What is Meta-file (.ASX, .WAX, .WVX, .RAM, .RPM, .SMIL, .SMI, .PLS, .M3U)?

Meta-files contain the URL addresses of audio/video files that the streaming media server will play. They hide the URL of a media stream. They can also contain the URLs of other metafiles. Metafiles usually have one of the following file extensions: .ASX, .WAX, .WVX, .WMX, .RAM, .RPM, .SMIL, .SMI, .PLS, .M3U.

If you want to record the streaming media which is hidden in a metafile, you should find the stream URL first. Although some streaming media recorders can post-process metafiles and get streaming media URLs from them, so you can copy the URL of metafile and create a new download with this URL. Please also note that stream recorders like WM Recorder and Replay AV can record media streams automatically so you don’t have to search for the stream URL hidden in the meta-file.

If your stream recorder doesn’t support automatical stream recording, we suggest you to use URL finder software. Such programs can find stream URLs hidden in the metafiles. Also, you may try to download metafile, open it with a text editor like Windows Notepad and try to find the stream URL from it.