Copyright: ©1998 RealNetworks, Inc. All rights reserved.
Citation: ©1998 RealNetworks, Inc.


RealPlayer Plus Help Contents
RealPlayer Help Contents

Click on the topic below that you wish to view.

	A quick explanation of how to use this Help File for anyone unfamiliar with Windows Help. Click on the book to the left to jump to the information.
Introduction to RealPlayer - A good place to get started.

What’s New in G2? - Check out the new features in this version of RealPlayer.

Using RealPlayer - How to use RealPlayer's many features.

Setting Preferences - How to configure RealPlayer to work in your environment.

Troubleshooting - Solutions to common problems.

 A note to users of the free version of RealPlayer.


What's the difference between Plus and Free?

This Help file is constructed so that both RealPlayer Plus and RealPlayer users can find what they need. There are, however, considerable differences between the Plus and free versions of the Player. Those differences are marked as shown below.

		Marks abilities and enhancements that are available only to RealPlayer Plus users.
Often this icon will appear in the banner at the top of a topic, but will also see it in the the middle of a topic when RealPlayer Plus offers additional features (such as Save Current Place... ).

Remember, you can always upgrade to RealPlayer Plus or even get a subscription that will guarantee you the next version of RealPlayer Plus down the road. We strive to keep improving RealPlayer and a subscription puts you at the front of the line for the latest and greatest Internet technology out there.


What's New in G2?


Audio Equalizer
 	Equalizer panel

To open your Equalizer click [image] next to the position slider on the main RealPlayer Plus interface.

		Click to open the Equalizer. When the Equalizer is on, a green light will appear beneath the Equalizer button on your RealPlayer. If it is off, a red light will appear.

The Equalizer panel is your central control for customized audio quality.

		Turns your equalizer on and off. By engaging and disengaging the equalizer you can better adjust the sound quality by listening to the difference between the two. By default, the equalizer is not on.  Note: In some cases the equalizer will slow down your machine. Turning it off should return your computer to its normal speed.
		The central sliders allow you to adjust specific frequency ranges (in this example the 31 Hz range) to your own preferences as you would with a graphic equalizer.
		If you find you don't like your adjustments, clicking Reset will bring all of the sliders back to the zero, the central mark on each slider.
	Settings: "setting" Save  Settings As... Delete	A drop down box with the name of the slider settings. RealPlayer comes with a number of precreated settings for your convenience which you can alter or add to as you wish. Opens a Save As... dialog to save the current settings with a name for later use. Deletes setting currently displayed in the drop down area to the left of this button.

See Also:

Audio Analyzer

Display Color Controls

Sharing Presets

Search

AutoUpdate

RealPlayer Interface


Frequency Handling

The Equalizer is divided into 10 specific ranges between 31Hz to 16kHz and can alter the frequency to plus or minus 18 decibels. These alterations are done on the fly and are reflected in the Audio Analyzer.

In the case of particularly poor quality sound, the upper sliders will be disabled.


Graphic Equalizer

What is it?

A graphic equalizer lets you tune more specifically your audio experience by dividing the sound input into smaller ranges of tones. Each range is then assigned to a slider on your Equalizer panel. This gives you control over each individual range rather than having to adjust all the high or low tones as typical treble and bass buttons do.

How do I use it?

Lower frequencies (bass) are the left half of the sliders, while higher frequencies (treble) are on the right. Going from left to right, each slider affects a slighter higher tone than the one before it.

You increase the volume of any given range by dragging a slider up and decrease it by dragging the slider down. The center position effectively leaves the incoming frequency unchanged.


Color Controls
 Display Color Controls

 Clicking the Display Controls button on your RealPlayer Plus main interface will pop-up the Display Controls panel. Adjust the sliders on the various controls to change the look of the display. Clicking anywhere else or on the control again will close the slider. Your settings are retained until you change them. The Display Controls will not be available if the clip you are playing does not support the controls.

		Display Controls allow you to adjust your RealVideo clips or a clip's RealVideo components without having to change the look of your entire desktop.
	Contrast	Adjusts the contrast, altering the degree of difference between the light and dark shades in the clip.
	Brightness	Adjust the brightness, how light the picture appears overall.
	Color Level	Adjusts the color saturation of the picture, how brilliant the colors are.
	Tint	Adjusts the overall hue of the picture.
	Sharpness	Adjusts the clarity of the edges in the picture.

See Also:

Audio Analyzer

Equalizer panel

Sharing Presets

Search

AutoUpdate

RealPlayer Interface


Audio Analyzer

For those who have to know exactly what's coming into your system, RealPlayer has given you four configurable tools to monitor sound frequencies. When selected, they appear below the image area of the Display Panel while you are playing a clip.

The Audio Analyzer has four modes:

	Spectrum	A very narrow band, bar-graph styled analyzer which you can configure to your liking. The Spectrum analyzer tracks in real time over 100 discreet frequencies.
	Spectrogram	An aggregate view of the sound in time-slices presented as a spectrum of color.
	Waveform	An oscilloscope styled analyzer that entertains your eyes but no less accurately measures the peaks and troughs of the frequencies.
	Graph	A 16-band bar-graph styled analyzer which you can configure to your liking.
See Also:

Display Color Controls

Equalizer panel

Sharing Presets

Search

AutoUpdate

RealPlayer Interface


Search

With so many clips out there to enjoy, how do you find what you want to listen to or what you want to watch?

The answer is Search. Search works just like any other search engine you may have used to find web pages.

1.	Just type in words or phrases related to the subject you're interested in.

2.	Click Search or press ENTER

3.	Your web browser will open, if it isn't already, and will display a results page listing clips that meet your search request. Unlike most search engines, results from your search will only include links that have streamed media associated with them.

Note: You must be connected to the Internet for Search to function. If you are not connected to the Internet when you initiate the search, your computer will attempt to connect to the Internet at that time.

See Also:

Display Color Controls

Equalizer panel

Sharing Presets

AutoUpdate

Audio Analyzer

RealPlayer Interface


Introduction to RealPlayer Plus
 Introduction to RealPlayer

Welcome to RealPlayer G2 by RealNetworks. RealPlayer gives you quality, "one-button" access to the news and entertainment that you want to experience.

Using RealPlayer, you can listen to and view thousands of hours of live and pre-recorded clips, including sporting events, live radio stations, news, interviews, music, and lectures. RealPlayer allows you to save your favorite locations quickly and easily, scan for new stations, even to share presets with your friends.

	Tell me more about how RealPlayer works
Visit the RealNetworks website for the latest information at http://www.real.com

See Also:

Using RealPlayer

What's New in G2?

RealPlayer Components

PlusZone

Troubleshooting

How to use this Help File


 How does RealPlayer work?

RealPlayer retrieves audio, video, text, animation and other media to your desktop faster by using streaming technology.

Servers on the Internet store media files. You access them by clicking a link on a browser page, or by going to a page that has the clip automatically set to launch for you. The media files, or clips , you play are specially created so that they come to your desktop in much smaller pieces that are ready to be used. Because of this, you don't have to wait for a whole video file, for instance, to be downloaded before you get to begin to enjoy it. With RealPlayer, the video plays as your Player receives the information.

 RealPlayer Plus owners can read much more about streaming media in the RealPlayer Plus G2 Manual (Chapter 6: What is Streaming Media and How Does it Work?) available in hardcopy or in HTML by choosing On-line tutorials from your Help menu and then selecting On-line Manual from the menu that appears in your Player.

Media files can be compiled with different options. Those options are selected by the person providing the content you get from the Internet, not by RealPlayer. Because of this not all files will be recordable, for example. When an option is unavailable, the button or the menu option will not be accessible.

Different media files require different components, or plug-ins, to be played. RealNetworks is constantly adding new components to the Player. If you attempt to play a file that requires a new component, RealPlayer will inform you and offer to install the new component from our own servers if one is available.

See Also:

Using RealPlayer


 RealPlayer Components

In addition to RealPlayer, several different special-purpose RealPlayer components are installed on your computer. These components work with different elements in  World Wide Web pages to deliver sound and video in a variety of ways. Among these are:

RealPlayer Netscape Plug-in	The Plug-in provides access to RealMedia programming and extends the audio and video capabilities of your Netscape browser (Netscape Navigator 3.0 or later).
RealPlayer Control for ActiveX	The RealPlayer Control for ActiveX provides access to RealMedia programming and extends the audio and video capabilities of your Internet Explorer browser (3.0 or later) and Visual Basic applications.
See Also:

AutoUpdate

Don't forget the Readme file. For quick access go to your Windows Start menu, select Real and RealPlayer G2 Readme. The Readme file is stored in the directory where your RealPlayer is installed.


 AutoUpdate and Security

AutoUpdate notification alerts you to major new improvements of RealPlayer. It will not inform you of new components. If you attempt to play a clip that requires additional components, RealPlayer will offer to find and install the new component at that time.

RealNetworks authenticates every update to your Player with electronic certificates before any files are released onto your computer. In the event of unauthorized code, the files are deleted, before they are installed or run, and RealNetworks will be informed automatically so the code provider can be investigated.

This is NOT the same as virus protection. RealNetworks does check its own code on a frequent basis to protect both itself and you. However, virus protection is each user's individual responsibility.

See Also:

Upgrade Preferences


AutoUpdate and Security

AutoUpdate notification alerts you to major new improvements of RealPlayer. It will not inform you of new components. If you attempt to play a clip that requires additional components, RealPlayer will offer to find and install the new component at that time.

RealNetworks authenticates every update to your Player with electronic certificates before any files are released onto your computer. In the event of unauthorized code, the files are deleted, before they are installed or run, and RealNetworks will be informed automatically so the code provider can be investigated.

This is NOT the same as virus protection. RealNetworks does check its own code on a frequent basis to protect both itself and you. However, virus protection is each user's individual responsibility.


 PlusZone

The PlusZone is the one-stop Web site for Plus customers only; part of our commitment to you for purchasing the RealPlayer Plus.

