Internet Audio Troubleshooting

Remember, your system might be slightly different!

1. Find the Speaker icon on your screen and double click on it.

(The Speaker icon is usually at the bottom right of the screen with other icons on the taskbar. If the Speaker icon should not be there check the next alternative path we detail.)

2. A "Play Control" or "Volume Control" window should appear.

3. Click on "Options".

4. The "Options" menu should appear.

5. Click on "Properties".

6. The "Properties" window should appear.

7. The "Play Control" or "Volume Control" box should be checkmarked.

8. The "Wave/MP3" or "Wave" box should be checkmarked.

(If one of those boxes shouldn't have a checkmark in them, click on the box to make a checkmark.)

9. Click on "OK" which should also close the "Properties" window.

(If not, you can close it by clicking on an X in a corner of that window.)

In the "Play Control" or "Volume Control" window, there should be a volume control (a slider) for "Play Control" or "Volume Control". If there isn't a slider for that control you should refresh the window. Close the "Play Control" or "Volume Control" window and open it again like in step #1 above.

In the "Play Control" or "Volume Control" window, there should be a volume control (a slider) for "Wave/MP3" or "Wave". If there isn't a slider for that control you should refresh the window. Close the "Play Control" or "Volume Control" window and open it again like in step #1 above.

11. The "Play Control" or "Volume Control" slider should not be muted.

12. The "Wave/MP3" or "Wave" slider should not be muted.

(If the above "Mute" boxes should be gray (instead of White) or have a checkmark in them, click on the "Mute" box to make it White or to remove the checkmark.)

13. Raise the "Wave/MP3" or "Wave" volume all the way up.

(Position the pointer of your mouse over the button of the volume slider, click on the mouse but do not release. Drag the button up. Release it after you have reached the top.)

Raising the "Wave/MP3" volume all the way up may temporarily make your computer alert sounds extremely loud. (Microsoft, unfortunately, designed some versions of Windows to share the same volume for computer alert sounds and mp3s.) When you do not want to listen to mp3s, you will probably need to lower the volume via the Speaker icon (as shown in the Speakers/Amplifiers section above).

Although the "Play Control" or "Volume Control" slider should also be controlled by the Speaker icon (as shown in the Speakers/Amplifier section above) you should perform step #14 below.

14. Raise the "Play Control" or "Volume Control" slider all the way up.

15. Close the "Play Control" or "Volume Control" window.

(Usually by clicking on an X in a corner of that window.)

Now attempt to play a mp3.

Still not working? You might want to read the next section below or jump ahead to after "Computer Volume" paths.

Remember, your system might be slightly different!

1. Find the "Start" menu on your screen and click on it.

("Start" is usually on the bottom left hand corner of the screen.)

2. The "Start" menu should appear.

3. Move the pointer of your mouse to "Settings" and leave it there.

4. The "Settings" menu should appear.

5. Carefully move the pointer of your mouse over to "Control Panel" and click on it.

6. Click on "Control Panel".

7. The "Control Panel" window should appear.

8. Double click on "Sound and Audio Devices" or "Multimedia".

9. The "Sound and Audio Devices Properties" or the "Multimedia Properties" window should appear.

10. If you should have the "Sound and Audio Properties" window click on any "Advanced" button. If you should have the "Multimedia Properties" window click on "Playback".

11. The "Master Volume" or "Volume Control" window should appear.

In the window, there should be volume controls (sliders) for "Master Volume" or "Volume Control" and "Wave".

12. "Master Volume" or "Volume Control" and "Wave" sliders should not be muted.

(If one of those "Mute" boxes should have a checkmark in them, click on the box to remove the checkmark.)

13. Raise the "Master Volume" or "Volume Control" and the "Wave" volumes all the way up.

(Position the pointer of your mouse over the button of the volume slider, click on the mouse but do not release. Drag the button up. Release it after you have reached the top.)

Raising the "Wave" volume all the way up may make your "computer alert sounds" extremely loud. You may need to perform this next optional step:

14. Lower the "SW Synth" volume as much you had raised the "Wave" volume.

The "Wave" slider controls mp3s; the "SW Synth" slider controls your "computer alert sounds".

