Iditarod Insider subscribers will be able to watch live broadcasts of the ceremonial start, official restart and the leader's finish. These broadcasts are "streamed" via the Internet. Below you'll find answers to the most common questions.
Where will I find links to the live broadcasts?
We will post links, about 15 minutes in advance of the broadcast, in the Insider section of the website. You will need to be logged into your Insider account to see the links. Please note the broadcast times:
Ceremonial Start - March 5, 2011 @ 9:30am Alaska Time
The ceremonial start is complete and available, within 24-48 hours of the broadcast, as an archive for viewing under "Live Events" when logged in as an Iditarod Insider.
Official Restart - March 6, 2011 @ 1:45pm Alaska Time
The official restart is complete and available, within 24-48 hours of the broadcast, as an archive for viewing under "Live Events" when logged in as an Iditarod Insider.
Leader's Finish - March 15 (Estimate)
The leader's finish is complete and will be available, within 24-48 hours of the broadcast, as an archive for viewing under "Live Events" when logged in as an Iditarod Insider.
What are the basic requirements?
For Windows users, we recommend Windows XP or above and Windows Media Player 9 or above. To download Windows Media Player or upgrade (we suggest making sure you have the latest version), click here.
For Macintosh users, we recommend OS X and either Windows Media Player components for QuickTime (click here) or VLC (click here).
We do not support Windows Media Player 6.4, Real Player or QuickTime (except with Windows Media Components on a Mac, see above). Also note that Windows Media Player 8 contains a known bug that will cause audio to begin playing before the video does. If you see this happening, upgrade your player.
How do I verify that I have Windows Media Player installed correctly?
Try viewing NASA TV's live broadcast.
What if Windows Media Player isn't working right?
Please visit Microsoft's technical support center for troubleshooting tips and solutions. Sorry, we can't provide individual assistance in fixing problems with the Windows Media Player.
The video displays like a slide show. How can I fix this?
The videos that you are watching are sent, or streamed, to your computer over the Internet. The speed at which these files can be streamed varies depending on your computer's "bandwidth." In other words, if you have a high bandwidth connection (i.e. cable, DSL, T1/LAN connection), your computer can receive streaming video at a higher speed than a user with low bandwidth (i.e. modem / ISDN) connection.
This also means that a user with high bandwidth can receive larger, better quality video stream. On the other hand, a user with a lower bandwidth may receive the video as a slide show or choppy if they cannot receive the full video stream. You can also check your video card settings. Set the number of colors higher than 256k colors.
Finally, you may be experiencing problems due to bandwidth congestion. If the problem persists, we also recommend checking back at a time when your Internet service provider may experience less congestion to see if there is an improvement.
The Video Player displays but nothing happens?
If you meet the system requirements but still have difficulty accessing, we recommend you disable any ad or pop up blocking software tools, particularly including Norton Internet Security Professional. When pop-up window blocking is enabled, the ad blocking feature automatically blocks the programming code web sites use to open secondary windows, which may include the video player. Also check that you have cookies enabled.
I cannot hear the audio. How can I fix this?
To be able to hear the audio on videos, you must have a working sound card and your computer speakers turned on with the volume set at an appropriate level. If you still receive video without audio, verify that your system audio works by playing another audio application and/or checking your speaker and headphone wires.
You may be experiencing an issue downloading the necessary audio codecs needed to view video. You can remedy the issue by manually downloading and installing them. For more information and to download codecs, click here.
What do I do if I get an error in regards to codecs?
If a codec error appears when you attempt to watch video, you may be experiencing an issue downloading the necessary codecs needed to view video. You can remedy the issue by manually downloading and installing them. Click here.
The audio sounds like chipmunks - too fast. How can I fix this?
Updating your sound card's driver might take care of this problem. If you need assistance with getting the latest version of your sound card driver, contact the card manufacturer.
What speed does the video play at?
The videos that you are watching are sent, or streamed, to your computer over the Internet. The speed at which these files can be streamed varies depending on your computer's "bandwidth." In other words, if you have a high bandwidth connection (i.e. cable, DSL, T1/LAN connection), your computer can receive streaming video at a higher speed than a user with low bandwidth (i.e. modem / ISDN) connection. The video on this site is streamed at 3 different rates to allow for the best quality for your bandwidth.
The Video Player buffers the video but the video never loads?
If the video player buffers video but never loads the clip or loads the clip but the video stutters then your DSL/cable providers using Network Address Translation (NAT) may not be forwarding UDP packets properly. The solution is to disable UDP in Media Player. For more information on disabling the UDP, click here.
