KEEP Toolkit Help

KEEP Toolkit Video Diagnostics:

This page is designed to help you diagnose any problems you may be having with video. If you still experience problems after trying each of the steps below, please visit our Forum or email us.

Please follow the steps listed below:

1. How fast is your connection? Test your connection on the link below. This will help you determine which video format (high or low) you should view on your current connection.

*Speakeasy Speed Test is not affiliated with the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching

2. Test a format based on the speed of your connection.

If the "Speed Test" indicated that your download speed is below 384k, then select a sample from the links below.	If the "Speed Test" indicated that your download speed is above 384k, then select a sample from the links below.
Quicktime :: Windows Media Player	Quicktime :: Windows Media Player

3. Possible Problems	Answers
I am working on a Mac and I cannot view .WMF files.	You will need to download a plug-in for QuickTime that will allow you to play these files here.
I see a broken "Q" or a question mark.	The video is either not present, or was corrupted during its upload. Contact the author of the page and ask them to re-upload the video.
The page is blank or it prompts me to install software.	You do not have QuickTime or Windows Media Player installed. Links to install the players are located here.
I don't hear any sound.	Be sure your speakers are on, hooked up properly, and your system volume is turned up. On a Mac, the sound settings can be found under the "Apple" icon in the upper-left corner -> then system preferences. On a PC, the sound settings can be found under "Start" -> Settings -> Control Panel -> Sound.
The video breaks into green squares.	Your bandwidth is too slow to play the clip. Choose a smaller file, or change your configuration settings - Windows Media :: Quicktime
My video keeps saying "buffering"	Change your configuration settings to download more information at a time - Windows Media :: Quicktime

4. If you still need help, please submit the information below to the forum or [email protected], and we'll get back to you as soon as we can. The more detailed and specific your information, the better we can assist you.

Which operating system you are running (ie. Windows XP, Mac OS X 10.3, etc.)
Describe the problem you are experiencing
Where are you connecting from? (school, home, work, etc.)

What do I do if the clips don't play?
What do I need to have on my computer to watch streaming video on the KEEP Toolkit?
Why are videos buffering or freezing?
How do I configure Windows Media Player on my Computer?
How do I configure Quicktime on my Computer?

What do I do if the clips don't play?
We're now encoding our clips in Windows Media Player 9 or Quicktime format. You may need to upgrade your version of Windows Media Player or Quicktime to view them. Please check the links below for upgrade information.
Click here to download Windows Media Player 9 or Higher
Click here to download Quicktime

What do I need to have on my computer to watch streaming video?
System Requirements:
Windows 98SE and higher
Mac OS X and higher
Browsers:
Internet Explorer 6 and higher
Mozilla 1.7 and higher
Mac Safari

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Players:
If a video clip is only available in one format and you do not have the required Player, you can download it:

Click here to download Windows Media Player 9 or Higher
Click here to download Quicktime

Why are videos buffering or freezing?
There are a few reasons why videos may not be streaming correctly to your computer:
1) Net Congestion: You will get various speeds at different times of the day, depending on overall Internet traffic. You experience slower speeds during the weekdays, but faster speeds late at night when fewer people are using the web. If your connection is slow, please close the media player window and try and watch the clip a second time, or try again later.
2) Firewalls: Many businesses and schools are behind firewalls. Some of these firewalls are configured to prevent users from watching streaming media. If you're behind a firewall, check with your system administrator to find out your institution's policies.
3) Your Windows Media Player or QuickTime Player is not configured properly on your computer. Sometimes the preferences within your player have to be adjusted to fit your particular machine and network conditions. Usually these adjustments are made under preferences in the connection and transport areas. Read on for more details in the following section.

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How do I configure Windows Media Player on my Computer?
Connection Preferences:
The Connection tab in the Preferences window contains information about the speed of your connection. Check that your network connection speed is accurate.
Network Settings:
If you're experiencing buffering when watching clips, try and reconfigure your buffering settings:

Use default buffering
Select this option if you want to use the default buffering settings.
Buffer x seconds of data
In the box, type the number of seconds you want the Player to buffer data. Ultimately, this is your personal preference. If you set the number of seconds to a higher figure (like 30 or 60), you'll have to wait longer for the clip to begin playing, but it will play more smoothly once it starts. If you set this number to a lower figure, the clip will play sooner, but may buffer during playback.
Firewall Issues
If you have problems receiving Windows Media streams and you are behind a firewall, verify that the Player and your proxy server are set up correctly. In the Player, verify that the HTTP protocol is enabled and that either the Use browser proxy settings or Use proxy option is selected. If you are on a Mac, make sure your Player is set to only use the proxy, and disable TCP or UDP checking as this will cause timeouts.
If you choose the Use proxy option and do not know the proxy server name or port number you should use, contact your Internet service provider or network administrator.
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How do I configure QuickTime on my Computer?
Connection Preferences:
The Streaming tab in the Preferences window contains the speed of your connection. Check that your network connection speed is accurate.
Network Settings:
If you're experiencing buffering when watching clips, try and changing your Instant-On settings under the streaming tab

If these settings are not present, you will need to download the most recent version of Quicktime
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