RealPlayer
| RealPlayer
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|---|---|
|
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 RealPlayer 15.0.5.109 (Windows version) |
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| Basic data
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| developer | RealNetworks |
| Publishing year | 1995 |
| Current version | 18.1.16.215 ( Windows ) February 25, 2019 12.0.1 (Build 1750) ( OS X ), |
| operating system |
Windows , macOS , Linux , Solaris , Android , Palm OS , Symbian |
| category | Media player |
| License | Proprietary |
| German speaking | Yes |
| www.real.com/de | |
RealPlayer is a media player company RealNetworks , a computer program for playing video and audio files. Earlier versions were called RealPlayer Cloud , RealPlayer , RealOne Player or RealAudio Player .
history
The first version of RealPlayer was released in 1995. RealJukebox is often mentioned , a pure music management program (playing music titles and adding meta-information, transferring titles to portable devices, ripping and burning CDs ). After version 2, this was included in the RealOne Player (hence the name).
Later, important components for Unix / Linux systems were outsourced from RealPlayer and resulted in a new development called Helix Player, which Real placed under an open source license and was used for subsequent Realplayer versions from version 9.x onwards.
Version 11 made it possible for the first time to save and cut live stream video files ( video-on-demand ), a lengthy legal discussion preceded. The providers can prevent this function in the program, which also affects temporarily stored content. RealPlayer 11 can save and play flash (flv) movies.
The RealPlayer became particularly important in the video streaming sector. Real played a technical pioneering role here, and for years the Real format represented a quasi-standard for video streaming content on the WWW . In particular, the availability for many operating systems proved to be a great advantage over its main competitors QuickTime and Windows Media . In the offline audio and video formats, however, the real versions only played a subordinate role.
With version 17 "RealPlayer" was renamed "RealPlayer Cloud" and equipped with the function to access online data storage. The benefit should be to automatically optimize videos from a wide variety of devices and formats for the playback devices currently in use. The videos stored online should be automatically reformatted when retrieved so that they match the type of playback device currently being used, the screen size, storage capacity and available storage. In the free version, the user had 2 GB of online storage space.
With version 18 there was then another renaming to "RealTimes". According to the provider RealNetworks, the basic idea of this new version is to turn RealPlayer and the associated cloud into a central collection point for the user's audio, video and image files. These files can then be combined into short video clips ("RealTimes stories") and shared with others via the cloud. In the free version, the clip length is limited to max. Limited to 30 seconds. In order to convince users of the offer, this time the cloud is advertised as a resource-saving and fail-safe backup storage. With the help of the RealTimes app, access should be possible from a wide variety of end devices.
Version 18 is currently only available for Windows systems from Windows 7 (32- or 64-bit version). A separate version for Mac users has been announced. The further development of versions 16 and 17 was discontinued.
Functions
In addition to the playback of the RealMedia formats RealAudio and RealVideo , RealPlayer also allows playback of MP3 , MPEG-4 and QuickTime as well as numerous other media formats.
In addition to Outpatient , RealPlayer is the only media player that can largely display SMIL . A separate format with the extension .rp is available.
It is available for the operating systems Microsoft Windows , macOS , Linux , Unix , Palm OS , Windows Mobile , Symbian OS and Android .
The version for Mac OS X includes a separate converter with which audio and video files of various formats can be converted to MP3 and MP4 so that they can be played on a number of mobile devices. After the conversion, the automatic import into iTunes is offered. Only the audio signal can be extracted from a video.
Installation and operation
The basic version of the software is available free of charge. In the paid version, called RealPlayer Plus , there are also more options for burning blank CDs, the possibility of analog recordings from external audio sources, a graphic equalizer and a "toolbar mode".
criticism
Older versions have been criticized for containing adware and spyware . In 1999, security researcher Richard M. Smith analyzed RealJukebox's network traffic and found that it was sending a unique ID and information about what music the user was listening to. A later patch from RealNetworks removed the spyware. In May 2006, PCWorld magazine declared RealPlayer the second worst technical product of all time.
In 2009, the consumer protection organization StopBadware.org classified versions 10.5 and early 11.0 revisions for Windows as badware and advised against their use. She justified this with the disguised installation of adware and the unsolicited installation of additional software that could not be removed by uninstalling the RealPlayer.
Web links
Individual evidence
- ↑ Alex Tretbar: RealPlayer transforms into the flexible RealPlayer Cloud. In: digitaltrends.com. February 24, 2014, accessed August 24, 2014 .
- ↑ Pricing for RealPlayer. Retrieved April 19, 2016 .
- ↑ Pricing for RealTimes. Retrieved April 19, 2016 .
- ↑ RealTimes product features. Retrieved April 18, 2016 .
- ↑ System requirements for RealTimes (RealPlayer 18). Retrieved April 18, 2016 .
- ↑ Install RealTimes. Retrieved April 19, 2016 .
- ↑ Older versions of RealPlayer. Retrieved April 18, 2016 .
- ↑ The RealJukeBox monitoring system ( Memento from February 3, 2007 in the Internet Archive )
- ↑ http://www.businessweek.com/2000/00_07/b3668067.htm
- ^ Dan Tynan: The 25 Worst Tech Products of All Time. The Worst Five. 1. America Online (1989-2006). PCWorld.com, May 26, 2006, accessed August 17, 2014 .
- ↑ StopBadware: RealPlayer ( Memento from February 15, 2008 in the Internet Archive ) (January 29, 2008; Accessed: February 20, 2010)