How to open your Preferences Windows Control Panel [Windows only]
Contents
1. PREFERENCES ye One of the most important tools you have in your RealPlayer is your Preferences Preferences are settings that allow you to finely adjust the way RealPlayer works and looks to better match your own system and desires You can customize RealPlayer by changing the settings in the Preferences dialog box opened from the View Options menu These settings control various aspects of RealPlayer s functions RealPlayer Preference settings apply to all applications using RealPlayer technology including RealPlayer Web page plug ins music and video that appears as part of a Web page rather than playing in your RealPlayer How to open your Preferences Preferences are just a click or two away 1 Select the View Preferences menu to open Preferences 2 Click OK or Cancel at the bottom of the Preferences window to exit Windows Control Panel Windows only On Windows based machines several of your Preferences are also available from your Windows Control Panel Most of these Preferences deal with network and Internet connectivity and support issues All of these Preferences will appear on the same tabs as they do within your RealPlayer and are described in the following pages Due to differences in the operating systems this function is not available on the Macintosh 57 CHAPTER 7 Preferences RealPlayer 8 Plus User Manual General Preferences General Preferences is the first tab shown It contains the most co2. RealPlayer clips can contain links to Web pages Some links are m launched automatically during playback T Preferred Web browser IV Enable automatic links l lt 05 Default gt Accessibility Some content may provide additional features for Setti LP hearing impaired or visually impaired viewers Engs 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 or played by content that provides more than one language specify your preference here from the drop down list Channels Default is On Click Settings to enable or disable the automatic updating of your Channel Headlines as well as enable or disable the automatic scrolling of Headlines in your Channels tab Channel Headlines will only be updated while you are connected to the Internet RealPlayer will not attempt to establish a dial up connection solely for the purpose of updating your headlines even if you have automatic updating enabled 61 CHAPTER 7 Preferences RealPlayer 8 Plus User Manual Real com News and Entertainment Flashes Default for all is Off Click Settings to subscribe or change your subscription to either Real com Take 5 and Real com New Flashes see Real com Message Service on page 29 You can also set the Alert level for Flashes By choosing a level you control how frequently the Star
3. A GUID is randomly generated by RealPlayer during installation RealNetworks uses publicly documented standards to create a GUID A GUID is used to indicate a unique installation of a product and is found in many popular software applications RealPlayer has GUIDs disabled by default set to all zeroes so that it is not unique Some content providers require that you enable your GUID in order to play their content You will receive an error from the RealServer if a GUID is required to access the content This is typically because their content is limited access such as pay per view or for registered members only If you enable the GUID it will be sent to all streaming media servers when you play a clip or broadcast Send support info If selected RealPlayer will send information about your computer to our support database when you have a connection or program error in order to provide better information and possible solutions to any problems that may arise If you do not check the box you may only receive general error messages Cookies Default is Enabled By storing information about previous media sessions content providers can better customize your experience and provide better connectivity Registered location Use this setting to change your physical location in our registration database By having accurate information RealNetworks can connect you to the nearest possible server for updates see Figure 7 4 Upgrade tab
4. 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 the HTTP Only option 68 RealPlayer 8 Plus User Manual CHAPTER 7 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 see Firewalls and Security on page 54 RealPlayer can be configured to work with different proxy servers Because these settings are network specific there are no meaningful defaults Consult your network administrator for the appropriate settings Warning Unless you have specific proxy problems do not change these values For more about proxies and firewalls see http service real com firewall Figure 7 8 Proxy tab General Display Content Upgrade Connection Transport Proxy Performance Support Proxy options For security your network may receive data through a proxy Specify any proxies below Consult your network administrator PNA and ATSP Options Port foso I Use RTSP proxy fess HTTP Options Use my web browser s HTTP proxy C NoHTTP Proxp Manually configure HTTP proxy Port Proxy Server feo Exceptions Do not use proxy for host1 host2
5. host3 PNA and RTSP Options Click to select either or both of these proxies if RealPlayer should use them to connect to the server For each applicable proxy enter the appropriate domain name or IP address of the server and the port number that RealPlayer should use to communicate with the proxy server HTTP Options Default is Use my web browser s HTTP proxy Select appropriate HTTP proxy You can have different proxy information for HTTP than you have for PNA or RTSP 69 CHAPTER 7 Preferences RealPlayer 8 Plus User Manual Exceptions Do Not Use Proxy for host1 host2 host3 You can exclude 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 one of the Use proxy options 70 RealPlayer 8 Plus User Manual CHAPTER 7 Preferences Performance Preferences Settings on the Performance tab tailor system compatibility 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 see Video Display Problems on page 75 Figure 7 9 Performance tab General Display Content Upgrade Connection Transport Proxy Performance Support Playback performance a Adjust this setting only if your computer seems sluggish while playing Zaenal i Best
