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Three Vulnerabilities Discovered in Real Player

Posted by CowboyNeal on from the playing-for-a-fool dept.

prostoalex writes "British Next-Generation Security Software discovered three vulnerabilities in popular Real Player. A malicious attacker can execute arbitrary code by offering corrupted RealAudio stream. Real Networks posted the instructions on dealing with security flaws."

60 of 286 comments (clear)

  1. A new insult... by Lord_Slepnir · · Score: 4, Funny

    "Your band's so bad that their voices hack real player"

    1. Re:A new insult... by LostCluster · · Score: 3, Funny

      Mod parent as funny... and send the line to Simon Cowell for use on American Idol...

    2. Re:A new insult... by LittleGuy · · Score: 3, Funny

      Mod parent as funny... and send the line to Simon Cowell for use on American Idol...

      Simon can (and does) come up with his own insults. Send it to Paula Abdul.

      --
      Mod Karma -1: I sed bad wurds. If I cep my mouf shut, I wud be at riyses.
  2. I miss Progressive Networks... by LostCluster · · Score: 4, Interesting

    When the company was called Progressive Networks, they put out some of the most revolutionairy software on the Internet... software that could make decent sounding realtime talk radio streams with just 14.4kbps of modem bandwidth to work with. When 28.8kbps modems came out, they came up with a codec good enough for most FM radio stations...

    But, oh how the mighty have fallen. The RealNetworks of today stopped advancing their audio protocols long ago, and have sense been lapped by the field of other audio standards. Now, RealNetworks is more of a content company, selling "-Pass" products that create monthly fees to access streams that used to be free.

    So, I guess I'm not surprised that there's a "lazy programmer" style security flaw in their products today. They stoped being a tech innovator, and have slid over into the category of a content pusher. Oh well... another .com bites the dust.

    1. Re:I miss Progressive Networks... by wankledot · · Score: 5, Interesting
      Very well said.

      It's very sad for me to see what's happened to Real. I worked there for over a year recently, and I really wish they could turn things around move back to what they did well back in the day.

      They need to:
      1) fire the entire marketing team. They're horrible
      2) lose any of the quick-money things they do (ads, tricking people into paying for the Plus player or *pass accounts) and focus on rebuilding a quality user base.
      3) Throw away all the 325 million customer records they have, and stop the spam.
      4) Own up to the fact that most people hate them, and the only users that don't have a problem with Real are the ones that don't know them well enough yet. You can only burn so many users until they come back to burn you.

      The saddest thing is that the people who work there genuinely care. They are really talented, and they all know what they SHOULD be doing in order to succeed. Especially the people that work on the actual player. But things can't change until the word comes down from the top. Rob needs to have an epiphany and turn the ship around fast, otherwise they'll be selling what's left to Sony and AOL.

      --
      My sig is blank, I typed this by hand.
    2. Re:I miss Progressive Networks... by orthogonal · · Score: 4, Insightful

      So, I guess I'm not surprised that there's a "lazy programmer" style security flaw in their products today.

      Lazy programmer? Abashed, ashamed, depressed programmer is more like it.

      Real is so widely reviled -- by techies, hell, by anyone who has ever downloaded it -- that I'm sure a large number of Real's programers are dispirited, depressed, and resentful that management turned what had been a reputation for technical innovation into a reputation for deceptive marketing practices.

      Once a programmer has dragged his ass into Real in the morning only to be told for the tenth week in a row to forget codec improvements, it's time to hide another five opt-out click boxes on a drop-down list at the bottom of narrow scroll pane behind a button on the third page on a fifteen page tab dialog, it's no surprise that even if he does get to patch the codecs, he won't be doing anything near his best work.

      --
      Opinions on the Twiddler2 hand-held keyboard?
    3. Re:I miss Progressive Networks... by LostCluster · · Score: 4, Informative

      Well, the old RealAudio business model didn't work. Give away the client-side software and charge for the encoders... well, eventually people stopped buying the encoders because they realized that nobody could make money streaming content on the Internet for free.

      Rather than fold, Real adapted into a pay-for-content distributor. Not only did they provide the tech to stream content, but they provided the structure with which the content owners could charge for the right to hear the stream, and Real and content owners split the profits.