The PlusZone provides links to some of the previous week's most frequently played Real content and other links that are updated on a weekly, or even more frequent, basis. You'll also be able to find updated product information, online offers, and premium content as well as on-line manuals and tutorials.

Come to the PlusZone. Learn  More about the RealPlayer Plus and find out about special offers for Plus owners only!

http://pluszone.real.com/


Using the RealPlayer Plus
 Using RealPlayer

RealPlayer begins playing clips almost instantly without excessive download delays. Just click a RealMedia link and seconds later you'll be enjoying your favorite music, sports, videos, or news programs. You can even pause, rewind, fast-forward, stop, start, and record at the click of a button.

RealPlayer Interface	Click here to access a picture explaining what all those buttons and things are on your RealPlayer.

RealPlayer Menus

Working with sound and video clips

Windows, Panels and Bars

Presets and Channels

Scanning for Content

Keyboard Shortcuts


Working with sound and video clips

The following assumes that you already have a clip loaded.

Button	Action	Note
	Play	Plays a clip from the beginning or from where you paused it.
	Pause	Pauses playback of the clip. If you pause a clip for several minutes, you may be disconnected from the clip. If you resume playback there may be a delay while RealPlayer reconnects to the site.
	Stop	Stops and resets clip to the beginning.
	Fast Forward	The longer you hold down FF button, the further ahead in the clip you will jump.
	Rewind	The longer you hold down REW button, the further back in the clip you will jump.
	Mute	Mutes sound of clip. Even though muted, a clip continues to play unless you stop or pause it.
See Also:

Loading a Clip

File Menu

Recording a Clip

Playing Clips in PerfectPlay Mode

Keyboard Shortcuts


Loading a Clip

Loading a clip means the Player knows the location of and is prepared to act on that clip. It does not mean that you are listening to the clip nor that you are currently connected to it. Loading a clip is like knowing where the store is, but you haven't left yet to go there, but as soon as you do leave, you know which streets to take to get there.

For example, When you click [image] the Player finds the will find the loaded clip and play it.

A clip remains active until you select a new clip. Just stopping a clip does not unload it. Stopping only resets the clip to play from the beginning. Just because a clip is loaded, however, does not mean you are necessarily connected to the Internet.

You can load a clip in several ways:

•	Click a media link on an Internet page and your RealPlayer will launch automatically or the plug-in version (a video box or sound will begin as part of the page you are viewing) will load depending on how the page was created.

•	Drag a file or link to your RealPlayer or RealPlayer icon on your Desktop. RealPlayer will launch and begin to play the clip (If you release over the Presets tab, it will become a preset rather than launch).

•	Select a Preset from the Presets Menu which will automatically access the media on the Web without opening your browser.

•	Using File/Open from the drop down menus, choose a file from your local hard drive.

•	Using File/Open location, enter a location (rtsp:// or pnm:// or http://) in the dialog box that appears.

•	Choose a recently opened clip at the bottom of the File Menu .

What if I disconnected from my ISP ?

If you are not connected and attempt to play a loaded clip, RealPlayer will try to establish a connection for you.

See Also:

Working with sound and video clips

General Preferences


Windows and Accessories
Windows, Panels, Bars and Accessories

When launched, the RealPlayer has its own window on your desktop. Within the RealPlayer window there are several Panels and Bars (eg. the Status Bar).

Panels can be rearranged within the RealPlayer window. Position your mouse over the double bar on left portion of any Panel. When your cursor is a double arrow, click and drag the Panel to its new position and release.

Bars can also be rearranged within the RealPlayer window. Position your mouse over the double bar on left portion of any bar. When your cursor is a double arrow, click and drag the Panel to its new position and release.

Accessories (eg. the Equalizer panel) are panels that are part of RealPlayer but not attached to it. Accessories can be positioned anywhere on your desktop.

Closing or minimizing RealPlayer will close or minimize all of the Accessories no matter their position on the desktop.

See Also:

Changing the Size of the Image Area

Changing the Size of the RealPlayer Window

The RealPlayer Interface


Presets and Channels

Presets are your quick access to content that you've found on the Internet. You collect, organize and use them from the Presets tab of the Content Panel.

Channels are links to content that you subscribe to through special links on the Channels page of RealNetworks or other pages on the Internet. Channels also update you with the latest top news and information from the content providers by using Headlines. Channels reside on the Channels tab of the Content Panel.

	Visual Presets  Selecting a Preset  Creating a Preset  Adding Presets  Editing Presets  Sharing Presets  Organizing Presets	Channels Customizing your Channels  Updating Headlines  Customizing Your Daily Briefing

See Also:

The RealPlayer Interface


Edit Presets
Adding Presets

Presets are your personal markers for media and programs that you want to get to quickly. You can add, delete and even organize your presets for easy use.

You can add Presets by:

		• Choosing Add to Presets... from the Presets Menu while playing a clip.
		• Accepting Presets sent to you by a friend or web page.

See Also:

Visual Presets Selecting a Preset  Sharing Presets  Adding Presets	Editing Presets  Customizing Channels  The RealPlayer Interface


Save Current Place

Save Current Place is a quick way to bookmark not only a specific clip, but where you are in that clip. You can return to it at a later time and pick up right where you left off.

To save your current position in a clip:

Select the File menu

Click Save Current Place...

The placeholder that is created will be dropped into the Placeholders folder of your Presets with a Start Clip at... setting based on where you were in the clip when you asked it to Save Current Place.

Note: Save Current Place... will not be available if the stream is not capable of being searched (e.g. a live stream or a wave [.wav] file).

See Also:

Selecting a Preset  Sharing Presets  Adding  Presets	Editing Presets  Customizing Channels  The RealPlayer Interface


Visual Presets

Visual Presets are a quick and easy way to access often used content. Rather than using your Presets Menu to see a list of your media bookmarks, Plus customers get a visual representation on their Content Panel.

Presets share the Content Panel with Channels.

 Click to open Visual Presets in the Content Panel .

To play an existing Preset:	To change Presets folders:
Click the name of the Preset.	Click the down arrow and select a new folder of Presets.

 The Edit menu on Visual Presets gives you quick access to other features:

	Add to Presets...	Opens the Add to Presets... Presets dialog.
	Organize Presets...	Opens the Organize Presets dialog.
	Scan 'folder'	Opens the Scan Presets dialog and preselects the currently open folder.
	Export 'folder'	Exports the open folder so you can mail them to friends..
Hint: Plus customers also have access to right-click options on their Visual Presets. Position your mouse over a Presets and click your secondary mouse button (the button you don't use as often) to get a list of additional actions.

See Also:

Customizing Channels  Customizing Your Daily Briefing  Adding Presets  Organizing Presets  Editing Presets	Sharing Presets  Selecting a Preset  Creating a Preset  The RealPlayer Interface


Edit Preset
Editing Presets

Using the Organize Presets dialog, you can modify the label of a Preset and the URL corresponding to that Preset.

To edit or delete a Preset:

•	Select Oraganize Presets from your Presets Menu

•	Select a specific Preset or Folder.

•	Choose Delete or Edit

Edit will open the Edit Preset dialog:

	Field	Description
	Title	Enter the title you want for this Preset.
	URL	Enter the URL (Internet address) you want to play when this Preset button is clicked. You must enter the full URL. For example: rtsp://presets.realaudio.com/plus/pop1.ram
	Folder	Enter or select the folder you would like the Preset to be a part of.
	Play Preset from...	This setting will start the clip playing from the specified time. The default setting is always the beginning of the clip (unless you used Save Current Place... to create the Preset.
See Also:

Adding Presets  Selecting a Preset  Organizing Presets  Creating Presets	Customizing Channels  Updating Headlines  Customizing Your Daily Briefing  The RealPlayer Interface


Sharing Presets

RealPlayer gives you the ability to trade Presets with your friends.

     To share a Preset or Folder:

1. Open the folder you wish to Export by selecting it on your Visual Presets tab. 2. From the Edit menu on the Visual Presets tab, select Export. 3. A Save As...  style dialog will open. 4. Name the export file and select a place for it to be saved as you would any word processor document but leave the .RNX extension so RealPlayer will recognize the file. 5. Select Save. A text file will be created in your RealPlayer directory that can be sent via your e-mail program. If you wish to send a single Preset use the Organize Presets option listed to the right.	If you don't own RealPlayer Plus: 1. From your Presets menu, select Organize Presets. 2. The Organize Presets dialog will open. 3. Choose the Preset or Folder you want to send 4. Select Export Preset (or Folder) 5. A Save As...  style dialog will open. 6. Name the export file and select a place for it to be saved as you would any word processor document but leave the .RNX extension so RealPlayer will recognize the file. 7. Select Save. A text file will be created in your RealPlayer directory that can be sent via your e-mail program.
To use Presets that you have received:

1.	From your Presets menu, select Import.

2.	An Open File... style dialog will open.

3.	Select the file that you wish to Import by navigating to the proper folder.

4.	Click Open.

5.	The Presets will Import into your RealPlayer.

Or simply double-click the file that you received in your Windows Explorer. RealPlayer will add it to your Presets automatically.

See Also:

Visual Presets Adding Presets  Selecting Presets  Organizing Presets  Creating Presets	Customizing Channels  Updating Headlines  Customizing Your Daily Briefing  The RealPlayer Interface  What's new in G2?


 Creating a Preset

Presets allow you to jump quickly to content on the Internet, much like the buttons on a radio jump to your favorite stations.

Creating a new Preset:

	To create a Preset  (from the currently loaded clip)	From the Presets menu, select Add to Presets... the Add a Preset dialog will open. If the title and folder are what you would like, just click OK. Otherwise edit the title or folder.
	To create a Preset (without a clip loaded)	In your Organize Presets dialog, choose New and enter the URL and other information.

See Also:

Visual Presets Adding Presets  Organizing Presets  Editing Presets  Selecting a Preset	Customizing Channels  Updating Headlines  Customizing Your Daily Briefing The RealPlayer Interface


Organize Presets...
Organizing Presets

Presets are grouped by folders. There is no practical limit to the number of folders you can create.

