What applications do I need to watch an online seminar?
- For an embedded “on-page” video you only need to have a browser with Windows Media Player or Flash installed.
- For video links you will need a media player that is able to play Windows Media file formats.
- For best results we recommend using Internet Explorer 7.x or higher along with the latest version of Windows Media Player (V 11.x or higher).
My Windows Media Player screen is green with pink wavy lines. What’s wrong?
Often issues such as this are caused by conflicts with your current video card drivers. The easiest way to correct the problem is to reduce your hardware acceleration settings to "None."
Open the Windows Media Player software, and follow these steps to turn off hardware acceleration:
- Windows Media Player 11 and above
- Choose Control Panel
- Display
- Settings
- Advanced
- Troubleshoot
- Set the Hardware Acceleration slider to “None.”
Why am I not able to hear the audio?
There are several possible causes of this problem. We suggest that you check each of the following to be sure your system is configured correctly:
- Check that your external speakers or headphones are fully connected.
- Check to verify that you are able to hear system alerts or other computer sounds (this would ensure that there isn't a problem with your sound card or speakers).
- Be sure that the audio level on your speakers is not turned down too low or turned off.
- Make sure the Windows Media Player is not muted or that the sound level is not set too low.
The video is blank but I can hear audio. Why can’t I see anything?
You may need to disable the overlay function in your media player. Open the Windows Media Player software, and follow these steps to turn off the overlay function:
- Windows Media Player 11.x
- Choose the "Tools" menu.
- Select "Options."
- Select the "Performance" tab.
- Uncheck "Use Overlays"
How do I watch videos in full screen?
You can either click the "Full Screen" button below a video or right click on the video and go to the Zoom menu and select Full Screen. Or hit Alt+Enter when the video starts.
How do I exit full screen mode?
To exit press the escape key [ESC] or right click on the video and go to Exit Full Screen.
When I try to play a seminar using Firefox, my browser crashes or I cannot see any player controls. What can I do?
If you have WMP 11 or are using Windows Vista you may experience these issues. You will need to install the Window Media Player plug in for Firefox.
https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/browse/type:7
I think I have a firewall issue and cannot view any videos. What can I do?
There are several technical reasons you may not be able to view these streaming videos. The following text describes the most common causes and solutions to overcome this problem.
BEFORE YOU GET STARTED: You will need the cooperation of your Information Technology (IT) department to implement most of these solutions. Their work involves making changes to your company's firewall settings and settings changes within Microsoft's Windows Media Player.
But first perform this test: Before you begin making system changes, let's make sure the problem is with the streaming video feed to your system. The following URL address directly accesses a test video that bypasses all Bentley streaming server access control:
This (9.8MB) is a short cartoon-like animation created with MicroStation:
mms://institute-stream.bentley.com/institute/test/lightdesignshort5.wmv
You will have to copy and paste the link directly into an open Internet Explorer browser. If all goes well you will view the animation in your Windows Media Player (version 9 or better is recommended). If, on the other hand, you get no activity, a login screen or some other failure to play the videos then the issue is definitely associated with either your company's firewall or your Windows Media Player settings.
First, the firewall: Bentley's Microsoft streaming video server uses the MMS TCP protocol for optimum utilization of network bandwidth, an important consideration for everyone involved. This is not yet a commonly known protocol like HTTP so it is very likely your company's firewall is blocking one or more of the TCP ports normally assigned to this service. The port numbers involved are 80, 554 and 1755 with the last one being the most important. These are standard ports Microsoft specifies in their streaming video server technology. Work with your IT department to have this port opened for the server stream.bentley.com and stream1.bentley.com, the sources of all of our streaming videos. For additional technical information direct from Microsoft, visit this web page located on Microsoft's web site:
Firewall Information for Windows Media Services: (http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia/forpros/serve/firewall.aspx)
Once you have this port opened, try the sample video again. If you still cannot play the videos then it is most likely a specific setting in your Windows Media Player. Although Windows Media Player can support video feeds using other protocols such as HTTP, the Bentley Video Server only serves out the MMS protocol. In Windows Media Player open with the "classic" window frame active, perform the following steps:
- Open the Options dialog box (Tools menu > Options)
- Click the Network tab.
- Turn on the Multicast and TCP options. You can leave the other options on as well but the two mentioned are the important ones.
- Click OK to accept the changes.
Can't find the Network tab in your Options dialog box? Chances are you do not have administrative privileges to your system or your IT department has put in a policy to disable this feature. In either case, work with them to access this most important configuration setup.
If you are successful in setting the options above, try the test video again. In most cases, you should now be able to view the videos without further problems.
Should you still have issues with this you will need to work with your IT department to possibly configure the MMS proxy settings (part of the Options dialog box) and further test this process.