      But that basically makes them no better than a cable TV company, who is more interested in collecting the money than providing perfect service. Afterall, for most of the content Real is selling, it's take it or leave it offers... Real is the only place you can get certain major sports and news content.

      I guess the free streaming content of the 1999 era was too good to have lasted...

    4. Re:I miss Progressive Networks... by Bombcar · · Score: 4, Funny

      Today's Dilbert is strangely appropriate...

      Read

      --
      Fellowship 9/11
    5. Re:I miss Progressive Networks... by pla · · Score: 3, Interesting

      it's time to hide another five opt-out click boxes on a drop-down list at the bottom of narrow scroll pane behind a button on the third page on a fifteen page tab dialog

      Yeah? What do most of us care? They can probe and prod me to their hearts' content - I'll provide as much fake data as they want to ask me for.

      And if they eventually adopt some form of email verification (like mailing a registration key, or the like), well, I can provide as much fake information as Yahoo asks for, as well. Minor inconvenience, but, we all have to do our part to keep the economy flowing smoothly.


      I just don't get all you privacy freaks. Really, it doesn't take that much effort to lie to a few simple questions. Grow up.

    6. Re:I miss Progressive Networks... by gnu-generation-one · · Score: 4, Insightful

      "I just don't get all you privacy freaks. Really, it doesn't take that much effort to lie to a few simple questions. Grow up"

      You lie to protect your privacy, yet verbally abuse those who take their own privacy seriously and dislike lying?

  3. Instructions by DarkHelmet · · Score: 5, Insightful
    Here are some nice instructions on how to deal with Real Player's security flaws:
    1. Click Start, go to Control Panel
    2. Click Add / Remove Programs
    3. Find the program entitled RealPlayer, and uninstall it
    4. Run Adaware to make sure any spyware they might have installed is no longer on your machine
    5. Convince people to Use better alternatives

    I still hate RealPlyaer. Any sort of file format that requires me to install the company's software to use I will eternally hate, regardless of who it is. I hate Real, and I hate Quicktime. I'd ask that they both die a slow miserable death, but I honestly want them both out of the way so that more open standards will take their place faster.

    --
    /^[A-Z0-9._%+-]+@[A-Z0-9.-]+\.[A-Z]{2,4}$/i
    1. Re:Instructions by LostCluster · · Score: 2, Interesting

      Right now, RealPlayer is a program you use when you half to. For open standards, there's a better program out there, but there is a lot of content out there that is only available if you pay for it through RealNetworks, and then you can only watch it if you use one of Real's products.

      If you want to get the web access to major sports or news content that used to be free, you need Real's products and have no way around it...

    2. Re:Instructions by MoonFog · · Score: 4, Interesting

      For some time RealPlayer was the only "free" plug-in to support SMIL. Fortunately, we now have Ambulant.

      There are still, like you mentioned, several places which offer .rm formats to view their contents. Annoying, but then again, it appears only Quicktime and WMV are the alternatives.

    3. Re:Instructions by Kris_J · · Score: 2, Interesting

      All streaming media companies have been spoilt by broadband -- thusly, in areas with poor broadband take-up rates streaming media is all but abandoned.

    4. Re:Instructions by CoolMoDee · · Score: 2, Interesting

      We have three "standards" out there. Real, WMV, and Quicktime. The first one sucks like you said because of the software, but they support* odd platforms (Linux/PPC/Alpha). The second is very closed like the first, but is that of a convicted monopoly, and is generally full of drm, and only supports Windows/Mac. The third is mpeg-4 based (an open standard), "requires" their software on Windows, but shold be playable in MPlayer, it also works very well on non-supported platforms (linux). If Quicktime died, then we would be left with Spyware or DRM, neither of which sound like much fun. It would be cool if people would use shoutcast or icecast, but chances are that won't happen because lack of support

      --
      Jisho - A Japanese English German Russian French Dictionary for the rest of us.
    5. Re:Instructions by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

      RealPlayer is a program you use when you half to.

      I wouldn't even use it if I third to.

    6. Re:Instructions by myrdred · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Ack, it's people like you who give WMP its monopoly. People like you on whom Microsoft depends to use all the bundled software, since you are unwilling to download any alternatives!