To Organize your Presets:

•	Select the Presets menu, then Organize Presets.

		Select a specific Preset or Folder:
		Click Edit to change a specific Preset's content, title, the folder it's associated with or to change a specific Folder title.
		Click New Folder to create a new Presets folder.
		Click Delete Folder or Delete Preset to permanently remove a specific Preset or a specific Folder from RealPlayer. Removing a folder removes all the Presets within that folder if you haven't moved them elsewhere first. You cannot undelete a folder, so be careful

See Also:

Visual Presets Adding Presets  Selecting a Preset  Sharing Presets	Customizing Channels  Updating Headlines  Customizing Your Daily Briefing  The RealPlayer Interface


 Selecting a Preset

Presets are one-click access to your favorite media. Each preset has a  title, that you can change, associated with it. Clicking on the title will launch the clip or live connection associated with that Preset.

To select a Preset:

•	Click the Preset you want to play.

•	RealPlayer Plus will connect to the site and begin playing the clip.

To view other folders of Presets:

•	Choose the folder from the drop down list on the Presets tab.

•	Any clips in that folder will then be available.

 Both non-Plus and Plus users can select Presets from the Presets menu.

See Also:

Adding Presets  Organizing Presets  Sharing Presets  Creating a Preset	Customizing Channels  Updating Headlines  Customizing Your Daily Briefing The RealPlayer Interface


Channels

Channels are more than links to your favorite premium content. RealPlayer retrieves headlines on a regular basis from providers while you're connected to the web. Holding your mouse over a Channel will display the current Headline. You can even set the Headlines to scroll automatically.

If you're following a particular story or event, you can force an update of the headlines by choosing Update rather than waiting for the update to occur on its own.

RealPlayer comes with a number of Channels already loaded. Click on any Channel to connect to the service with which it's associated.

Channels share the Content Panel with Presets

		Click to make Channels available on the Content Panel.
		Allows you to add and delete Channels or even change the order in which Channels are displayed.  Connecting to New Channels will stream information about New Channels that are available and other information. It will also activate your web browser to take you to a special web page. Follow the posted instructions there to change or reorder your Channels.
		Forces an update of the Headlines associated with each Channel. If you are not currently connected to the Internet, RealPlayer will attempt to make a connection.
See also:

Customizing Channels  Customizing Your Daily Briefing  Adding Presets  Organizing Presets	Sharing Presets  Selecting a Preset  Creating a Preset  The RealPlayer Interface


Customizing Your Channels

There is no limit to the number of Channels you can add to your list. To view your Channels use the up and down arrows to scroll them in a loop - when you reach the end it will go back to the beginning of the list and continue forward again.

To add or rearrange or delete your Channels:

•	Click New Channels from your Channels list.

•	A presentation will begin to show you new Channels that are available and other information.

•	Your web browser will launch if it isn't already running and you will come to the Channels page.

•	Follow directions on the page to add or rearrange Channels or to delete them from your line-up.

See Also:

Updating Headlines  Customizing Your Daily Briefing  Adding Presets  Organizing Presets	Sharing Presets  Selecting Presets  Creating Presets  The RealPlayer Interface


Updating Headlines

Headlines are provided by your Channel providers.

RealPlayer updates your headlines on a regular basis when you are connected to the Internet.

You can force an update of the Headlines anytime you are connected by clicking Update on the Channels tab of the Content Panel to make sure you have the most current information available.

If you are not connected to the Internet when you request an update, RealPlayer will initiate a connection either by dialing your Internet provider or by establishing a connection over your network.

See Also:

Adding Presets  Organizing Presets  Sharing Presets  Selecting Presets	Creating Presets  Customizing Your Daily Briefing  Customizing Channels  The RealPlayer Interface


Daily Briefing
Customizing Your Daily Briefing

The Daily Briefing Channel is a customizable news service. To personalize a multi-clip of various news services quickly, right-click the Daily Briefing icon on your Channels tab and select Customize Daily Briefing...; follow the instructions on the Daily Briefing web page to create your own special cup of news.

After you customize your service, selecting Daily Briefing on your Channels tab will connect you to the current news without having to find the links yourself.

See Also:

Customizing Channels  Updating Headlines  Adding Presets  Organizing Presets	Sharing Presets  Selecting Presets  Creating Presets  The RealPlayer Interface


 Recording a Clip

You can record your favorite clips for later playback from your computer (see note below).

To start recording a clip prior to, or during, playback:

1.	Click [image].

2.	A Save As... dialog box will appear after the clip has finished buffering.

3.	Enter the filename and select the location on your computer where you want to save the file.

4.	Click OK when you have finished entering the information.

5.	RealPlayer Plus will begin recording.

6.	While RealPlayer Plus is recording, the record button will appear depressed  [image].

Some clips are really multi-clips, several files played one after another. If you choose to record a multi-clip (a clip that is really several clips in sequence), a new Save As... dialog box will appear at the beginning of each new clip in the sequence.

For best recording quality, select PerfectPlay Mode before you begin to record the clip and do not pause the clip while recording.

To stop recording:

  Stops RealPlayer Plus recording and resets the clip or simply click  [image] again.

		Note: Not all content can be recorded. Content providers control whether or not you may record a clip. If a clip is unavailable for recording, the record button will be disabled and will appear grey.

See Also:

Working with Sound and Video Clips

Changing the Size of the RealPlayer Window

Changing the Size of the Image Area

Playing Clips in PerfectPlay Mode

Selecting a Preset

Creating a Preset

Setting Up Your Channels

Scanning Clips


Changing the Size of the RealPlayer Plus Window
Changing the Size of the RealPlayer Window

RealPlayer can be adjusted to cover more or less of your desktop by accessing the View Menu .

•	Normal displays all the controls and buttons and any panels and floating panes you've selected.

•	Compact displays only a select group of buttons.

 Switches RealPlayer into Compact view. This view displays a subset of buttons, a smaller status bar and the image window (if playing a non audio-only clip).

See Also:

Changing the Size of the Image Area

Working with sound and video clips

Windows, Panels and Bars


Changing the Size of the Image Area

You can enlarge the size of a video or RealFlash clip to Double Size or even to Full Screen. However, this increases the processing time required for playback. If your playback quality decreases or if your machine seems overloaded, you should return to Original Size.

To increase the image area size:

1. 	Click [image].

2.  Select:	Double Size or Full Screen
To return to original size from double size:

1.	Click [image].

2. 	Select the Original Size option.

To return to original size from full screen:

1.	Click anywhere on the screen to return to original size.

When you choose the Full Screen option, sometimes the image is surrounded by a black border. This is normal for clips that have odd height-to-width ratios.

Note: In order to use the Full Screen feature, you must have Microsoft DirectX Tools with DirectDraw, and recent video drivers, installed on your machine.

The first time you try to run a clip in Full Screen mode, the Player will need to run a short test to see if your DirectX and video drivers are functioning properly:

•	RealPlayer will switch into Full Screen mode for 5 seconds.

•	You will have to confirm whether you saw the RealPlayer logo in Full Screen mode.

1.	If yes, then the Player resumes the clip, switches to Full Screen mode, and you will not be asked to run the test in the future.

2.	If no, then you will be asked if you would like to refer to RealNetworks' Full Screen and DirectDraw information page.

See Also:

Working with Sound and Video Clips

Changing the Size of the RealPlayer Window


 Playing Clips in PerfectPlay Mode

PerfectPlay mode improves sound quality by increasing the amount of information that is buffered by RealPlayer Plus before it begins to play a clip and by using a more refined playback mechanism.

Playback quality, especially with 28.8 Kbps modems, should be enhanced with PerfectPlay, though the time before a clip begins to play will be slightly longer. You can adjust how much PerfectPlay buffers in your Preferences.

To enable PerfectPlay mode:

•	Select PerfectPlay Mode from the Options menu.

•	Connect to a new clip or play a loaded clip.

You must enable PerfectPlay before you begin to play a clip.

To return to Regular mode, select this option again.

Note: You cannot use PerfectPlay mode with a live stream.

See Also:

Free Player's Buffered Play

Working with Sound and Video Clips

Recording a Clip

Scanning for Clips


Free Player - Buffered Play
RealPlayer - Buffered Play

Unlike PerfectPlay mode (a RealPlayer Plus only feature), Buffered Play in the free version of the Player improves sound quality solely by increasing the amount of information that is buffered by RealPlayer Plus before it begins to play a clip.

Playback quality, especially with 28.8 Kbps modems, should be still be enhanced with Buffered Play, though the time before a clip begins to play will be slightly longer. You can adjust how much Buffered Play buffers in your Preferences.

To enable Buffered Play mode:

•	Select Buffered Play from the Options menu.

•	Connect to a new clip or play a loaded clip.

You must enable Buffered Play before you begin to play a clip.

To return to Regular mode, select this option again.

Note: You cannot use Buffered Play mode with a live stream.

See Also:

PerfectPlay

Working with Sound and Video Clips

Recording a Clip

Scanning for Clips


 Scanning Stations

Scan Stations allows you to sample clips, similar to scanning stations on a radio, so you can find what you're in the mood to hear. RealPlayer plays each clip for the amount of time you specify on the Scan dialog and then continues on to the next clip in the list. When you Scan Stations you are contacting RealNetworks' servers which keep a list of live radio available for streaming.

Choose Scan Stations from the Options Menu. The Scan Stations dialog will open.

	Start Scan	Begins scanning through the selected category of stations. It will use the previously selected category if you have scanned before or All Categories if you selected nothing specific.
	Stop Scan	Stops the scan. Continues to play the clip you were listening to when you stopped scanning.
	More >>	Expands the dialog to allow you to specify a category and Scan Time.
	Less <<	Shrinks the dialog to hide the additional options.
	Categories	The categories of stations. By default. All Categories is selected if you do not choose a category specifically.
	Scan Time	The number of seconds RealPlayer will play of a clip before moving on to the next clip in the list.

