Tunebite review (Win): stream downloading +screen capturing +DRM removing +converting

TuneBite Platinum (Shareware/Windows) allows to download HTTP and RTMP audio/video streams. It can also capture videos from screen.

[any ANONYMOUS forum user]

Why do you create a thread about Tunebite Platinum. It has an ugly complex interface and it is unstable at recording online videos. They say that the software is free, but it is not, because you have to see the nag screen all the time, and only some features are free, plus they are limited.

[Ashanti]

They didn't say it's free, they released a free version which is not the demo, but it's not like the full version whith all its features. As many other softs which have some free versions, tunebite has itself some limitations from the full version.
Regarding its ugly interface, that's up to the users, I for myself I think it's really nice.

Originally Posted by Ashanti

They didn't say it's free, they released a free version which is not the demo, but it's not like the full version whith all its features. As many other softs which have some free versions, tunebite has itself some limitations from the full version.

I've checked their web-site. Here are some quotes:

Originally Posted by tunebite

How can I use the Tunebite freeware?

Give it a try for yourself with the freeware.

Download the freeware!

It is really weird to see freeware and the buy button at the same time. May be this is an incorrect translation from German, but I think it is deceiving. When some not the best download web-sites use "free download", I can understand the trick. But I don't expect to see anything like that from a software vendor. I just don't trust the company after that.

If you take Replay Media Catcher and Jaksta for example, they clearly say that the program can be used to download YouTube videos for free, but they don't use the word freeware because of this fact.

Originally Posted by Ashanti

Regarding its ugly interface, that's up to the users, I for myself I think it's really nice.

I can't say that it is ugly, but it is definitely too complex for me.

[Ashanti]

Well, I really don't know what it's so hard to understand, they have a free version for some of the features and a demo version for the full version. It's just like AVG anti-virus, for example. You surely know that they have a free version which u can have it all the time and a full version which u must buy it. And at this full version there is a demo to test its features.
That's exactly the same case for tunebite, the free version u have full access to its features all the time and with demo version u can just try the features from the full version which aren't the same as the free version.

Originally Posted by Ashanti

Well, I really don't know what it's so hard to understand, they have a free version for some of the features and a demo version for the full version. It's just like AVG anti-virus, for example. You surely know that they have a free version which u can have it all the time and a full version which u must buy it. And at this full version there is a demo to test its features.

That's exactly the same case for tunebite, the free version u have full access to its features all the time and with demo version u can just try the features from the full version which aren't the same as the free version.

AVG and other respected companies clearly show that softwarу is freeware and what features you can get if you upgrade. Tunebite is absolutely the opposite. It is deceiving users. This is absolutely inappropriate and we do NOT recommend the program.

[bobklahn]

Originally Posted by user0905

Sorry bobklahn,

but I have not that good opinion about TuneBite. It is the most system pollution generating program I have ever seen. It installs about 10 drivers and a suspicious codec pack in a separate folder in Program Files and all these are left in the system after removing Tunebite and you have to manually clean your system and remove Tunebite drivers one by one using Device Manager.

Thanks.

Thanks for the warning. I had not tried it yet, just discovered it. Now I won't bother with it.

Bob

[MatteCox]

Originally Posted by user0905

I have not that good opinion about TuneBite. It is the most system pollution generating program I have ever seen. It installs about 10 drivers and a suspicious codec pack in a separate folder in Program Files and all these are left in the system after removing Tunebite and you have to manually clean your system and remove Tunebite drivers one by one using Device Manager.

Well, I couldn't say the same for this Tunebite software you're talking about, because honestly I use it for a long time and I didn't see to install 10 drivers but only 3, for audio and video files capturing and that "suspicious codec pack" is what Pixie Codec pack which is very useful for video files in order to be played.
So, I must ask: did you really use Tunebite or you're talking from stories, because I'm an older user and I can disagree with you regarding Tunebite software.

[user0905]

" ... did you really use Tunebite or you're talking from stories, because I'm an older user and I can disagree with you regarding Tunebite software ... "

Indeed, one must be a great writer to invent such Tunebite "stories" without experience.

A was a Tunebite old user too of versions 5 and 6 (and maybe a version 4, no clear recollection).

Here how I invented those Tunebite "stories":

1. Tunebite drivers.

When one day I decided to update my drivers and made some check-ups of the drivers versions in Device Manager, I was surprised to see Tunebite numerous drivers (yes, maybe collected from different installations, which was worse) residing there knowing that Tunebite was long removed from my system. Drivers were removed of course and I made some screenshots first for information and to avoid future Tunebite "surprises".

2. Pixie Codec pack.

One day I downloaded a security program (no clear recollection) to give it a try and after performing a scan, it gave an alarm for a file located in Pixie Codec directory. Then I saw that codec pack installed in a separate folder in Program Files without knowing who installed it there and where did it come from. After some Google search I discovered this second Tunebite "surprise".

You should not install codec packs in Program Files (and leave them there afterwards) without notification and asking the user for permission first. There may be another codec pack already installed in the system. Installing different codec packs in a system may cause conflicts leading to damages to the Operating System.

Additional Remarks

I used Tunebite mainly for removing DRM protection from videos. And it turned out to be a great consumer of system resources. It required all programs to be closed and you should sit down like an idiot in front of the computer for an hour waiting for Tunebite to convert a video without any guarantee there will be a video file produced at the end. Many times it failed to produce video files and I made many complaints on their Tunebite forum until I finally refused it.

If you use other programs for removing DRM protection from videos, for example Daniusoft Media Converter, you can browse the Internet or watch a movie while video is being converted.

As to the other Tunebite options - downloading, recording, converting media, etc. there are many special, small and pretty tools for the purpose out there which are far better than this uncontrolled, wild-behaving and resources hungry Tunebite monster.