1. What are the system requirements to install RealPlayer for Windows and Macintosh Systems?
RealPlayer is currently available for Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows NT, and Macintosh operating systems. See the chart below to ensure that your computer meets or exceeds the minimum system requirements.
| Operating System | Windows | Macintosh |
| Windows 95, 98, 2000, NT, or XP | OS 8.1 or later | |
| CPU | 233MHz Intel® Pentium® processor or equivalent | 604 PowerPC (200 MHz or better) |
| RAM | 64MB or more | 32MB or more; 65MB virtual memory |
| Modem (audio-only) | 28.8 Kbps or faster | 28.8 Kbps or faster |
| Modem (audio and video) | 56 Kbps or faster | 56 Kbps or faster |
| Sound Card | 16-bit sound card and speakers | 16-bit sound card and speakers |
| Video Card | 65,000-color video display card (video) | N/A |
Note: If you do not meet these minimum system requirements, click here to visit the RealPlayer Archive site to download an older version of the player. For more information about minimum and recommended system requirements, visit: http://www.real.com/player/sysreqs.html.
Back to Top2. Where can I download RealPlayer for Win 3.x, UNIX, or Linux?
RealPlayer is available for these systems. Click here to download RealPlayer 5.0
3. What system requirements for my computer are required before I download the Windows Media Player?
You can use Windows Media Player with the 16-bit versions of Microsoft's Internet Explorer and Netscape Navigator. If you are using another browser, please see the general Windows Media Player release notes for configuring the MIME-type settings.
| Windows Media Player for Windows95, 98, 2000, NT or XP | |
| Minimum: | Pentium 166 megahertz (MHZ) processor; 32 MB RAM; 28.8Kbps modem (audio only); 56Kbps modem (video and audio); 16-bit sound card; 256 color video card |
| Recommended: | Pentium or AMD Athlon K6 266 MHz processor or faster; 64 MB RAM; 56 KBPS modem; 24 bit true color video card |
| Windows Media Player for Windows NT 3.51 | |
| Minimum: | 486/66 with 16Mb RAM, 16 Color Display Card, 16-bit sound card, 14Kbps modem, Windows NT 3.51 w/ SP5 (audio, audio + images, some video) |
| Recommended: | Pentium 120MHz or better with 24+Mb RAM, 256+ Color Display Card, 28.8+Kbps modem or ethernet card, Windows NT 3.51 w/SP5 (audio, audio + images, video) |
| Windows Media Player for Windows 3.x | |
| Minimum: | Windows 3.1 or Windows for Workgroups 3.11, 8Mb RAM, 6Mb hard disk space, SuperVGA card, Windows compatible sound card, 14.4 baud modem, 486DX66 processor, Video for Windows (Get Media Player). |
| Recommended: | Windows for Workgroups 3.11, 16+Mb RAM, Pentium 90 processor or better, SuperVGA card, 28.8+ baud modem, Video for Windows (Get Media Player). |
4. How do I install my player now that I've downloaded it?
Windows Media player instructions:
- After you've downloaded the Windows Media player, save mpfull.exe to a temporary local folder. If you have Internet Explorer, you can select Open instead of Save.
- Complete the installation by running mpfull.exe.
Special Instructions for AOL Browser users.
- video/x-ms-asf=Windows Media Active Streaming Format (*.ASX,*.ASF)
- Add the following section to the Viewers.ini file.
[video/x-ms-asf] Ext=asf,asx App=C:Program FilesMicrosoft Windows Media Playermplayer2.exe
RealPlayer instructions:
When prompted at the RealPlayer download page, specify the folder where you want the RealPlayer installation program to be saved. Make note of this folder. Locate and launch the file you downloaded to install RealPlayer. If you can't locate this file, use the Find command from the Windows Start menu (for Macintosh users, choose the Find File option under the Apple Pull Down menu). This will begin the RealPlayer setup process. Follow the instructions on each of the screens that follow.
If you still have problems downloading RealPlayer try these troubleshooting tips:
- Exit all applications other than your web browser
- Try a different download location link from the choices on the RealPlayer download page
- Make sure that you have selected the "Minimal" RealPlayer version if you are on a slow connection. After you have installed RealPlayer, you can update the player to the "Standard" or "Complete" version by selecting "Check for Upgrade" from the Help menu in RealPlayer
- Your Internet connection may be congested. Please try again later.
For RealPlayer Installation Details (browser configuration, etc.), click here.
