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Question: What are the most common streaming problems?
| Answer: There
are some potential problems, but we'll tell you how
to avoid or minimize them. 1) Traffic jams. Streaming
requires an Internet connection that's free of bottlenecks
or "traffic jams." But the Internet isn't
a direct pipeline from the source to you. Streamed content
passes through many other computers on its way to your
computer via your ISP. If any one of them is carrying
too much traffic, the streamed content may be interrupted
and pause. Streamed content is "buffered"
to help avoid this, but sometimes it's unavoidable.
Usually the delay only lasts a few seconds, and the
audio picks up where it stopped. Video is more sensitive
to such interruptions. 2) A slow computer. Even with
a fast computer, if you have too many applications open,
it could slow down your media streaming. If you notice
things are sluggish, close all unnecessary applications
and windows running on your computer. Just keep your
Web browser and your media player open. (If you're just
listening, you can even close your browser.) In any
case, modern computers (at least 500 Mhz or higher)
are best. 3) Spyware/Adware can slow down computers
to an extent that they are barely operable. It’s
doubtful that a machine slathered with these programs
could stream anything – You could try running
a removal tool like “Ad Aware” to smooth
out your system -- Try the free version at: http://www.lavasoftusa.com
-- Remember your machine should run like the day you
bought it, it should not slow down over time. 4) A noisy
phone line (humming, crackling) is not good for streaming
(or even Web browsing). Disconnect any phones that cause
a buzz or hum. Have your phone company check your line
to get rid of humming or other line noise. Of course,
a cable modem or DSL connection is best for streaming
media. |
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