Closing the Scan dialog by using [image] will have the same effect as clicking Stop Scan.

While listening to any clip during the Scan you can save it, skip it or stop it as you would any other clip you might play.

See Also:

Working with Sound and Video Clips

Scanning Presets

Keyboard Shortcuts


Scanning Your Presets
Scanning Presets

Similar to Scan Stations, Scan Presets will play portions from each Preset in a given folder, or work its way through all folders, for the amount of time you specify on the Scan dialog.

Choose Scan Presets from the Presets Menu.

	Start Scan	Begins scanning through the selected Presets category. It will use the previously selected category if you have scanned before or All Categories if you select nothing specific.
	Stop Scan	Stops the scan and continues to play the currently running Preset.
	More >>	Expands the dialog to allow you to specify a category and Scan Time.
	Less <<	Shrinks the dialog to hide the additional options.
	Categories	Your Presets folders. By default, All Categories is selected if you do not specify one.
	Scan Time	The number of seconds RealPlayer will play of a clip before moving on to the next clip in the list.

Closing the Scan dialog by using [image] will have the same effect as clicking Stop Scan.

While listening to any clip during the Scan you can skip it or stop it as you would any other clip you might play.

See Also:

Visual Presets

Working with Sound and Video Clips

Scanning Stations

Keyboard Shortcuts


How to use this Help File

Underlined text will bring you to a related topic or pop-up information related to the word or phrase that is underlined.

Occasionally you will see pictures or icons on the help page. If your cursor changes to [image] when you pass your mouse over the picture icon, clicking the icon will bring you someplace new or provide you with more information:

		Points out a feature that is in RealPlayer Plus only.
		The inner workings icon provides additional information  that some of us just can’t live without, but that no one really needs to know.
	Sometimes you will see a picture of a dialog box or what your screen will look like when you are running RealPlayer. Clicking on various areas of these pictures will give you helpful information. Click on the picture to the right to try this out.
See Also:

Windows Help


ActiveX
Inner workings example

If there were more to learn about a subject it would be explained here.

For instance you might learn more about ActiveX which is the new name for OLE (Object Linking and Embedding) and is the current Microsoft standard utilizing Visual Basic 5 for web applets.


pop-up_example
Pop-up example

Pop-ups give you small pieces of information without taking you somewhere new. The next time you click anywhere this pop-up will close.


Picture Example

Clicking on different areas will give you information about the specific areas your cursor was over when you clicked.


Jump-to Topic

Sometimes a new window will open as this window did. Sometimes you will remain in the same window but a new information will appear.

When you close this window by clicking on the [image] in the upper right-hand corner of the menu-bar, you will return to the main RealPlayer Help.

See Also:

Windows Help


popup box
pop-up box

This box will disappear the next time you click your mouse.


Keyboard Shortcuts

Using the keyboard combination in the Hotkey column will initiate the response in the Action column.

HotKey	Action		HotKey	Action
CTRL+Left Arrow	Rewind		CTRL+L	Open Location
CTRL+SHIFT+ Left Arrow	Super Rewind		CTRL+O	Open Local File
CTRL+Right Arrow	Fast Forward		CTRL+N	Normal View
CTRL+SHIFT+ Right Arrow	Super Fast Forward		CTRL+M	Compact View
			CTRL+A	Add to Presets...
CTRL+Up Arrow	Volume up		CTRL+H	Search
CTRL+Down Arrow	Volume down
CTRL+P	Play/Pause		CTRL + SHIFT+ A	Save Current Place...
CTRL+S	Stop
CTRL+R	Record		F1	Help Contents
PgUp	Previous Clip
PgDown	Next Clip		ALT+F4	Exit Program

CTRL= Control key

ALT = Alt Key

SHIFT = Left or Right Shift Key

'+' = use the listed keys in combination at the same time. For instance 'CTRL + A' directs you to hold down the Control key and press the letter 'A' on your keyboard at the same time.


RealPlayer Plus Menus
 RealPlayer Menus

RealPlayer has six menus: File, View, Options, Presets, Sites, and Help. These menus allow you to take full advantage of RealPlayer features.

File Menu

View Menu

Options  Menu

Presets Menu

Sites Menu

Help Menu

For your convenience, we have also included a number of Keyboard Shortcuts for those who prefer the 'hot-key' approach. Shortcuts are shown to the right of menu items that have accelerators associated with them.


 File Menu

Commands from the File menu allow you to open and control the playback of clips without having to use your web browser, as well as to exit RealPlayer.

	Menu Option	Description
	Open Location...	Allows you to play RealMedia files on the Internet without using your web browser. In the Open Location dialog, enter the URL (Internet address) of any streamed content (eg., .rm, .ra, or .ram) file.
	Open File...	Opens and plays a file located on your hard drive. When the Open File dialog appears, select a media file (eg., .rm, .ra,  or .ram) stored on your computer.
	Save Current Place...	A quick way to save the location of the clip you are currently playing as well as placing a bookmark where you were in the clip.
	Playlist	Offers menu access to the current Playlist rather than having to use the Playlist bar
	Next Clip	Jumps to the next clip in a multi-clip file or the next location when scanning.
	Previous Clip	Jumps to the previous clip in a multi-clip file or the next location when scanning.
	Play/Pause	Plays or Pauses the currently loaded clip.
	Stop	Stops the currently loaded clip and resets it back to the beginning.
	Record	Starts the Record process.
	Most Recently Used list	Lists your most recently played clips. You can select a clip from this list to hear or view the clip again. The length of the list depends on your preference setting. .
	Exit/Quit	Exits RealPlayer.
See Also:

Keyboard Shortcuts


View Menu

Commands from the View menu allow you to control the appearance and view the performance of RealPlayer. Not all options are available at all times. Options are only available if they can affect the currently loaded clip.

For example, if you are not playing a multi-clip, the Playlist Bar will not be available.

When Views are activated, a check mark appears next to the option. To de-activate an option, select it again and the check mark will disappear.

	Menu Option	Description
	Normal	Displays all RealPlayer buttons and controls.
	Compact	Displays only the image area, a subset of the buttons, and a reduced Status bar and menu selection.
	Auto-Size	Enable or disable Auto-hide when RealPlayer is in Compact mode. Auto-hide hides all controls unless your mouse is over the Player.
	Audio Analyzer	Displays/Hides the frequency analyzer. This has four modes: Wave, Spectrum or Spectrogram.  By selecting None you can turn off and hide the Audio Analyzer. Each mode displays realtime analysis of your audio feed.
	Clip Info	Shows/hides the Clip Info bar offering Title, Author, and Copyright about the currently playing clip or portion of a multi-clip.
	Playlist	Shows/hides the Playlist bar. This item is not available if the current clip is not a multi-clip.
	Content Panel	Choose between displaying Presets [Plus only] and Channels.
	Status	Displays/Hides the Status Bar.
	Channels Customize Channels... Update Headlines Channel List	Customize Channels... allows you to Add and Delete Channels to your line-up (the same as the Add button at the top of the Channels Tab).  Forces an update of the Headlines displayed in the Channels Tab. These will update automatically at regular intervals when connected to the Internet. This choice overrides the wait period and accesses the information immediately-if you are not currently connected to the Internet, RealPlayer will attempt to dial-up or initiate a connection to do so. Access any of your individual Channles by selecting it from your menu list. Headlines for each Channel will appear next to that Channel's listing.
	Equalizer	Opens the Equalizer panel.
	RealPlayer add-ins	Any third-party add-ins that you install will appear here on your menus (e.g., IQFX®)
	Statistics	Opens the Statistics panel. The Statistics window reports the performance of the Internet connection between the Server and RealPlayer.
	On Top While Playing	Allows RealPlayer remain on top of all other windows, even when another window is active. Always on Top is convenient for keeping RealPlayer visible while you interact with your World Wide Web browser.
See Also:

Keyboard Shortcuts


 Options Menu

The Options Menu lets you create your own media experience by allowing you to organize playback, Scan for new locations and modify your Channels. It also gives you access to the RealPlayer program preferences.

	Menu Option	Description
	Continuous Play	Loops your current clip(s). When RealPlayer reaches the end it will return to the beginning and play it through again... and again... When active, a checkmark will appear next to this selection. To turn it off, select the item again. You can combine this option with Shuffle Play.
	Shuffle Play	Randomizes the order of clips in a loaded multi-clip for playing. When active, a checkmark will appear next to this selection. To turn it off, select the item again. You can combine this option with Continuous Play.
	Scan Stations	Opens the Scan Stations dialog to allow you to search for content on the Internet.
	Perfect Play	Turns on and off PerfectPlay Mode. You must turn on PerfetPlay before you begin to play a clip. PerfectPlay does not work on live streams. When active, a checkmark will appear next to this selection. To turn it off, select the item again.
	Preferences...	Opens your Preferences tab box.

See Also:

Keyboard Shortcuts


Presets Menu

Presets are bookmarks for media whether out on the web or local to your computer. They are a 'friendlier' way to quickly get to the clips you want to play than typing in long and complex URLs.

	Menu Option	Description
	Add to Presets...	Opens the Save As Preset dialog box and adds the current clip to the Folder you specify.
	Open Visual Presets	Opens Visual Presets tab on the Display Panel.
	Organize...	Opens the Organize Presets... dialog.
	Scan Presets	Scans through your Presets by folder or through all category folders.
	Import...	Opens Import Presets dialog.
	Classical   News    Sports  etc.	Display of your existing Presets by Folder.
See Also:

Editing Presets

Customizing Channels

Customizing Daily Briefings

Updating Headlines

Keyboard Shortcuts


 Sites Menu

Commands from the Sites menu give you quick access various Internet sites. This feature works with all popular web browsers. If you are connected to the Internet and your web browser is not open, RealPlayer opens it for you.

