You may hear choppy sound with AOL® Radio powered by CBS Radio for any one of several reasons. After trying the first solution, check to see if AOL Radio plays normally. If you are still hearing choppy sound, continue using the suggested solutions until the problem is fixed. All radio stations are available to narrowband and broadband users, but they will receive those stations at different bit rates to ensure the optimal experience for their bandwidth. Broadband listeners should be prepared to handle a stream of around 64 Kbps, while narrowband will come in at around 16 Kbps if Flash Player 9,0,115 is installed.
TIP: It is recommended that you upgrade to the latest version of Flash. Users with older versions of Flash may have trouble saving their settings to Narrowband (dial-up) in the future. Please check the version of Flash installed on your computer before accessing AOL Radio powered by CBS Radio.
Note: By default, AOL Radio is set to use broadband connection. If you delete your cookies or clear your Flash player cache, the saved connection settings will get cleared and default to Broadband. If you are on a narrowband (dial-up) connection, please set the connection type back to narrowband.
Information You Need
You will need to know what version of the Microsoft® Windows® operating system is installed on your computer. If you do not know how to find this information, follow the instructions in the online help article entitled How do I determine the version of Windows I have.
Solutions
Check the AOL Radio connection settings
You can check the connection speed setting by going to the connection settings page. You can check your connection speed by checking the link right next to the player controls.
TIP: To speed up and improve your radio experience, we recommend that you use an external web browser - such as Internet Explorer, Firefox or Safari. The player will take a few minutes to load, so please be patient.
To check the your connection settings from the SETTINGS tab:
1. Go to AOL® Keyword: Radio, or http://aolradio.com, and then click the LISTEN NOW link.
2. In the lower right of the player, click SETTINGS.
3. Click the Please select your preferred connection speed drop-down menu, to select your connection type, and then click the SAVE button.
Note: By default, the option chosen will be Broadband (Cable, DSL or LAN). If you are connecting using a dial-up connection, ensure you have selected Narrowband (Dial-Up / Modem).
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Enable Only Essential Startup Programs
If you were able to get to Web pages but still experiencing difficulty using AOL Radio, there may be programs running in the background (memory) that are interfering with the AOL Radio's ability to access the Internet.
Multiple programs may have been set to start automatically when a computer is turned on. These programs may cause the computer to slow down. Not all startup programs are essential for the proper functioning of a computer. Follow the instructions in the online help article titled Enable only essential startup programs to enable only essential startup programs in your computer.
Restart your computer
Restarting the computer will refresh your computer's resources.
To restart your computer:
- If using Windows Vista®, click the Start button, click the arrow next to the Lock this computer button, then click Restart.
- If using Windows XP, click the Start button, click Turn Off Computer, then click Restart.
- If using Windows 2000, click the Start button, click Shut down, click the What do you want your computer to do? drop-down menu, select Restart, then click the OK button.
- If using Windows 98/Me click the Start button, then click Shut Down. Select Restart and click OK.
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