.RT File Extension

RealText Streaming Text File

Developer RealNetworks
Popularity
3.2  |  16 Votes
 

What is an RT file?

An RT file is a text file used by RealNetworks RealPlayer to display text synchronized with audio or video media. It contains text formatted with the RealText markup language, which can provide captions, subtitles, credits, lyrics, or other synchronized text during media playback. The RealText format is now largely obsolete because modern multimedia technologies have replaced it.

More Information

RT files were commonly used with streaming media distributed through websites and RealNetworks servers during the late 1990s and early 2000s. Content creators included them alongside RealMedia files to display synchronized captions, news tickers, lyrics, or other text while audio or video played. Since RT files are saved as plain text, developers and content creators could create and edit them with a text editor.

Although RealText was once widely used for web-based streaming media, it has largely been replaced by modern subtitle formats, such as .SRT and .VTT, along with HTML5-based media players. As a result, few current multimedia applications support RT files, and they are primarily encountered when viewing or preserving older RealMedia content.

How to open an RT file

You can open RT files with RealNetworks RealPlayer when they are referenced by compatible RealMedia content. Eltima Elmedia Player and VideoLAN VLC media player also support RT files.

Since RT files are saved as plain text, you can also view and edit them with any text editor, although doing so will display the RealText markup rather than the formatted captions or synchronized text.

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Programs that open RT files

Verified by FileInfo.com

The FileInfo.com team has independently researched the RealText Streaming Text file format and Mac and Windows apps listed on this page. Our goal is 100% accuracy and we only publish information about file types that we have verified.

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