Free Way to create RM files???

[John Kurtzke]

Hey, I'm not technologically illiterate, but is there any way I can convert a video to RealPlayer? I know that RM is basically the pinto of video formats, but I'm encoding some episodes of an old show for someone, and they asked for it to be in RM format. I've tried using those online converters, but the file is WAY too big (a 20MB .mov became a 80MB .rm), and it won't work in any version of RealPlayer that I have (RealOne, Real10, and RealSP). Is there any way, for FREE, to convert it to RM on a Mac?

And please, no dumb jokes about the fact that I have a Mac and claim to be technically literate. I'm not really in a mood to have a format war, capiche? Good.

[jman98]

ffmpeg is free and has some very limited ability to generate Real Media files.

You're a good friend to do this, but I would really suggest you ask the following questions of yourself.
1) Are you doing this for a person with whom you hope to have, shall we politely say, "relations" at some point?
2) Are you doing this for a blood relative or a BFF?

If the answer to both of those are "no" then I'd suggest you make a minor attempt to generate a RM file with ffmpeg and give it to the person who wants it. If they bitch, tell them that someone on this forum called them an idiot (I am calling this person an idiot right now) for demanding a file in a poorly supported, low quality video format like RM and you made your best attempt. Or just give them the MOV file and say "Convert it yourself if you want it in RM and it's so important to you".

The only people I know who use RM are anime fanatics. I'd love for someone to explain a rational reason as to why in this day and age RM is still being used. In fact, I'd love to know why it was ever used as RM has always sucked. Look I'm not attacking you at all for wanting to be helpful, but sometimes requests are just unreasonable and asking for RM is really bordering on being unreasonable.

[John Kurtzke]

Thanks, I'll check it out in a bit. Not gonna comment on your tone, there, but alright.

[bat999]

Hi
I already thought about using ffmpeg.
But when I use command:-

ffmpeg -codecs

The only 'real' video encoding codecs that I can find are these:-

rv10 RealVideo 1.0
rv20 RealVideo 2.0

And the only 'real' audio encoding codec I can find is this:-

real_144 RealAudio 1.0 (14.4K) encoder

But maybe rm files are allowed to include other codecs too, I don't know.

[Ai Haibara]

You might try RealAnime or RealProducer.

[poisondeathray]

You might try RealAnime or RealProducer.

He needs it for Mac

[Ai Haibara]

Okay, missed that part. I can't remember whether or not Real put out a content-creating app on the Mac (never had a reason to do it on mine ), but I'll see what I can find.

[poisondeathray]

I don't think you can do it on a mac

rv40 is what you want. Those other "real" versions in ffmpeg are very limited

I would just borrow a friend's PC and do it with those 2 programs or easy real media producer
https://www.videohelp.com/tools/Easy_RealMedia_Producer

(or maybe mac users are too good for PC friends ).... joking

[Ai Haibara]

Yeah, I don't think there are any free methods to accomplish it under OS X, save for perhaps experimenting with ffmpeg and mencoder. ffmpegx MAY be able to do it, but I believe you have to jump through a couple of hoops to get RealMedia support working in it. The ffmpegx forum is here on VideoHelp; it wouldn't hurt to ask there if it supports encoding to RM/RMVB.


(And thank you, Real, for making it so wonderfully difficult to find anything related to encoding on your site. Granted, I didn't check all the business/corporate links... but I shouldn't have to, right? Right? )

[AlanHK]

Ask the person why they want RM, how they intend to play it.

Then look up their player's features and see what it supports.

Very likely there is a format easier for you to make that will work just as well or better for them.

A person who really did need RM for some specific purpose would know how to convert it themself.