PBS, Public Broadcasting

NPR, National Public Radio

FGCU, Florida Gulf Coast University

• News
• History
• Art Scene
• Nature
• Kids
• Wellness

Shop WGCU, Support Your Community The WGCU Web Store Quality Programming, DVDs, CDs, & Much More

Mac - Frequently Asked Questions

• Buffering or skipping
• Uninstall/reinstall Windows Media player
• Works for one browser, but not others
• Player does not launch
• Can't connect
• No Sound
• "Host is Unreachable" or "Server Not Responding" Error Message
• "Cannot Play File" Error Message
• Not Enough Memory to Open Windows Media Player 7
• Windows Media Support for Mac
• Windows Media Player FAQ's for Mac
• Why Windows Media?
• Configuring Proxy server for Mac

Q. Is this stream compatible with the new WMP version 7?
A.  Yes. Note that Microsoft has stated that Version 7+ is not compatible with Netscape 6, IE 4.0, IE 4.5, or Mac OS X Carbon.

Q. Windows Media Player does not launch.
A.  In Windows Media Player, go to File --> Open Location, and in paste this URL: http://quartz.fgcu.edu/wgcu.asx. If you're using IE 4.5 or earlier, upgrade to 5.

Q. Can't connect or content won't play.
A. A variety of factors may cause this type of problem.

• Make sure you have Windows Media Player installed on your machine. HINT: Order of installation is important. Make sure you installed your browser first, then Windows Media Player.
• You may not have the Window Media Plugin: Check to make sure you've got the Window Media Plugin in your browser's Plug-ins folder.
• Make sure you hit the play button. The stream may not start automatically, you may have to click the play button.
• The stream may be temporarily offline.
• The stream could be "blacked out", meaning the station does not have the rights to stream content they are currently airing. You might hear nothing, or hear content that does not match what is playing on air.
• If you've been able to connect before and have not made recent changes to your system, try restarting your computer.
• Firewall issues: You could be behind a firewall that has not had the appropriate ports opened for streaming, particularly if you're trying to connect from work. Talk to your system administrator about opening the appropriate ports on the firewall to allow streaming.

Q. The player appears to be playing but I don't hear sound.
A. The stream could be "blacked out", meaning the station does not have the rights to stream content they are currently airing. You might hear nothing, or hear content that does not match what is playing on air.

• If you've been able to connect before and have not made recent changes to your system, try restarting your computer.
• Make sure your speakers, volume, etc, are on.

  Q. Configuring your browser's helper files/extensions for streaming.
  A. Also make sure that the video/x-ms-asf, .asx. and .asf helper files/extensions are associated with Windows Media Player. Go to Preferences -> Navigator -> Applications and make sure that video/x-ms-asf, .asx. and .asf file types are associated with Windows Media Player. For further assistance configuring your browser, check the your browser's Help section.

  Q. The audio sounds choppy, or cuts out and rebuffers frequently.
  A. Buffering occurs when you cannot receive the streaming data fast enough; the buffering, or cutting out occurs when the player tries to catch up.

  • For Windows Media Player 7 and higher, increase your buffering setting. Version 6.3 doesn't allow you to increase the buffering, but you might try increasing the Virtual Memory.
  • Also, increase the amount of Memory/RAM associated with the Windows Media Player application and Netscape Navigator. To assign more memory to an application:
    1. Quit the application, if it is running.
    2. Select the program icon (not an alias of the program icon).
    3. On the File menu, click Get Info, and then point to Memory.
    4. In Preferred Size, type a larger number.
    5. If necessary, in Minimum Size, type a number equal to the you typed in Preferred Size.
  • Internet bandwidth issue. If a user is trying to listen to a stream during peak hours (even on a high speed line), Internet congestion may cause the stream to sound choppy or cut out.
  • Memory Cache: Another cause may be that your browsers's memory and disk caches are full. Clearing the memory cache, emptying the trash, and/or increasing the memory size may help.
  • Also, available LOCAL bandwidth is shared between all open browser windows, applications, and the player. To see what proportion of your available bandwidth you're using: Apple Menu -> Choose "About This Computer". Restarting your computer or closing other windows and applications may help.

  Q. What I hear on the stream is not the same as what I hear on air.
  A. The station may not have the rights to stream content they are currently airing, for example, Car Talk. The station may have chosen to substitute alternate content in their stream.

  Q How do I configure the proxy?
  A. If you are accessing Windows Media content through a proxy server, you will have to configure Windows Media Player for your proxy to play content being streamed via the HTTP protocol. To configure the proxy for Windows Media Player:

  • On the Edit menu, click Preferences.
  • Select Use a proxy for HTTP streaming.
  • Enter the name of your proxy server and the port number. If you do not know what to enter, contact your network administrator.

  Q. Why was Windows Media format chosen?
  A.  Windows Media player was judged to be of the best in quality at low bit rates, ease-of-use and price. The player is also shipped with Windows OS desktop packages, making it easier to use for novices. We ARE considering offering other formats in the future (Real Audio, in particular), as we realize Linux (Unix, Solaris, *nix) users are excluded (although Microsoft has said that a version will be available soon.) Streaming is expensive, and streaming in additional formats merely raises the price.

  For additional help with Windows Media Player, please review Microsoft's:

  • Windows Media Support and Resources page
  • Windows Media Player FAQ's - Mac Download Center
  • Windows Media Player for Macintosh newsgroup: located at microsoft.public.windowsmedia.player.mac. To participate in the newsgroup, you will need a newsgroup reader or Internet browser.