5. What is a firewall?
Many companies and organizations have connected their local area networks, wide area networks, and the Internet together in what is commonly referred to as a global area network. While extremely beneficial in terms of communication and access to information, this interconnectivity can expose a company's network and mission critical information to unauthorized entry and access. A firewall is used to prevent unauthorized accesses.
Firewalls are security devices used to protect companies from unauthorized access to their servers. Many companies use firewalls to control access to their networks and proprietary information. The firewall's role is to ensure that all communication between an organization's network and the Internet conform to the organization's security policies.
6. How do I use the RealPlayer behind a firewall?
- Configure RealPlayer 8
- Configure RealPlayer 7
- Instructions for RealPlayer G2
- Instructions for RealPlayer 4.0 & 5.0
- Instructions for RealAudio Player 3.0
AOL and other common ISPs
If you are connecting to the Internet via AOL, MSN, Earthlink, Sympatico, Mindspring, Geocities, Sprynet, Compuserve, Prodigy Internet, or another common service provider, you should not need to configure your Player for use with a firewall. If you are having problems reaching most RealAudio or RealVideo content, contact RealNetworks technical support.
7. How do I use the Windows Media player behind a firewall?
HTTP Proxy/Firewall Support:
If you access the Internet through a proxy server (through a firewall), you will need to make the following settings in order to get HTTP streaming to work.
- Start the Windows Media Player from Start/Programs/Microsoft Windows Media Player
- Select File/Properties/Advanced
- Verify that at the bottom of the page the HTTP option is checked.
- Under HTTP, check the "Use a proxy for HTTP streaming" option.
- In the Server field enter the name of your proxy server (Note that the proxy server setting should match your browser's proxy server setting. For example, Proxy Server settings under Options or Network Options in your browser).
- In the Port field enter 80.
- Select OK and close the Windows Media Player
- Windows Media HTTP streaming through your proxy is now enabled.
If you continue to experience problems, try this. With the Windows Media player open:
- Go to View, click on Play Settings,
- Click on advanced
- At the top, under Buffering, select the second option "Buffer" and enter 30 in the box
- Under Protocols, unselect everything but the http option, then click ok
This should handle the firewall issues. The 30 second buffering will take a little longer to load, but will assure virtually no dropouts.
8. How do I configure my RealPlayer G2 to work with a firewall?
- Click Tools, located on the RealPlayer toolbar. Select Preferences
- In the Preferences window, select the + icon next to Connection. Select the Network Transports option.
- Click the RTSP Settings... button. Select Attempt to use HTTP. Click OK
- Click the PNA Settings... button. Select Attempt to use HTTP. OK
- Select the Proxy option.
- If you already know that your web browser is configured to use a web proxy, select the option labeled Use system Internet Connection proxy settings. If you know the proxy address and port number, follow these directions: Select the Use Proxy option in the HTTP area. Insert the proxy address and correct port number, either 80 or 8080. Click OK.
- Click Tools, located on the RealPlayer toolbar. Select Preferences. In the Preferences window, click the Connection option
- Set the bandwidth to the appropriate connection rates.. Click OK.
9. Does RealPlayer G2 automatically overwrite my RealPlayer 5.0?
RealPlayer G2 beta will not overwrite or uninstall your RealPlayer 5.0. You can have both versions of the Player concurrently installed on your machine. However, you cannot run both versions of the Player at the same time. Running both versions will cause errors.
10. Why is RealPlayer still 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. RealPlayer G2, 7, and 8 are designed to minimize the effects of packet loss.
In RealPlayer G2, 7, and 8, the RealEncoder creates streams of varying bandwidths. When a RealPlayer G2, 7, and 8 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, 7, 8 and great 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.
To minimize poor playback from those sites not using RealSystem G2, 7, 8 try playing the content during times when Internet traffic is not at its peak (business hours and weekend evenings). Connections and playback will be better at other hours.
11. What can I do to improve the video image?
To receive the best possible video image, follow these guidelines:
- Set your monitor to 16-bit (thousands) or 24-bit (millions) color.
- Update the system's video driver regularly.
- Close unnecessary applications on your computer.
- Do not use the Zoom button on lower bandwidth clips.
12. 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.
- Select Preferences from the Options menu.
- Click the Performance tab.
- Clice the Settings button.
- Click either "Disable 16-bit sound" or "Disable custom sampling rates" to modify the way your player and sound card interface. You may need to play with the settings to see which sounds best.
13. How do I configure my Browser to work with the RealPlayer?
In most cases, the RealPlayer installation will correctly configure browser MIME types to open the player and begin playback. For RealPlayer Installation Details (browser configuration, etc.), click here.
