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 guidelines to isolate and correct the problem.

If the playback quality is occasionally poor:

If the quality was good when the firstrun.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 red Net Traffic warning on your Status Bar.


You can use buffered play from the Options menu or reconnect later.

If the playback quality is poor all the time:

Consult your network administrator.

Check the actual modem connection speed. This may be shown in the lighted display for external modems, or through an information window for internal modems. Refer to the modem user manual for details.

Internet service providers sometimes use a lower rate connection speed so, even though you are dialing in on a high-speed modem, you are only receiving data at the lower connection speed. Consult your ISP regarding connection speed.


Contact RealNetworks Technical Support at http://service.real.com.

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