| PLAYER DOWNLOADS
You'll need one of the following players to watch video content on our
site.
HOW WE DISPLAY VIDEO ON OUR SITE
Almost all video on CountingDown is usually available in 2 to 3 different
player formats and offered at 2 to 3 speeds. Because of its unmatched
quality, we suggest users use the QuickTime 5.0.2 Player to view content
on our site. However if you’re in a rush or use a 56k modem we
suggest users to try Real or Windows Media to view our content. Below
is a table that describes what “Low,” “Medium,” and “High” mean
when selecting video content on our site.
Defining Connection Speeds - Low, Medium and High
Low
This is best suited for users who are connecting to the Internet via
modem. No matter at what speed you are connecting to the Internet, video
is usually available immediately on-demand. (EXCEPTION: Since QuickTime
is of higher quality video and therefore has more data to download, it
typically takes 3-4 min. of download time for every 1 min. of video).
Low is the best choice if you’re using Windows Media or Real and
getting “Buffering…” or “Loading” messages
or connecting to our site internationally.
Medium
This is close to the best quality we offer on the site. Users who select
the Medium setting typically connect to the internet with a Cable/DSL
or T1 connection (150 kb/sec or better).
High
For trailers, High is almost DVD quality and can be displayed full screen
with a minimum amount of pixelization (blocky compression artifacts).
High setting presents video with CD quality audio with the largest image
size. Users who select “High” should be connected with at
least a T-1 or faster connection (500 kb/sec or great er).
HELP CONTENTS
Need help? Use the links below to find player-specific help and resources.
QUICKTIME 5.0.2 and Later
1. You need QuickTime to 5.0.2 or later to watch QuickTime content
on our site.
In addition to fixing a few major bugs from versions 5.0 – 5.0.1,
QuickTime 5.0.2 also introduces the Sorenson Video 3 codec which is a
major revision of QuickTime’s most popular codec. Since February
2002, all of CountingDown’s QuickTime content requires 5.0.2 or
later.
2. Do I need to upgrade to QuickTime Pro? Isn't QuickTime free?
The QuickTime standard version (free) works fine with 100% of the QuickTime
content offered on our site. You do not need to "register" or "upgrade" to
an improved version for better quality viewing.
3. I'm not hearing any audio, but I do see the video.
You need QuickTime 5.0.2 (Download it now.) If you have QuickTime 5.0.2
or higher, and are still having problems, check your computer and/or
speaker volume controls.
4. My movie is stuttering and won’t play continuously.
When you view a QuickTime movie, you can watch it while it downloads,
but only as much as you have downloaded so far. One of QuickTime’s
numerous features is called “progressive download” or “HTTP
download.” This means that QuickTime will automatically begin to
play the movie automatically when it has determined that it has downloaded
enough of your movie to playback continuously.
5. I'm trying to watch a QuickTime movie, but all I see is a "Windows
Media" logo.
If you have this problem, the QuickTime movie format has been associated
with the wrong player, in this case it’s Windows Media who has
aggressively taken over. Please follow the following steps to correct
this issue specific to your operating sys tem:
Windows Instructions
Go to START > SETTINGS > CONTROL PANEL > QUICKTIME. There
will be a drop down menu where you can choose "File Type Associations" or "MIME
Types", select it. A new menu will appear below. Make sure that
there is a check next to "Notify me if other applications modify
these viewer associations." And close the window and return to
CountingDown.com and refresh the page.
-or-
Find the QuickTime Application on your hard drive and click on it.
You can use search for "QuickTime Player." Once you’ve
successfully completed the step #1 above, QuickTime will ask you if
you would like to re-associate QuickTime files with the QuickTime plug-in.
Click "Yes."
Netscape Users
Netscape, go to EDIT > PREFERENCES > NAVIGATOR > APPLICATIONS.
There should be a entry for "QuickTime Movie" or "MOV" and
should read "MIME Type: video/quicktime" and "Handled
by: Plugin" If not exit your browser and reopen it.
Last Resort, Reinstall QuickTime
Re-install. This is mostly a last resort because of the download time
however it can be the fastest if you’re a newbie. Click here to
download QuickTime.
6. "The data that the plugin requested did not download
successfully." What does this mean?
This error message usually means that you have QuickTime installed correctly
however there was a problem with the browser’s connection to our
website. Please send an email to us at DigitalMedia@CountingDown.com
and we’ll help you out as soon as we can. Please also cut and paste
the URL of the page that you received this error.
Still having problems?
Send us a message describing your problem
and we’ll respond usually within a couple hours to get you going
again.
MICROSOFT WINDOWS MEDIA PLAYER 6.4
1. When I click on a link to a trailer or video for Windows
Media, it asks me to download a file. I thought the movie was going
to play inside the Web page!
The movie should play in the web page itself, but if you have an older
version of Windows Media Player, it won't recognize the movie and your
browser will prompt you to download the file. You can correct this
problem by just upgrading to the latest version of Windows Media Player.
Click here to go to the Windows Media download page.