6. casionally the installation of a new program causes these file types to no longer be associated with RealPlayer Clicking Re associate will allows RealPlayer to automatically use RealNetworks file types again Auto Restore Settings If there are file types you always want RealPlayer to use you can select those types by clicking Auto Restore Settings and selecting the file types you wish manually Always play RealNetworks Media with RealPlayer Default is On By selecting this option RealPlayer automatically selects RealNetworks media in the Auto Restore Settings list You can alter what is selected Additional Information Often the terms file type and file extension such as ram or doc can be used interchangeably In actuality extensions are not always an indication of file type File type is determined by code in the file header that portion of the file that is read first when the file is opened or accessed 64 RealPlayer 8 Plus User Manual CHAPTER 7 Preferences Connection Preferences The Connection tab in the Preferences window contains information about the speed of your connection and how long RealPlayer will continue to try to connect before telling you it can t Figure 7 5 Connection tab Transport Proxy Performance Support General Display Content Upgrade Connection Bandwidth A single presentation may be available in many different bandwidths Realplayer selects which prese
7. che select the cache file size by using the slider and clear the cache by clicking Empty clip cache 71 Additional Information Emptying the clip cache will not free up additional disk space Empty clip cache simply purges the saved images and sound from the file much like emptying a drawer of old papers Playback from Web links Internet Explorer only Default is Enabled Play Sometimes links are authored to download a clip rather than streaming Settings Enable instant playback allows you to select a specific default behavior Clicking on a link can either Play and save Play or simply Save the clip By selecting Always Ask RealPlayer will ask how to handle a link when you click on it The default action will be automatically selected but you will have the opportunity to change the selection before RealPlayer acts Default folder for save lists where files will be saved To choose a new directory for saving click Change Location navigate to a new place and click OK 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 compatibility Some video cards are not compatible with RealPlayer s optimized
8. for the appropriate setting et i IV Attempt to use Multicast for live content Switch to UDP if no data is received after 3000 milliseconds IV Attempt to use UDP for static content and for live content not available via Multicast Switch to TCP if no data is received after 4000 milliseconds IV Attempt to use TCP for all content C Use HTTP Only cme The Transport Settings dialog allows you to select the different modes of network transport that you can receive You can have different settings for PNA and RTSP Since these settings are network specific there are no meaningful defaults Consult your network administrator for the appropriate settings Use TCP to Connect to Server oe Select this option if you want RealPlayer to use TCP for the initial connection to RealServer 67 CHAPTER 7 Preferences RealPlayer 8 Plus User Manual 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 RealPlayer should attempt to use this type of transport before switching to UDP Attempt to use UDP for static content 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 RealPlayer should attempt to use this type of transport before switching to TCP
9. l you it cannot connect or that it has lost its connection 65 CHAPTER 7 Preferences RealPlayer 8 Plus User Manual 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 will not have to set any of the items on this tab Warning Unless you have specific transport problems do not change these values 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 service real com firewall Figure 7 6 Transport tab General Display Content Upgrade Connection Transport Proxy Performance Support Network transport m If you are not aware of any problems that require you to specify a a transport method choose Auto Configure If your computer has problems using some network transports specify which transports RealPlayer will use Note that you can specify separate settings for RTSP and PNA protocols Auto Contigure C Use specified transports HTSP Settings ENE Settings UDP port ae Some networks have limited ports available for Internet applications aol You can specify the port RealPlayer will use for receiving data Consult your network administrator for the appropriate setting I Use s
10. mmon options Figure 7 1 General tab Home Clip Default is n When selected RealPlayer will automatically begin playing the clip you select whenever you launch the program similar to the Home page for your browser You can choose to use a Channel or a specific clip in the Settings dialog If the clip or channel you are currently playing is the one you would like to use simply select Use Current Clip 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 Location Bar history i Click Clear Location Bar to clear the list of previously played clips similar to clearing the history in your browser 58 RealPlayer 8 Plus User Manual CHAPTER 7 Preferences StartCenter Windows only Default is On x RealPlayer can be launched when you start Windows and stay active in your 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 StartCenter icon also gives you quick access to RealPlayer functions and content While you are connected to the Internet StartCenter will also keep your Channel Headlines and Live Stations updated as well as check for Real com Message Flashes and RealPlayer updates while you are connected to the Internet even when you don t have RealPla