If you should not have a "SW Synth" or some sort of separate computer alert sound volume you will not be able to make these sounds softer when you want to listen to mp3s. When you are through listening to mp3s, you can lower the volume back down again via the Speaker icon (as shown in the Speakers/Amplifiers section above).

Now continue with one of the following versions which you should have:

Remember, your system might be slightly different!

1. Find the "My Computer" menu on your screen and click on it.

("My Computer" is usually somewhere at the top of the screen.)

2. The "My Computer" menu should appear.

3. Click on "Control Panel".

4. The "Control Panel" window should appear.

5. Click on "Sounds and Multimedia".

6. The "Sounds and Multimedia" window should appear.

7. The "Sound Playback" slider should not be muted.

(If the above "Mute" box should be gray [instead of White] or have a checkmark in it, click on the "Mute" box to make it White or to remove the checkmark.)

8. Raise the "Sound Playback" slider all the way up.

(Position the pointer of your mouse over the button of the volume slider, click on the mouse but do not release. Drag the button up. Release it after you have reached the top.)

Raising the "Sound Playback" volume all the way up should not make your computer alert sounds louder than usual. If they should be louder than usual you will have to always lower the "Sound Playback" slider or the Speaker icon slider (as shown in the Speakers/Amplifiers section above) when you have finished listening to mp3s.

9. Close the "Sound Playback" window.

(Usually by clicking on an X in a corner of that window.)

Now attempt to play a mp3.

Still not working? You might want to read some of the sections above or below before jumping ahead to after "Computer Volume" paths.

Remember, your system might be slightly different!

1. Find the "Start" menu on your screen and click on it.

("Start" is usually on the bottom left hand corner of the screen.)

2. The "Start" menu should appear.

3. Click on "Programs".

4. The "Programs" window should appear.

5. Click on "Volume Control".

6. The "Volume Control" window should appear.

7. Click on "Options".

8. The "Options" menu should appear.

9. Click on "Properties".

10. The "Properties" window should appear.

11. The "Volume Control", "Wave" and "PC Speaker" boxes should be checkmarked.

(If those boxes shouldn't have a checkmark in them, click on the box to make a checkmark.)

12. Click on "OK".

13. Close the "Properties" window.

(Usually by clicking on an X in a corner of that window.)

In the "Volume Control" window, there should be volume controls (sliders) for "Volume Control", "Wave" and "PC Speaker". If there aren't sliders for those controls you should refresh the window. Close the "Volume Control" window and redo steps 1 - 6.

14. "Volume Control", "Wave" and "PC Speaker" sliders should not be muted.

(If the above "Mute" boxes should be gray [instead of White] or have a checkmark in them, click on the "Mute" boxes to make them White or to remove the checkmarks.)

15. Raise the "Volume Control", "Wave" and "PC Speaker" sliders all the way up.

(Position the pointer of your mouse over the button of the volume slider, click on the mouse but do not release. Drag the button up. Release it after you have reached the top.)

Raising the "Wave" volume all the way up may temporarily make your computer alert sounds extremely loud. (Microsoft, unfortunately, designed some versions of Windows 2000 to share the same volume for computer alert sounds and mp3s.) When you do not want to listen to mp3s, you will probably need to lower the volume via the Speaker icon (as shown in the Speakers/Amplifiers section above) or via the "Volume Control" or "PC Speaker" sliders in the "Volume Control" window.

16. Close the "Volume Control" window.

(Usually by clicking on an X in a corner of that window.)

Now attempt to play a mp3.

Still not working? You might want to read some of the sections above or jump ahead to after "Computer Volume" paths.

This section is for Mac System 10 users with volume troubles--not for downloading options (see Mac System 10 & Safari below).

This section is divided into 2 parts: How to get information about adjusting the sound from your speakers and then our advice on how to control the sound from your speakers.

Remember, your system might be slightly different!

To find out information about getting sound from your speakers:

a. Click on the background (and not on any window or webpage).

b. Find the word "Help" on your screen and click on it.

(The word "Help" should be near the top left of the screen.)

c. The "Mac Help" menu should appear.

d. Click on "Mac Help".

e. The "Mac Help" window should appear.

f. Click on "Browse Mac OS Help".

g. The "Browse Mac OS Help" window should appear.

