What is the best way to Convert smil (real media) files?

EWT · #1 10-20-2008, 05:49 PM

I have a group of real media files: smil, rm, and rp:

The smil is a text file which calls up the other two files when played on my media player classic.

One of those two called up in the .smil text file is an .rm file which is strictly audio narration (no video). The other file paired up with the .rm audio file is an .rp file which is a text file. The .rp file does nothing more than call up a bunch of .jpg slides in the same folder. The .rp text file contains timing and sequencing info so that it syncs up with the audio narration.

I would like to convert this to .avi or .mp4 on my hard drive for further processing (ultimately making a DVD that will play in the majority of home type dvd players; not computer dvd drives). Am I stuck with doing a video screen capture or is there an easier way to go about doing this, seeing that I have 50 to 60 different sets of this typ of presentation that I need to do?

Thanks in advance for any help offered.

Stream Ripper · #2 10-20-2008, 09:53 PM

Hi ewt,

I'd like to try converting these myself, as i'm not quite sure to be honest with you. Is there a URL where I can download these files for myself?

Thanks

EWT · #3 10-21-2008, 09:18 AM

SR,

I purchased the copyrighted material and downloaded it over the internet, but I don't have a link where you can download it for free. One set of files is roughly 18-20 MB total. The slides are less than 1 MB, so the .rm audio file is 95% of this total . Here is the structure of the .smil file:

Code:

<smil>
	<head>
		<meta name="title" content="Study Material" />
		<meta name="author" content="John Smith" />
		<meta name="copyright" content="© 2005" />
		<layout type="text/smil-basic-layout">
			<root-layout width="720" height="540" background-color="black"/>
			<region id="pix_region" left="0" top="0" width="720" height="540" z-index="1" />
		</layout>
		</head>
	<body>
		<par>
		
			<img src="images/Study_01.rp" region="pix_region" fill="freeze"/>
		     <audio src="images/Study_01.rm"/>
		</par>
	</body>
</smil>

Here is the structure of the .rp file:

Code:

<imfl>
	<head
	  title="Study Material"
	  copyright="©"
	  timeformat="dd:hh:mm:ss.xyz"
	  duration="75:25.0"
	  bitrate="150000"
	  width="720"
	  height="540"
	  preroll="10.0"
	/>

  <!-- Assign handle numbers to images -->
<image handle="1" name="Slide001.jpg" size="777" mime="image/jpg"/>
<image handle="2" name="Slide002.jpg" size="777" mime="image/jpg"/>
<image handle="3" name="Slide003.jpg" size="777" mime="image/jpg"/>
<image handle="4" name="Slide004.jpg" size="777" mime="image/jpg"/>
<image handle="5" name="Slide005.jpg" size="777" mime="image/jpg"/>
 <!-- These effects define the timeline of the presentation -->
 <crossfade start="0:00.0" duration="1.0" target="1" dstx="0" dsty="0" dstw="720" dsth="540" aspect="true" />
<crossfade start="0:24.0" duration="1.0" target="2" dstx="0" dsty="0" dstw="720" dsth="540" aspect="true" />
<crossfade start="0:41.0" duration="1.0" target="3" dstx="0" dsty="0" dstw="720" dsth="540" aspect="true" />
<crossfade start="0:51.0" duration="1.0" target="4" dstx="0" dsty="0" dstw="720" dsth="540" aspect="true" />
<crossfade start="1:07.0" duration="1.0" target="5" dstx="0" dsty="0" dstw="720" dsth="540" aspect="true" />
</imfl>

If you had a set of files, you could experiment, but this forum doesn't seem to allow attachments. It's too big to email, and I am kind of out of options. Any suggestions?

Thanx.

#4 10-21-2008, 07:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EWT

If you had a set of files, you could experiment, but this forum doesn't seem to allow attachments. It's too big to email, and I am kind of out of options. Any suggestions?

If you are OK with opening slides manually, you can use media stream recorders or audio stream rippers that support Real Media streams. Offline Explorer Pro is the best program I know that can capture complete web-sites and can postprocess SMIL files and download content that they link to. If you have several SMIL files only, then NetTransport might be a better option.
You may prefer to use screen video capture software instead, 'coz it can record anything you can see on your computer screen. The quality might be worse, but you don't have to open slides manually after recording (or edit your content so that it plays fine on your computer).

EWT · #5 10-25-2008, 10:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stream Recorder

If you are OK with opening slides manually, you can use media stream recorders or audio stream rippers that support Real Media streams. Offline Explorer Pro is the best program I know that can capture complete web-sites and can postprocess SMIL files and download content that they link to. If you have several SMIL files only, then NetTransport might be a better option.
You may prefer to use screen video capture software instead, 'coz it can record anything you can see on your computer screen. The quality might be worse, but you don't have to open slides manually after recording (or edit your content so that it plays fine on your computer).

I can't open slides manually because there is no cue. Second, I don't want to capture web sites; I have the files already. Third, I have tried a number of conversion programs recommended from this site (but not the ones you mentioned) to convert the real media but none recognize .smil files.

Would appreciate any other help that may be available. Thanks

#6 10-26-2008, 01:16 PM

I don't think any program can convert SMIL files to DVD (unless .SMI or .SMIL files are actually Real Media/Audio/Video files).

Can you play your presentation with a Real Player? If your Real Media audio files play fine and you can see the slides perfectly by playing .SMI files, then screen capture software will be the best solution. If you can't play the presentation, but can watch it online, then again use screen video capture software to record into MPEG-2 format and burn your recordings to DVD.