INFORMATION ABOUT REAL MEDIA FOR OUR VISITORS
All media on REELRADIO is streamed via a REAL MEDIA server. Audio and Video on this site is not for download; it is streamed to your computer in real-time. Our current Real Server is version 8 and capable of G2 audio and video. G2 Surestream provides a media stream optimized to your connection speed. Real Player is required to play all the exhibits on this site. For the first couple of years we were online, Real Audio was the only streaming format and for many reasons, we believe it is still the best streaming format for us. Repository media files require a RealPlayer from Real Networks. REELRADIO is not affiliated with Real Networks. The latest version is called Real One Player, though any version from RealPlayer 6 and up should work fine with this site. The BASIC player version is FREE, though you may have to look carefully to find it. The FREE player is sufficient for this site. If you have an older machine or operating system, or if you are on a slow connection and would rather download a more compact application, you may want to use an older player. The Real Networks Legacy Software Archive provides free downloads of the older versions of their player. (February 22, 2003) You will also need a minimum connection speed of at least 28.8 kbps. Audio fidelity will be limited on low-bandwidth dial-up connections (like AOL, where typical connections are as low as 11Kbps.) REELRADIO has a few video files online. You will need a "broadband" connection (DSL, Cable, etc.) to properly view video from this site.
Top Technical Issues
Do I need to configure my Firewall to accept streams from your server?
Particularly on Local Area Networks, you may need to configure your firewall or player to connect to the REELRADIO server. Real Networks offers RealOne Firewall Support.
Real Player Stops or Times-Out Before End of Exhibit on DSL Connection
Real Networks offers this help page for MacIntosh users; it has also proven an effective fix for a number of PC users on ATT DSL. The link provides very simple instructions to re-configure your Real Player for HTTP transport, only. On Windows machines, the settings are available on Real Player from the Player toolbar, under "<</Tools/Preferences".
Can't Connect to our Media Server? Regarding Multiple Connections from A Single Address and "ripping" our exhibits.
REELRADIO was not created as a download service. Major brick-and-mortar museums do not allow you to take the exhibits home, either. There is no reason to make multiple connections to our media server, other than for the purpose of copying our content. We stream for listeners, not downloaders. Transferring multiple exhibits in less time than it takes to listen to them is a violation of our terms of service. If you are on a Local Area Network and require multiple connections for multiple computers, please have your System Administrator contact the curator. Otherwise, the use of multi-threaded "download accelerators" and deliberate attempts to circumvent our system software and create multiple connections to a single file or multiple files, or obvious ripping of site exhibits in less time than is required to listen to them may result in your IP address being permanently blocked. Has your IP address been blocked?

READ THIS REGARDING REAL PLAYER ERRORS (UPDATED May 21, 2003) Requested file not found. The link you followed may be outdated or inaccurate. (February 10, 2002): The method we are using to deliver Real Media files creates a temporary address for each request. You may receive a "file not found" message if your player is slow to open and start. Open the player first and try again. You will also receive the above message if you stop the player and try to re-start it, if you attempt to play files from the "history" list in your player, or if you type a Real Server address directly into your player. If you want future access to a REELRADIO media file, please bookmark the corresponding WEB address (not the Real Server address.) The only way to properly play media from REELRADIO is to click on the PLAY button that is included with each exhibit. On February 10, 2002, we changed the way our web site interfaces with our Real Server. This was the first change in our Real Server interface since 1996. We immediately observed increased accessibility and use of the server, and are satisfied our current method allows all versions of Real Player to operate with REELRADIO. If you are unable to hear the exhibits on this site, please read this page carefully. The REELRADIO site still requires a simple security verification because bandwidth costs money! REELRADIO services are for REELRADIO users, not for the use of other websites. Therefore, we do require that your browser return the web address of the page where you click "play". We do not ask for any private or personal information. Click Here to check your browser performance. If you get a SORRY message, the problem is with your browser or network connection. A firewall, "net nanny" or other application that filters traffic between your browser and the Internet can cause this problem. If you are using Norton Firewall and having problems, search the Norton (Symantech) site for information on "referer". If you are using Zone Alarm and having problems: "here's the solution to allow listening to audio unhindered on reelradio.com with Zone Alarm Pro. In Zone Alarm click 'privacy', then under 'cookie control' click 'custom' and uncheck the box that says, 'remove private header information'. After clicking 'apply', Zone Alarm allows the airchecks to come thru unimpeded." (REELRADIO kudos and thanks to Dan Packard and The Portland Radio Guide for this fix.) AUDIO COMMENTS and QUESTIONS DOWNLOADABLE FORMATS? NO! From: Charlie It would be helpful to those of us behind firewalls for you to post these files in another downloadable (not streaming) format like a .wav file. Real Audio does not work behind firewalls, and frankly, it's audio quality is marginal at best. From: Uncle Ricky Charlie, it's not gonna happen. The storage requirements for hundreds of WAV files would be astronomical, not to mention the encoding time. WAV (and other non-streaming format) files are so big that only a few folks on high-speed connections, or those who want to bootleg a copy, will wait for the downloads. Does your employer support your use of the company Network to listen to Real Audio files from this site? If so, it should not be a problem to have your Net Admin reconfigure the firewall. (Hey - at least it ain't porn!) The RealPlayer can be configured to receive RealAudio/RealVideo through different transport methods in order to accommodate your firewall: UDP on a single port or TCP-Only. (Our server will use HTTP only as a last resort). Have your Network administrator See http://www.real.com/firewall/index.html for more information. The idea of the Repository was to make the sound of Classic Top 40 Radio available immediately to a large number of listeners. The site was never intended to be a "Download Your Copy Here" site. We are not Napster! REELRADIO is an online community, a virtual museum where people come to listen, read, comment on the content and add to the history of the Top 40 genre. A genuine INTERNET CONNECTION is required to hear (or see) the files on this site. Don't assume that just because you can surf the Web that you are able to access Real Media. Some Online Services use "proxy servers" that will not pass Real Media data, period. Other Internet connections (particulary in the workplace) work through "firewalls" which will not pass Real Media data. If you use a "banner ad filter" or other type of filter or proxy agent on your PC, you may not be able to play all files on the site. Web TV users: You may have any one of a number of problems, we don't expect this site to work with WebTV, and if it does, it's pretty amazing. We do not support WebTV. If you enjoy REELRADIO, you should be aware that WebTV is no longer updating their system, and REELRADIO may leave you behind. Further, if your Internet provider has a slow, limited bandwidth connection, you may not be able to listen to Real Audio without interruptions. It doesn't take much bandwidth to provide a seemingly fast connection for the Web, but it does require a pretty good connection, with some available overhead, for Real Audio to work properly. Therefore, if you buy your Internet service from kids running PC's in a garage, you're likely to be disappointed. Finally, please be aware that streaming audio requires maintaining a fairly constant connection between our server and your player, and all the routers, servers, wires and whatever between here and there. Performance of the files on this site is dependent on current Internet throughput, and that changes all the time. If you are simply unable to get satisfactory and continuous Real Audio performance, I recommend that you read this excellent explanation by the late William Pfeiffer, former moderator of the rec.radio.broadcasting USENET newsgroup. Some of our visitors have reported less than perfect connections when the Internet is typically very busy, but excellent connections in "off-hours". (Other visitors report great connections, all the time!) If you have trouble getting a good connection, please try again at another time. If you have problems with your player, Real Networks has a lot of help information online.

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