	Menu Option	Description
	RealNetworks Home Page	Find out more about the company that's brought you the RealPlayer.
	RealPlayer Home Page	Up to the minute RealPlayer information, links to sites, offers, updates and more.
	RealPlayer Plus Home Page	Links to the PlusZone(tm), a web site with exclusive offers and support for RealPlayer Plus owners.
	RealGuide : An up to-the-minute resource for content on the web.	On Air Live News Entertainment Sports Music Business Technology
	MusicNet	MusicNet Home Page
	LiveConcerts.com	LiveConcerts Home Page
	Film.com	Film.com Home Page  Screening Room
	Broadcast.com	Broadcast.com Home Page Audio Books CD Jukebox Business Events Sports Live Radio
	Web Active	A RealNetworks project to offer progressive activists an up-to-date resource on the Web.
See Also:

Working with sound and video clips

Customizing Channels

Updating Headlines

Keyboard Shortcuts


 Help Menu

Commands from the Help menu provide online help and information about RealPlayer.

The latest support and technical information is available at:

http://service.real.com

Menu Option	Description
Contents	Opens this online help file.
Online Tutorial	Starts the RealPlayer Plus online tutorials which describes several of the major features of the Player. Also offers you a link to the on-line Manual which was designed to complement this Help file.
Common Questions	Takes you to the RealNetworks Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) web page.
Search Knowledge Base	Accesses the RealNetworks knowledge base on the web so you can search for the answer to a question.
Service & Support	Takes you to the main RealNetworks Technical Support and Service Page.
Submit Feedback...	Connects to a web page that gives you the chance to let us know what you think of your RealPlayer G2 or RealPlayer Plus G2.
Check for Upgrade...	Queries the RealNetworks servers for upgrade information using AutoUpdate. A dialog box will appear to tell you if an update is available.
About this Presentation	Displays copyright and other information about the currently loaded clip.
About RealPlayer About RealPlayer Plus	Displays your RealPlayer or RealPlayer Plus version and copyright information.
See Also:

Troubleshooting

Keyboard Shortcuts


The RealPlayer Plus Interface

RealPlayer Plus gives you the ability to experience media files over the Internet or over a local area network in real time, without having downloading the entire clip to your hard drive. When you click on a RealMedia link from a web page, RealPlayer automatically opens and plays the file you have selected.

Click on the buttons and areas of the RealPlayer Plus picture below to get information about their functions.

Click to find out more about:

See Also:

RealPlayer Menus

Using RealPlayer

Troubleshooting


Volume Controls

		Mutes the volume, but the clip will keep playing.
		Raises or lowers the volume.

 More about working with clips.


Play Button

Begins playing clip.

 More about working with clips.


Pause Button

Pauses playback of the clip.

 More about working with clips.


Stop Button

Stops playback of clip and resets it to the beginning.

 More about working with clips.


Record Button

Begins recording the playing clip.

 More about recording clips.


Position Slider

Marks how far you are along in the clip. You can change your position by dragging the slider to another position.

NOTE: This is disabled for live broadcasts.

 More about working with clips.


Status Bar/Status Window
Status Bar

The Status Bar is your main information area about your connection. Within the the Status Bar you monitor the status of your connection to the Internet, and various aspects about the status of the current clip.

  More about Status Bar information.


Audio Analyzer

Both modes of the Audio Analyzer will appear here.

 More about Audio Analyzer.


Channels Tab
Content Panel

The current view of the Content Panel shows the Channels tab. Selecting different buttons below the display area of this panel will change between Channels and Presets.

Channels are your quick access to web sites and information. Click on any icon or headline to access available clips.

Presets are your personal favorites. Click on any Preset to connect to the content.

  More about Channels

  More about Presets


ui_update
Update Headlines

Update your current Channel Headlines. Last Updated time is displayed to the left of the link.

%!JumpId(realplay.HLP,Updating_Headlines)  More about Updating

  More about Channels


Video Display Panel
Display Panel

Visual parts of clips will be shown in this part of the panel.

 More about the Display Panel.


Clip Info Bar

Displays the Title/Author/Copyright of the current clip

 More about Clip Info Bar


Clip Info - More Info

Displays more detailed authoring and copyright information about the current clip when available.

 More about Clip Info Bar


Roll Credits

Rolls the Title/Author/Copyright infomation movie-credit style in the Clip Info bar.

 More about Clip Info Bar


Content Panel Open/Close

Opens or closes the Content Panel.

 More about the Content Panel


Compact Mode Button

Puts the Player into Compact Mode.

 More about Compact Mode.


Zoom

The zoom button allows you to resize your Display Panel to make it larger or smaller. Some or all of the zoom options will not be available if the presentation you are watching does not support zoom mode.

 More about full screen mode

 More about the Display Panel.


Display Color Controls

Now you can control the the look of visual presentations to suit your own tastes.  You can control the Contrast, Brightness, Color Saturation, Tint and Sharpness as you would on your own TV.

Click once to pop-up the control and then set each of the sliders to the appropriate level. The next time you click anywhere, other than on the color control panel, will close the control panel but your settings will remain in effect.

 More about Display Color Controls

 More about the Display Panel.


Playlist Bar

When you are playing a multi-clip, a list of the various clips or it's Table of Contents will be displayed here.

 More about Playlist Bar


Channels Tab Button
Channels tab

Opens the Channels tab.

  More about Channels


Playlist Bar

Displays which clip in a multi-clip is currently playing. You can jump to a different clip by dropping down the clip list and selecting a new clip.

  More about Playlists


Playlist Navigator

Moves you forward or backward through a multiclip.

  More about Playlists


Presets pop-up button
Presets tab

Opens the Presets tab.

 More about Presets tab.


ui_search
Search bar

Search for media on the Internet by typing in phrases and words on topics of interest. Click Search and your browser will open and display the search results just as if you had searched for a web page.

  More about Search


Menus

Each of these is a drop-down menu to help you use RealPlayer.

  More about the RealPlayer Menus


Windows Controls

Minimize, Maximize or Close RealPlayer as you would any other program. Any accessories will be minimized or closed along with RealPlayer.

  More about Windows and accessories


Equalizer pop-up button
Equalizer accessory button

Opens the Equalizer panel.

  More about the Equalizer panel


Third party pop-up button
RealPlayer Add-in (RPA) button

Buttons for 3rd-party add-ins will appear in this space between the Equalizer and Compact mode.


Content Panel

The Content Panel is the central organization area for all your media browsing. The Content Panel can be opened or closed. When opened it occupies the left side of the Player along side the Display Panel.

		Click to open or close the Content Panel
		Click to make Visual Presets available on the Content Panel.
		Click to make Channels available on the Content Panel.
See Also:

Presets and Channels


Display Panel

The Display Panel is where all visual elements of a clip will be shown. If the Content Panel is open the Display Panel occupies the right half of the Player. If the Content Panel is closed, the Display Panel will span the width of the Player.

There are several controls on this panel:

		The Zoom Control switches between normal, double or full screen mode.  Not all options and controls will available at all times. Options will only be available if the presentation you are viewing supports them.
		Click to open the Display Color Controls. The Display Color Controls do not work with every type of file. They will only be available if the clip you are playing can be affected by the controls. They adjust, from left to right, Contrast, Brightness, Color Level, Hue/Tint, and Sharpness.
Contrast is the visual difference between dark and light colors.
Brightness is the overall amount of light in a picture.
Color Level is the intensity of the colors on your screen.
Hue is the amount of Red or Green in the picture.
Sharpness is how defined the edges are in the picture.


Status Bar

The Status Bar is your connection information center. Find out at a glance everything from net traffic to clip status.

The information is passed to you through both text and icons:

		Initially, you will see the word 'Connecting' and the timer while the Player finds and connects to the content site.
		During buffering you will see a timer icon indicating that action is taking place, but not yet finished, the word Buffering... and a gauge will also be displayed to let you know how much of the buffering has been completed.
		Status of the clip (Play, Stop, Pause)
		Stream bandwidth in Kbps (kilobytes/sec).
		When you are accessing any clip that utilizes the new G2 technologies, this status light will appear. The indicator is overriden by several higher priority messages (eg. Mute)
		Net Traffic. Your experience is only as good as your connection. Green represents a good connection, Yellow represents some information loss, but it is minimal, Red tells you that there is severe information loss and that rebuffering is necessary. This will cause a short pause in playback.
		SureStream indicator. If your connection slows down due to traffic or line-noise, and the clip you are playing has been created with the new G2 technology, you may see yellow arrows indicating that the clip is 'downshifting' to a lower bitrate so you won't have to re-buffer. As the connection improves or if the connection is better than expected you will see green arrows indicating an 'upshift' in the bitrate.
		Live clip (e.g., a radio station) or  Time played/Time remaining


Clip Info Bar

The Clip Info Bar diplays the Title, Author, and Copyright for the currently playing clip or portion of a multi-clip.

		Rolls the Title/Author/Copyright (TAC) in the Clip Info area just as the information was presented when you first started the clip.
		Opens a dialog with additional information about the clip. This information is supplied by the content provider and will differ for each clip.


Playlist Bar

With a CD you can look at the insert to see the titles and order of the tracks.

Multi-clips have Playlists or Tables of Contents. Both give you a quick way to see what's part of the clip and allow you to access any particular clip quickly.

While a multi-clip is playing, the Playlist will display the currently running track of the clip.

To see the rest of the Playlist or Table of Contents, click [image]. Selecting a different heading, within the active multi-clip, will cause the Player jump to that position within the multi-clip.

You can also click [image] or [image] in the Navigator display to the right of the clip name to change clips quickly in a Playlist. Each click moves you a clip forward or backward in the Playlist sequence.


Statistics Pane
Statistics Panel

The Statistics Panel goes beyond simple curiosity to a crazed 'need to know', but we're that way too, which is one of the reasons it's here for you to use. Mainly, though, it's a very good diagnostic tool if you aren't receiving smooth audio or visual streams .

