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rareadme.txt
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1997-06-04
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***************************************************************
RealAudio Player 2.0 Release to Microsoft
from Progressive Networks
http://www.RealAudio.com
***************************************************************
Release Notes
For the latest information see http://www.RealAudio.com
This document describes Progressive Networks' RealAudio Player.
Our web site is http://www.RealAudio.com. Please check it
for the latest information. For technical information and
answers to frequently asked questions, see
http://www.realaudio.com/help.html. The software and documentation
is provided to you in accordance with your license agreement.
On-line help is available for the RealAudio player in a Windows
help file called RAPLAYER.HLP
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Installation
The RealAudio Player for Windows 95 and Windows NT
consists of the following files:
RAPLAYER.EXE, RAPLAYER.HLP, README.TXT,
RALICENS.TXT, RA32.DLL, RA3228_8.DLL,
RAGUI32.DLL, RAOCX32.DLL, NPRA32.DLL
--------------------------------------------------------------------
System Requirements
To play RealAudio files, your system must meet
the following requirements:
* 486/33 SX or better PC running Microsoft
Windows NT or Windows 95
* 8 MB RAM.
* 2 MB free disk space.
* A sound card with a Windows Sound driver.
(The RealAudio Player is not compatible with the
PC Speaker program or other software programs which
simulate a sound card.)
* An Internet Connection. Either a direct connection
or a 14.4 Kbps or better modem with a SLIP or PPP
connection to an Internet Service Provider.
* A 32-bit winsock.
RealAudio now offers 28.8 content. To listen to
RealAudio 28.8, you need:
* 486/66 DX or better running Microsoft
Windows 95 or Windows NT.
* An Internet Connection. Either a direct connection
or a 28.8 Kbps or better modem with a SLIP or PPP
connection to an Internet Service Provider.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
New Features
* RealAudio 28.8 - RealAudio 28.8 is a new algorithm that provides
enhanced sound quality to all users who have a 28.8 Kbps modem
or better connection to the Internet. This near-FM (monophonic)
sound quality greatly enhances the clarity of music and voice
delivered in real-time over the Internet.
* Plug-in - The new RealAudio Plug-in allows content creators to
seamlessly integrate RealAudio directly into their Web page
layouts.
* Firewall Proxy Support - RealAudio supports the RealAudio
Proxy allowing safe access to RealAudio content through firewalls.
See our Firewall information page at
http://www.realaudio.com/firewall.html
for more details.
* TCP-only Audio Delivery - RealAudio supports receiving audio
via TCP-only. If your site blocks UDP delivery, please select
the TCP-only option from the Network Preferences, available under
the option menu. Do not use TCP-only mode when you are using a
dial-up connection.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Reporting Feedback
We are very interested in your experiences with our products.
Please use the multipurpose reporting form located at
http://www.realaudio.com/problem.html
to report problems, if you have comments, or to offer suggestions.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Sound Quality
If you are experiencing poor sound quality there are several simple
steps you can take to determine the cause. First, use the Connection
Statistics box to determine if there is packet loss. Packet loss
during transmission over the Internet is the main cause of poor
sound quality.
If packet loss does not seem to be causing poor sound quality, you can
try adjusting the way the RealAudio Player delivers sound to your
computer's sound card. Choose Preferences from the View menu and then
select the Advanced tab. You will see check boxes for "Use 8-bit Only"
and "Use 11 kHz only":
Use 8-bit Only
------------------
Use this option only if there is evidence of compatibility problems
with your soundcard. The Player normally delivers 16-bit audio to the
sound card. If the sound card only supports 8-bit audio, the Player
delivers 8-bit audio. If your sound card fails to inform the RealAudio
Player that it only supports 8-bit audio, you may hear only random or
garbled sound when playing clips. Check this option to override the
16-bit default and play 8-bit sound.
Use 11 kHz Only
---------------------
Use this option only if there is evidence of compatibility problems
with your sound card. The Player normally delivers 8 kHz audio to the
sound card. If your sound card does not support the 8 kHz sampling
rate, the audio may sound high-pitched or too fast. Check this
option to instruct the Player to convert audio to 11 kHz before
delivering it to the sound card. This option increases CPU usage
slightly.
If you continue to receive poor quality audio, please see our
FAQ entry on audio quality at:
http://www.realaudio.com/help.html
Select FAQ and from there choose the "Audio Quality" entry.
Please note that to receive RealAudio 28.8 you should have at least
a 19.2 Kbps connection to your Internet Service Provider. In a
19.2 Kbps connection you may hear slight gaps in the audio.
Dial-up users should be sure to keep the network connection preference
as UDP (the default). In TCP mode, no audio packets are lost,
but their arrival may be late enough to cause gapping in the audio.
TCP mode is useful when you are directly connected (via a
local area network) to the internet.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Known Problems
* Starting or quitting large applications while playing
RealAudio can cause some brief disruption of the playback.
* Playback on some 486/25 SX computers does not work properly.
* The user interface during playback of 28.8 content on slower
systems may have slow response time. Performance of other
applications may suffer during playback. To improve system
performance select the General tab from the View|Preferences menu
and adjust the Best Audio Quality/Lowest CPU Usage slider.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Browser Upgrade
After you upgrade your browser, you may lose the configuration
information for the RealAudio player. The easiest way to
re-configure your browser is to re-install the player.
Alternatively, you can manually configure your browser:
* Viewer name: c:\RAPLAYER\RAPLAYER.EXE
* Mime Type: audio
* Mime Subtype: x-pn-realaudio
* File Extensions: .ra, .ram
* Homepage URL: http://www.realaudio.com/
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Copyright 1995, 1996 Progressive Networks, Inc.