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Frequently Asked Questions

What is Streaming Video and how can I watch it?
I connect to the Internet through a dial-up account, can I still view the video clips?
I have a high speed connection. Why does the video sometimes seem choppy?
Why does the Player disconnect sometimes when it starts playing content?
Why does the Player temporarily pause when I play content from the Internet?
I do not see any video or hear any sound, what might be the problem?
I think that I am behind a firewall. What is that, and how could it affect me?
Why can't I get video to play on my computer at work?
Why won't Windows Media Player install on my computer at work?
I have Windows Media Player. I'm not behind a firewall, but I still do not see the stream?
Why are you using Windows Media Player?
Why don't you offer Real Media or QuickTime Media in addition to Windows Media?
Why am I prompted to download the software every time I try to watch?
I have a Macintosh computer. Will I be able to view these Windows Media files?
Where can I download the latest Windows Media Player?
Where can I find more information about using Windows Media Player?
I upgraded to Firefox 3 and now I can't watch your videos.

What is Streaming Video and how can I watch it?

Streaming Video refers to a method of media content delivery across the Internet that does not require a user to download a file in its entirety prior to viewing. Video clips are buffered in such a way, that a user may begin to view the video while it is being downloaded. To provide the best quality WOODTV.COM's streaming video presentations are optimized for users with high speed Internet connections such as DSL, Cable Modems, ISDN lines, and other broadband connections.

In order to view the video clips on WOODTV.COM, you will need to have the latest version of Windows Media Player installed on your system, which can be downloaded for free from the link on the right. Once the player is installed, you simply need to click a video link to be taken to the WOODTV.COM Video Player where your requested clip will begin to play.

I connect to the Internet through my dial-up ISP, can I still view the video clips?

Without a broadband Internet connection, it is difficult to reliably deliver streaming video to the end-user. Most often, the result is video that is choppy or pixilated. You might only see a frozen image with some audio, or the video might not play at all.

I have a high speed connection. Why does the video somethimes seem choppy?

It indicates that your computer is "buffering" which means that it is trying to connect or reconnect to the online media. Buffering can be caused by a variety of factors including heavy traffic on your local network or ISP. At different times during the day the Internet can also become bogged down which will provide a slower connection. We make every effort to ensure that our video servers are ready at all times to provide a fast and reliable connection to viewers, but ultimately there are circumstances beyond our control that can affect the delivery of our video.

Why does the Player disconnect sometimes when it starts playing content?

The Player may be detecting your connection speed incorrectly. Open your Windows Media Player, you can manually specify your connection speed on the Performance tab of the Options dialog box.

Why does the Player temporarily pause when I play content from the Internet?

In some cases, firewall's block the protocol required to play streaming content. In those cases, the Player is forced to use a different protocol, which causes buffering and pauses when there is network congestion. To find out whether the Player is pausing (buffering) due to network congestion, you can compare the bandwidth the Player is currently using against the available bandwidth. Open your Windows Media Player, on the View menu, click Statistics, and then click the Advanced tab.

I do not see any video or hear any sound, what might be the problem?

Make sure that you have the correct version of the Windows Media Player installed. Version 11 is the most recent player and can be acquired by clicking here.
Make sure that you are connected to the Internet or your local network.
Make sure Javascript is enabled on your browser.
Make sure that you haven't installed any custom Codec Packs.
Are you behind a firewall? If so, please reference the next question.

I think I'm behind a firewall. What is that, and how could it affect me?

A firewall is used to block unwanted traffic from your network and/or computer. Check with your Network Administrator or ISP to make sure that they have your firewall configured to allow streaming media content to be viewed.

Why can't I get video to play on my computer at work?

Some network administrators may block streaming video in the workplace. Contact your company's IT department for assistance.

Why won't Windows Media Player install on my computer at work?

Some network administrators may limit the rights of users to install or upgrade programs on their computers. Contact your company's IT department for assistance.

The media player is installed. I am not behind a firewall, but I still do not see the stream?

If you have previously viewed a video clip but are currently experiencing problems, try clearing your history and cache in your browser. In Internet Explorer, choose Tools > Internet Options. On the General tab, click the 'Delete Files...' and 'Clear History' buttons.

Why are you using Windows Media Player?

In December of 2004, WOODTV.COM switched its preferred streaming media format from that of Real Network's Real Player to Windows Media. This decision was made in an effort to improve usability for our site visitors and was based primarily upon two factors.

First, Windows Media Player is quickly becoming the most ubiquitous of streaming media formats and is available for several Web browsers on the PC and Mac alike (sorry, no Linux). Second, we have received ample feedback from our users noting the difficulties they encountered while attempting to locate and download the free version of Real Networks Real Player.

Considering Windows Media Player's increasing prevalence, due in large part to the fact that it is included with Windows itself, and the ease with which users can download the application if they do not already have it installed on their system, we have decided to now provide WOODTV.COM's streaming video content in the Windows Media format.

Why don't you offer Real Media or QuickTime Media in addition to Windows Media?

In choosing a single format through which to provide streaming media, we hope to increase the rapidity with which we can deliver streaming media content to the Web through WOODTV.COM. Encoding video content in additional formats would require extra time that would delay our ability to bring you online news and weather video as quickly as possible.

Why am I prompted to download the software every time I try to watch?

You will be prompted to download the plugin if you haven't already installed it on your computer or if the version you have is out of date. If you use Netscape, Mozilla, or Firefox you may have to manually open and install the plug in. Once installed, the video should play without this message appearing.

I have a Macintosh computer. Will I be able to view these Windows Media files?

Currently Microsoft supports the Mac version of Windows Media Player 9 for OS X. It can be acquired by clicking here. If you have Flip4Mac installed, try disabling it. We’ve found that Flip4Mac interferes with our videos that are encoded specifically for WMP 9.