://wm.npr.org/wm.npr.na-central/me/20061218_me_04.wma?v1st=77088EB27D9ED061&mt=2&prim aryTopic=1062&assignedTopics=1010,1003,1021,1062
mms://wm.npr.org/wm.npr.na-central/me/20061218_me_05.wma?v1st=77088EB27D9ED061&mt=2&prim aryTopic=1003&assignedTopics=1003
mms://wm.npr.org/wm.npr.na-central/me/20061218_me_06.wma?v1st=77088EB27D9ED061&mt=2&prim aryTopic=1003&assignedTopics=1001,1002,1003
mms://wm.npr.org/wm.npr.na-central/me/20061218_me_07.wma?v1st=77088EB27D9ED061&mt=2&prim aryTopic=1060&assignedTopics=1060&aggIds=4538138
mms://wm.npr.org/wm.npr.na-central/me/20061218_me_08.wma?v1st=77088EB27D9ED061&mt=2&prim aryTopic=1065&assignedTopics=1054,1006,1065,1096
mms://wm.npr.org/wm.npr.na-central/me/20061218_me_09.wma?v1st=77088EB27D9ED061&mt=2&prim aryTopic=1027&assignedTopics=1095,1027,1012,1003,1 007
mms://wm.npr.org/wm.npr.na-central/me/20061218_me_10.wma?v1st=77088EB27D9ED061&mt=2&prim aryTopic=1019&assignedTopics=1004,1019,1055
mms://wm.npr.org/wm.npr.na-central/me/20061218_me_11.wma?v1st=77088EB27D9ED061&mt=2&prim aryTopic=1014&assignedTopics=1012,1010,1003,1002,1 001,1014
mms://wm.npr.org/wm.npr.na-central/me/20061218_me_12.wma?v1st=77088EB27D9ED061&mt=2&prim aryTopic=1059&assignedTopics=1014,1059,1012&aggIds =4467353
mms://wm.npr.org/wm.npr.na-central/me/20061218_me_13.wma?v1st=77088EB27D9ED061&mt=2&prim aryTopic=1003&assignedTopics=1090,1015,1013,1012,1 003,1001,1002
mms://wm.npr.org/wm.npr.na-central/me/20061218_me_14.wma?v1st=77088EB27D9ED061&mt=2&prim aryTopic=1060&assignedTopics=1021,1060
mms://wm.npr.org/wm.npr.na-central/me/20061218_me_15.wma?v1st=77088EB27D9ED061&mt=2&prim aryTopic=1055&assignedTopics=1070,1055,1002,1001,1 003
mms://wm.npr.org/wm.npr.na-central/me/20061218_me_16.wma?v1st=77088EB27D9ED061&mt=2&prim aryTopic=1010&assignedTopics=1001,1002,1010&aggIds =6643162
mms://wm.npr.org/wm.npr.na-central/me/20061218_me_17.wma?v1st=77088EB27D9ED061&mt=2&prim aryTopic=1004&assignedTopics=1004,1056
mms://wm.npr.org/wm.npr.na-central/me/20061218_me_18.wma?v1st=77088EB27D9ED061&mt=2&prim aryTopic=1047&assignedTopics=1008,1047
mms://wm.npr.org/wm.npr.na-central/me/20061218_me_19.wma?v1st=77088EB27D9ED061&mt=2&prim aryTopic=1019&assignedTopics=1019
mms://wm.npr.org/wm.npr.na-central/me/20061218_me_50.wma?v1st=77088EB27D9ED061&mt=2&prim aryTopic=1020&assignedTopics=1020
mms://wm.npr.org/wm.npr.na-central/me/20061218_me_51.wma?v1st=77088EB27D9ED061&mt=2&prim aryTopic=1046&assignedTopics=1046

You may find the links using a URL Finder.

p.s. I prefer to record Windows Media streams with the most powerful Windows Media stream recorder WM Recorder. I had no problem recording NPR streams with WM Recorder and Replay A/V.

Okay, it turns out that I was just not using GetASFstream correctly. I got the hidden URL with Project URL Snooper and then put it into the URL box on the main screen of GetASFstream ... not correct! I found that if I open the web traffic analysis screen (from the "File" menu), then paste in my URL and click "analyze", it then worked perfectly. I gather that GetASFstream should be able to scan traffic and find the right URL (so that I don't need to do the initial step with Project URL Snooper) but I haven't been able to figure this one out ... sure would be nice to have an english language tutorial for GetASFstream!

I want to do something similar. Actually, when I use URL Snooper, I get a whole bunch of urls. I suspect the ones that I want to use is the numbered one but am not sure. Can anyone give me an idea how the url I should use look like?

The show that I want to record, Wait Wait Don't Tell Me, list 8 sequential urls, I think. Do I need to record each separately? How do I combine them if I want to have the whole show in one file?

Oh, I am using Replay AV to record. Can I set Replay AV to capture by download instead of recording through streaming?

Thanks.

Originally Posted by invader

Oh, I am using Replay AV to record. Can I set Replay AV to capture by download instead of recording through streaming?

With Replay A/V you can either capture by downloading streams or by recording audio output. In the properties dialog hit the Recording tab to change the settings.

Originally Posted by invader

I want to do something similar. Actually, when I use URL Snooper, I get a whole bunch of urls. I suspect the ones that I want to use is the numbered one but am not sure. Can anyone give me an idea how the url I should use look like?

In URL Snooper you may use protocol filter "Multimedia URLs".

Replay A/V can also find streaming media URLs for you and you don't have to filter for multimedia URLs with it.

Originally Posted by invader

The show that I want to record, Wait Wait Don't Tell Me, list 8 sequential urls, I think. Do I need to record each separately? How do I combine them if I want to have the whole show in one file?

Just use stream capture to download them separately and then use free sound editor Audacity to join them. I suggest you to download Windows Media .WMA audio files, 'coz more software works with them (whether we talk about playing or splitting, joining, editing).

Alternatively you may use "Capture by recording Audio output" feature of Replay A/V to record to a single file.

p.s. I will ask Apllian whether to ease this process with multiple URLs. It really makes me mad when I have to play the playlist and hit the next button 7 times to find the URLs.
Yes, it is much easier to download the .WAX metafile, so IMHO Replay A/V should process .WAX files with multiple URLs correctly or at least allow to add multiple URLs at once. Hopefully it will be implemented in the nearest future.

Sorry, Audacity doesn't work with .WMA files. Use free audio/video converter MediaCoder to join them.