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 Tuesday, 24 November 2009
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Streaming video appears choppy, blocky or like a slideshow

If your video playback is choppy, first consider your connection speed.

If you have a dial-up connection, video playback will not be as smooth as with a broadband connection.

If you are on broadband and experience poor quality playback, sign off from AOL, or close the web page you are on, then sign back in or open the web page and try the video again.

The speed of your internet connection will vary according to the time of day and the amount of congestion on the network. A momentary dip in your connection speed might temporarily cause it to appear as though you're on a narrowband connection.

The first step is to check your connection speed setting on AOL Video corresponds to your own connection speed (eg 1Mb broadband).

After trying this solution, see if you can watch the video normally. If it still has problems, continue with the following solutions until the image quality is fixed.

Information you need:

You will need to know which version of Windows is on your computer.


Temporary problem with the AOL system

The AOL system is sometimes very busy and may experience temporary difficulties that can lead to delays or a slow response. The problem is often quickly resolved. When this occurs, please try again later.


Close other programs

Sometimes other programs or processes may interfere with the AOL software. Try shutting down all running programs in the task list, and reconnecting to the internet. This process is very repetitive. Do not restart the computer during the process or else you will have to start from scratch.

1. Hold down the Ctrl and Alt keys on the keyboard, and then press the Delete key.
Windows 2000/XP/Vista/7: Click Task Manager and click the Applications tab.
2. From that list of programs, it is only necessary to keep running Explorer, Systray and RunDll, if they appear.
3. Highlight the first program in the list that isn't any of the necessary items above and click End Task. This will return you to the desktop.
4. Another window may appear, saying 'This program is not responding', click End Task.
5. Repeat the same steps to close the programs until only Explorer and Systray (and RunDll if present) remain in the list. Remember to leave your anti virus and firewall software running also.

Note: If you are unsure what applications are required by your computer, please contact your computer manufacturer.


Delete cookies



Delete temporary internet files


When you browse the web, graphics and text are downloaded to your computer. These files are known as Temporary Internet Files and are stored in the browser cache. Eventually these files may become damaged and cause pages to load incorrectly, or they may just build up and need to be cleared out. Depending on the number of stored files, clearing the cache may take a few minutes.

To delete the temporary internet files:

Windows XP and below:

1. On the Windows Start menu, go to Settings, then click Control Panel.
For Windows XP - click Start, then select Control Panel. In the Control Panel, ensure that the classic view is selected (by clicking Switch to classic view on the top left hand corner).
2. Double-click Internet Options (or Internet).
3. In the 'Temporary Internet Files' section, click Delete Files..., then click OK.
4. Click Clear History, then click Yes.

Windows Vista:

1. Click Start, then Control Panel.
2. Double-click the Internet Options icon.
3. In the 'Browsing History' section, click Delete...
4. Click Delete files... and Delete history....
5. Click Close and then click OK.


Determine which media player is having problems and reinstall

One or more components of the media player you are using may not be working properly or may be damaged. Uninstalling and reinstalling the media player can often solve video problems. There are various types of video streaming that can be used with AOL, such as RealPlayer, Nullsoft and QuickTime.

To determine which player you are having problems with, please try to view a video.

  • If the video shows the RealPlayer logo, that means you are using RealPlayer.
  • If the video does not display any icon, it means you are using QuickTime.
  • If the video shows an AOL icon, it means you are using Nullsoft. Which means to resolve the problem, you will need to uninstall and reinstall AOL.

To uninstall and reinstall RealPlayer or QuickTime:

1. Click Start, select All Programs or Programs, select AOL, then click AOL System Information.
2. Open the Application Folder:
- Using AOL 9.0, click the WAOL tab, then click App Folder.
- Using AOL 9.0 VR, click the AOL Software tab, then click Open App. Folder.
- Using AOL 6.0, AOL 7.0 or AOL 8.0, click Folder.
3. Click the Tools menu, then click Folder Options.
Windows Vista users: Follow the steps to Show hidden files on Windows Vista then skip to step 6.
4. Click the View tab.
5. In the Advanced Settings: window, select Show hidden files and folders, then click OK.
Note: Windows 98 users: Click the View menu, then select Folder Options. Click the View tab, select Show all files, then click OK.
6. Double-click the Jiti folder.
7. For RealPlayer, double-click Real.exe. For QuickTime, double-click QT.exe.
8. Close all open windows and check to see if you can watch the video normally.