Streaming media lets you view audio and video on your computer using the Internet. Unlike most Internet software, like your web browser, a streaming media file doesn't have to complete downloading before you can view it. This means that soon after you click a link to see a piece of streaming media, it starts playing. How soon it starts playing, the quality of the piece of media, and whether or not it plays smoothly all depend on your computer and network connection.

Nearly any computer that has a graphical user interface and can connect to the Internet can display streaming media, but your streaming media experience will be greatly enhanced by:

A Reliable, Preferably Fast, Internet Connection
Audio clips are optimally streamed at a 56k modem connection, though the minimum necessary to stream audio is a 28k modem connection. A video clip is optimally streamed on a DSL connection (256K or higher). The minimum connection for a video stream is a 56k modem connection. Please note, when you stream audio or video at the minimum connection or if you stream it at a speed that your connection cannot sustain the stream is more likely to skip. Your choice of ISP also affects how well streaming media will play on your computer. If your player continually has to pause while playing streaming media, try a different ISP, if you can, and see if there is a noticeable difference in media performance.

A Fast Computer
No matter how fast your Internet connection, a fast computer will always improve the way media look. Streaming media is very compressed, and requires quite a bit of computing power to decompress. Slow computers will not be able to decompress the file fast enough, and will often drop frames or pause to compensate. If you are using a PC, you should have at least a Pentium Pro or Celeron processor. If you are using a Mac your computer should have at least a PowerPC 604 or G3 processor. No matter what type of computer you have, make sure you have enough memory for all the applications you are running. A minimum for most computers and media players is 64mb.

The Right Software
The software used to compress and decompress streaming media files (technically, the codec) is always being improved. If you are using Windows Media Player or RealPlayer, make sure you are using a fairly recent version.

A Little Patience
Configuring a computer to properly display streaming media takes a little time, and sometimes a little trial and error is necessary. Furthermore, software like RealPlayer can be invasive and pushy, and takes a few minutes to setup (see our detailed instructions for more information). If you set up your computer to play streaming media when you're not in a rush and have a little time to mess with it, your overall experience will be much better.