Technical FAQ's

We recommend you try viewing our sample video prior to registering. If you cannot view the player, or you are having problems viewing our demo video, please review these FAQ's carefully.

I cannot open the exam, what should I do?
The exam is in pdf format. If you cannot view our pdfs, please make sure you have the latest Adobe Reader installed. You may obtain this for free here.

What are the technical requirements needed to view your videos?
Our video player requires only that you have javascript enabled (this is usually enabled by default) and the latest flash player installed (you can download the latest version here). In addition, due to the size of our video files, you should be utilizing a high speed internet connection.

What type of internet connection works best?
Each of our lecture videos are between 300MB and 1GB in size. Therefore, anything other than high speed internet access is not practicle. Cable or T1 will give you a faster download. A high speed DSL connection should still be fine but there may be a delay while the video loads enough to start playing.

Can I view the videos using a wireless card or at a WIFI Hotspot?
Wireless connections at your home, home office, library, coffee shops, hotels, airports or elsewhere are not ideal since the download speed will be slower than a direct connection. It is possible that a wireless connection may be sufficient to view our videos, just be aware that you may experience longer than normal download speeds. Therefore, using a hard wired high speed connection is absolutely recommended.

Why can't I view your videos using a wireless or WIFI connection?
In a perfect world, you should be able to. And given a few more years, perhaps, but right now, WIFI hotspots usually have limitations on individual connection speeds and/or the number of users you are sharing the connection with. Some networks may even disallow video files like ours from playing at all. Unfortuately, these factors are completely beyond our control.

I am having problems watching the video at work, what could be the problem?
If you are connected to a network which is not your own (for example a corporate, organizational or military network), please consult with your network administrator before contacting us - the internal network you are connecting through is likely preventing our videos from playing.

My video plays, then stops...plays, then stops - what is happening?
Videos do not have to fully download before you can watch - i.e. you may begin to watch the video as the file continues downloading. On a good connection, your video will begin playing within seconds. If your video keeps stopping and then starting, you are experiencing "buffering". Please read on...

What is buffering and what should I do?
"Buffering" occurs if you are watching the video faster than your internet connection is capable of downloading the video file. If this happens, we recommend you hit pause and let the video load for a while before hitting play again. If you let the video load ahead enough, this problem will cease.

How can I tell how much of the video has downloaded?
You can tell how much of the video has loaded ahead by checking the status bar - click here to learn how to identify this. We recommend waiting at least 3-5 minutes before restarting the video though exactly how long depends on your connection speed.

Exactly how long should I wait before attempting to replay?
How long you need to wait will depend on your download speed - it could be as little as 30 seconds, it may be 2-3 minutes or even longer. 3-5 minutes should be sufficient for most high speed connections. You can tell how much of the video has loaded ahead by checking the status bar. Buffering offers you a great excuse for a coffee break!

What kinds of connections are prone to buffering?
There is more chance of buffering using DSL than Cable since your download speed is likely to be much lower. There is also more chance of buffering if you are sharing your internet connection with other users (eg. at work). Wireless connections, including WIFI are not likely to work well.

Is there anything I can do prevent buffering?
Since buffering is directly related to your connection speed it is out of your control. If you are using your own internet service, you may be able to contact your ISP (Internet Service Provider) to see if your connection speed can be increased. However, you should not have any issues once the video has actually downloaded.

Does refreshing the page help the video load faster?
No. If you hit refresh, the video will start reloading from the beginning.

I still cannot get the video to play at all. What should I do?
If these FAQ's have not helped and you still cannot see the video player or cannot get the video to play, please fill out a support request.