    7. Re:Instructions by dbCooper0 · · Score: 2, Insightful
      I hate Real, and I hate Quicktime. I'd ask that they both die a slow miserable death, but I honestly want them both out of the way so that more open standards will take their place faster.

      I Agree wholeheartedly. I had to install from an old copy of RP8 just to watch video from washingtonpost.com because of the inability of RP10 to install properly on my box. I consider myself lucky to have found the install file on another box in my office. They and QT both suck, but they are necessary evils to get the multimedia off the web that most of us have become accustomed to.

      To QT's credit, at least it doesn't default to hijack all my extensions to run with it, but it's still slow, annoying, and pisses me off. For AVI files, I've found that Crystal Player works best on my old, crusty PII machine, where MS's player as well as the Divx player are worthless as of the codecs v.4 and up.

      Screw real, but I still want my news videos (who watches TV, and if so, why?).

      --
      db
      Cig:
      ôô
      /`
  4. The fine print by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Interesting

    "we cannot guarantee and do not warrant that the operation of any RealNetworks product will be error-free, uninterrupted or secure."

    Thanks, I needed that.

  5. Great, Just %$*# Great! by l0ungeb0y · · Score: 3, Funny
    Now if email virii wasn't my only worry, now I can't even trust my daily dose of porn!

    What's the world coming too?
    YAAAAAAaaaaaarrrrgh!!!!

  6. So the exploit would go something like... by Spazholio · · Score: 5, Funny

    "LOLOLOLO!!!!11 j00 h4v3 b33n HAC....buffering.....buffering....buffering...."

    1. Re:So the exploit would go something like... by wik · · Score: 5, Funny

      .... it's a new form of buffer underflow attack.

      --
      / \
      \ / ASCII ribbon campaign for peace
      x
      / \
  7. Shades of MS? by Ignorant+Aardvark · · Score: 5, Funny

    From the Real Player Knowledge Base:

    To prevent maliciously formatted video streams from providing a backdoor into your system, type the video stream by hand and verify that it contains no malicious code.

    --
    Cyde Weys Musings - Scrutinizing the inscrutable
  8. I love the disclaimer... by HermesHuang · · Score: 5, Insightful
    Warranty: While RealNetworks endeavors to provide you with the highest quality products and services, we cannot guarantee and do not warrant that the operation of any RealNetworks product will be error-free, uninterrupted or secure. See your original license agreement for details of our limited warranty or warranty disclaimer.
    Essentially, we don't guarantee our product works, but you should still pay us for it. Seems to be the philosophy of many software companies...
  9. Are all RealPlayer versions affected? by Debian+Troll's+Best · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Often these types of vulnerabilities only affect one platform (and usually Windows), but does anyone know which platforms are affected by this new exploit? Mac OS X and Linux too? Does it make any difference if I used apt-get to install the RealPlayer binary instead of the Real packaged one? I'm in the middle of sealing off RealPlatyer ports on all our organization's firewalls at the moment, but a lot of them are running OpenBSD and we're having trouble keeping them up long enough to edit the firewall config files.

    1. Re:Are all RealPlayer versions affected? by LostCluster · · Score: 2, Informative

      It seems like this mistake is in some low-level C library involved in the Real codecs, since it's been there ever since RealPlayer 8 and nearly every release after that point. I wonder if that means Helix inherited the bug as well...

    2. Re:Are all RealPlayer versions affected? by radon28 · · Score: 4, Informative

      Troll, but I'll play along.

      From the second link, of all places:

      "Exploit 1" affects RealOne Player, RealOne Player v2 for Windows only (all languages), RealPlayer 10 Beta (English only) and RealOne Enterprise Desktop or RealPlayer Enterprise (all versions, standalone and as configured by the RealOne Desktop Manager or RealPlayer Enterprise Manager).

      "Exploit 2" affects RealOne Player, RealOne Player v2 (all language versions, all platforms), and RealOne Enterprise Desktop or RealPlayer Enterprise (all versions, standalone and as configured by the RealOne Desktop Manager or RealPlayer Enterprise Manager).

      "Exploit 3" affects RealOne Player and RealPlayer 8 (all language versions).

