How can I make sure I can watch an Omnicast Presentation or webcast?

There are only 4 things you need to watch an IQue video stream.

First, is an Internet connection, either dial-up or broadband. IQue's video quality looks the best if you have a broadband connection. IQue's Dynamic Bit Rate streams automatically selects the correct bit rate for you (see "What bit rate does IQue stream use?"). 

Second, you will need Windows Media Player 6.04 or greater. However IQue recommends that you download the latest Media Player from Microsoft.

Third, You need the correct codec (video and audio decoder) on your computer. This codec is automatically downloaded if this is your first time watching an IQue presentation. Typically, if you hear the audio but do not see the video, you do not have the proper codec on your machine. Click here to manually download the latest codec.

Forth, you need to have speakers attached to your computer and turned on.

Why don't the graphics on the right change?

The Windows Media Player's default setting allows IQue's Omnicast Presentations to work properly. However, there are some IT departments that change this security settings and you will have to change it back to the default settings.

Open the Windows Media Player and select "Tools", "Options". From the options window select the "Security" tab. Uncheck, "Do not run script commands and rich media streams if the Player is running inside a Web page." Click "OK".

Do I need to change any computer setting to watch?

Normally, you do not have to change any settings from the normal Windows installation. However, many corporations make changes on personal computers for security reasons or to keep employees from viewing certain content on the Internet. The most common setting change is the popup-blocker. IQue recommends that if you have a problem watching a presentation, temporarily turn OFF your popup-blocker. Then, if you can watch the presentation, use your popup-blocker configuration/control panel to change your filter setting to "Low" or "Medium." Or you can change your popup-blocker settings to allow content from http://omnicast.iqueip.com and http://www.iqueip.com. In some situations you may have to enable ActiveX in your browser.

What browser do I need to watch a presentation?

IQue's presentations work with both Windows and Apple computers. IQue's presentations can be watched on Windows using Internet Explorer, Netscape and Mozilla Firefox. On Apple computers IQue's presentations works on Internet Explorer, Netscape, Safari, Mozilla and Firefox.

When I click the start button, the Omnicast Presentation page loads but where the video should be I have a big red "X"? 

When I click the start button, the Omnicast Presentation page loads, but where the video should be I have a white and red square? 

This means that you DO have Windows Media Player installed on your computer BUT, you do not have ActiveX enabled in your browser.

If you are using Internet Explorer, click Tools/Internet Options/Security/Custom Level/ scroll down to Run ActiveX controls and plug-ins, ENABLE.

When I click the start button, the Omnicast Presentation page loads but the video does not play. 

When the Windows Media Player loads, watch the status bar located below the Play and Stop buttons. In this status bar, the first thing that will be display is "connecting to media" this should only take 1 to 3 seconds, then it will display buffering with a percentage of completion. Once the buffering percentage reaches 100 per cent, the video will start playing. If the status reads "connecting" and then "READY", you need to enable the proper protocol and proxy in the Media Player. Open the Windows Media Player and select Tools/Options/Network. In the Streaming Protocol section, select all 4 options, Multicast, UDP, TCP, and HTTP. Under the Streaming proxy settings, Protocol/HTTP set Proxy to "Browser" by highlighting "HTTP" then click configure, select "Use proxy settings of the web browser." 

When I click the start button, the Omnicast Presentation page loads but the Media Player Status bar repeatedly displays Connecting?

This is usually a firewall issue. IQue's video streams are designed to stream through firewalls, but at the same time to stream the video using the latest streaming protocols. On the Internet, there are many different protocols to transport data, HTTP, FTP, UDP, MMS, RTSP, TCP, etc. IQue uses many of these protocols to transport video over the Internet. IQue's preferred protocol is MMS/RTSP. Most firewalls in large corporations block these protocols. When you try to watch an IQue video stream, IQue's video broadcast center starts sending the video using MMS/RTSP. If the server does not get a response back from your Media Player, then the server assumes that the MMS/RTSP stream did not get to the Media Player. The server then retransmits the video using TCP, if there is no response, then the server retransmits the video using HTTP. In a few rare cases, due to the Internet connection speed or the firewall and other issues, the time it takes for IQue's video servers to actual get a stream to the Media Player exceeds the maximum time limit for the connection. To test if the time limit is an issue, click on one of the below links.

   Normal video stream using IQue's auto function
    Video stream using HTTP protocol

What Bandwidth is needed to watch a presentation?

