You can customize RealPlayer Plus by changing the settings in the Preferences window (opened from the View menu). The Preferences control various aspects of RealPlayer applications functionality such as the number of clips to remember, network information, and proxy information. These preferences apply to all applications using RealPlayer technology.
Note: Macintosh preferences look slightly different, but the categories are the same.
General Preferences
Connection Preferences
Transport Preferences
Specify Transport Window
Proxy Preferences
Advanced Preferences
Language Preferences
Upgrade Preferences
Preset Preferences
The General tab in the Preferences window contains preferences for the number of clips saved on the Open Recent menu, Synchronized Multimedia support, and PerfectPlay mode.
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Recent Clips | You can quickly replay clips by clicking Open Recent under the File menu. This setting controls how many clips are displayed in Open Recent. |
| Synchronized Multimedia | Some RealMedia clips contain synchronized multimedia events that display pages or images in your Web browser. This setting controls whether RealPlayer applications enable these events. |
| PerfectPlay/BufferedPlay | RealPlayer Plus allows playback of higher quality clips on lower bandwidth connections with the PerfectPlay feature. This setting controls how much of the clip is buffered before beginning playback. |
The Connection tab in the Preferences window contains information about your bandwidth, statistics, and network timeout.
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Bandwidth | RealPlayer Plus automatically selects which content can be delivered in real-time over your connection. This setting controls the bandwidth of the content selected. |
| Statistics | RealPlayer Plus maintains statistics on connection quality. These statistics help content providers improve the quality of their service. This setting controls whether statistics are sent to the content provider.Note: RealPlayer Plus does not send the content provider any information about your identity (such as your name or e-mail address). |
| Network Timeout | These settings control how long RealPlayer Plus waits to receive data before considering a network connection to have failed. Increase the values if you frequently receive timeout errors.Connection Timeout: This is the amount of time RealPlayer Plus will try a particular transport protocol.Server Timeout: This is the amount of time RealPlayer Plus will try to connect to a server. |
The Transport tab in the Preferences window allows you to customize your network connection for RealPlayer Plus. These preferences are for users behind a corporate firewall. Most likely, if you are connecting to the Internet through a commercial Internet Service Provider (such as AOL or MSN), you do not have to set any of these preferences.
The Transport preferences assume a basic knowledge of Internet protocols and firewalls. For more information about firewalls, refer to our World Wide Web site at http://service.real.com/firewall/.
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Network Transport | RealMedia clips can be transmitted to your computer through several different network transport protocols. This setting controls how these network transport protocols are selected. |
| Automatically select most efficient transport | Use this setting if you are not aware of any problems that require you to specify a transport method.Click the Auto Configure button to have RealPlayer Plus automatically configure itself to use the most efficient mode of transport for your connection. |
| Use specified transports | Use this setting if your computer has problems using some network transports. Consult your network administrator for the appropriate setting.Click the Specify Transports button to access the Specify Transport Settings window. |
| 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 that can be received only through Port 7070. |
The Specify Transports window allows you to select the different modes of network transports that you can receive. Consult your network administrator for the appropriate setting.
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Use TCP to Connect to Server | Select this option if you want RealPlayer Plus to use TCP for the initial connection to RealServer. |
| Attempt to use Multicast for live content | Select this option if you want RealPlayer Plus 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 Plus to attempt to use UDP for static content and live content not available through 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 Plus 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. |
A proxy is a server that acts as an intermediary between a company’s protected LAN and the Internet. The proxy server ensures that all data transmission between the Internet and a user on the LAN is authorized. RealPlayer Plus can be configured to work with proxy servers by setting the proxy preferences.
During the RealPlayer Plus installation, the Setup program looks for HTTP proxy information in your browser’s preferences. If it finds proxy information, it displays this window with the information it found. You can verify that it is correct or modify it as necessary.
Note: For more information about proxies and firewalls, refer to our World Wide Web site at http://service.real.com/firewall/.
