RealPlayer News
On November 23rd, 1998, RealNetworks released the final version of RealPlayer G2. If you have a beta version of G2 or an older version of the RealPlayer please click here for your FREE upgrade to the final release. This final version fixes many of the issues that customers have encountered with older versions.
Frequently Asked Questions
How can I improve the overall playback quality?
A single presentation may be available in many different bandwidths. RealPlayer selects which presentation to play based on its configuration. If the bandwidth setting does not match your connection speed you will encounter video playback problems.
To check this:
Playback difficulties can also be caused by network congestion. Try playing the content during times when Internet traffic is not at its peak. U.S. business hours and weekend evenings are peak times. Connections and playback will be better at other hours.
What can I do to improve the video image?
To receive the best possible video image, follow these guidelines:
What can I do if the audio sounds like it is being played too fast or too slow?
If the audio sounds too fast, too slow, scratchy, or distorted, change the Performance settings in the Player.
Why is RealPlayer G2 rebuffering or giving poor playback from many sites?
Packet loss occurs when information is unable to successfully travel from one server to another. Previous RealPlayers have interpreted lost information as rebuffering, hissing, crackles, and skips. RealSystem G2 is designed to minimize the effects of packet loss.
In RealSystem G2, the RealEncoder creates streams of varying bandwidths. When a RealPlayer G2 connects to a RealServer serving the variable bandwidth content, the server detects the Player's connection speed and sends the best stream possible for that connection. As the Player's connection changes due to packet loss, the RealServer G2 sends lower bandwidth streams. This causes a difference in the audio quality, but eliminates the rebuffering, hissing, crackles, and skips. When the Player's connection improves, the server switches the stream to a higher bandwidth version. The switching is instantaneous so that there are no breaks in playback.
However, at sites where the content is not encoded using the G2 system, the RealPlayer G2 beta will still rebuffer, hiss, or skip when the connection becomes too thin to consistently support the stream. This is expected behavior.
Is it possible to decrease the amount of resources the RealPlayer G2 uses?
The RealPlayer G2 can be system intensive depending on the type and bandwidth of the file being played. Video files and high bandwidth files use more resources than low bandwidth audio files. If you are experiencing high resource usage, lower the system usage setting within the Preferences.
Try playing files with the slider at various CPU usage settings.
What can I do if I cannot get a video to play at all?
If you have already tried the suggestions listed in the remainder of this FAQ and still cannot play a video, please consult the technical support pages at the RealNetworks web site. These pages offer more advanced support that what can be provided here including proper configuration of the RealPlayer with your browser.
If you still require assistance after consulting with the online documentation at RealNetworks, please e-mail webmaster@vdat.com with your name, telephone number, best time to call and a brief description of your problem.
I am behind a firewall and am having difficulty viewing a video. What do I do?
If you received an error message about a firewall when you tried to play clips, or if you are not sure whether a firewall is preventing you from playing content, find out for sure by asking your Network Manager.
If you are behind a firewall and have difficulty viewing videos, please have your Network Manager review the "Firewall Support" documentation at the Real Networks web site. Click here to view these pages.