Video Help

What connection speed is needed for viewing the video?

Video content requires the transmission of large amounts of data, making the experience highly dependent on the speed of connection. Watching the video on a 220k (DSL/T-1/Cable) connection will provide much smoother video streaming and faster download speeds than will a 56k dial-up modem.

If you are at a university or a corporate location, it is highly likely that you have a 220k connection. The best thing to do is try the highest speed first. If the picture breaks up or does not flow freely, cancel and start over with a different speed. Another tip is to load the video, let it start for a minute, pause it for a minute and then play again. Sometime the pause allows for the buffering to catch up with itself, resulting in a smoother stream of content.

What software do I need to view the video?

To view this video, you should have Real Player version 8 or later installed on your computer.

RealPlayer will try its hardest to convince you to buy one of their players, however their free players will work fine. While some of their marketing practices are somewhat aggressive, once you get the player you need, they shouldn't bother you any further. Go to the RealNetworks Legacy Software Archive for a complete list of all RealPlayer versions.

What are the system and browsers requirements for optimal video viewing?

Multimedia files can put a considerable demand on your computer. For PC users, we recommend using a computer that is running Windows 95, or a more recent version of Microsoft Windows. For Apple Macintosh users, we recommend using a computer that is running OS 9 or later (Note that, as of this writing, RealPlayer One is only available on Mac OS X).

Although the video can be viewed on any popular browser, we suggest Microsoft's Internet Explorer version 5+ on the PC or 5.2+ on the Macintosh or Netscape Navigator version 7+.

How do I download the Real Player?

The free version of Real Player is often hard to find on the Real.com site. The instructions below provide easy access to all versions of the Real Player.

1. Go to the RealNetworks Legacy Software Archive.
2. Click on the newest version of player listed under your operating system. (For example, Real Player 8 is the most recent player listed under Mac OS9).
3. From this point, follow the Real Player downloading instructions.
4. Once you have successfully installed Real Player, you may view the video.

What if I'm still having difficulty viewing the video?

If you are still having problems viewing the video, there may be a firewall at your location that is preventing you from accessing it. This is most common in corporate offices, where Internet connection security is often a major concern. If you can determine that there is a firewall issue, you will need to contact your local technical support or network administrator to request that restrictions on the firewall be relaxed to allow you to view the video.

The following tip has helped many users who are in corporate environments:

1. Open up RealPlayer
2. Select "view" ->"preferences"
3. Select the "Transport" tab then the "use specified ports" radio button and "RTSP Settings"
4. Select "Use HTTP only"

You shouldn't have to quit RealPlayer after performing this sequence, but it can't hurt. Try to access the content and see if it works. Otherwise ask your systems or network administrator to open port 554 on the firewall to let RTSP traffic through. Info on RealPlayer and firewalls can be found at http://service.real.com/firewall/.