11. ng RealPlayer V Send configuration info when connecting to Tell Me More Technical Support Allow media sessions to store information with your RealPlayer to optimize future playback IV Enable Cookies Tell Me More Registered location Cookies a For the fastest connection to AutoUpdate make sure that you have correctly registered your z 5 geographic location Register Location Supply info to content providers r This data helps content providers refine their methods and improve their quality and service Supply connection quality data to RealServers Default is On If you do not wish to share your information with content providers do not check this box Information about your connection quality is used to improve data encoding and transmission methods Supply GUID when playing streaming content Default is Off sends your RealPlayer s unique identifier GUID see below to RealServers Your GUID is sometimes your ticket to view secure or otherwise members only content see additional information on next page You must select this option to view this type of secure content but you can uncheck this box for other viewing 73 CHAPTER 7 Preferences RealPlayer 8 Plus User Manual Additional Information A Globally Unique Identifier GUID is an alphanumeric identifier in RealPlayer that is disabled by default and is only enabled if you turn on the feature in Preferences
12. ntation to play based on these settings Normal bandwidth g Tey Maximum bandwidth 10Mbps LAN ne Buffered play Buffered play allows playback of high quality clips on low bandwidth connections Specify amount of buffering before playback Buffer at least 30 seconds before playing Buffer entire clip up to available memory Network time out 20 If pou frequently receive network time out errors you can increase the a time RealPlayer waits before reporting a connection failure Network Time Out Settings Bandwidth Default is set during installation RealPlayer automatically selects which content can be delivered in real time over your connection See Figure 6 4 Bandwidth on page 45 Normal bandwidth This is set during installation If this setting is too high you will experience extended buffering as RealPlayer attempts to play clips intended for higher faster bandwidths Maximum bandwidth Gives RealPlayer the upper limit for streams it should upshift to through SureStream see SureStream on page 51 Buffered Play Default is Entire Clip Set how much RealPlayer should buffer before playing a clip Increase for a better quality experience on slower connections Network time out Default is 20 sec for Connection and 90 sec for Server These settings determine how long RealPlayer will continue to try to connect to a server If this time is exceeded your RealPlayer will tel
13. on page 63 and other connections 74
14. ow frequently the StartCenter icon blinks when it indicates that you have received a Flash 63 CHAPTER 7 Preferences RealPlayer 8 Plus User Manual RealPlayer Plug ins Click Settings to see a listing of the different components and the files you can use with your RealPlayer e g AVI WAV etc To remove a component highlight it and click Remove You will not be allowed to remove core components of RealPlayer Core components are those components that are considered essential for the operation of RealPlayer Warn before installing new components Default is On While checked RealPlayer will alert you before continuing with the installation of any new components or updates If unchecked RealPlayer will automatically begin installation of any new components that it downloads Media Types When programs are installed certain file types are associated with that program A file s type is described at the front of every file and alerts your computer to what programs can use the file see What types of files can RealPlayer play on page 85 Some programs can use other program s file types for example word processors can often read other word processor documents 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 for example double clicking on a ram file should launch RealPlayer and begin to play a clip Re associate Oc
15. pears in the Status bar Audio Analyzer Mac wae Sampling rate Default is midway between Low and High Higher sampling rates provide more accurate visual information about the sound you are receiving Full Screen test PC only f To run in Full Screen mode RealPlayer must first test your monitor s and computer s capabilities The best display mode will be listed or the message Full screen mode untested The test will be run automatically if you attempt to get into Full screen mode by using the Zoom control If you wish to run the test again for any reason or to run it manually click Full screen test Follow the prompting on your screen to test your computer 60 RealPlayer 8 Plus User Manual CHAPTER 7 Preferences Content Preferences Content Preferences affect how content is displayed when it is updated and whether or not you subscribe to Real com News and Entertainment Flashes Figure 7 3 Content tab Transport Proxy Performance Support General Display Content Upgrade Connection Language Content providers may offer the same content in multiple languages Specify which language you want to view if available Preferred language for content Channels E RealPlayer can automatically update your Channels T Real com News and Entertainment Flashes RealPlayer can keep you informed about the latest live Settings broadcasts news information 2 Web browser
16. pecific UDP port s oro Enter at least two port numbers and or ranges separated by commas For example 7070 8200 3030 3036 Network transport f oe Auto Configure Default Use this setting if you are not aware of any problems that require you to specify a transport method RealPlayer will automatically configure itself to use the most efficient mode of transport for your connection Do not change this setting unless you are aware of specific transport problems 66 RealPlayer 8 Plus User Manual CHAPTER 7 Preferences Use specified Transports RTSP PNA Use this setting if your computer has problems using some network transports Consult your network administrator for the appropriate settings Select Use specified transport and then click either PNA or RTSP to access the Specify Transports dialog described on next page for each protocol UDP port Default is Off 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 settings Additional Information The UDP port setting does not affect TCP packets which can only be received through Port 7070 Specify Transports dialog Figure 7 7 RTSP Transport Settings Each of these settings refers to a different mode of network a transport Select those modes that you can receive Consult your network administrator