Note: Some statistics are not displayed during local (non-streamed) playback. For instance, files played from your harddrive will not display the codec-typs.

There are three views of statistics available to you:

The Bandwidth tab offers general information about the speed at which your Player is receiving data. The information is for the sum of all streams of the current clip. The graph showing the actual receive rate over time runs right to left--most recent to the right.

The Packets tab offers information on the packet level of the data coming to your computer. The information is for the sum of all streams in the current clip.

The Streams tab offers specific information about individual streams coming to your Player. You can view stats on this tab by individual stream only.


What is a stream?

A Clip is a complete presentation. If there is more than just audio or just video in the current clip.

Each individual stream carries specific information about an element in the clip. One stream carries the audio elements, one the visual, one the text, etc. RealPlayer takes each of these streams and synchronizes them so that when the reporter appearing in your Display Panel opens her mouth the appropriate words come out.

Content providers often create a clip with a number of streams so that you can hear and see the best clip your connection can provide. This new ability is called SureStream.

Because each clip is divided into different streams, RealPlayer optimizes your experience by choosing appropriate streams created for your current connection speed, or your connection preferences, or even for your language preference.

See Also:

RealPlayer Plus G2 Manual Chapter 6: What is streaming?
(available on-line via Help/On-line Tutorials)


SureStream

SureStream optimizes your media experience by shifting between streams encoded at higher and lower bandwidths.

If there is heavy Net Traffic , RealPlayer can opt to ‘downshift’ to a stream that will have fewer problems during playback. Also, if you have a particularly good connection, or if congestion clears on the net, RealPlayer can 'upshift' to a higher quality stream.

Though SureStream usually switches between streams without any interruption in playback, you may occasionally experience interruptions during a stream switch.

Watch your Status bar for information about Net Traffic and SureStream during playback.

See Also:

What is a Stream?


 Setting Preferences

You can customize RealPlayer by changing the settings in the Preferences window (opened from the View menu). These settings control various aspects of RealPlayer applications, such as the number of clips RealPlayer can remember, network information, and proxy information. These preferences apply to all applications using RealPlayer technology.

	⇒ General Preferences  ⇒ Display Preferences  ⇒ Content Preferences   ⇒ Upgrade Preferences  ⇒ Connection Preferences	⇒ Transport Preferences  ⇒ Proxy Preferences  ⇒ Performance Preferences  ⇒ Support Preferences


 General Preferences

The General tab in the Preferences window contains preferences for several aspects of RealPlayer's general functioning.

Field	Description
SmartStart	(Default is On)  RealPlayer Plus can be launched when you start  Windows and stay active in your Windows System Tray so that it responds more quickly when you want to play a clip. The System Tray is opposite your Window’s Start  button in the same area that you see the Time and Date.  The SmartStart icon also gives you quick access to Player functions and content.  While you are connected to the Internet SmartStart will also keep the Headlines in your Channels tab updated as well as check for RealPlayer Plus updates even if you don’t have RealPlayer Plus open.
Tool Tips	(Default is On)  Turns on or off Tool Tips. Tool Tips will display information about the various RealPlayer controls when you hold your mouse stationary over them for a moment.
Recent Clips	(Default is 8)  You can quickly replay clips by selecting your most recently played clips at the bottom of the File Menu. This setting controls how many clips are displayed.


Display Preferences

Display Preferences affect the look of your Player.

	Audio Analyzer Audio Analyzer levels Status message text	These choices allow you to color code the sound levels (low, medium, high) in your Audio Analyzer. Choose the color of the text on your Status bar .
	Sampling rate	Higher sampling rates provide more accurate visual information about the sound you are receiving.


Content Preferences

Content Preferences affect how content is diplayed and when it is updated.

	Language	(Default is Language initially installed)  By default, RealPlayer will display any text components in the language of the version you installed.  If you prefer another language be displayed in content that provides more than one language, specify your preference here from the drop-down list.
	Channels	(Default for both is On)  Enable or disable the automatic updating of your Headlines and enable or disable the automatic scrolling of Headlines in your Channels tab. Headlines will only be updated while you are connected to the Internet. The Player will not attempt to establish a dial-up connection solely for the purpose of updating your headlines even if you have automatic updating enabled.
	Web browser	(Default is On)  Some clips contain synchronized multimedia events that display Web pages or images in your browser while you are playing a clip. This setting controls whether RealPlayer applications enables these events.
	Captions	(Default is Off)  When checked, RealPlayer Plus will display closed captioning when it is provided. If the clip has been authored without captioning enabled, this setting will have no effect.


Upgrade Preferences

Using the Upgrade tab of the Preferences window, you can customize how often RealPlayer queries the RealNetworks home page to check for available upgrades.

AutoUpdate notification alerts you to major new updates of RealPlayer. It will not inform you of individual new components. If you attempt to play a clip that requires additional components, RealPlayer will tell you and offer to find and install the new component at that time.

Field	Description
Upgrade notification	(Default is On)  If on, RealPlayer periodically contacts RealNetworks in the background to determine if a newer version or newer components are available for your RealPlayer Plus. If an upgrade is available, RealPlayer Plus offers to download the new files. All new components will be authenticated and installed automatically.
Check for upgrade now Turn off upgrade notification for 30 days.	Immediately contacts RealNetworks and ascertains if an upgrade is available. If clicked, RealPlayer will stop checking for upgrades for 30 days. At the end of 30 days, this preference will reset and RealPlayer will begin to check for updates on a regular basis again and inform you when updates are available.
RealPlayer	Listing of the different components. To remove a component highlight it and click Remove.
Warn before installing new components.	(Default is On)  If checked, RealPlayer will alert you before attempting to install any new components or updates. If unchecked, RealPlayer will automatically begin installation of any new components that it downloads.
RealNetworks Media types	Occasionally the installation of a new program causes these file-types to no longer be associated with RealPlayer Plus. Clicking Make RealPlayer my default player will re-associate RealNetworks file-types with your RealPlayer Plus.
See Also:

Auto Upgrade and Security


 Connection Preferences

The Connection tab in the Preferences window contains information about your bandwidth, statistics, and server timeout.

	Field	Description
	Bandwidth	(Default is set during installation)  RealPlayer automatically selects which content can be delivered in real time over your connection.  The Normal setting will be automatically determined by the answers you give during installation. However, if you have a 28.8 modem but routinely connect only at 20Kbps, you should probably set this to 19.6Kbps. If this setting is too high you will experience poor playback and extended buffering as RealPlayer attempts to play clips intended for higher (faster) bandwidths.  The Maximum setting gives RealPlayer the upper limit for streams it should "upshift" to through SureStream.
	Buffered Play	(Default is entire clip)  Determines how much RealPlayer should buffer before beginning to play in Perfect Play mode [Plus only]. This does not affect regular playing modes.
	Buffered Play	(Default is entire clip)  Gives you some control over the buffering capability prior to playback, but does not include other audio enhancements of PerfectPlay.
	Network Timeout	(Default is 20 sec. for Connection and 90 sec. for Server)  These settings determine how long RealPlayer will either try a particular transport protocol, or will try to connect to a server . If this time is exceeded, your Player will tell you it cannot connect or that it has lost its connection.


 Transport Preferences

The Transport tab in the Preferences window allows you to customize your network connection for RealPlayer. Most likely, if you are connecting to the Internet through a commercial Internet Service Provider (ISP), you do not have to set any of the items on this tab.

The description of these preferences assumes a basic knowledge of Internet protocols and firewalls. For more information about firewalls, refer to our Web site at:

http://www.real.com/help/firewall

Field	Description
Network Transport	Clips can be transmitted to your computer via several different network transports. This setting controls how these network transports are selected.
Automatically select best transport: Auto-Configure...	Use this setting if you are not aware of any problems that require you to specify a transport method. Click Auto Configure... to have RealPlayer automatically configure itself to use the most efficient mode of transport for your connection.
Use specified Transports:  RTSP  PNM	Use this setting if your computer has problems using some network transports. (Consult your network administrator for the appropriate setting.) Select  Use specified transport...  and then click either PNM or RTSP to access the Specify Transports Window for each protocol.
UDP Port	Some networks have limited ports available for Internet applications. This setting controls which port RealPlayer applications use for receiving data. (Consult your network administrator for the appropriate setting.) Note: This setting does not affect TCP packets, which can only be received through Port 7070.


Transport Settings

The Specify Transports window allows you to select the different modes of network transport that you can receive. You can have different settings for PNM and RTSP. (Consult your network administrator for the appropriate settings.)

Field	Description
Use TCP to Connect to Server	Select this option if you want RealPlayer to use TCP for the initial connection to RealServer.
Attempt to use Multicast for live content	Select this option if you want RealPlayer to attempt to receive live content through Multicast.  If you select this option, indicate how many milliseconds the Player should attempt to use this type of transport before switching to UDP.
Attempt to use UDP for static content and for live content not available via Multicast	Select this option if you want RealPlayer to attempt to use UDP for static content and live content not available via Multicast. If you select this option, indicate how many milliseconds the Player should attempt to use this type of transport before switching to TCP.
Attempt to use TCP for all content	Select this option if you want RealPlayer to use TCP for all content.
Use HTTP Only	Select this option if you are behind a firewall and cannot receive data through TCP. All data will be streamed through HTTP. Note: You may not be able to receive some content if you select this option.


Proxy_Preferences
 Proxy Preferences

A proxy is a server that acts as an intermediary between a company's protected LAN (local area network) and the Internet. The proxy server ensures that all data transmission between the Internet and a user on the LAN is authorized. RealPlayer can be configured to work with proxy servers by setting the Internet Preferences. (Since these settings are network specific there are no meaningful defaults. Consult your network administrator for the appropriate settings.)

