CLC Webcasts FAQ
Common Questions
Please click on a question below that relates to your issue:
I don't have Windows Media Player (PC or Mac)I'm having problems connecting
Why am I getting buffering, pauses and disconnects?
Why are the videos choppy or freezing?
Why can I hear the audio but not see the video?
Why is my picture green and/or upside down?
Even though I have all the system requirements, why can't I see or hear any videos?
What about my office computer - could it be the problem?
Questions and Answers
Question: I don't have Windows Media Player (PC or Mac)
Answer: If you don't have Windows Media Player or you don't have the latest version. You can download the latest version (including a version for Mac OS X) by going to the Microsoft Windows Media Download Center. We recommend Windows Media Player 11. This will give a higher quality experience especially if you have a broadband Internet connection. If you have a Mac, we recommend the Flip 4 Mac Windows Media Plugin for the QuickTime Player.
Question: I'm having problems connecting
Answer: Most of the connection problems that were present in earlier versions have been corrected in version 11 of Windows Media Player. Not being able to connect at all with Windows Media Player 11 is rare. Buffering and pauses during play are usually associated with low or constrained bandwidth from the end-users Internet connection or Internet Service Provider. Here are some things you can check to be sure that your Windows Media Player is properly configured. You should only change these if you are experiencing connection problems:
- Open Windows Media Player.
- If you don't see the menu selections File, View, Play, Tools, Help at the top of the player, RIGHT-click on the very top-left corner of the player and you will see the menu selections.
- Select Tools and then Options and the Network tab.
- Under the Protocols for MMS URLs section, be sure that all three protocols are selected.
- Select the Performance tab.
- In the Connection Speed section, select Detect Connection speed (recommended).
- Select the Player tab.
- In the Automatic Updates section, be sure that Download Codecs Automatically is checked.
- Be sure that Connect to the Internet (overrides all other commands) is checked.
- Select the File Types tab.
- Click the Select All button or at least the top three Windows Media formats.
- Click OK and totally close the player and try connecting again.
Question: Why am I getting buffering, pauses and disconnects?
Answer: Buffering, pauses and disconnects can occur when there is a blockage of data somewhere between the streaming server and your computer. Typically, but not always, this occurs in what is referred to as "the last mile" right before your computer. Even on a broadband connection, many homes are connected to what is called a shared connection. In other words only a certain amount of bandwidth is allocated to your neighborhood and when demand is higher than what is allocated, buffering of the player can result.
Question: Why are the videos choppy or freezing?
Answer: The quality of the video you are watching depends largely on two factors: the speed of your Internet connection, and Internet traffic congestion. For the best viewing experience, we recommend a high speed Internet connection such as DSL or Cable Modem. However, even if you have a high-speed (DSL/CableModem/T1) connection, Internet traffic congestion can affect your connection speed and/or video performance. You will get slower or faster speeds at different times depending on peak or off-peak use hours. You may also get slower speeds during the morning and afternoon, but faster speeds late at night when fewer people are online. Also, streaming quality decreases when multiple people share the same Internet connection (e.g. at work or on a home network).
If you receive a low bitrate stream, even though you are using Windows Media Player 9 or newer, check your player setup. Sometimes due to a number of factors, the player will not detect the connection speed correctly. In that case, it is best to manually set your connection setting under the Tools > Options > Performance tab and "Choose connection speed."
Question: Why can I hear the audio but not see the video?
Answer: This occurs when the speed of your Internet connection is lower than the bit rate of the video clip you are watching and can be caused when Internet traffic congestion reduces the speed of your connection below what it should be (for example, you have a high speed DSL or cable modem connection to the Internet, but due to Internet congestion or shared usage, the effective speed of your Internet connection is actually closer to a 56kbs dial up connection).
This may also be an issue with Windows Media Player 10. Some video card drivers are not compatible with the default settings. The solution is to adjust the video acceleration settings:
- Click on the Tools menu in Windows Media Player 10, and then click Options.
- Next, click on the Performance tab and then click the Advanced button.
- Enable 'Use high quality mode' by placing a check next to it.
- Then click OK on the Video Acceleration Settings and click OK to close the Options menu.
- If the problem persists, go back to the Video Acceleration Settings and try adjusting the slider from Small to Large under Digital Video.
- Finally, apply your settings.
Question: Why is my picture green and/or upside down?
Answer: This is not uncommon when the bandwidth drops and the player can't adjust as fast (if for example you're trying to watch a 28k dialup stream on a modem that is actually connected at only 23k).
It could also be an hardware compatibility problem where the graphics card does not interpret the data coming from the stream correctly when it spikes. This is an excerpt from Microsoft's website:
A variety of issues can cause color to go bad in Windows Media Player. To troubleshoot possible causes, do the following:
- Check for video-card driver updates from the maker of your video card.
- Check for Microsoft DirectX updates by scanning for updates on the Windows Update Web site.
- Try a different acceleration setting for your video hardware:
- In Windows Media Player, click the Tools menu, and then click Options.
- On the Performance tab, in the Video acceleration area, drag the slider to None to use basic video-acceleration settings that work with most video hardware. For some video hardware, you must do the opposite (drag the slider to Full) to correct the problem.
- Adjust video settings to default values:
- Click Now Playing.
- On the View menu, point to Enhancements, and then click Video Settings.
- In the Enhancements pane, above the slider controls, click Reset.
Question: Even though I have all the system requirements, why can't I see or hear any videos?
Answer:
- If you launch Calgary Life Centre's stream on Windows 98 while other audio applications (including but not limited to mp3 players) are running, you may have trouble hearing the sound. If this is the case, close your browser and all audio applications. Restart your browser and try again.
- Your company or home network may have a firewall that is configured so that either you cannot connect to the video servers or video traffic is prohibited on your network. Check with your network administrator to see if there are any known issues with watching videos.
- If you are using a Windows Media Player version earlier than Windows Media Player 9 on a Windows system, your system should automatically download the required Windows Media 9 codecs. However, to download codecs successfully, you must have Internet Explorer 3.02 or later installed on your computer, you must maintain Internet access during content playback, and your Internet security should be set to medium. In addition, if your computer is running Microsoft Windows NT®, Windows 2000, Windows XP Professional, or Windows Server 2003, you must be logged on as an administrator or as a member of the Administrators group. In addition, not all codecs are included in a codec download. If your system is unable to download the required Windows Media 9 codecs, you can manually download and install the Windows Media Player 9 codec pack.
Question: What about my office computer - could it be the problem?
Answer: If your computer is running Microsoft Windows NT, Windows 2000, Windows XP Professional or Windows 2003 server and you are not logged onto your office computer as an administrator or as a member of the administrator group, then the Microsoft Windows Media Player on your computer may not be able to automatically download the codecs required to view the video. Under these circumstances, you will need to either have your network administrator install Microsoft Windows Media Player 9 on your computer (or the Microsoft Windows Media Player 9 codec pack if your computer is running Windows NT) or have your network administrator grant your logon account local administrative rights on your office computer.