(On the left hand side of the window there should be a menu with the following option.)

h. Click on "Customizing your Mac".

i. The "Customizing Your Mac" window should appear.

j. Click on "Adjusting sound".

k. The "Adjusting sound" window should appear.

(There is a lot of information to choose from but may we suggest that you try the following first?)

l. Click on "I can't hear sound from my speakers".

If the directions above should not work you could try the following:

Remember, your system might be slightly different!

How to control the sound from your speakers:

1. Find the Apple icon on your screen and click on it.

(The Apple icon should be at the top left of the screen.)

2. The Apple menu should appear.

3. Click on "System Preferences...".

4. The "System Preferences" window should appear.

5. Click on "Sound".

6. The "Sound" window should appear.

7. Make sure that the "Mute" box does not have a checkmark in it.

(If it should be checkmarked, click on the box to remove the checkmark.)

8. Raise the "Output volume" all the way up by moving it to the right.

(Position the pointer of your mouse over the button of the volume slider, click on the mouse but do not release. Drag the button to the right and then release the mouse.)

Raising the "Output volume" all the way up WILL make all of your other computer sounds extremely loud. You should lower the other sounds on your computer, such as "Alert volume". So then why raise the "Output volume" at all? Because raising it gives you far more latitude in controlling your sound. You can always make it softer but never louder than what the "Output volume" is set for.

9. You may wish to checkmark, "Show volume in menu bar".

This places a Speaker icon near the upper right hand corner of your screen. Clicking on the Speaker icon gives you temporary control of the volume. The computer volume will eventually return to the setting of the "Output volume".

10. Close the "Sound" window by clicking on the red X in the upper corner of that window.

Now attempt to play a mp3.

Still not working? You might want to read some of the sections above or scroll down to the next section.

What's Safari? Safari is Apple's Internet browser designed specifically to work with Mac System 10 and up to alleviate all of the problems you are about to read below.

Those of you who should have Mac Operating Systems pre-System 10 or insist upon using other browsers with System 10 and up might find the following helpful in dealing with downloading problems.

One of the long term problems of Mac architecture has been the infamous "Download Manager". Working secretly on your machine, never letting you know what it's doing, the "Download Manager" is probably the number one cause of user frustration.

Whenever you click on some media download (including our mp3s) your Mac will, in most cases, actually download your request. But then the "busy" icon will continue to spin and not play your download. What you need to do is to get to the "Download Manager" and play the media from there. Why? We have no idea why! There is no excuse that it can't be played right from your Internet browser. (This is one of the few areas where Microsoft users can laugh at you.)

Here's how to handle the problem (but remember, your system might be slightly different!):

1. Point your mouse on the media, in our case, an mp3. Here's a

30 second mp3

for our radio series, "The Soul Patrol".

2. Depress AND KEEP DEPRESSING the "Control" or "ctrl" key on your keyboard as you click on the media you wish to download. (You can use the mp3 above).

3. Let go of the "Control" or "ctrl" key.

4. A menu should appear on your screen near to where you clicked on the media.

5. Click on "Download Link to Disk".

Now here's where the insanity begins. Your Mac could follow one of the following paths:

6. Your computer will not download the media and instead a Save menu appears first. 7. The Save menu offers a "Save as" field, in which you can keep the original name of the file or type in a new name so that the file will be easier to find. 8. The Save menu will also offer a "Where" pulldown menu, with which you can decide where you'd like to store the file. If you're new at this, leave "Where" on the default setting which could be "Documents". (But one day, you may wish to set up a separate media folder.) 9. After making your choices on the Save menu, click on "Save". 10. Your computer will then download the media (which, for the rest of this section, we call a "file"). Don't risk doing anything on your Mac until it finishes downloading. Somewhere on your computer screen you should find some kind of indication of the progress of the download. This should appear in a separate window or at the bottom of your Internet browser. 11. During or after the download a "Download Manager" window should appear. If the "Download Manager" window (or any window) should not appear, look behind your browser to see if it is there. 12. Find your new media file listed in that window. 13. Once you have found the file in the "Download Manager", double click on the file. 14. The file window should appear. This is a window with the name of the media file and other information; but you currently cannot access that file. (Look, don't blame us!) 15. To access the file, click on "Reveal in Finder". 16. A window with the location of the file should appear. (If you left the "Where" on "Documents" back on step #8, it will be the "Documents" window which should appear here.) 17. Click on the file name and the file should start to play. (In some cases, clicking on the file name may open a player. It may start to play automatically or you may need to click on the player to get it to start.) 18. Your Mac will use whatever default player you or it has chosen. If you should still not hear anything then the problem is probably with your volume settings or with your player. You may wish to skip ahead to the mp3 Players section.