IQue uses a Dynamic Bit Rate. IQue's presentations are cross-platform and work in multiple browsers. To maintain this compatibility, IQue's presentations are in two classifications: Dial-up and Broadband. If you have a choice between Dial-up or Broadband and you click on Broadband, IQue's servers automatically will select the best bit rate for your connection. Then every three seconds the server will select a new bit rate based on the result of the previous three seconds. This Dynamic Bit Rate guarantees the highest quality video even if your Internet connection speed changes, as with a cable modem.

    Dynamic Bit Rate example
         700Kbps only example
         350Kbps only example
         150Kbps only example

I thought IQue's video streams never buffer?

It's impossible to guarantee that no buffering will occur when transmitting via the Internet. When a video stream is transmitted from one of IQue's broadcast centers, it may travel through 20 different ISPs and 100 different pieces of hardware, to your ISP and then to your computer. There are so many different variables it's impossible to know the exact bandwidth IQue can use for the presentation. By using Dynamic Bit Rate, every three seconds IQue's servers may change the bit rate for the video stream. If your internet connection bandwidth changes radically, then IQue servers have to react during the next three seconds and there may be some buffering.

When I watch a presentation, it buffers during the first 10 seconds?

Before the video is streamed, IQue's Dynamic Bit Rate, automatically asks your computer, "What is the speed of your Internet connection?" Your computer sends IQue's servers the speed at which it thinks it is connected. HOWEVER, if you are connected through an in-house network (Intranet) or an Internet connection speed that is dependent on other users, i.e. Cable Modem, then your computer does not really know the true speed at which it is connect. Therefore, it may take several seconds for IQue's servers to get an accurate measurement of your connection speed.

EXAMPLE - You click the start button, IQue's server ask your computer, "What is your connection speed?" Your computer answers with "2 Mbps," IQue's servers select and send three seconds of audio/video at 1Mbps. After the three seconds of audio/video is sent, IQue's servers ask your computer, "What percentage of the data did you receive?" Your computer might answer "35%". Since there was a large discrepancy in the speed your computer reported, the amount of data that IQue's servers tried to send and how much data your computer received, the Media Player would buffer.

The IQue server would now select a new bit rate (400Kbps) and send three more seconds of audio/video. At the end of transmitting 3 seconds of data, IQue's servers will ask again, "What percentage of the data did you receive?" Your computer might respond with "70%". There might be a short amount of buffering time. IQue's server again will select a new bit rate (300Kbps) and it will send 3 seconds of audio/video data. This time when you computer is asked, "What percentage of the data did you receive?" Your computer responds with 100%. Now there is NO buffering and IQue's servers have now customized the audio/video bandwidth for the actual connection speed of your computer. The dynamic testing process of asking your computer what percentage of data has been received is repeated every three seconds during the entire time you are watching a presentation.

To see an example of what bit rate you can watch on your Internet connection, click on the following examples. REMEMBER, these examples are NOT an IQue Dynamic Bit Rate and when you watch one of these examples and it starts to buffer, you have exceeded your Internet connection's bandwidth.

         700Kbps only example
         350Kbps only example
         150Kbps only example

Here is the same video but using IQue's Dynamic Bit Rate.

         Dynamic Bit Rate example

What is bandwidth and why can't I watch normal TV on the Internet?

Bandwidth is a term used for how much data will be transmitted, normally measured every second. When you get an Internet connection, you pay for the amount of bandwidth you need, 256Kbps, 500Kbps, etc. Kbps, stands for Kilo (thousand) Bits Per Second. So if you have a 500Kbps DSL, you might be able to download 500 thousand bits of data every second. To put this in perspective, check the following examples:

As you can see in the above chart, it is not possible to transmit normal video over the Internet. You cannot transmit 25 millions bit of data through a connection speed of only 500 thousand bits per second.

Can I watch IQue's video full screen?

Yes, you can watch the video full screen, but only if IQue's client allows this feature to be enabled for their presentations. In an Omnicast Presentation™, move your mouse over the video when it is playing and right click, left click on "zoom," then left click on "full screen". To return the video back to its normal size, press "ESC" on the keyboard. If you are watching a video in the regular stand alone Media Player, hold "ALT" and press "ENTER." To return to the Media Player, press "ESC."

What do I need to know about using a MAC?

For All Macs