Why do I have frequent audio buffering?
This problem has a myriad of causes, most of which neither you nor we can do anything about. Some of the more common causes are:
- Slow listener dial-up connections. When connecting to the Internet, you may see a connection speed listed. This is NOT a constant speed, but rather it is the MAXIMUM burstable speed. Your station’s stream is optimized for a constant 28.8kbps connection or better. At a listed 28,800bps connection, all one will be able to do is listen to the stream. Any other activity on the user’s computer, such as sending/receiving email or browsing the Web, will affect the stream. In a perfect world, everyone would have a constant 56kbps connection speed. The reality is, any connection slower than about 30kbps will experience some buffering.
- An open “hop”. The Internet is a web of connections with routers and switches acting as an intersection point. Each section from point to point is called a “hop”. If a section of the Internet backbone is down for whatever reason, the signal needs to be rerouted over many hops. This sometimes causes delays in the signal and results in buffering.
- Heavier than normal Internet traffic. If you’ve ever sat in a traffic jam, you know that you get nowhere fast. It’s the same with Internet traffic. The fastest speed is determined by the slowest link in the chain. This also applies to listeners on a LAN. They may be experiencing heavy network traffic.
- Another cause may be that the temporary files a browser uses have completely filled its allotted memory size. Deleting the temporary files or increasing the memory size will take care of this.
I am on a LAN at work, I can listen to stations that use RealAudio but I can’t listen to your station, why?
This is most likely a “firewall” issue. Firewalls are used to protect a LAN from sources outside the local network. RealAudio is a long established format and most firewalls have been programmed to allow this format to pass through to the local network. Windows Media Player is a newer format and many firewalls have not been programmed to allow this format through. Please see your Network Administrator.
How do I download Windows Media Player?
Click the HELP button on the player and follow the directions.
Whenever I want to listen to your station, I get that pesky registration screen.
Your browser is set up to NOT accept “cookies”. The registration program places a small cookie on your computer to let it know you have been there before. Without the cookie, the program “thinks” you are a new user. Configure your browser to accept cookies. If you periodically clear your computer of cookies (and you should), you will be asked to re-register the next time you want to listen.
I use Internet Explorer. When I click on the Listen Live link, I get a security message, and the player just sits there.
The security setting on your browser is set to the highest level. It needs to be set to medium or lower. Here’s how:
- On the Menu bar on your browser, click on TOOLS.
- Click on INTERNET OPTIONS.
- Click on the SECURITY Tab.
- In the “Security level for this zone” section, move the Slider Control to medium.
- Click on the APPLY Button, exit and try the link again. You may need to refresh the browser or delete your temporary Internet files.