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Use Proxy | Click this box if RealPlayer Plus should connect to the Server using a proxy; a check mark appears in the field. Otherwise, do not click this box. Note: If you are behind a firewall and do not know the host name or port number of your proxy server, ask your system administrator. |
| RealPlayer Proxy | Enter the domain name or IP address of the RealPlayer Plus proxy server and port number that RealPlayer Plus should use to communicate with the proxy server. Note: For information on RealPlayer Proxy, read http://service.real.com/firewall/ |
| HTTP Proxy | Enter the domain name or IP address of the HTTP proxy server and port number that RealPlayer Plus should use to communicate with the proxy server. Check your World Wide Web browser’s proxy configuration. |
| No Proxy for: [Host1, Host2...] | If you have specified that RealPlayer Plus should be connected to the Server using a proxy, you can specify certain servers that are inside your corporate firewall (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 available only if you have enabled the Use Proxy option.Your system administrator can provide you with this information, if appropriate. |
Options on the Advanced tab of the Preferences window override RealPlayer defaults for sound card compatibility, for CPU and memory requirements, for Zoom specifications, and for system tray use.
Note: RealPlayer Plus for Windows 3.1 does not have a Zoom specifications
option or System Tray option. RealPlayer Plus for Macintosh does not have
a System Tray option or Sound Card Compatibility option.
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Audio Playback Performance | RealPlayer applications use this setting to optimize the performance of clip playback. Change this performance setting only if your computer seems sluggish or has problems while playing some audio content. |
| Sound Card Compatibility (Windows only) |
Modify sound card settings to overcome audio problems. |
| 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. (Requires a floating point coprocessor.) |
| Zoom (not available in Windows 3.1) |
Click the Zoom button to open a window where you can select Zoom specifications. For an example of the Zoom window, see below. |
| System Tray (Windows 95 and NT only) |
Select this option if you want RealPlayer Plus to stay resident on your system, creating an icon in your system tray. With this option selected, you will be able to quickly access RealPlayer Plus.By default, this option is selected. |
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Allow content providers to specify zoom mode. | Content providers can specify a Zoom mode, causing the Player to zoom to a larger size automatically. Select this option if you want content providers to specify zoom mode. By default, this option is selected. |
| Never prompt when content will not fit on screen. | When a clip will not fit on your screen, RealPlayer will ask if you want to automatically resize your window. Select this option if you don’t want RealPlayer to prompt you when content will not fit on your screen using the current settings. For more information, refer to Changing the Size of the RealPlayer Window, and Change Current Settings Window. |
The setting on the Language tab of the Preferences window determines the language used within RealPlayer Plus.
Note: RealPlayer Plus for the Macintosh does not have a Language
Preferences option.
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Current Language | This field displays the language being used within RealPlayer Plus. |
| Installed Languages | Select the language you want to use within RealPlayer Plus. Note: Please contact RealNetworks regarding information on languages available for RealPlayer Plus. |
The setting on the Upgrade tab of the Preferences window determines if the RealPlayer Plus checks for the availability of newer version of the Player.
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Upgrade Notification | RealPlayer Plus periodically contacts the RealNetworks Web site to determine if a newer version is available. When a newer version is available, RealPlayer Plus alerts you and provides a link to a Web site where you can download the new version.If you do not want RealPlayer Plus to check for upgrades, check the Disable Automatic Upgrade Notification button. |
| Check for Upgrade Availability |
Click this button to check for any available RealPlayer Plus upgrades. |
Using the Presets tab of the Preferences window, you can modify the label
of the Preset buttons and the URL corresponding to that Preset button. You
can also set the length of time each clip is played when you scan.
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Label | Enter the text you want to appear as the label of this Preset button. |
| URL | Enter the URL (Internet address) you want to play when this Preset button is clicked. You must enter the full URL. For example: http://presets.real.com/plus/pop1.ram |
| Scan Time | This setting controls how long RealPlayer Plus plays each clip as it scans. |
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