A Blog About Making Culture
a Real Alternative?
January 8, 2004
One of the more interesting Windows applications to pop up in the past few months is Real Alternative, which you can check out at this rather disorganized page. (It's linked near the bottom.)
Real Alternative is fascinating not because of its features, as it's really a rather simple media player and codec combination. But what's striking is what the player represents. Real Alternative is based on Real Networks' Helix platform, an open source implementation of the RealPlayer everyone loves to hate. Since the download link for the free Real Player or RealOne Player has historically been so difficult to find, and since those lucky few who managed to ferret out the application were rewarded with an unstable, ad-filled, annoying bit of bloatware, some crafty hackers took it upon themselves to create, well, an alternative.
In addition to causing much less suffering than Real's official players, the Alternative program doesn't come burdened with skins or visualizations or any of the other idiocy that seems to plague so many applications, especially media players.
It seems to me that this is a testament to how the market adapts to shoddy software. Real has changed their official stance somewhat, focusing more on subscriptions and download sales, making the free player easier to find on their homepage now that it could potentially be a source of revenue from people paying to download tracks. But in the interim their users got sick of fighting to watch content and are creating viable options for those who aren't willing to sacrifice their overall computing experience for the privilege of watching Real-encoded content.
Go give Real Alternative a try. There's no spyware, the codecs seem to be legit, coming from the Helix project, and you don't get a popup ad asking you to subscribe to Real's services every day. Mr. Glaser, pay attention to the lessons this is teaching you about your company's applications.
Previously: Googlebot the Nomad
Neil's World
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A real alternative?: OK, I've kept Anil Dash's entry about an alternative to Real Player in my FeedOnFeeds stories for over a week now because, eventually, I want to try it out. I hate RealPlayer. It's slow, cumbersome, and those stupid ads (they... read more »lingosphere daily
Sick of Hating RealPlayer?: Maybe now you don't have to. Check out this post from Anil Dash about the "Real Alternative", as it's being referred to. Could it be, that someone's made the RealPlayer work properly, not take over your whole computer, and be... read more »padawan.info
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re: Quicktime (and RealPlayer) Alternative: TITLE: re: Quicktime (and RealPlayer) Alternative URL: http://weblogs.asp.net/jgalloway/archive/2004/04/14/113557.aspx IP: 66.129.67.203 BLOG NAME: JonGalloway.ToString() DATE: 04/14/2004 09:51:17 PM read more »Kick & Scream
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You might also check out JetAudio
Their free version will play any Real stream or file, audio or video.
I too dislike the bloatware that is Realplayer and Jetaudio seems to fill the need. It’s also a full audio app that even handles recording audio.
Charles
I second the JetAudio recommendation for playing Real files - and welcome any alternitive to the RealPlayer - thanks, Anil!
dan
4.5 years ago, but still worth reading? Quite an ego you have there.
Cafe Fort
When i want to listen to music or watch movies, ain’t that so complicated, I don’t think about the way it’s made. I just savoure. I confess, i’ve had so many players before. But the question remains: WHY? Instead of doing philosophy about software design, i just take my time and savoure. I’m not a fan of MICROSOFT, my PC works with both Linux and XP. But why don’t we recognize that Windows Media Player is enough? Even if they are expensive, thier developpers work hard and they do fine job. Alas not with IE5 ;-)
Scott Johnson
But why don’t we recognize that Windows Media Player is enough?
Probably because WMP is not enough. You can’t play Real streams through WMP. You can’t play Quicktime through WMP. The fact is that it just doesn’t support all of the formats that you run across on the web. And until there’s something that does support all formats, we’ll have the constant need for multiple players.
Cafe Fort
Yes, I confess, you’re right ! You know, where i live, you just CAN’T play real streams. our Internet connexion is simply the worst! Who would une tasse de café Fort ? Have a nice day.
Scott Johnson
Anil, Real Alternative rocks! I just now got around to installing it. I am so happy that I can now watch NASA TV without having realsched.exe always mysteriously running in the background. This is an excellent alternative.
Guest
Also works nicely as a plugin to Mozilla and Firebird Browsers for streaming audio (Both Real and WMA), so good bye to Real One and WMP9 Also goodbye to popups , Ads and spyware with these browsers.
stavrosthewonderchicken
The (still-bundled?) ‘Media Player Classic’, which is also the player of choice for the Quicktime Alternative (personally, I loathe the quicktime player almost as much as I do RealOne or WiMP) is excellent too, particularly if, like me, you have a rickety old jalopy of a computer. In tandem with the ffdshow codec replacement (google it if you’re interested), you’re golden for pretty much any video format with a lightweight, no-frills, tweakable solution for video on Windows.
lc
JetAudio is killer!! Thanks.
