Why is my audio playback poor?
The expected playback quality varies depending on bandwidth and the encoding
algorithm you are playing. If the quality is garbled, choppy, or skips, use the
following to isolate and correct the problem.
If the quality was poor when the firstrun_plus.smi file played at the end of the RealPlayer installation, you have a sound card
conflict. Try changing the settings on the Performance tab in the Preferences window.
If the quality was good when the firstrun_plus.smi file played at the end of the RealPlayer installation, but is bad at a
particular site, use the Statistics window in RealPlayer to check for lost packets. If the packet loss is high,
it may be due to a busy network. If this is the case you should also see a net traffic warning on your Status Bar. RealPlayer Plus users can select PerfectPlay Mode from the Options menu or connect to the site at a later time. RealPlayer
users can use buffered play.
If the playback quality is poor on every site, do the following:
- Check the actual modem connection speed. This may be shown in the lighted
display for external modems, or through an information window if you have an
internal modem (check the user manual for your modem). Sometimes service providers
use a lower rate connection speed such as 14.4 Kbps, so even though you are
dialing in on a 28.8 Kbps modem, you are only receiving data at 14.4 Kbps.
- If you are using an external modem with a Windows PC and the Statistics window
shows minimal packet loss (10% or less), there may be a problem with the speed
at which packets are transferred between the modem and serial card. Try
setting the port speed higher (at least twice the modem speed).
- Contact RealNetworks’ Technical Support at http://service.real.com