RealAudio uses state-of-the-art compression technology to take a very large sound file and compress it (make it smaller) so that it can pass over the phone lines through your modem to your computer quickly. As this compression technology improves, it becomes necessary to create a new player to handle it. RealAudio Player 8.0 takes a giant leap forward in compression technology, producing RealAudio sound files of a far higher quality than was possible before. RealPlayer 8.0 is fully "backwards compatible" ... that means it will play all the previously encoded files using the older technology. But in order to play the files made with this newest technology, it is necessary to have the newest player.

If you are in a business where sound quality is important, you will want to have this latest version of RealAudio Player 8.0. It is available for Windows 95 and Macintosh, and is available free from RealAudio. You can also purchase the enhanced RealPlayer Plus if you wish, but the free version is perfectly adequate for excellent sound quality from this website.

The following explanation pertains specifically to Windows 95, however the process is similar with Windows NT and Macintosh.

First go to the RealAudio Download Page and click on the link to download RealPlayer or RealPlayer Plus. You will go to a second page where you must give the specifics of your operating system. Choose "Minimum Download". You will also have to state your name and email address. But don't worry, you can remove the check from "please notify me" and you will not be annoyed by the company. Or you can simpyl use a fake email address. RealPlayer is free and there are no strings attached. The company makes it's money primarily from RealAudio server software, not this little player software. Click on the "Download Now" button and you will be presented with a list of sites to download the program. Click on one near you.

If you are using either Netscape or Internet Explorer, you will get a dialog box prompting you to save the file (such as rp8-setup.exe for Windows XP) to disk. Note the exact file name. Then pick the folder where you want to download it to, or simply note the default folder where it will be automatically saved to. The file is 4-5 MB in size and will take a little while to download depending on your connection speed (less with DSL or Cable modems, of course.)

Once it is finished downloading, close your web browser (but bookmark this web site first!!!) You do not need to log off from your Internet connection. Then open Windows Explorer (linked from the Programs Menu off the Start Button). Now navigate to the same folder where you saved the file to. If you can't find it, you can use "Find" from the Start Button Menu and type in the exact file name and it will locate it for you. Either way, double click on the file and it will proceed to install RealAudio Player on your computer.

Note... if the file does not have the ".exe" extension after it, it is still the correct file... you just have the option checked to "Hide MS DOS file types for file types that are registered." This option is located in The View Menu of Windows Explorer, under "Options". I highly recommend unchecking that box permanently so you know what file types you are dealing with.

During the installation process, you will be given certain options... Just choose the typical install, allow it to remove any old versions of RealPlayer and go ahead and let it install the RealPlayer for any browser versions that it finds.

That's it! Now, when you reopen your web browser and return to http://www.voiceprofessionals.com, you should be able to click on any voice demos and listen to them in startling clarity and quality. If they don't sound great, it is probably the fault of your computer speakers and you may wish to buy a new set. They are not expensive. Stores like CompUSA have amplified computer speakers that sound excellent for about $40, and they just plug into the back of your computer and the power cord plugs into the wall.

Please note:   Most browsers like Netscape and Internet Explorer will open this helpfile in a separate window. The original browser window will still be on your screen behind this one. Your task bar should show two Browser Windows opened. You can therefore just close this one and you will be back on the original page to continue your visit to our website. Please enjoy your visit!