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HELP
Table of Contents
Listening Stations on Campus
How to Access Digital Audio Reserves on WebCT (includes
info on RealAudio)
Frequently Asked Questions
DAR Contacts
Listening Stations on Campus
The following computer labs on campus are open to UConn students with a valid ID and can be used to listen to digital audio reserve materials. You may need to bring your own headphones with miniplug.
School of Education Student Homework Lab
Gentry 119
Hours: M-TH 9am-9pm, F 9am-4pmUConn ITS MO37 Computer Lab
MSB 037
Hours: M-TH 9am-9:50pm, F 9am-4:50pm, Su 5pm-9:50pmLibrary Microlab
Homer Babbidge Library Level One
Hours: M-TH 8am-midnight, F 8am-10pm, Sa 10am-10pm, Su 10am-midnight
IN ADDITION:
Music students may use the Music Microcomputer Lab in the Music Building basement. Check door for hours.
The Music & Dramatic Arts Library has two computer stations available for listening in listening carrels 18 through 20.
The Archives & Special Collections at the Thomas J. Dodd Research Center has a computer station for listening.
How to Access Digital Audio Reserves on WebCT
- You must be an officially enrolled student in a class that is participating in the DAR service.
- You need a working soundcard and the RealOne Player.
Download Free RealOne Player. (NPR's audio player website may be easier for downloading.) If you experience problems downloading the RealOne Player, select this link to review RealOne FAQs online or contact Real Networks technical support.
- You need to log onto WebCT and select the participating course.
- From the appropriate WebCT course page, click on the
digital audio reserves icon to access the "Digital Audio Reserves List." Select the link for the recording you wish to listen to.
If you are unable to log onto WebCT or have trouble using your course page, contact the UITS Help Desk at 860-486-HELP.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
I am having problems installing the RealOne Player on my PC.
The player is installed, but I can't hear any sound.
How do I make sure I'm getting the best possible sound quality?
The sound is distorted and/or keeps stopping.
I keep receiving "cannot connect" errors when I try to play the audio files.
In multitrack clips, how do I skip from one track to the next?
How can I avoid having to re-enter my password for each audio clip?
I get an "access denied" error message after clicking on an audio link.
What transmission rates are available?
Most audio clips work, but one link will not open when I click on it.
The audio clip plays back, but there's an error in the scrolling composer/title.
I am having problems installing the RealOne Player on my PC.
If you experience problems downloading the RealOne Player, select this link to review RealOne FAQs online or contact Real Networks technical support.
The player is installed, but I can't hear any sound.
First, make sure that your soundcard is installed and configured correctly.
Ensure that the playback volume is not muted. Adjust the playback volume by dragging the volume control slider up to raise the volume and down to lower the volume. To change the balance between the left and right speakers, drag the Balance slider. Read more under "How do I control the volume?"There are three places to control volume. You'll have to fiddle with all three to get find a comfortable volume. Locations: (1) on your computer's or stereo's speakers or amplifer; (2) on the Real Player window; and (3) in your computer's control panels. The volume control panel for Windows is in the Start Menu, under Programs...Accessories...Multimedia/Entertainment. For Macintoshes the control panel is under the Apple Menu...Control Panels (if this author remembers correctly); it may also be on the slider bar on your desktop.
How do I make sure I'm getting the best possible sound quality?
Test your RealOne Player connection settings. From the menu select Tools>Preferences>Connection. Under "Bandwidth" click on the button "Test Connection." A new dialog box will open. Click on the button "Perform Test." The test results may suggest an update to your settings. If so, click on the resulting button "Update." If there is no update suggested, your settings are fine.
The sound is distorted and/or keeps stopping.
You can expect an occasional hiccup, but generally the playback should be good. Here are some things that might either isolate or solve the problem.
1. Close out other applications (e.g., Internet browsers, chat rooms, MS Word). Avoid stressing your computer; keep network activity to a minimum.
2. Try playing a regular CD in your computer CD drive. Also test your speakers or headphones using a regular CD. How's the play back quality? If there's distortion, the problem may be in your computer, stereo, or headphones, rather than the connection, service provider, or sound files. (We can't help you much there.)