For more information about proxies and firewalls, read: http://www.real.com/help/firewall

Field	Description
PNA and RTSP Options: Use PNA Proxy  Use RTSP Proxy	Click to select either or both of these proxies if RealPlayer Plus should use them to connect to the Server. For each applicable proxy enter the appropriate domain name or IP address of the server and port that RealPlayer Plus should use to communicate with the proxy server.  Note: If you are behind a firewall and do not know the host name or port number of your proxy server, ask your firewall administrator. For information on proxy servers and RealPlayer, read: http://www.real.com/help/firewall
HTTP Options Use my web browser's HTTP proxy No HTTP proxy Manually configure HTTP proxy	If you have previously set your web browser to use a proxy, this setting will read those existing settings and use them for RealPlayer. Do not use an HTTP proxy. Enter the domain name or IP address of the HTTP proxy server and port number that RealPlayer should use to communicate with the proxy server. Check your Web browser's proxy configuration.
Exceptions Do Not Use Proxy for: [Host1, Host2…]	If you have specified that RealPlayer should be connected to the Server using a proxy, you can specify certain local hosts (domain names or IP Addresses) with which you do not need to communicate using the proxy server. Enter these hosts in this field. This field is only available if you have enabled the Use Proxy option. Your system administrator can provide you with this information, if appropriate.


 Performance Preferences

Settings on the Performance tab tailor system compatiblity. In most cases you should not change them.  However, you may find them helpful if you have an older system or if you are experiencing specific video problems.

Field	Description
Playback Performance	RealPlayer uses this setting to optimize the performance of clip playback. Change this performance setting only if your computer seems sluggish or has problems while playing content.
Sound Card Compatibility (Windows only)	Modify sound card settings to overcome audio problems.
Settings...
Disable 16-bit sound (use 8-bit only)	Use this setting if you have an older sound card and clips sound scratchy or distorted.
Disable custom sampling rates	Use this setting if clips play at the wrong speed or sound scratchy or distorted.
Video Card Compatability	Enable or disable optimized video. Older cards or video drivers may not function properly if this feature is enabled. If your video is acting erratically, one suggestion is to disable the optimized video.


Support Preferences

Support Preferences set how much information you would like to share with content providers.

	Send Statistics	Statistics help content providers refine their methods and improve their quality. If you do not wish to share your information with content providers, do not check this box.
	Send Support Info	Support information helps RealNetworks return more meaningful error messages to you in the event of difficulty. While this information is not required to receive error messages, it is recommended that you leave this option checked so that we can offer you the best possible assistance.
	Registered location	Use this setting to tell us that you've changed your physical location. By having accurate information, RealNetworks can connect you to the nearest possible server for upgrades and other connections.


Update Frequency

RealPlayer checks for new components on a dynamic basis determined by the upgrade server each time it is queried. If RealNetworks knows we will have a major update soon, the RealPlayer will be asked to querey the server more often. If an update is unlikely, the querey time might be set for a longer delay.


 Troubleshooting

For the latest information on RealMedia products, visit the RealNetworks home page at:

http://www.real.com

A technical knowledge base, frequently asked questions list and technical library are available from our web site at:

http://service.real.com

Please refer to your Technical Support Card for more information on contacting RealNetworks Technical Support.

See Also:

How do I configure my browser to support RealPlayer content?

How do I get Full Screen to work?

Why is my audio playback quality poor?

Why is my video playback ugly?

Why is my video not displaying or being distorted?

Why doesn't my RealPlayer have a Volume Control slider?

Why doesn't RealPlayer work on my computer at work or from behind a firewall?

What types of files can RealPlayer play?

How can I stop RealPlayer from loading when I start my computer?

Why does RealPlayer keep trying to connect to the wrong Internet Service Provider?


How do I configure my browser to support RealVideo?
 How do I configure my browser to support RealPlayer content?

With most browsers, RealPlayer installation configures the browser to support streamed playback through your new RealPlayer automatically. If you change your browser and it stops recognizing files, the easiest fix is to reinstall RealPlayer.

To manually configure your browser, do the following:

1.	Open the Options, Preferences or Settings menu.

2.	Select the Helper Applications or a similar option.

3.	Look for "audio/x-pn-realaudio" in the File type list. If that entry exists, select that entry.

Otherwise, click New Type. Enter audio as the Mime Type. Enter x-pn-realaudio as the Mime SubType. Click OK.

4.	Enter rm, ra, ram in the Extensions field.

5.	Select the Launch Application option. Browse and find the directory in which RealPlayer is installed. (By default, the RealPlayer is installed in c:\Real\PlayPlus\)

6. 	Select RealPlayer (realplay.exe) as the application to launch.

For more specific information about browsers or specific services (e.g. AOL), please refer to the following page on our tech support site:  http://service.real.com/help/faq/index.html.


 How do I get Full Screen to work?

If you are having problems with Full Screen (e.g. only a black screen appears), make sure that you have the following installed on your machine:

•	Microsoft DirectX Tools with DirectDraw

You can download the most recent version and installation instructions from RealNetwork's DirectDraw Support page (http://service.real.com/fullscreen/default.html). When you install DirectX, you must choose to upgrade your video drivers.

•	Updated video drivers

You can find these either from the company that manufactured your video card or from RealNetworks' DirectDraw support page ((http://service.real.com/fullscreen/default.html. If you update your video drivers, you may lose old functionality of your drivers.


What playback quality should I be expecting? What's wrong when the playback is poor?
 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:

1.	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.

2.	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).

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


Why is my video playback ugly?

RealPlayer shows video in whatever color resolution you have your windows set to display. If your settings are for 256 colors, you may not get good results trying to view video clips. You should increase your screen resolution to 16-bit (65,000 colors) or 24-bit (over 6 million colors).

To change your screen resolution in Windows95:

1.	Choose Settings/Control Panel from your Start button.

2.	Double-click Display.

3.	Click the Settings tab.

4.	Change the Color Palette setting to High Color (16-bit) or True Color (24-bit).
(You may not be able to go to a higher color setting depending on the desktop area you have selected and your video card. Windows will only allow you to select choices that are appropriate for the installed video driver)

5.	Click Apply.
(You may have to reboot to have the changes take effect, Windows will inform you if you do.)

Additionally, avoid using Zoom Mode if you do not have a high bandwidth connection or very good connection.


Why does is my video not displaying or being displayed distortedly?
Why is my video not displaying or being distorted?

To deliver the best video in the fastest possible way, RealPlayer uses the latest optimized video protocols. Not all video cards or their drivers will function properly with this optimized approach. If a video card or its drivers are incompatible you may see unexpected results (see The Symptoms below).

The Symptoms:

Incompatability with optimized video usually displays itself in one of the following four ways:

1.	You do not see any video in your RealPlayer Display panel. All you see is an empty, magenta square.

2.	You do not see any video in your RealPlayer only a snowy picture that moves.

3.	You see video in your RealPlayer but it has a green tint to it and may be distorted so that you only see stripes of the video or only part of an enlarged picture as if you were looking through a hole at a larger screen.

4.	You see video in your RealPlayer but it is stretched vertically or horizontally in only one direction distorting the picture into a long, flat picture or a tall, thin one.

If you are experiencing one, or more, of these symptoms, read and perform the Acid Test below to be sure that the problem is the use of optimized video and not some other conflict.

The Acid Test-Isolating the problem:

If you are seeing any or all of the above symptoms, do the following to make sure it is an optimized video issue:

1.	Connect to a video clip or click play to start playing a loaded video clip.

2.	Wait until the video is exhibiting one of the above symptoms.

3.	Click and hold on the menu bar of your RealPlayer.

4.	Drag your RealPlayer to a new location on your desktop.

IF you saw the video playing properly while you were dragging your RealPlayer but the problems reappeared when you stopped dragging your RealPlayer (or shortly after you stopped dragging it):

1.	Select Help/Check for Upgrade from your menus.

2.	Choose Video Drivers Update if it is available (if it is not available you have the latest update and should proceed to the section below.

3.	Click OK.

4.	AutoUpdate will download a small (about 5K) file and automatically install it.

5.	Attempt to play the video that was giving you trouble again. If it still does not display correctly, please proceed to the the instructions below.

If AutoUpdate does not solve your problem:

1.	Select Options/Preferences from your menus.

2.	Go to the Performance tab.

3.	Deselect (uncheck) Use optimized video display.

4.	Click OK.

5.	Attempt to play the video again.

If you still do not see the video playing properly then other issues may be affecting your RealPlayer. Contact Technical Support at http://service.real.com for access to the RealPlayer Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) and other up-to-date and technical information.

If you update or change your video driver or video card, you should reselect Use optimized video display to see if it works properly. If it does not, follow the procedures above again to solve the conflict.


Why doesn't my RealPlayer Plus have a Volume Control?
 Why doesn't my RealPlayer have a Volume Control?

In fact it does, but you are probably in Compact Mode. In Compact mode the Volume Slider changes to a pop-up control:

		Click to pop-up the volume slider. When you click off of the slider, it will disappear again, but your setting will remain active.
		As in Normal Mode, the Mute button is available next to the volume control.
See Also:

Keyboard Shortcuts


 Why can't I play clips on my computer at work?

If you're on a local area network (LAN) which is attached to the Internet, and are unable to play clilps from remote Web sites, it's possible that your company's firewall is preventing the stream from reaching you. Users can receive live and on-demand audio and video from the Internet without exposing their company's network to security risks.

If your computer is behind a firewall, please see RealNetworks' firewall page for more information: http://service.real.com/firewall


What types of files can RealPlayer play?
What types of files can RealPlayer G2 play?

RealPlayer G2 plays a wider variety of media both locally and over the Internet. New modules are being added all the time to expand RealPlayers abilities for you. If you click on a file that RealPlayer can't currently play, it will check with RealNetworks to see if a module exists that it can download and install for you so that you can play it.