2. The player keeps "buffering", both before the video
starts and while the movie is trying to play. Why can’t
I watch the movie continuously?
Traffic congestion or a slow connection is forcing your player to buffer
additional parts of the signal into its memory in order to play correctly.
The easiest solution is to select a slower-speed movie, either "medium" or "low". If
you continue to experience these problems, you should upgrade to Windows
Media Player 7. It will intelligently buffer the movie correctly
and you’ll never have a stuttering movie again. Trust us. It’s
well worth the trouble and it only takes a few minutes! Download Windows
Media 7 here.
Still having problems?
Send us a message describing your problem
and we’ll respond usually within a couple hours to get you going
again.
REAL PLAYER
1. Do I need to pay Real Networks’ $20 bucks for my Real
Player?
No, of course not or we wouldn’t use it on the site. A free "Real
Player Basic" or “RealOne basic” is available but it’s
usually hidden on the Real website so users think they have to buy the "upgraded" or "plus" player
as an only option. Look for the "Real Player Basic it’s
our free player" or “RealOne Basic” text link in the
middle of the following web page, http://www.real.com/player/index.html
2. I am getting a "Cannot Connect to Server" error
in Real Player G2, 7 or 8!
For detailed troubleshooting, go here.
3. Why is RealPlayer G2, 7 or 8 Basic still rebuffering often
or giving poor playback?
We use Real Video codec 8 for all our RealVideo content since August
2002 (Real 8 was released August 14, 2000). You can still use older Real
Players such as G2, & or 8 however you’ll get the best results
upgrading to RealOne. RealOne has many enhancements that help users
with slower connections to the Internet watch video online.
4. Whenever I try to view Real Player content, it asks for me
to download something but isn’t the video supposed to play in
the web page!
Yes. All video featured on CountingDown is viewed inside our web pages.
Check with your browser configuration here for appropriate answers. http://service.real.com/help/faq/rp8/rpb8cfg.html
5. Why does my system freeze or the Real Player stops on Windows?
The Real Player uses something called Direct Draw to create moving video
on your computer. Real has found that the following combination of drivers
and video cards do not work well with the Real Player. Go to http://support.real.com
MACROMEDIA FLASH PLAYER
1. How do I fix almost all Flash Player issues?
An earlier version of Flash Player is pre-installed with most popular
Internet browsers. Sometimes, damage to the flash Player that's already
installed can prevent your upgrading to the latest Flash Player. You
can resolve almost all difficulties encountered with the Flash Player
by taking the following steps:
a) Make sure you have the latest version of your Internet browser.
You can check for later versions of Microsoft Internet Explorer, Netscape
Navigator/Communicator, and America Online at their Web sites:
If there is a more recent version, download its installer to your desktop.
Don't run this installer yet.
b) Uninstall the Flash Player.
To uninstall Flash Player, you must delete the Flash Player plug-in
or ActiveX control. The path to the Flash Player depends on the operating
your computer uses:
Windows 95/98/ME
Delete the swflash.ocx file in the Macromed directory: C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\Macromed\flash\
Windows NT/2000
Delete the swflash.ocx file in the Macromed directory: C:\Windows\System32\Macromed\
Netscape for Windows
Delete the NPSWF32.dll file in the Netscape plugins directory: C:\Program
Files\Netscape\Communicator\Program\Plu gins
Mac OS
a) Delete the Shockwave “Flash
NP-PPC” file in the plug-ins folder of your Internet browser.
b) Restart your computer.
c) If you downloaded the installer for
a more recent version of your Internet browser, launch that installer
now. Follow the instructions the installer gives.
d) Finally, reinstall the Flash
Player here:
Note: If you are using Internet Explorer for Windows, and when attempting
to download the Shockwave and Flash Players, no dialog boxes appear,
you may be experiencing an issue with Microsoft's Install On-Demand feature.
If at any time you indicated that you did not wish to install the Macromedia
Web Players, Install On-Demand will prevent their subsequent installation.
You can undo this setting with the executable
Flash Player Installer.
2. How can permissions affect installing the Flash Player with
Windows NT and Windows 2000?
If you don't have administrator access to your Windows NT- or Windows
2000-equipped computer, you may not be able to install the Flash Player
successfully. Permissions can be tricky, but, in general, you should
be able to install and use the Flash Player if your administrator gives
you full access to the Macromed directory (C:Winnt\S ystem32\Macromed\).
If this does not allow you to install and access the Flash Player, your
administrator may need to experiment with varying levels of restriction
to determine what works.
3. Some Web sites prompt me to download the Flash Player, but
I'm sure I have the latest version. How can I check this?
Some sites may have detection mechanisms built into their web pages
that mistakenly direct you to install the Shockwave or Flash Player.
You can use this Test
Page to verify that you have the Shockwave and Flash Players installed
successfully.
Digital Media Support Group
If you’re having trouble with watching video on our site and need
a quick answer, you can contact a live-human being in our support staff
to assist you between 10 AM and 7PM Pacific time.
Via AOL Instant Messenger: CDDigitalMedia
Via Email: Click here. |
