RealText File Format (.rt)
An RT file is a RealText caption script, a tagged markup text track that RealNetworks built for the RealPlayer streaming stack, using <br/> tags for line breaks and reference by a SMIL presentation to time captions against RealMedia audio or video.
RealText at a glance#
| Full name | RealText |
|---|---|
| File extension | .rt |
| Category | Subtitles |
| Developer | RealNetworks |
| Compression | Uncompressed |
| FileFlip support | FileFlip reads this format but does not write it |
What a .rt file can hold#
These are the things a RealText file either supports or does not, and they are what decides whether a conversion keeps everything or quietly drops something.
| Selectable text | Yes |
|---|---|
| Human readable | Yes |
Strengths and limitations of RealText#
What RealText does well
- Plain tagged text, readable and editable without special tools
Where RealText falls short
- Built for the RealPlayer and RealMedia ecosystem, which almost nothing still runs
- Not supported natively by modern browsers or mainstream video players
- Relies on a companion SMIL file for the timing that ties it to its media, rather than carrying full timing itself
Recognize RealText as a legacy RealPlayer caption file if it turns up alongside old RealMedia content; there's little reason to author new captions in it.
Convert RealText to SRT or VTT to caption the content on any current player, since RealText support has effectively disappeared outside archived RealPlayer installs.
How to open a .rt file#
A .rt file opens in the programs below, grouped by the platform you are on. If you would rather not install anything, FileFlip converts RealText into a format your machine already opens, and it does it in the browser tab rather than on a server.
| Platform | Programs that open it |
|---|---|
| Windows | RealPlayer |
| Web | FileFlip |
RealText questions people ask#
What is an RT (RealText) file?
An RT file is a RealText caption script, a tagged text format RealNetworks built to caption RealMedia audio and video played through RealPlayer. It's referenced by a SMIL presentation, which supplies the timing that syncs the captions to the media.
Can I still play RealText files today?
Rarely without the original RealPlayer software, since RealText was built for the RealMedia streaming stack and current browsers and video players don't support it natively. Converting the file to SRT or VTT is the practical way to use those captions with a modern player.
Is RealText the same thing as SMIL?
No. SMIL is the markup language that lays out and times a RealMedia presentation, and RealText is one of the pieces it can reference, a captions file the SMIL presentation calls in and synchronizes with the audio or video.
Converting RealText files#
Convert RealText to another format
FileFlip does not write .rt files, so nothing on the site converts into this format. It works as a source only.
Every conversion runs inside your browser. The file is read from your disk, the work happens on your own machine, and nothing is uploaded. How FileFlip works names the engine behind each family and how to verify that for yourself.