Sound File Doesn't Play in Netscape
Applies to: All Versions of Netscape
Operating Systems: Windows 95/98/NT/2000/Me
Problem: "A sound on a Web page plays in Internet Explorer, but not in Netscape"
Solution:
- If the sound is a background sound, this problem is usually the result of improper HTML to place the background sound on the Web page. If you look at the HTML source on the Web page where the sound is not working correctly you will see a tag <BGSOUND>. This tag only works in Internet Explorer and does not work in any other browser. If you want to make the background sound work in Netscape and Internet Explorer just replace <BGSOUND> with <EMBED>.
- It may be that you do not have the proper plugin to hear sound files in Netscape. To determine whether you have the proper plugin select Help from the menu at the top of the Netscape window, and then select About Plugins (or click here). If you have the correct plugin, you will see an entry that specifies the extension for the type of sound you are trying to play (WAV for instance) under the Suffixes column. If you do not wish to use a plugin to play the sound, or you have a plugin that is designed to handle the type of file you want to listen to, proceed to #3.
- Check the content-type that the server is sending for the sound file. This is, by far, the most common reason for sound files not playing correctly in Netscape. If you receive a lot of weird text in the browser when you click on a link to the sound, then the server is not configured to recognize that type of file. If the sound is a background sound, you can check by entering the location of the sound file directly into your URL bar and press ENTER. Contact the administrator of the server where the broken Web page is located and request that they add a content-type for that file extension. Common content types for sound files include the following:
| Content Type | File suffixes | Type of File |
| audio/mpeg | .mpga .mp2 .mp3 | MP3 |
| audio/x-mpegurl | .m3u | Winamp play list |
| video/x-ms-wm | .asf .asx .wm | Windows Media Player file |
| audio/basic | .au .snd | |
| audio/x-aiff | .aiff .aif | |
| audio/midi | .mid .midi | MIDI file |
| audio/x-pn-realaudio | .ram .rm | Real Audio plugin |
| audio/x-pn-realaudio-plugin | .rpm | Real Audio plugin |
| audio/x-realaudio | .ra | Real Audio plugin |
| audio/x-wav | .wav | Windows audio |
