But RealPlayer Plus G2 (second generation) takes it up a few notches with its SmartStream technology, automatic update feature and open standard protocol support. RealPlayer Plus G2 is one component of RealNetworks' RealSystem G2, which lets you listen to and watch live or prerecorded audio and video over your intranet or the Internet.

I tested a beta release of RealPlayer Plus G2 on Windows98 and Windows NT in our Syracuse University Real-World Lab®. Despite some bugs in this beta release, the software's technologies and features clearly take the multimedia experience to a new level.

Applying Some Pressure RealPlayer Plus G2's AutoUpdate detects new components or software builds that are available for download. The vendor claims this feature will run seamlessly and securely, so you won't have to shut down your Web browser or RealPlayer. When I tested this component on Windows98 and Windows NT 4.0, I not only had to close both my browser and RealPlayer, but also reboot my system after my CPU utilization hit 100 percent. Even after rebooting, I received DLL (Dynamic Link Library) errors and couldn't use RealPlayer at all. After consulting with RealNetworks technical support, I disabled the software and started from scratch. The same problem occurred when I retested AutoUpdate, so I wasn't able to add components.

Network congestion was always a problem with prior releases of RealPlayer. While I listened to or watched live audio or video, the software would rebuffer to the server whenever I encountered congestion. RealPlayer Plus G2's SmartStream technology alleviates this problem. While testing the product, I intentionally increased the congestion on the network via a Perl script, which decreased the throughput from the remote RealServer to which I was connected.

Instead of rebuffering to the server, the server dynamically sent me a lower bit stream (which was clearly of a lower quality), followed by a higher bit stream when the congestion eased. This approach let me listen to the entire audio segment without disturbance.

RealPlayer Plus G2 supports RTSP (Real Time Streaming Protocol) and SMIL (Synchronized Multimedia Integration Language), which are both industry standards. RealPlayer Plus G2 also supports IP Multicast, UDP (User Datagram Protocol), TCP and HTTP. SMIL is a new W3C standard for multimedia layout and presentation, and when you combine it with RealNetworks G2 data types, it presents the ultimate multimedia experience.

Developers can now send RealText (live text) with live video, audio, images and more (such as real-time stock quotes or corporate news). In a matter of minutes, I created a RealText file using the SMIL markup language, which is very similar to HTML and is XML-compliant, and delivered my presentation over the Internet using the RealSystem G2 Server.

Using RealPlayer Plus G2 reminded me of sitting at home in front of my TV. The new GUI let me adjust the audio signal's bass and treble as well as the video's brightness, contrast and saturation. I was impressed by how much crisper the audio and video was after adjusting these levels. I liked being able to choose from more than 60 preset stations, and the channel bar let me obtain quick updates from my favorite news sources. With earlier versions of RealPlayer, I had to search the Web for a news station that broadcast RealAudio.

RealPlayer Plus G2 is a product that justifies an upgrade or purchase. While it may not let you travel faster during rush hour, it eases the frustration of listening to live broadcasts over the Web.

Jeffrey Rubin is an adjunct professor for the School of Information Studies at Syracuse University and a consultant with Internet Consulting Services. Send your comments on this article to him at jhrubin@istweb.syr.edu.