17. quality recommended RdsbsdbebedbabedbabedbabedbabedbabadbabadbabadSetse Lowest CPU usage Clip cache JI Some clips you play frequently are stored temporarily in Settings S a special file for quick access later Playback from Web links f RealPlayer can play a clip directly from a Web link Settings i s using HTTP even when the clip is not set up to stream to RealPlayer from a RealServer Sound card compatibility H If audio plays at the wrong speed or sounds distorted Settings it may be due to a sound card incompatibility Press Settings to troubleshoot sound card problems Video card compatibility MV Use optimized video display RealPlayer takes advantage of the optimized video display that many video cards support If video displays erratically it may help to uncheck this option 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 Clip Cache Default is On Some content is created so that frequently used media can be cached or temporarily saved so you don t have to stream the information again only a short time later The next time you play the clip or other clips that use the cached information they will begin playing sooner than if you had to stream that information again Settings From this dialog you can Enable ca
18. tCenter icon blinks when it indicates that you have received a Flash 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 enable these events Preferred Web browser If you have more than one browser installed you can select which will be used by default when there is a synchronized event Accessibility Content providers can use RealPlayer s abilities to offer accessibility features such as Closed Captioning Click Settings to turn on specific options Select Use accessibility features when available to activate either the Show captions or Display descriptive audio track options When selected RealPlayer will either display closed captioning or use a descriptive audio track If the clip has been authored without captioning or a descriptive track this setting will have no effect 62 RealPlayer 8 Plus User Manual CHAPTER 7 Preferences Upgrade Preferences Using the Upgrade tab of the Preferences window you can customize how often the application talks to RealNetworks to check for available upgrades change your installed components correct file type issues and whether or not you subscribe to Real com Product News flashes Figure 7 4 Upgrade tab Transport Proxy Performance Support General Display Content Upgrade Connection Update no
19. tification RealPlayer automatically notifies you about new updated versions available on the RealNetworks AutoUpdate server Turn off notification for 30 days Real com Product News AMMA RealPlayer can keep you informed about the latest product Settings offers and provide you with tips on how to get the most out aes of RealPlayer RealPlayer Plug ins jen RealPlayer installs plug ins for specialized content eines H playback and other add ons with AutoUpdate x ai Media Types e RealPlayer can be associated as the default player of popular Internet media and can automatically restore these settings as needed Re associate Auto Restore Settings V Always play RealNetworks Media with RealPlayer Update notification Default is On While on RealPlayer periodically contacts RealNetworks in the background to determine if a newer version or necessary new components are available for your RealPlayer If an upgrade is available RealPlayer offers to download the new files If you choose to accept any or all of the offered downloads they will be authenticated and installed automatically Real com Product Flashes Default for all is Off A Click Settings to subscribe or change your subscription to either RealPlayer Tips and Tricks and Real com Product News and Special Offers see Real com Message Service on page 29 You can also set the Alert level for Flashes By choosing a level you control h
20. video See also Why is my video playback ugly on page 76 for a list of symptoms and solutions or come to http service real com for the latest information Use optimized video display When selected RealPlayer uses Windows DirectX capabilities on the PC and similar enhancements on the Macintosh to deliver the best video possible In some cases older cards or versions of DirectX can cause distorted or bad video Uncheck this option and attempt to play the video again to determine if this Preference is the issue RealPlayer 8 Plus User Manual CHAPTER 7 Preferences Support Preferences Support Preferences determine how much information you share with content providers To learn more about any of these options click Tell Me More RealPlayer will open your Browser and take you to the appropriate Web page the Registration location section has a link in its dialog box Figure 7 10 Support tab General Display Content Upgrade Connection Transport Proxy Performance Support Supply info to content providers RealPlayer can send connection quality data to aid content providers When playing streaming content RealPlayer can also identify itself to content providers by sending its globally unique identifier GUID Fi I Supply GUID when playing streaming content Tell Me More Send support info Aa RealNetworks Technical Support provides an extensive web site to help with errors you may receive while usi
21. yer open To change your StartCenter behavior click Settings Check or uncheck Enable StartCenter and then select the behavior that is most convenient whether to always display the StartCenter icon or to only display it when you receive a Flash see Real com Message Service on page 29 Scan time Default is 20 seconds This setting affects all Scan options Favorites Playlist and Stations Each clip in the selection will be played from its beginning for the specified amount of time 59 CHAPTER 7 Preferences RealPlayer 8 Plus User Manual Display Preferences Display Preferences change the look of RealPlayer Figure 7 2 Display tab Transport Proxy Performance Support General Display Content Upgrade Connection i General Display Co int Upgrade Connection Transport LPE Full Screen tios E H Status message text Low Medium High Audio Analyzer levels IV Expand full screen display to be as large as your computer screen a Colors Audio analyzer Bi Status message text Sampling rate low j High Note that a higher rate requires more processing power PC version Mac version Colors Audio Analyzer levels Mac only These choices allow you to color code the sound levels low medium high in your Audio Analyzer The High Audio Analyzer level setting will also be the color for Wave mode Status message text Choose the color of the text that ap
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