The Text-Mode RealMedia Player (TRPlayer) is a RealMedia player for Unix which has a command-line interface. It can play RealAudio, RealVideo, MP3, and all other media types supported by RealPlayer under Unix. TRPlayer was designed especially for blind Unix users, who don't yet have access to the graphical user interface. However, it is also useful to others; it is a good tool for background audio playback and for use on low-end hardware, such as Intel 486-based PC's.
To use TRPlayer, you will need RealPlayer and the slang library. The slang library is included with most major Linux distributions. TRPlayer is known to work on Linux and Solaris.
The current stable version of TRPlayer is 1.2.0. You can get it as a source distribution, a binary distribution for Linux, an RPM package, a Slackware package, or a Debian package. To compile TRPlayer from the source code, you must have the RealSystem G2 SDK from RealNetworks.
Downloading and installing RealPlayer can be somewhat tricky, especially for blind users. When you follow the link to RealPlayer above, you will be taken to a form which you must fill out in order to download RealPlayer. If you are using a screen reader, you may find it helpful to use your browser's search command (such as slash in Lynx or Control-S in Emacs/W3) to search for the text "First name". Then you'll be on or near the first field in the download form.
If you're using an RPM-based system such as Red Hat Linux or SuSE Linux, you can select the RPM version of RealPlayer; otherwise, you'll get a self-installing executable. After submitting the form, you'll be taken to a list of locations from which you can download RealPlayer. Again, if you're using a screen reader, you may find it helpful to use your browser's search command to locate the text "Seattle, WA", so you can find a download link more easily.
If you are getting the RPM version of RealPlayer, you can install it with rpm in the normal way. You may need to include the --ignorearch option in the RPM command line if your processor is older than a Pentium Pro. If you got the non-RPM version of RealPlayer, you can install it from the command line by typing the following:
./rp8_linux20_libc6_i386_cs1.bin -s /usr/lib/RealPlayer8
You'll need to do this while you're logged in as root, in the directory in which the downloaded file is located.
TRPlayer has a mailing list for announcements, questions, and discussion of new features. The archive for this list is also available (and searchable) at Mail-Archive.com. If you prefer to subscribe to the list by email, send a message to trplayer-request@braille.uwo.ca with the word subscribe as the subject.
If you would like to ask questions about TRPlayer or discuss new features, you can come to the #trplayer IRC channel on irc.openprojects.net.
I am looking for someone to take over the TRPlayer project. For information on why, please red my announcement on the TRPlayer list.
The latest TRPlayer source code is always available on a CVS server which supports read-only anonymous access. To log into this server, type the following:
export CVSROOT=":pserver:anonymous@bumpy.braille.uwo.ca:/usr/src/CVS" cvs login
Type "please" when asked for the password. To get the TRPlayer source, type:
cvs checkout trplayer
Contributions of code are welcome. TRPlayer follows the GNU coding style wherever possible, so GNU Emacs is an especially good editor to use when modifying or adding to TRPlayer.
To God, first and foremost, for giving me the ability to serve through this project.
To RealNetworks, Inc., for allowing me to build on their technology.
To the Computer Braille Facility at the University of Western Ontario, home of Speakup, for generously hosting this project.
To Dave Mielke, A. R. Vener, and others, for giving me valuable suggestions to improve TRPlayer.
If you would like to contact me, email me at mattcampbell@pobox.com or contact me on ICQ.
RealSystem™ technology is provided under license from RealNetworks, Inc., copyright © 1995-2000 RealNetworks, Inc. and/or its suppliers. 2601 Elliott Avenue, Suite 1000, Seattle, Washington 98121, U.S.A. All rights reserved. RealNetworks is a registered trademark of RealNetworks, Inc.