6. Your computer will then download the media (which, for the rest of this section, we call a "file"). Don't risk doing anything on your Mac until it finishes downloading. Somewhere on your computer screen you should find some kind of indication of the progress of the download. This should appear in a separate window or at the bottom of your Internet browser. 7. After downloading, a "Downloads Manager" window should appear. 8. Click on the title of the file. 9. A file window should appear. 10. Click on "Reveal in Finder". 11. A window should appear with the file shown. The name of this window is where your Mac places downloads. Your computer should automatically download files to the "Documents" folder (but your Mac can be set up to place files almost anywhere). 12. Click on the file. 13. Your Mac will use whatever default player you or it has chosen. If you should still not hear anything then the problem is probably with your volume settings or with your player. You may wish to skip ahead to the mp3 Players section.

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Mac System 10 & Safari

A Safari icon, which should be at the bottom of your screen.

First off, don't use Microsoft's Internet Explorer to play mp3s on your Mac. Just read above in The Evil Mac Download Manager (without Safari) section of the torture which awaits you. Instead, use Apple's Safari browser which plays mp3s instantly. Safari comes preloaded on all Macs with System 10 and up.

(If you should be experiencing volume problems, please check the Mac System 10 section above.)

With Safari you have a choice of playing an mp3 (and not keeping the file) or bookmarking an mp3 (and not keeping the file) or downloading an mp3 and then playing it (and keeping the file)!

Playing an mp3 (and not keeping the file) 1. Simply click-on the mp3 and Apple's Quicktime will automatically play the file. (How many years did it take Apple to design that?)

Bookmarking an mp3 (and not keeping the file) 1. Point your mouse on the media, in our case, an mp3. Here's a 30 second mp3 for our radio series, "The Soul Patrol". 2. Depress AND KEEP DEPRESSING the "Control" or "ctrl" key on your keyboard. 3. Depress AND KEEP DEPRESSING the mouse on the media you wish to download. (You can use the mp3 above). 4. A menu should appear on your screen near to where you are pressing down on the mp3. 5. Drag the pointer of the mouse to select "Open with iTunes". 6. Let go of the "Control" or "ctrl" key. 7. Stop depressing the mouse. 8. A new iTunes window should open. 9. Go to the "Source" column on the left hand side of the iTunes window. 10. Click-on "Library". 11. A Library list should appear. 12. Find the new bookmarked mp3 and click-on it. 13. An "Opening URL" window should open and then close when... 14. A "Connecting" window should open, then replaced by... 15. A "Rebuffering system" window should open and then close once enough of the file has been accessed. 16. The mp3 should now play from the URL (the location of the mp3 on the Internet). Your iTunes will keep a bookmark on where the mp3 is located on the Internet; it will not keep the actual mp3 file.

Downloading an mp3 (and keeping the file) 1. Point your mouse on the media, in our case, an mp3. Here's a 30 second mp3 for our radio series, "The Soul Patrol". 2. Depress AND KEEP DEPRESSING the "Control" or "ctrl" key on your keyboard. 3. Depress AND KEEP DEPRESSING the mouse on the media you wish to download. (You can use the mp3 above). 4. A menu should appear on your screen near to where you are pressing down on the mp3. 5. Drag the pointer of the mouse to select "Download Linked File As..." 6. Let go of the "Control" or "ctrl" key. 7. Stop depressing the mouse. Your Mac could follow one of the following paths: 8. A "Save As" window should open. 9. You could now change the name of the file or keep the current name. To keep things simple (for our example), just keep the current name. 10. Click-on "Save As". 11. A "Connecting" window should open, then replaced by... 12. A "Rebuffering system" window should open, then replaced by... 13. A "Downloads" window should appear. 8. Your computer automatically downloads the file. 9. A "Downloads" window should appear. (Continue below with step #14.) If you should ever see a window like this, just click on the icon (the little magnifying glass) on the right hand side of the file. (The one shown above doesn't actually work.) It should lead you to where that file is located on your machine and you could play it from there. 14. Find the icon of the little magnifying glass and click-on it. 15. The location of the just downloaded mp3 should appear. In this example it should be the Desktop of your Mac. In other words, you should see the mp3 on your screen right now. If you shouldn't see it, it might have appeared behind one of the windows or menus on your screen. And sometimes, just clicking-on the background helps refreshen the Desktop so that the new image will appear. 16. Double-click on the mp3. 17. An iTunes window should appear and the mp3 should now play.

