diff --git a/livesupport/modules/playlistExecutor/etc/playlist.xml b/livesupport/modules/playlistExecutor/etc/playlist.xml
index 160530ef1..54d6ca9c3 100644
--- a/livesupport/modules/playlistExecutor/etc/playlist.xml
+++ b/livesupport/modules/playlistExecutor/etc/playlist.xml
@@ -31,8 +31,8 @@
                      playlength="00:00:11" 
                      title = "one"
                      uri="file:var/test10001.mp3" />
-        <fadeInfo    id="0000000000009901"
-                     fadeIn="0"
+        <fadeInfo    id="0000000000009901"   
+                     fadeIn="0" 
                      fadeOut="00:00:05" />
     </playlistElement>
     <playlistElement id="0000000000000102"    
@@ -43,16 +43,16 @@
                      uri="file:var/test10002.mp3" /> 
         <fadeInfo    id="0000000000009902"   
                      fadeIn="00:00:05" 
-                     fadeOut="00:00:05" />
+                     fadeOut="0" />
     </playlistElement>
     <playlistElement id="0000000000000103" 
-                     relativeOffset="00:00:13" >
+                     relativeOffset="00:00:18" >
         <audioClip   id="0000000000010003" 
-                     playlength="00:00:11.000" 
+                     playlength="00:00:11.500000" 
 		     title = "three"
                      uri="file:var/test10003.mp3" />
         <fadeInfo    id="0000000000009903"   
-                     fadeIn="00:00:05" 
-                     fadeOut="0" />
+                     fadeIn="0" 
+                     fadeOut="00:00:05" />
     </playlistElement>
 </playlist>
diff --git a/livesupport/modules/playlistExecutor/src/HelixPlayer.cxx b/livesupport/modules/playlistExecutor/src/HelixPlayer.cxx
index 2b832cfaf..bf721bdb6 100644
--- a/livesupport/modules/playlistExecutor/src/HelixPlayer.cxx
+++ b/livesupport/modules/playlistExecutor/src/HelixPlayer.cxx
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@
  
  
     Author   : $Author: fgerlits $
-    Version  : $Revision: 1.11 $
+    Version  : $Revision: 1.12 $
     Location : $Source: /home/paul/cvs2svn-livesupport/newcvsrepo/livesupport/modules/playlistExecutor/src/Attic/HelixPlayer.cxx,v $
 
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------*/
@@ -60,9 +60,9 @@ typedef HX_RESULT (HXEXPORT_PTR FPRMSETDLLACCESSPATH) (const char*);
 static DLLAccessPath        accessPath;
 
 
-/*------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+/**
  *  The name of the config element for this class
- *----------------------------------------------------------------------------*/
+ */
 const std::string HelixPlayer::configElementNameStr = "helixPlayer";
 
 
@@ -77,6 +77,18 @@ static const std::string    dllPathName = "dllPath";
 static const std::string    clntcoreName = "/clntcore.so";
 
 
+/**
+ *  Magic number #1: max time to wait for an audio stream, in milliseconds
+ */
+static const int            getAudioStreamTimeOut = 10;
+
+/**
+ *  Magic number #2: time to wait after getting crossfade interface, 
+ *  and before setting crossfade values, in milliseconds
+ */
+static const int            crossFadeWaitingTime = 50;
+
+
 /* ===============================================  local function prototypes */
 
 
@@ -422,20 +434,28 @@ HelixPlayer :: openAndStartPlaylist(Ptr<Playlist>::Ref  playlist)
 
     Ptr<time_duration>::Ref sleepT(new time_duration(microseconds(10)));
 
-    IHXAudioStream*     audioStream[numberOfPlaylistElements];
+    IHXAudioStream*     audioStream[numberOfPlaylistElements + 1];
     for (int i = 0; i < numberOfPlaylistElements; i++) {
+        int j = 0;
         do {
             TimeConversion::sleep(sleepT);
             audioStream[i] = audioPlayer->GetAudioStream(i);
+            ++j;
+            if (j > getAudioStreamTimeOut * 100) {
+                std::stringstream   eMsg;
+                eMsg << "can't get audio stream number " << i;
+                throw std::runtime_error(eMsg.str());
+            }
         } while (!audioStream[i]);
     }
+    audioStream[numberOfPlaylistElements] = 0;  // fade out last clip into 0
 
     it = playlist->begin();
     