14. Why can't I hear audio when I play a Windows Media file?
There are only a couple of causes for this. Most often this happens if the codec is not installed or sound card drivers are bad or missing.
- Play the Windows Media content.
- While it is playing right-click on the Control Bar or the video window if the controls are not visible (the Control bar is the gray bar with the VCR-style buttons and the slider control).
- Choose the Codecs tab.
- Check to see that YES appears in the installed column. If YES is displayed, go to the next section on this problem. If you see NO, then you do not have the proper codecs installed to either view or hear the content. Check with the author or host of the content for the source of the Codes they are using and install the proper codecs.
You can also install mpfull.exe, which contains several popular codecs, and attempt to resolve this issue by uninstalling the existing player, rebooting your machine, and installing mpfull.exe.
15. Why is the audio garbled when I play a Windows Media file?
If you get hissing, pops, static or garbled sound, this is most frequently caused by either damaged codecs, sound card drivers, improperly configured sound devices, or using the wrong driver for your audio hardware/operating system.
- Open Sound Recorder.
- Open the Microsoft Sound (found in the Media directory under your Windows directory).
- Play the sound. If it sounds OK, you can proceed. If it does not play, check the directions for installing your sound device.
- Choose File/Save As.
- In the Save As dialog box, choose Format and pick the same Codec and sampling rate that the source is using.
- Click OK to accept the new format and save the file under a different name or in a different directory (do not overwrite the existing file).
- Open the file saved in the previous step.
- Play the file. If it does not sound OK, check the drivers you are using to ensure that they are the most recent and the proper drivers for your sound card.
If the sound does not play properly in steps 3 and 8, you need to check that your sound card drivers are installed, that your sound device is configured properly, and that you are using the proper drivers for your Operating System. If the sound plays in steps 3 and 8, check the audio source or consult the content author to determine if this is a content authoring issue.
16. Why is the audio file from my Windows Media player distorted?
This has been reported in various configurations along with the following symptoms:
- The level indicator on the Volume control applet indicated that the feed was overloading the audio system (level into the red zone on the VU meter).
- Turning down the master and wave volume controls did NOT correct the problem.
- The audio distortion was in both the audio-only samples as well as the audio of a video feed.
In all cases that have been investigated, it was determined to be caused by unsupported sampling rates on particular hardware devices and/or improper or misconfigured sound card drivers.
Why can I watch video samples, but not hear any sound?
You must have a sound card installed to hear the samples. Check to make sure the volume on your speakers is turned up.
17. What platforms are supported by Windows Media Player?
Currently the Windows Media Player is available for the x86 platform running Windows NT 4.0 or Windows 95.
18. Why do I get an "error 11" message when I play audio?
This error most frequently occurs when you have attempted to play content with an older version of RealPlayer. Verify that you have the most recent version of RealPlayer installed (version 6.x) by selecting "About RealPlayer" from the RealPlayer Help menu, and if not, you should update your player to the most recent version by downloading here for free.
If you do have the most recent version of RealPlayer installed, check the RealNetworks support site for other possible causes.
19. Why do I get an "error 14" message when I play RealAudio or RealVideo?
Clear the cache on your browser and try again. If it still does not work, please contact the RealNetworks support site.
20. Why do I get an "error 19" message when I play audio?
Several possible causes:
- The server is down.
- Due to networking problems on the Internet you cannot connect to the server from where you are.
- You are behind a firewall and have not configured your player to work behind a firewall. You need to tell the RealAudio Player about the Firewall proxy by selecting the Proxy tab in the Preferences.
- Windows 95 Player is using a Windows 3.1 (16-bit) Winsock: If you are connected to the Internet using a 16-bit winsock, you must use the Windows 3.1 Player, even if you use Windows 95. If not, you will receive Error 19 every time you try to make a connection to a RealAudio stream. To fix this, either upgrade your Internet software to a 32-bit version or get the Windows 3.1.x version of the Player.
21. Why do I get an "error 28" server timeout message when I play RealAudio or RealVideo?
There are several possible causes of this error message:
- The RealServer may be down or busy (contact us).
- RealPlayer may not be configured correctly visit RealNetworks here.
- Your Internet Service Provider (ISP) is using a version of Squid Cache or Harvest Cache prior to 2.0 (contact your ISP).
22. Why do I get an "error 29" server disconnected message when I play RealAudio or RealVideo?
The server may be too busy or not available at this time. Also, there may be network traffic on the Internet keeping you from being able to contact the server.