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Volume Still Too Low?

Headphones
If you should still be unable to raise your settings high enough, try listening over headphones. Not only will you have more control over the volume but you'll hear everything in much greater detail!

Dynamics
Another reason why our audio may seem low is because we intentionally mix our show with a lot of loud and soft parts (called dynamics). We don't like audio that is just loud all the time and believe that there should be both quiet and loud passages when appropriate. Turn up your volume for our show and you will be richly rewarded! But back to the basics...

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mp3 Players

Maybe it's now time to make sure that you have an mp3 player loaded on your computer? Chances are that you already have one as most (if not all) Internet browsers come with a player. If you cannot figure out if you have an mp3 player or not you could always try to load a new one. Check the site of your Internet Browser and the sites which have players that also come with mp3 capabilities:

Latest version of Windows Media

Firefox Browser

Latest version of Netscape

Opera Browser

An Easy Player for Macs

A Slightly Harder Player for Macs

RealOne Player

Audio Player for Linux

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Other Problems & Solutions

Use 2 Browsers
Having trouble downloading via your browser? You can have a second, different browser on your computer. Sometimes switching to a different browser (even if that browser can't download properly) sometimes clears up the problem with your first browser. We wish we knew why, but we don't.

Unusually Long Download Times
There are usually 1 to 3 reasons for this:

• Your Internet Service Provider (ISP) is clogged-up with too many people Online.

• Your modem is too slow.

• Your computer is infected with a worm or virus and it is slowing down your connection to the Internet.

Please try the following:

• When your ISP is too busy it slows your download to the point where the ISP may kick you off. They'll kick you off because the downloading process prevents you from making any new requests on the Internet (and when the ISP detects that lack of activity, they kick you off)! It's a vicious circle! Try again late at night or early in the morning and please read the section, "Net Congestion" down below.

• If you should have a 28k modem (with a bad ISP) then it will probably take far too long to download a big mp3. May we suggest that if you can, please try to get a faster modem and a better ISP! You'll enjoy the Internet a lot more!

• On September 18, 2001 a worm called "Code Red" was introduced via the Internet to cause havoc. As worms & virus' go it was ineffectual. Although it spread rapidly, Code Red did little damage and was easily treatable. However, this worm still remains hidden on many computers and gives the appearance that your Internet connection is slow. Code Red slows down your connection by making requests for files to every site you visit or, in some cases, emails which you send or receive. To get rid of a worm or virus please visit the Internet site of your Operating System, such as this one for Microsoft.

"Net Congestion"
Try to visit when the Internet is at its least busiest. When everyone is online it makes it hard for your Internet Service Provider (ISP) to supply an uninterrupted session which is necessary to receive a long download. The worst time to visit is on Sundays through Fridays from 4pm to 10pm--no matter where you live. (Saturdays and holidays are bad too.)

Intentional Interruption of Service
Most ISPs can't or won't see any activity while you're downloading. They may disconnect you during a long download because they may think that you're not doing anything. May we suggest that when you'd like to attempt a long download that you start a new session on the Internet and then go directly to the site you want. ISPs usually give you the most uninterrupted time at the start of your session.

DSL
Interrupted sessions are more than likely caused by your local ISP with their lack of lines and equipment. Visit us late at night or early in the morning or avoid the whole problem by switching to DSL! Once you try DSL--you'll never go back to a dial-up or cable modem again!

"Step away from the keyboard!"
To further your enjoyment, we hope that you'll be able to listen to our series in a friendly, relaxed environment. Just about the worst place would be at a busy office over tiny computer loudspeakers. Please try listening at home--it might make a world of difference! Listening with friends and family also helps create a fun, unique experience. It's the way old time radio was "sampled" by our forefathers and with good reason!