What You Need To Hear RealAudio Samples

If your system is not equipped with a RealPlayer, you can download one at no charge below:

• If you use a Windows-based PC (95/98/NT) with a Pentium-class processor or the Macintosh operating system, download the latest RealPlayer. This player provides the highest sound quality available.
• If you use Win 3.1, NT 3.5.x, or Unix, download the RealPlayer 5.0.
• If you are a DISHPlayer 500, WebTV Classic or Plus user, your system already supports versions of RealAudio. RealAudio is not currently available on UltimateTV systems. For more information about WebTV's audio features, visit the WebTV help pages, or contact them at 1-800-469-3288.

First, test your RealAudio Player and verify that you can play the clips available at the Real.com Music Showcase. If you are not able to play clips on that site, you should consult the troubleshooting tips available at the RealNetworks Knowledge Base. If you are able to play clips on that site, the problem is most likely due to heavy traffic.You might have more success by trying again at a different time, especially if you are playing the files between 6:00 p.m. and 11:00 p.m. Pacific time. These are peak hours on the Internet, and the traffic load is the likely culprit.

This could mean that you still need to install the RealPlayer. To install your RealPlayer once it is downloaded, locate and launch the file you downloaded by exploring your hard drive or choosing the Run option in the Start menu. (The file is where your Web browser saved it.) This will begin the RealPlayer 7 Minimal Download setup process.

If you don't know where you saved the file on a Windows system, first check to see if it is on your desktop. If it is, simply double-click the icon to launch the RealPlayer installation program. Otherwise, use the Find command and search all drives on the system for "rp7-complete-setup" (note: this is the file name of the latest version of the RealPlayer). Similarly, on a Macintosh you can find the file by using the "Find File" utility from your main menu. Once you find and run this installation program, your browser should be set up to play a RealAudio file.

Normally when you install the RealPlayer, it automatically sets up your Web browser for you. If your RealPlayer is not launched when you click on a link to a song, you will need to manually configure your browser for RealAudio.

The file-type settings for your browser are probably found in the Preferences or Options for your browser under Viewers or Helper Applications, but if you use Microsoft Internet Explorer or the AOL browser, you may find them by double-clicking on the My Computer icon on your desktop and then choosing Options under View in your menu bar.

Here is the file-type description to enter into your browser preferences for helper applications:

• Description: RealPlayer
• MIME Type: audio
• MIME SubType: x-pn-realaudio
• File Extensions: ra, rm, ram

Find the directory into which the RealPlayer was installed, and select it as the application to launch.

This is most likely due to traffic on either your local network or the Internet at large. The best thing to do in this situation is to try listening again later. If audio sounds too fast, too slow, scratchy, or distorted, changing the RealPlayer 7 performance settings may help:

• From the View menu, choose Preferences.
• Click the Performance tab.
• Click the Settings button in the Sound Card Compatibility section.
• Select the Disable 16-bit sound or Disable custom sampling rates check boxes to modify the way that RealPlayer and the sound card interact. You may need to experiment to find a combination of settings that works best for your computer.
• Click OK in the Sound Card Compatibility dialog box.
• Click OK in the Preferences dialog box to save your changes.