3. Can you play back music from other Real Audio sites? Try the "best possible sound quality" test listed elsewhere in this document. Also try playing back some Real Audio files from the National Public Radio's site: http://www.npr.org/audiohelp/audioplayers.html. If you have trouble, you probably need to tweak your configuration; keep on reading below. If the test sites play back fine, try the steps below anyway, then contact us.
4. Try tweaking your RealAudio configuration. Go to Preferences or Properties (located under your File or View menu--check all the menus though).
a. Try a lower connection speed (e.g., 256 DSL/Cable instead of 384 or 512; 56k modem instead of DSL/Cable). Your connection speed may be giving your computer more information than it can handle.
b. Under the Performance tab, trying adjusting the slider bar that says "Playback Performance." Slide it down if your computer seems sluggish, or if you're having problems with playback.
c. Under the same Performance tab (or perhaps elsewhere, depending on the platform and software), try increasing your cache size. This is the place where a few seconds of the sound file are stored just before playback. If you don't have enough cache space, your computer may be running out of sound material before then next few seconds have arrived.
d. Take a look at the sound card compatibility settings (same Performance tab). Click on the "disable..." boxes to disable features that may be interfering with reception or playback.
e. While still in Preferences or Properties, click on the Support Tab. Try clicking on the "send connection-quality data to RealServers." It won't help you now, but our library audio server personnel might be able to prevent or troubleshoot problems in the future based on this information.
5. What kind of processor is in your computer? A Pentium processor is better for multimedia than Celeron. (That won't help you now, but it's interesting to know.)
6. If nothing works, try the UITS Helpdesk at 860-486-HELP or consult with DAR staff (use our online comments form or contact us in person)
I keep receiving "cannot connect" errors when I try to play the audio files.
Try to connect during "off-peak" hours (when there's less Internet traffic), such as late at night or early in the morning. If you still can't connect, you may need to modify your network transport settings by going to the menubar and clicking on Tools-->Preferences--->Network Transports. Check the box labeled "Manually configure connections settings", then click on the button labeled "RTSP Settings". In the dialog box that pops up, put a check on all the boxes except the one labeled "Attempt to use HTTP for all content" and click "OK". Repeat the last step for the button labeled "PNA Settings".
In multitrack clips, how do I skip from one track to the next?
Use the triangular forward and backward buttons on the Real Player to move from one track to the next. (This only works if several tracks were placed under one link.) Musical titles and movement names will display when the new track comes up. If you grab the corner of the player window and widen it, you will also see a Play menu that allows you to play the Previous or Next clip in that link. (The Windows keyboard commands are control-R and control-T. Mac users, try using the Command button instead.) If you let a movement play out, the next track under that link will automatically start playing.
I get an "access denied" error message after clicking on an audio link.
Sometimes when you click a link you are asked to re-enter your NetID and password. This message usually indicates that you had a typo. (The message tries to refer you to Real Networks, but this won't help.) Carefully re-enter your NetID and password. If necessary, try logging out of WebCT, quitting the browser, then logging back in. Contact us if the problem persists. See also "avoid passwords."
How can I avoid having to re-enter my password for each audio clip?
When you log into WebCT, you may be asked to enter your NetID and password when you click your first link and open the Real Player. Instead of closing the player between each movement or work (e.g., by clicking the box in the corner), try leaving the Player open. Just go back the reserve list and click on the next link you want hear.
What transmission rates are available?
For music courses, files are transmitted for 56k moden (32 kbps), campus LAN/Network (105 kbps), and 512k DSL/Cable modem (352 kbps). Real Audio should automatically adjust the transmission rate depending on your hardware and software.
Most audio clips work, but one link will not open when I click on it.
Please notify either your instructor or the library that is handling your course's Digital Audio Reserve processing. Library staff will investigate and (in most cases) fix the error.
The audio clip plays back, but there's an error in the scrolling composer/title.
Please notify either your instructor or the library that is handling your course's Digital Audio Reserve processing. Library staff will investigate and (in most cases) fix the error.
DAR Contacts
Users who cannot resolve playback problems should contact the DAR staff.