    3. Re:Are all RealPlayer versions affected? by andy55 · · Score: 2, Interesting

      Based on the info available, it's a "lazy programmer" flaw (to borrow a previous poster's words). This is to say that a buf overflow (or something of the like) happens such that you can place an arbitrary sequence of bytes on the stack. When those bytes are executed, however, they'd of course have to be native instructions for the given CPU, meaning that the attacker would have had to create he executable sequence for a specific platform.

      So, in nature, the flaws like these are cross-platform (ie, Mac OS X would be vulnerable), but at the end of the day it's super super unlikely to see someone exploit this flaw on a platform other than windows (on an x86). Otherwise, it would require a guy to be malicious, motivated, have a lot of time on his hands, *and* know the ppc instruction set and mac os x runtime architecture like the back of his hand.

      --
      G-Force music visualization
  10. Yet another reason to not use it, and use this... by saskboy · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Real Alternative in Media Player Classic. The version I use on XP has some flaws, but it is better than nothing, and I hope doesn't have the same flaws as the REAL Real Player?

    --
    Saskboy's blog is good. 9 out of 10 dentists agree.
  11. List of vuln [buffering] by QEDog · · Score: 4, Funny

    The specific [buffering] were:
    Exploit 1: To operate remote [buffering] from the domain of the [buffering] opened by a [buffering] file or other file.
    Exploit 2: To fashion [buffering] which allow an attacker to on a user's [buffering]
    Exploit 3: To fashion [buffering] create Buffer Overrun errors.

    --
    "There is no teacher but the enemy."-Mazer Rackham
  12. Affects real player alternative too? by rritterson · · Score: 2, Interesting

    I'm not a programmer, so I have a question for those of you who are.

    Would these same sorts of vulner's apply to Real Alternative too, or does the active X wrapper prevent the hack?

    --
    -Ryan
    AUWYHSTOT (Acronyms are Useless When You Have to Spell Them Out Too)
    1. Re:Affects real player alternative too? by LostCluster · · Score: 4, Informative

      An ActiveX wrapper in its base defintion offers no protection from this kind of flaw... in simplistic terms, ActiveX is a standard by which a controling program links up to other pre-programed objects which exist either inside a .dll file, or posibly even inside a free-standing .exe file that could possibly be run on its own... if the underlying object contains a flaw, then every other program that refers to that object will end up inheriting that flaw in the same situations, it'll be the same code making that same mistake actually running.

      However, since Real Alternative is a reverse-engineered program, it's highly doubtful that they failed to check the same buffer that Real failed to check, so it's unlikely they have the same flaw in their code. If the Alternative has the same bug, then it starts to be likely they stole the code... let's hope we don't have to go there.

  13. Type THAT! by LostCluster · · Score: 4, Funny

    From the Real Player Knowledge Base:

    To prevent maliciously formatted video streams from providing a backdoor into your system, type the video stream by hand and verify that it contains no malicious code.

    Anybody out there who can type at 128 kbps?

    1. Re:Type THAT! by McGarnacle · · Score: 5, Funny

      Anybody out there who can type at 128 kbps?

      Yes, but not without a good deal of ...buffering... going on.

      Everytime a Real story shows up on slashdot, I'm tempted to post this. Looks like I couldn't resist!
      --

      I disagree with what you say, but will defend to the death your right to tell such LIES!

  14. I never noticed any corruption in the stream by morelife · · Score: 4, Funny

    I still haven't gotten past configuring my message center options in Real Player. Boxes keep popping up. I've bought the full version three times now. What's wrong?

    1. Re:I never noticed any corruption in the stream by LostCluster · · Score: 2, Interesting

      Nope. Those of us who bought the red box with a screaming man on the cover back in the late 90s paid $30 or so for it... and got RealAudio Plus 3.0. However, when the 4 version of RealAudio came out, most of the "Plus" features we had paid for got moved into the new free version, and a new set of "Plus" features would be ours if we paid again. Real had a rinse, wash, repeat routine going with that...

      Now, if you want the present "Plus" feature set, you have to subscribe to GoldPass and pay for it every month...

  15. Conspiracy by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Interesting

    here's an idea.

    say you have just written a nice little piece of "value-adding" code, say you work at Real, say your boss likes it and would like for every Real customer to have it.

