I am looking for a software that will convert from Real Audio (.ra)to MP3 Files. Are there any FREE programs that will convert the complete file and not just part of it from ra to mp3?
I did all my recording in RA for several years so I have a lot of them. I would also like to convert the real audio files to wav files to put them on cd's.
Appreciate any good info.
Best to all,
Bebop Bill

thanks Fran,
I DL and gave it a try but it only wants to work with RM files with RM codecs, and not RA files.
I just figured out how to do this using my RA player and Cakewalk Pro Audio V9.0 to do the recording and then save to MP3 or Wav file.
Bebop

[This message has been edited by BEBOP (edited 03-12-2010).]

Hi Bebop
Real Player SP (The free one) will do it for you, as well as converting many other files. (Including YouTube, which you can directly download with Real Player SP)
Hope this helps

Bill

I have the free one version 10.5 but the convert under tools is grayed out. How do I activate this feature in this player?
thanks for your help,
Bebop Bill

Hi Bebop
Go to My Library and create a new playlist
Add the files you wish to convert to the playlist
Right click the file(s) you wish to convert and click Convert to
In the new Window, Click the Convert to button and select what you wish to convert to (Clicking on details will allow you to adjust the settings)
Choose where to save and click Start
Hope this helps

Bill

I had to update to the sp free to get the convert window to even open and it does not work stating the file does not have the correct codecs.
Bebop

Hi Bebop
Are you blocking Real Player SP free from accessing the internet at all, as normally if a codec is missing it will go online (It will ask first) and download the appropriate codec.
If you check for an update option, you will normally be presented with all different types of formats to download, and it is quite safe to download and install all of them. (Ignore the ones you have to pay for)

If you still get problems with codecs, then this site should provide all that you need http://www.free-codecs.com/

NOTE: If you also have other players installed (Apart from the big 3) check to make sure these are not blocking Real Player. (I just have WMP, Real Player SP and QuickTime installed (Free versions) and apart from the odd HD file can convert anything)
For serious video editing, I also have ULead Video Studio, but to be quite honest I very rarely use it, as the free ones do pretty much all that I need.
Hope this helps

Bill

I added real player to firewall exception list as well as the converter. No change.
I have not been getting any blocking messages
I try to convert and get popup stating File Parsing error. Codecs required for this imput file processing are not found.
The music files info states that it is:
audio codec 16kbps music - high response (real audio 3.0) 11025kz.
I wonder if I should delete and reinstall the entire program??
thanks,
Bebop

Hi Bebop
A reinstall may well solve the problem, as the error message indicates a file corruption, however it may be the files themselves that are damaged, so make sure they play back fully in Real Player to confirm.
If the above fails, do a disk check on all your drives (Select automatically fix) just in case it is the Windows file system that has become damaged.
Hope this helps

Bill

thanks Bill,
the files play fine and I have tried a lot of them.
I haven't done a disk check for a couple months so I will try that next, and see if that helps. If not then I will reinstall the program and take another look from there.
I note that if I go to program files and open real audio and then click on the convertor file I get this as it goes on line:
The XML page cannot be displayed
Cannot view XML input using XSL style sheet. Please correct the error and then click the Refresh button, or try again later.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Invalid at the top level of the document. Error processing resource 'file:///C:/Program Files/Real/RealConverter/RealConver...

this would indicate to me that I might need to reinstall??
OK, I just did a disk clean, then a disk check and repair, then a defrag of the c drive and the music applications partition.
Nothing changed.
I guess next is reinstall, however I will await your comments on this post first.
Thanks,
Bebop Bill
Thanks,
Bill

[This message has been edited by BEBOP (edited 03-14-2010).]

Bebop, Your post, “I am looking for a software that will convert from Real Audio (.ra)to MP3 Files”. I presume that Ra (real audio) is what you hear from a tape recorder or radio and I know you asked for a free program but I found that the program I gave you gives you options you do not get with most of the free programs.

I records from any audio source including the computer -- making wave file for a CD or MP3 file for an Ipod or MP3 player. My results have been great. There is also a program that will take your MP3 recorded songs and adjust the play back volume so that the are equal. If you are using a program just to convert to wave so that you can make CDs and have no reason to convert to MPs format then maybe my program is not right for you.

John C.

thanks John for your reply,
Real Audio was the premier compression software and maybe the only one in the past for songs you wanted to put on websites so they would stream, and the size would be smal for downloads and emails. I recorded only in Real Audio for several years. I would now like to convert all these real audio files of mine and others to MP3 so other people can receive them in email and play them.
I have a converter but it isn't working, see the posts above. I hope to resolve this problem pretty soon with Abacus Bill's help. He is my guru for such things as this problem.
Bebop

Abacus Bill,
I deleted Real Player properly and then deleted all traces left and installed a new copy.
NO joy, still same problem. Plays files fine after auto downloading a quick auto update.
Still will not convert files to MP3
What now?
Thanks,
Bebop

There's a media conversion program called Mediacoder that covers quite a lot of formats, although having had a quick look at the website it doesn't state real audio as one of the audio formats :-( but it might be worth a go!
http://www.mediacoderhq.com/

Maybe this can be for any help?
As far as I can see it's free, just have to register:
http://www.dbpoweramp.com/dmc.htm

About codecs etc, same site, another page:
http://www.dbpoweramp.com/codec-central.htm

Cheers
GJ

Hi Bebop
Can you email me or upload one of the files you are having problems with, and I will try it on my system to see if the problem occurs this end. (My email is in My Profile)

One more thought, they aren’t protected files are they, (When DRM was running around Real also dabbled with protection) as this would prevent conversion. (The protection may be tied to an earlier version of Real Player)

I await your response

Bill

BTW: The dbpoweramp mentioned by others, also gets good write ups, however I have not tried it myself, so I cannot give you any further information on it.

sent you an email with three random RA files,
thanks for your ongoing help.
I got your email reply this morning Bill and gratified to hear that they won't convert on your computer for the same reason, Parsing error.
It is possible that we may be just beating a dead horse here so to speak.
I hope you come up with an easier workaround then the one I am doing. I am currently playing the RA files in to Cakewalk and recording them into MP3 one at a time. Sure is time consuming and IRRITATING that Real Audio can't/won't convert their own files
Thanks Bebop

[This message has been edited by BEBOP (edited 03-16-2010).]

Hi Bebop
You have Mail

For others that are interested, older versions (A good number of years old) of ra files cannot be converted only played, this is due to earlier security issues. (Unfortunately no currently available program will convert these earlier ones, however if anybody does come across one please post)

Bill

Thanks Bill,
I surely do appreciate your time, effort and talent to try to help me with this problem. You are appreciated not just by this write but I am sure by many of the people on this forum I have seen you help over the years, even the ones that never bothered to thank you for your efforts.
THANK YOU
Bebop

Late breaking news
I have found a software that will do these conversions after all. I am delighted. I have done several that none of the other softwares would do.
it is Wave Pad v3.05
distributed by NCH Swift Sound www.nch.com.au/wavepad

and the best part is that it is FREE

Bebop..
I've been using Wave Pad for minor editing for a couple of years and did not realize it had a conversion feature in the free version. I just checked the task bar and can't find such a command. Where did you find it?
Eddie

HI Eddie,
I just clicked on file open and brought in a real Audio file and then clicked on save file as and in the menu I clicked on MP3 and voila, I got an mp 3 filed saved
I am so happy my socks are rolling up and down. I did all my recording in real Audio for years and everybody wants them but no body can play them because they don't have real audio player in their computer and won't donwload and install it even though it is free.
Bebop