Real to offer Windows Media on Linux

[Refalm]

vnunet.com / 16 augustus 2006

Real to offer Windows Media on Linux

Real Networks will launch a Linux version of its Real media player by December, enabling users to play audio and video files in the Windows Media format.

The company's Helix player for Linux currently supports Windows Media, but the upcoming Real Player has more advanced features, Jeff Duchmann, general manager for client and DRM technologies at Real Networks, told vnunet.com.

The application supports the burning of CDs and allows users to synchronise media files between a computer and a mobile device.

The Linux version of the application will increase the appeal of Linux on the desktop for consumers and enterprises, which increasingly use media for training and corporate communications, argued Duchmann.

"We are making this a desktop that consumers and enterprises can use for all their media needs," he said.

Windows Media codecs have been made available for Linux, but the legality of these offerings is open to debate.

The Linux Real player will only play Windows Media files without DRM technology, excluding media purchased from online music stores such as Napster.

Real also unveiled an agreement with Novell for the bundling of its media player with the SuSE Linux Enterprise Desktop 10 operating system.

[piratePenguin]

Windows Media codecs have been made available for Linux, but the legality of these offerings is open to debate.

Not in the EU, surely.

Real also unveiled an agreement with Novell for the bundling of its media player with the SuSE Linux Enterprise Desktop 10 operating system.

I wonder how that'll work, since SLED 10's already out, isn't it?

[H_TeXMeX_H]

Well, I dunno, I never liked Real Player ... besides most Window$ Media formats are shit. But, whatever, I'm sure other people will have less problems setting up a media player than can handle almost anything on Linux. (Mplayer handles most anything currently)

As for DRM ... fuck it.

[WMD]

RealPlayer for Linux is great.  The Mac version is pretty good too...it's only the Windows version that sucks ass.  This is a Good Thing (tm).

[worker201]

What makes them think we want Windows media available for Linux?  I won't play it, even if it is completely supported.  Christ, I don't even play Windows media in Windows!

IIRC, Real had a bit in its license where you, the user, were required to let Real have access to the internet.  Blocking Real, or blocking the ports Real used, was considered a license violation.  Not sure if that still holds, but that's one more reason why I don't consider this to be a good thing.

Mplayer + VLC = just fine, thanks

[Pathos]

after their shit windows media player I stay far away from real.

my collections in mp3's anyway. wma's seem to work fine too.

[davidnix71]

Real is taking a big chance going with Linux, I hope it works out well for them so others will follow.

Real has offered a player in OS X only since Panther. ffmpegX uses the Helix code to allow a mac user to recode Real Video (not audio) into an mp4 avi that is more universal. Real will play mp3's without the hacks required for Quicktime, too.

ffmpegX is a bitch to install. Everyone is covering their butts about intellectual property rights, so you have to download and install 2 or 3 third-party softwares to actually use ffmegX. That said it works well if you choose the default settings and use a genuine Real Video file. I don't use it often, but it has it's place.

I don't allow Real to access the internet. If that violates the eula, tough. I don't let Quicktime out of the box either. I don't like having to watch ads just to play a file.

I don't like Windozes Media at all, but with VPC Win98SE and TMPGEnc Plus it doesn't take long to recode WM into an mp1 or mp2 that VLC or MPlayer can handle.

Google and YouTube use Flash instead of WM, which I think is good and bad. Good, because Mr Bill doesn't get any money from it but bad because Flash sucks worse than WM.

[_kill__bill]

Heh, I use MP4 (if ever) and Ogg Vorbis (often, also MIDIs). Nice to know I can use a bad format on a good OS.

[pofnlice]

Personally I don't care. The more people that challenge WMP by using WM codecs and making it supported in their players could force MS to conform to some type of regular standard. I don't think DRM will ever go away though.

[GenuineAdvantage]

I don't think DRM will ever go away though.

Neither will mold but that's doesn't mean I want to buy it.

[Lord PsyPing]

[Removed]

[hm_murdock]

Sure you can. Just not watch it. As for what will the members at your site say? Who cares? Tell them true. Tell them that whatever format you switch to is better.

[worker201]

Whether you like it or not, you can't escape from it yet.

Oh, but sir, I have escaped.  If it cannot be played with mplayer or VLC or xine, I don't need to watch it.

Welcome, by the way.

[Orethrius]

The sad truth, however, is that many, many media files on the internet are wmv... I hate it too, but I use it when I have to...

I have win32codecs installed with Mplayer for desperate situations, too.  It's called peer pressure - if others can't make use of your system, by their standards, your system must be useless.  That doesn't mean I have to like - or even accept - either so-called "standard".  What you're REALLY saying there is that people (the vast majority, at any rate) are too stupid to use anything other than Movie Maker to submit their content.  I don't buy that - it's Microsoft's marketing prowess that has conviniced those users to live in ignorance, but it doesn't make them any less intelligent.

For example, I run a site where we collect funny movies, image, texts... I can imagine what members will say if I start banning al Windows media...

"You mean we have to use LINUX now?"
"No."
"Well, how else can we make videos in Windows?"


Your duty, as a sysop, should be to encourage bold new ways to consider the same old marketplace - and if you're revenue-based, your pocketbook will thank you for such considerations.  Sticking to the norm hardly makes your site a unique product in the grand scheme of things.

Whether you like it or not, you can't escape from it yet.

Fair enough, but a good number of us already have.  There is little point in preaching to the choir on these matters, good sir.  Eric Schmidt & Sergey Brin's site doesn't accept WinMedia, and it's doing just fine.  Hell, even Putfile accepts AVI, MPG, MOV, and  MP4 in addition to varying flavours of WinMedia.  My point is that neither site is likely to go anywhere anytime soon (especially not Google).

Welcome to the forums, btw.  

[H_TeXMeX_H]

The sad truth, however, is that many, many media files on the internet are wmv... I hate it too, but I use it when I have to...

For example, I run a site where we collect funny movies, image, texts... I can imagine what members will say if I start banning al Windows media...

Whether you like it or not, you can't escape from it yet.

With the "non-free" and probably also "illegal in the US" codecs and Mplayer or Xine you can play any wmv out there. I very much prefer any other format than wmv, simply because it's horrible. If you haven't seen the horrible quality, go find yourself the same movie encoded in wmv and any other format. The wmv will always lose.