    Both of you would know that a person like me keeps Real Player on my computer only for those "must have real" moments and want nothing further to do with Real.

    Well, well, well, how can they get me to "upgrade" to their new "spyware" (tin foil here)? That's right - hire a 3rd party to "find" very, very nasty bugs...then claim to have THE SOLUTION!!!! Get the NEW version....with the crapware!!!
    br.horyryaryyaryaryyy!!!

  16. The thing is... by teamhasnoi · · Score: 5, Funny
    in order to execute the exploits, you first have to click on thirty-seven checkboxes hidden in a Tibetian monestary.

    Then you must send 34 seconds of a certain portion of the movie 'Deliverance' over a period of 22 minutes.

    These two things must be accomplished while repeatedly hitting 'alt-f4' on your keyboard, and screaming, "Damn you Real Player! Damn you to Hell!' like a woman.

    Of course, if you reboot you'll have to start all over again, after a slight delay.

    Um, a longer delay.

    Ok, you get one shot at this, I guess. At least the exploit is consistent with their user interface.

    1. Re:The thing is... by Shut+the+fuck+up! · · Score: 2, Funny

      You forgot one important step: You must first attempt to to connect to ports 1026, 1027, 1029, 1034, 1026, 1044 and 1035 in that sequence within 5 seconds.

  17. Not on OS X? by ce25254 · · Score: 5, Informative

    It appears from the press release on RealNetworks' site that the vulnerability does not affect the Mac OS X version.

    Hm, once again, nothing to worry about.

    1. Re:Not on OS X? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Informative

      It is very unclear whether or not this affects OS X versions or not. The comment on Real's site says two of the exploits affect all platforms, but there's no link to a fix for the OS X version.

      What combination of the following does this mean:
      a) The OS X version isn't affected?
      b) The OS X version is affected, but Real hasn't released a fix?
      c) That Real's comment is incomplete?
      d) No one knows?

  18. So they want you to get the new version? by enosys · · Score: 2, Informative
    It seems there are no fixes for old versions and you have to get the latest one. This sucks. I hate getting new RealPlayer versions because you always have to wonder what crap they've added in the next version.

    Has anybody tried Real Alternative?

  19. Hmm by Niacin · · Score: 2, Funny



    ..and in other news, Real Player now hijacking PC's with a new vulner.....

  20. What about Real Alternative? by e40 · · Score: 4, Informative

    I would imagine that it is not affected... perhaps this is a good time to plug it. Get it from here. Just Media Player Classic is also available.

  21. POS Software by ToadMan8 · · Score: 2, Informative

    I'm sorry but there is simply nothing good about this piece of software. It's sucked since version one and sucks progressively more as time goes on. As a matter of fact Microsoft's wmv and wma kicks the shit out of it and that's saying something.

    I installed "V10" today and unchecked EVERYTHING about internet connections, update checkers, shortcuts, file associations etc and the damn thing still did it anyway. I eventually copied it to my gentoo box and mplayer handled it fine besides not being able to queue or fast forward. God I HATE RM shit. Gaa!

    --
    I haven't posted in so long, my sig is out of date.
  22. My predicament... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

    [x] I'd uninstall Realplayer, but [insert choice pr0n site] still streams its content with it and I can't be without it.

    Possible Solution: If we can get the pr0n industry to take an interest in OSS, then Linux on the desktop would excel!

  23. Re:Instructions -- Alternative Codecs by X-os · · Score: 2, Informative

    Someone's bound to point this out, might as well be me.

    There has been significant development on "alternative codec" to both Real and Quicktime. Google for "Real alternative" or "Quicktime alternative" to find the codecs. They can also be downloaded in a "bundle" of sorts from here : http://www.k-litecodecpack.com/

    I've used the quicktime one with Media Player Classic and have been very happy with it.

    I kind of despise Real player, and rarely find any good content that uses it, so I haven't actually wasted time downloading the replacement codec, but I'd be willing to bet it works fine.

  24. This one is too easy. by Montreal+Geek · · Score: 4, Funny
    Be definition if you have any software from RealNetworks on your box, then a malicious attacker is running arbitary code.

    Spyware, adware, "helpful" browser adjuncts.

    Oh, wait, you mean another malicious attacker!