-    sleepT.reset(new time_duration(seconds(2)));
+    sleepT.reset(new time_duration(milliseconds(crossFadeWaitingTime)));
     TimeConversion::sleep(sleepT);
 
-    for (int i = 1; i < numberOfPlaylistElements; i++) {
+    for (int i = 0; i < numberOfPlaylistElements; i++) {
 
         Ptr<PlaylistElement>::Ref   playlistElement = it->second;
         if (!playlistElement->getFadeInfo()) {
@@ -455,10 +475,12 @@ HelixPlayer :: openAndStartPlaylist(Ptr<Playlist>::Ref  playlist)
                                                      ->total_milliseconds()
                                     - crossFadeLength;
 
+        if (crossFadeLength) {
 //std::cerr << "fadeOutAt: " << fadeOutAt << "\n"
 //          << "crossFadeLength: " << crossFadeLength << "\n";
-        crossFade->CrossFade(audioStream[i-1], audioStream[i], 
+            crossFade->CrossFade(audioStream[i], audioStream[i+1], 
                                 fadeOutAt, fadeOutAt, crossFadeLength);
+        }
     
         ++it;
     }
diff --git a/livesupport/modules/playlistExecutor/src/HelixPlayer.h b/livesupport/modules/playlistExecutor/src/HelixPlayer.h
index 94c4d370d..a51edaac9 100644
--- a/livesupport/modules/playlistExecutor/src/HelixPlayer.h
+++ b/livesupport/modules/playlistExecutor/src/HelixPlayer.h
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@
  
  
     Author   : $Author: fgerlits $
-    Version  : $Revision: 1.9 $
+    Version  : $Revision: 1.10 $
     Location : $Source: /home/paul/cvs2svn-livesupport/newcvsrepo/livesupport/modules/playlistExecutor/src/Attic/HelixPlayer.h,v $
 
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------*/
@@ -91,7 +91,7 @@ using namespace LiveSupport::Core;
  *  </pre></code>
  *
  *  @author  $Author: fgerlits $
- *  @version $Revision: 1.9 $
+ *  @version $Revision: 1.10 $
  */
 class HelixPlayer : virtual public Configurable,
                     virtual public AudioPlayerInterface,
@@ -330,6 +330,17 @@ class HelixPlayer : virtual public Configurable,
         /**
          *  Play a playlist, with simulated fading.
          *
+         *  This is a stopgap method, and should be replaced as soon as
+         *  the SMIL animation issues are fixed in the Helix client.
+         *
+         *  Note: the method only reads the fade out value, and assumes
+         *  that the following fade in value is equal to it.
+         *
+         *  The playlist is assumed to contain a URI field, which points
+         *  to a SMIL file containing the same audio clips, with the same
+         *  offsets, as the playlist.  This can be ensured, for example, by 
+         *  calling Storage::WebStorageClient::acquirePlaylist().
+         *
          *  @param playlist the Playlist object to be played.
          *  @exception std::invalid_argument playlist is invalid (e.g.,
          *              does not have a URI field, or there is no valid
diff --git a/livesupport/modules/playlistExecutor/var/playlist.smil b/livesupport/modules/playlistExecutor/var/playlist.smil
index 6f4f48b8a..a44302802 100644
--- a/livesupport/modules/playlistExecutor/var/playlist.smil
+++ b/livesupport/modules/playlistExecutor/var/playlist.smil
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
         <par>
             <audio src="file:var/test10001.mp3" begin="0s"/> 
             <audio src="file:var/test10002.mp3" begin="6s"/> 
-            <audio src="file:var/test10003.mp3" begin="13s"/> 
+            <audio src="file:var/test10003.mp3" begin="18s"/> 
         </par>
     </body>
 </smil>