OK David thanks for that and taking time out to post appreciate it…I’m having the same trouble as the rest o ye wi the codec versus media player 11
Uilliam
Well, I did exactly like that and I don’t think there was any problem in getting the right URL. SDP could open it and the file started dowloading and it was saved. I didn’t get a codec error message, but the dowloaded file was a small one (just about 32k) containing only a kind of security message from TG4 (access denied, etc…)
I guess you might have hit a network error and have to start over again.
Let’s make sure we are on the same page.
1). I go to http://www.tg4.tv
2). From the left sidebar menu I select Ceol -Cartlann.
3). From the programs presented I select, e.g. Ceird an Cheoil - 10/4/2007.
4). The little tv screen pops up in my browser and the tv show starts to play.
5). I right mouse click on the tv screen while the show is playing and a new window opens, showing me the Properties of the link. I copy the URL:
http://www.tg4.tv/channels/SileArchive.aspx?mm=l&ns=131&a=21475&t=2209b3f0-e130-449a-adc3-7572b4d51ad0
Make sure the link you copied is the same as this.
6). I stop the tv show playing and start up SDP.
7). In the Open box of SDP I paste in the URL. It asks me if I want to save the name of the link in a file. I say No.
8 ). SDP sets up the communications. I press the GO button and SDP starts to record. This is going to take a while …
9). In SDP, I click on Preview. this starts up Windows Media Player.
As regards the codec errors, I was able to download the Three Maries show and watch it. I was able to download and watch Ceird an Cheoil - 10/4/2007 and Bibeanna: Sin é an Saol - 4/4/2007. This suggests to me that the files that fail to play and give codec errors are just corrupt files. In this case, I guess you would have to try and download the tv show again and hope for better luck.
djm
With all this trouble, you’d almost think that the owners of this copyrighted material didn’t want people making copies…just a thought.
No E
I can’t do this from work, but I have it on good authority (a computer engineer friend) that this will identify the missing codec:
http://www.headbands.com/gspot/v26x/GSpot270a.zip
Then you just google the codec, download it, and it should play
Looking forward to trying this
Have you ever used a VCR? Tivo? Same thing. You can consider this process as the equivalent to setting up your VCR. And here, you also have to download the commercials.
Different from ripping music/movies, etc.
But this sounds like something for the Pub.
Damn! Wish I hadn’t erased all those files! 
djm
Well I’ve kinda given up for the moment…write back and tell me what you’ve done. I tried a screen capture program and had some skips and jumps because the buffer didn’t refresh as quickly as it needed. I do thik I need the native wma file somehow.
i can play all of them using zoomplayer
Djm, I did exactly like you said, the same link and all the rest just the same and I always get the same file “noaccess.wmv” 
All I can suggest is that you play around with it until you find the configuration that works for you. If using http://www.tg4.tv dopesn’t work for you, try http://www.tg4.ie instead.
djm
Download zoomplayer. It is the easiest solution. Works fine.
Well, it’s not a free solution like the title of the thread says but I got tired of trying without success to use the freewares available and ended up buying WM Recorder, for just $45 and it does the job. I haven’t found yet any file that it couldn’t download (and it works with tg4 as well). 