    -- MG

  25. Re:Linux by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny
    From what I've seen Linux users are generally safe from

    slip-up at a social cocktail party, since they're hardly invited

    STDs transferred during sexual intercourses and foreplay with persons of opposite sex

    overspending on deodorant

    huge water bills due to frequent showers

    complaints from Mom about yet another basement party

  26. Buffering... by arvindn · · Score: 4, Funny

    Its ironic that one of the vulnerabilities is a buffer overflow.

  27. The Three Vulnerabilities are.... by Viking5150 · · Score: 4, Funny

    buffering.......buffering.......buffering......

  28. GSM much better than any Real codec for speech by gnuman99 · · Score: 2, Informative
    What about the GSM encoding?

    libgsm1

    This compresses talk stream down to 1.6kB/s (or 13kbits). From their readme file:

    GSM 06.10 13 kbit/s RPE/LTP speech compression available
    -----------

    The Communications and Operating Systems Research Group (KBS) at the
    Technische Universitaet Berlin is currently working on a set of
    UNIX-based tools for computer-mediated telecooperation that will be
    made freely available.

    Isn't this much better than some close-source codec? Real probably uses GSM for that 14kbps codec anyway!!

    BTW, this codec is excellent for text and even somewhat good for music (though like a bad AM radio in the music area :)
    Apple now supports GSM in their player :)

  29. RealNetworks, Releases Update to Address Security. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Informative

    RealNetworks, Inc. has recently been made aware of security vulnerabilities that could potentially allow an attacker to run arbitrary code on a user's machine.

    The specific exploits were:

    * Exploit 1: To operate remote Javascript from the domain of the URL opened by a SMIL file or other file.
    * Exploit 2: To fashion RMP files which allow an attacker to download and execute arbitrary code on a user's machine.
    * Exploit 3: To fashion media files to create "Buffer Overrun" errors.

    While we have not received reports of anyone actually being attacked with this exploit, all security vulnerabilities are taken very seriously by RealNetworks. RealNetworks has found and fixed the problem.

    Affected Software:

    "Exploit 1" affects RealOne Player, RealOne Player v2 for Windows only (all languages), RealPlayer 10 Beta (English only) and RealOne Enterprise Desktop or RealPlayer Enterprise (all versions, standalone and as configured by the RealOne Desktop Manager or RealPlayer Enterprise Manager).

    "Exploit 2" affects RealOne Player, RealOne Player v2 (all language versions, all platforms), and RealOne Enterprise Desktop or RealPlayer Enterprise (all versions, standalone and as configured by the RealOne Desktop Manager or RealPlayer Enterprise Manager).

    "Exploit 3" affects RealOne Player and RealPlayer 8 (all language versions).

    Workaround:

    Dont run our shit.

  30. Your Alternative is ... by Poligraf · · Score: 4, Interesting

    ... Microsoft Monopoly.

    The thing is that Real does not have a source of income. Thus, they need to squeeze pennies out of every possible opportunities often not playing nicely (I mean charging for crap, ads and SPAM).

    At the same time, every format owner is trying to make his one a default. Not supporting Real means that their "commercial" format will die causing all contents providers switch to .WMV that looks like "the default choice" for many.

    It is the repetition of the browser wars.

    BTW, I avoid most of their crap by using older version (revision 6.0.6) of the RealPlayer.

    --
    Tigers respect lions, elephants and hippos. Maggots respect no one. (C) S. Dovlatov
  31. "upgrade to the latest" strategy, no real patching by MMHere · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Real's approach has always been to have their latest & "greatest" software running on your PC. ("greatest" software is less well tested).

    So I run RealPlayer8 Basic when I need to. Their fix is to have me replace it with RealPlayer10 Gold? I don't wanna.

    I also don't like having to upgrade to a newer set of local softwares simply because the "file format" has changed. There aren't that many advances in formats/compression over time, and it seems to me that: new formats are released more frequently than necessary, thus "requiring upgrades" to new readers of said formats.

    (A) Patch the buggy apps you still support; don't make us install new (less well tested) software so often;

    (B) Don't tie the desire to distribute your latest code to [often] unnecessary media format changes.

    "I Sam thee to Dayton! (It's worse than Cleveland.)"

