Dobri,

 

There is not enough bandwidth to download and play the streaming audio in real time, so the media player downloads enough to fill up its buffer and then starts playing and tries to reload the buffer before the 1st bit is used up, but it is not estimating the amount of buffering correctly. When it uses up the downloaded audio it stops while it finishes refilling the buffer.

 

Try using the pause button after playback starts to force it to load up more before resuming playback. Or on the media player go to Tools menu/options/performance tab and use the dropdown box to choose a slower modem connection rate.

 

Something might have changed to make it perform worse than it used to. For example the radio stations could have increased the quality and size of its streaming files, there could be more activity on your phone branch thereby reducing bandwidth, the quality of your building's phone wiring could have deteriorated and thus reduced bandwidth, your computer might be engaged in other online activity thus reducing bandwidth available for streaming, etc. 

 

Jim 

 

 

Jim,

 

Reducing the modem connection speed fixed the problem.  Thanks much.

 

Thanks also for summarizing some of the other factors which often affect optimal performance.  I am thinking especially of your comments on phone-line interference which are extremely useful to rural users who do not have access to DSL and have to opt for Dialup.  Here in the hinterlands of Wisconsin the phone service after a heavy rain or minor flooding is something out of Tajikistan.

 

Dobri