Filetype:

RM, RA, RMA	RealAudio/RealVideo streamed content
RT	Real Text streamed text formats
RP	RealPix streamed GIF and JPG ('j-peg') images
GIF, JPG	Stand alone JPG and GIF images
SWF	RealFlash and Shockwave Flash animation
SMIL, SMI	SMIL formated (multiple datatype layout) files
VIV, VIVO	Vivo video files
WAV, AU, AIFF	'Legacy' sound files--older but prevalent filetypes
QT, MOV	Quicktime Movies (uncompressed)
AVI	Audio/Video Interleave--Microsoft video format
ASF	NetShow files (some)
MID	'MIDI' sound files

Only RealAudio, RealVideo, RealFlash, RealText, and RealPix are in the initial download. As you require or attempt to play different content, RealPlayer will expand its capability to fit your individual needs.

To see which components you currently have installed:

1.	Click Options/Preferences

2.	Click the Upgrade tab.


How can I stop RealPlayer from loading when I start-up my computer?
How can I stop RealPlayer from loading on start-up?

When RealPlayer is installed it adds a short-cut icon in your system tray (the area that shows you the date and time opposite the Start button). This keeps RealPlayer in idle mode so that it is quickly available should you click on a file that requires RealPlayer and allows your Channel Headlines to automatically update while you maintain a connection to the Internet. Additionally this icon allows you to function on clips that are currently playing even if the player is minimized. To see these functions, right-click the RealPlayer icon in your Windows System Tray.

If you wish to remove the icon from your Windows System Tray:

1.	Right-click the icon

2.	Select Close SmartStart or Disable SmartStart.

If you select Disable SmartStart, RealPlayer will no longer load when you start Windows. Close SmartStart will only disable the feature for the current Windows session. SmartStart will load the next time you reboot Windows.

To get RealPlayer to load in the system tray on start-up again:

1.	Open Options/Preferences.

2.	Click the General tab.

3.	Click the check box in the first area: Allow SmartStart to run in the system tray.

4.	RealPlayer will add SmartStart back to your system tray.


Why does RealPlayer use the wrong ISP?

When attempting to automatically to connect to the Internet, RealPlayer will select your default Internet connection. If you have more than one Internet Service Provider (ISP) RealPlayer may be grabbing the wrong one.

To change your default ISP:

1.	Choose Settings/Control Panel from your Start button.

2.	Double-click Internet.

•	Click the Connection tab
(If you have IE4 click the Settings tab.)

3.	Change the Dial-up Connection setting to your preferred ISP

4.	Click Apply.


 	Glossary

The following table contains a list of terms defined specifically for RealPlayer. While some of these concepts may have broader meanings and implications, the definitions in this Help file will relate directly to your use of the RealPlayer rather than the world or Internet at large.

	Term	Definition
	accessory	Accessories are parts of the Player that are not necessary to its main function, but that enhance your experience during playback (e.g. the Equalizer).
	Audio Analyzer	A tool that analyzes the audio coming into RealPlayer and displays it either in a graph or wave format in the status window.
	background	When something is checked 'in the background' there is no visual cue to alert you to the process. During a background process, you can continue to work normally.
	bandwidth	The amount of data over a short time that can be sent to your computer; usually expressed as kilobytes per second (Kbps). The higher the bandwidth, the faster you receive data. Very much like using a larger garden hose to get more water faster. Sometimes this is shortened to 'band' as in the 16-band bar-graph equalizer. In this case, the range of sound that is measurable is broken into equal portions (ranges), or bands, of sound to be displayed.
	bar	A portion of the RealPlayer interface that can be rearranged vertically and is only a single line tall. (e.g. the Clip Info bar)
	browser	Short term for Internet browser (e.g., Netscape, Opera, or Internet Explorer)
	buffered	Data that is collected but held back rather than made available. Similar to a translator on the news listening to a whole statement before telling you what the speaker has said, rather than trying to give you a less accurate, halting, word by word translation.
	channel	Represented by an icon in the Channels tab. It is a quick link to a service (news, sports, etc.) and updates headlines from the service it is associated with on a regular basis when connected to the Internet.
	clip	Any media that can play within RealPlayer.
	compiled	Term describing a file when the raw information, or source-code, has been organized into a usable format for your desktop. (eg. RMA, EXE, and COM file types)
	datatype	Determined by the program that creates the media you are viewing and usually distinguished by the extension on the end of the file (eg. AVI, WAV, RM, RMA, etc.)
	directx	A compilation of interpreters that allow sound and video to work faster in Windows95 or later and Windows NT 4 or later.
	electronic certificates	Electronic certificates are digital fingerprints. Each file carries a special code identifying it as officially sanctioned and approved by RealNetworks to work with your RealPlayer.
	encode	The process of converting media (sound, video, etc.) so it can be streamed to and played by RealPlayer.
	equalizer	see graphic equalizer.
	file-type	A file’s “type” is described at the front of every file and alerts your computer to what programs can use the file. Some programs can use other programs' file-types (e.g., word processors can often read other word processor documents). When programs are installed, certain file-types are associated with that program. When you click on a link or a file, Windows checks to see what program is associated with that file-type and automatically launches that program (e.g., double-clicking on a .ram file should launch RealPlayer Plus and begin to play a clip).  File-type is determined by code in the file header, that portion of the file that is read first and tells your computer what programs can read it. Often file-type and file extension (e.g., .ram) can be used interchangeably, but in actuality, extensions are not always an indication of file-type.
	firewall	Security devices used to protect companies from unauthorized access to their servers. A firewall ensures that all communication between an organization's network and the Internet conform to the organization's security policies using either proxy services or packet filtering.
	graphic equalizer	A graphic equalizer divides the sound input into smaller ranges of tones. This lets you adjust each range of sound to fit your preferences rather than just all the high or low frequencies as typical treble and bass buttons do.
	HTTP	Hyper Text Transport Protocol. A standard language for pushing information across the Internet. A good fall-back, though with reduced quality, to use when your company employs a firewall that blocks other protocols.
	IP	Internet Protocol. Part of the TCP/IP group of information languages.
	IP address	Internet address to another computer in number format (e.g. 127.0.0.1)
	ISP	Internet Service Provider. Who you use to dial up to the Internet if you do not have a permanent network connection.
	media	A general term that includes any visual, audio or text broadcast.
	Multicast	Used for broadcasting large events over the Internet. Allows a single computer to create the content (concert, film, etc.) and many computers to play the same single stream.
	multi-clip	Any string of clips linked within a file that can play within RealPlayer.
	packet	A single package of data sent to a computer. Similar to a single brick in a building.
	panel	Any one of the separate areas of the RealPlayer. Each is separated by lines on the top and bottom and has a grab-able double bar on the side that allows you to change the top-to-bottom order you see in your Player.
	plug-in	A component of the RealPlayer that extends its ability.
	PNM or PNA	The previous standard protocol for streaming media to your RealPlayer.
	preset	A quick button to reach content on the Internet. Like the station buttons on a car or home stereo.
	protocol	Language used by computers to talk to each other or to its own hardware. In the case of two computers, they must speak the same language to understand each other. The standard Internet protocol is TCP/IP .
	proxy	Used in conjunction with a firewall , a proxy or proxy service is a server that acts as an intermediary to first determine if a requested connection between a computer on the internal network and one on the outside is permitted. If the connection is authorized, the firewall sets up the necessary communication links between the two computers. The firewall can then monitor the communication between the two networks and suppress any unauthorized activity.
	RPA	RealPlayer Add-in. Authorized 3rd-Party program additions that give you access to other media or functions.
	RealMedia	Any media that is specifically created to be streamed, from RealServer to your computer.
	RTSP	Real Time Streaming Protocol. The newest and fastest protocol used to stream media to your RealPlayer over the internet.
	sampling rate	How many times a sample is taken over a specific period of time.
	server	Any machine or program that is 'serving' information to another machine or program.
	streaming	When a large media file (audio, video, etc.) is broken into smaller pieces so it can viewed immediately rather than having to wait for the whole file to be downloaded first.
	TCP	Transmission Control Protocol. Part of the TCP/IP group of information languages. More reliable than UDP , but often slower.
	TCP/IP	Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol. Standard protocol used by the Internet to send information back and forth.
	transport	Specifically how data is broken up and sent to your computer over the Internet or your company intranet or network. Each type of transport is handled differently. Most machines will only recognize a single type of transport, though this is not always the case. Synonymous with protocol .
	UDP	User Datagram Protocol. Part of the TCP/IP group of information languages. Similar to, but less reliable than, TCP, though often faster.
	URL	Uniform Resource Locator. This is the complete address that tells your browser and your RealPlayer where to get the information to show or play (e.g., www.real.com/thankyou.rm) and how to interpret that information (eg. RTSP ://)


Error: Unable to launch web browser
Unable to Launch Web Browser

RealPlayer cannot find a web browser to launch.

Either:

1.	You do not have a web browser (eg. Netscape) installed. Install a browser to avoid this message in future.

2.	Your browser installed incorrectly. Reinstalling the browser should correct the problem.

-or-

3.	You have very little space left on your temp drive which will cause the browser to fail. You may try to delete unnecssary files to free space.


Error: Unable to connect to the internet
Unable to Connect to the Internet

Most likely, your net connection has been lost. Please reconnect and try again.

If you know you are still connected to the internet, and you connect via a company LAN, make sure auto-dial is not selected for Dial-up networking. If you are not sure, contact your System Administrator.


Error: Autoconfiguration Failed
Autoconfiguration Failed

If Autoconfiguration failed, the most likely cause is that you have lost your connection to the Internet or to your company LAN.

1.	Check to make sure that your physical connections (the wires) are attached.

2.	Check to see if your modem is still connected to the Internet or, if at a company, that you still have a connection to your network.

•	If your modem is no longer connected, turn it off for a few seconds and then on again and try to reconnect to the clip you were trying to access.  Your modem should dial out again.

•	If you are physically connected to the LAN, try rebooting to reestablish your connection.

3.	If you are connected to your LAN but still unable to Autoconfigure, contact your System Administrator and tell them you are having a Proxy problem with the Firewall.

For additional information about firewalls click here .


Error: Incorrect response received from Error Server
Incorrect Response Received from Error Server

Unable to connect to RealNetworks' online error help. Please check your Internet Connection.