  32. Re:Instructions -- Alternative Codecs by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Informative

    This is not informative, this is misinformation. Real alternative and Quicktime alternative don't give you alternative codecs but alternative players that use the original codecs.

  33. Wrong by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Real Alternative is a reverse-engineered program

    No, its simply an ActiveX wrapper for the original Real dll's, nothing is reverse engineered

    then it starts to be likely they stole the code
    from where ?
    even Real's pseudo-open-source helixcommunity.net the non important gui crap is open but the codecs (the important bit) are still very much closed source and binary format only, so no stealing code as there is none to steal

    so yes Real alternative contains this flaw, but if you want to patch it by installing Real's new player then go right ahead, iam sure they will _love_ for you to install their new "secure" player (along with all its naggging/spyware infestation)

  34. Helix? by loconet · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Hey question for you guys, I've seen a lot of negative comments about Real, most of which are understandable as I myself until recently refused to install their bloated software.

    Anyone familiar with the Helix project (www.helixcommunity.org)?

    From the website:


    The Helix community is a collaborative effort among Real, independent developers, and leading companies to extend the Helix DNA(TM) platform, the first open multi-format platform for digital media creation, delivery and playback. The Helix DNA platform is comprised of the following:

    * Helix DNA Client
    * Helix DNA Producer
    * Helix DNA Server
    * RealAudio and RealVideo codecs

    I'm not too familiar with it but is it a step in the right direction for a company that once used to be on the cutting edge of digital media and now is trying to get back in the game? Or is it just another one of their corporate blood sucking tacticts? What are your thoughts?

    --
    [alk]
  35. can't find the free player? neither can "car talk" by aderusha · · Score: 3, Interesting
    from http://cartalk.com/Radio/windowsmedia-switch.html:

    Car Talk will now be available via the Windows Media Player, rather than RealMedia. That's right, we're unceremoniously dumping RealMedia.

    Why? Because, for a long time, we've had tons of complaints about RealNetworks. And the one that ticks us off the most is the perceived trickery they use to sell their premium products. This is just our opinion, mind you, but it's shared by enough of our listeners, that we finally decided to take action.

    Here's the problem. In order to hear our audio, you have to go to Real.com and download their "free" RealPlayer. But when you get to the web site, the free player is harder to find than Osama Bin Laden at night. And the site seems to do everything it possibly can to get you to "buy" a player instead. You have to work very hard to get the free player. And we think that stinks. And get this. It stinks so much that it even makes Microsoft look good by comparison. That's something, huh?

    We've heard from many of our fans that have been duped, and who have accidentally shelled out their hard-earned dineros. And we won't even get into the ways that the RealPlayer tries to take over your computer once you install it. So, after surveying the alternatives, we're switching to Windows Media Player (which works on Macs, too).

    For those of you who don't yet have the Windows Media Player installed, you can get it for Windows--for free--at:
    http://www.microsoft.com/windows/window smedia/9ser ies/player.aspx

    And for Mac--for free--at:
    http://www.microsoft.com/windows/window smedia/soft ware/Macintosh/osx/default.aspx for OS X or
    http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia/ down load/mac71.aspx for OS 8.1 and up

    Listening to Car Talk is painful enough by itself. You don't need more angst. If you'd rather take Car Talk with you, you can also download the show anytime by clicking on the Audible link at:
    http://www.cartalk.com/Radio/Show/ (Cheapskate alert: fee *definitely* involved.)


    when major broadcasters are dumping real's products due to their "betcha can't find the free version" antics, maybe real would wisen up and actually make good on their "free" players.

    not that i care - real alternative and media player classic take care of my windows-based media viewing just fine, minus all the spyware and other crap.
  36. The "Fix" is to upgrade to RealOne -- no thanks! by WD · · Score: 2, Insightful

    The only fact that allowed RealPlayer to remain on my system was that you didn't need to upgrade to the horrible, slow, ad-infested RealOne player. I've had no problem playing any "real" content with RealPlayer 8. It's not the best player, but compared to RealOne it is lean and mean.

    For people using RP8, the "fix" is to upgrade to the latest RealOne player (V2).

    Given those choices, I think any remaining RealPlayer users will choose to uninstall the software.