RealNetworks

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RealNetworks NASDAQ: [RNWK] is a provider of Internet media delivery software and services based in Seattle, United States. The company is best known for the creation of RealAudio, a compressed audio format, RealVideo, a compressed video format, RealPlayer, and for its leadership in the field of streaming media.

RealMedia audio streaming files can contain RealAudio and RealVideo streams, and several other formats like SMIL. Helix is their open source media framework. The code is released under various licenses, like the RealNetworks Public Source License starting in 2003 and the GPL in 2004. Not all of the source code is licensed under the GPL license, in particular the codecs.

Music Store

In August 2003, Real acquired Listen.com's Rhapsody music service, and renamed it RealRhapsody. It offers streaming music downloads for a monthly fee. In January 2004, Real announced that they are creating RealPlayer Music Store, featuring DRM-protected music in the AAC file format. After some initial tries to push their own DRM scheme (named Helix DRM) onto all device manufacturers with the Creative Zen Xtra as the only existing compliant device, they sparked controversy by introducing a technology called Harmony that allowed their music to play on iPods as well as Microsoft Windows Media Audio DRM-equipped devices using a "wrapper" that would convert Helix DRM into the two other target DRM schemes.

History

RealNetworks (then known as Progressive Networks) was founded by ex-Microsoft executive Rob Glaser in 1993. The original goal of the company was to provide a distribution channel for politically progressive content. It quickly evolved into a technology venture to leverage the Internet as an alternative distribution medium for audio broadcasts. Progressive Networks became RealNetworks in September 1997.

Company timeline:

November 1993: Progressive Networks formed
April 1995: RealAudio 1.0 released (finalized June 1995)
August 1995: First live broadcast of a baseball game over the Internet between the Seattle Mariners and the New York Yankees
October 1995: RealAudio 2.0 debuts (finalized April 1996)
September 1996: RealAudio 3.0 launches, with debut of Sheryl Crow's single "If It Makes You Happy"
October 1996: RTSP standardization initiative launched with Netscape Communications Corporation
February 1997: RealVideo debuts as part of RealPlayer 4.0 (finalized June 1997)
June 1997: RealPlanet.Com international content aggregation site launches with landmark cybercast of the transfer of the sovereignty of Hong Kong.
July 1997: Broad technology and investment relationship between Progressive Networks and Microsoft
September 1997: RealSystem 5.0 debuts, adding support for Macromedia Flash
September 1997: Progressive Networks changes name to "RealNetworks", and files with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission to become a publicly traded company
November 1997: Initial Public Offering of shares from RealNetworks (RNWK).
March 1998: RealNetworks acquires Vivo Software
April 1998: RealSystem G2 debuts. G2 was a complete rearchitecture of RealSystem, allowing development of plugins at all levels of the system. G2 was the first release to support RTSP, SMIL, GIF, JPEG, RealPix, and RealText.
July 1998: Rob Glaser testifies before the United States Senate regarding competitive practices of Microsoft
April 1999: RealNetworks acquires software maker Xing Technology
May 1999: RealJukebox 1.0 launched
November 1999: RealPlayer 7 launched, with Take5 daily programming service and MP3 support
May 2000: RealSystem 8 debuts, with RealVideo 8
July 2001: RealNetworks reduces staff by 15%
September 2001: RealOne Platform launched, including new subscription service
January 2002: RealOne subscription service passes 500,000 subscribers
April 2002: RealVideo 9 released
July 2002: Helix initiative launched, along with Helix Universal Server. Initiative includes plan to release substantial parts of proprietary technologies under an open source licence. RealNetworks also announced partnership with Xiph.org to support the free software Ogg Vorbis audio codec.
August 2002: RealNetworks reduces staff by 11%
October 2002: Helix DNA Client source code released under open source license
December 2002: Helix DNA Producer source code released under open source license
January 2003: Helix DNA Server source code released under open source license
August 2003: RealNetworks acquires Listen.com's Rhapsody music service and renames it RealRhapsody
January 2004: RealNetworks announce RealPlayer Music Store as a response to iTunes Music Store
July 2004: RealNetworks reverse-engineers Apple Computer's FairPlay code, allowing songs from their online store to be played on an iPod. Starts a website at www.musicfreedomofchoice.org petitioning Apple to remove the lock-out from their products, but then removes the petition when many of the signers complain about RealNetworks' similar policies.
October 2005: RealNetworks and Microsoft settle lawsuit filed by Real in December 2004, which accused Microsoft of illegally leveraging its Windows monopoly to win customers in the digital-music business. Real receives $460 million to settle antitrust claims and another $301 million in cash and services to promote and distribute Rhapsody.
January 2006: RealNetworks provides unlimited downloadable movies through its co-branded Starz service with a 14 day free trial to encourage consumers.
March 2006: RealNetworks announces that Cingular Video, Cingular Wireless, on-demand video services for mobile phones is powered by RealNetworks Helix media delivery and playback platform. Included in the announcement is reference to 80 other wireless carriers and 60 million handsets using Helix.

External links

http://www.realnetworks.com
http://www.real.com
[Real Alternative, free player alternative]
See https://helixcommunity.org/ for more details.
[RealNetworks Public Source License] and other licenses for the Helix project
[Real Player 10 for Linux]
[RealNetworks press release regarding Vorbis support (via WayBack Machine)]
[Real to launch song store]
[Real gets flamed over iPod campaign]
[RealNetworks' iPod Campaign Backfires]
[Real Rhapsody 25 to snoop away customers from iTunes with free songs]
[Converting realaudio to mp3]

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