Andreas Sikkema
The beaty of this is, of course, that this is all possible because Real decided to open up (part of) their platform.
Adam Lasnik
I’m a bit confused here.
I agree with others about the annoying bloatwareness of the Real players (and the frustration one has usually encountered when trying to download their free version).
However, it was my understanding that only the current RealOne player would handle the new Real format (version 10). Is this not the case?
Rudak
Darn, this little alternative is grrreat… I trully hate that bloated piece of targ poo called Real One so alternative is greatly appreciated !
Tricky
whats special about real 10, why would companys adopt the new format/version if it offered nothing more.
and if and when were forced into real 10, i sure it wont be long before jetaudio and realalternative offer their equivalents.
thanks to original poster
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Steve Harrington
I cross posted thisI’m not usually one to buck rant trends however: -on OSX real player works fine no ads easy simple -real player doesn’t try to hijack streams like WinMediaPlayer does sometimes -WinMediaPlayer does not play QuickTime -I prefer iTunes and QuickTime players and formats -the BEST format is MP3 or which keeps propritary fingers OFF digital audio unlike real player and media player -it is the format [MP3] not the player: keep your damn player codes off my sound files/video files: I want my sound /videoto come from anywhere, file anywhere and go anywhere, my choice. MP3 [and MP4] files do this
IMHO re-recording streaming audio from my computer for my use is not illegal or immoral and it ought to be a hell of a lot easier than it is now. If I want to share not broadcast, not sell, sound files I have recorded that is fine too. There are a couple of programs out there that make sticky finger sound files into MY MP3 files.
As long as WinMediaPlayer tries to suck-up market share with monopolistic practices, I ain’t going there, period. Give it up Bill. I vote for an even playing field for players playing every one else’s format and sound files, that I manage not some jerk-water streaming lawyer trying to pump up market share.
Shane
Real Player is like a totally insane cancer that should be killed off….
It infiltrates, it’s choked with spyware, and it subtley and secretly takes over your system…..
You have NO control over what it does and it keeps trying to overtake and run in every thing - every where…..
So I am going to give “Real Alternative” a try.
Yeah for those interested… here are the “slightly dated” instructions for the TOTAL removal of the Real Player software.
How do I completely remove RealPlayer or RealJukebox for Windows?
This document applies to:
- RealPlayer 7
- RealPlayer 8
- RealJukebox 1
- RealJukebox 2
Windows 95, 98, Me, NT, and 2000
Overview You may need to completely remove RealPlayer or RealJukebox and then reinstall them to resolve a problem. RealNetworks recommends you update to RealOne Player (they can go fuck themselves); the new version may resolve the problems you are experiencing.
If you choose not to update, then RealPlayer and RealJukebox include the .g2cln.exe utility that uninstalls and removes files that the Windows Add/Remove program does not.
These steps will remove RealDownload, RealArcade, RealGames, RealSlideshow, RealProducer, and RealEncoder. It will not remove or disable your My Music folder or RealServer.
Before you remove RealJukebox, back up the RealJukebox Security Key and the RealJukebox Basic install file. Then run the .g2cln.exe utility.
Uninstalling
Step 2: Run the .g2cln.exe uninstaller utility
By default, the .g2cln.exe utility is located in the C:\Program Files\Real\RealPlayer\Setup folder. To open that folder and run the utility:
Click the Start button and choose Run.
Type C:\Program Files\Real\RealPlayer\Setup.g2cln.exe in the Run box.
Click OK.
A MS-DOS window will appear with a warning. Press the Y key and then Enter to uninstall.
RealSystem Server and the My Music folder are not removed by this program.
THEN go to program files and then delete the REAL directory.
defeder
real alt is great qt alt have to be improved i hate that garbage called real player and qt player good work fellows
Creative Insanity
Quicktime alternative sucks and in my view is a piece of crap. As yet I have NEVER had it stream mp3 files with FF 1.5. It is just another one of those low budget pieces of junk.
The Dude
I have Real Player 8 and i love it…..
AOL bought REAL NETWORKS shortly after 8 came out and thats why IT IS OVER BLOATED GARBAGE NOW!
Rp8 is the BEST realplayer version :)
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