Watching Statistics Videos in STAT 202, 230, 231

The lecture videos are located in the UW-ACE courses STAT 202, 230 and 231. Recommended UW-ACE browsers are IE7 and Firefox.

Tip: The video image in Firefox is sometimes too big to fit in the browser window. This happens when the video first begins to play and when the video is advanced with the slider. To restore the image to completely fit the window, grab the left or right edge of the window with your mouse and nudge the size of the window just a bit - larger or smaller. The video image size should recalibrate and fit completely in the window.

The recommended video playback method is described below. Alternative methods may work for you, but if they don't, please return to the recommended method.

Playing the videos on campus is smoother and faster because of the higher bandwidth available at UW.

A browser plugin checker helps to tell if your browser has the QuickTime or Windows Media Player plugins.

A more sophisticated plugin checker for Firefox is available here.

The Windows Media Player plugin for IE7 or Firefox 3 can be tested at these sites:

• http://www.vdat.com/techsupport/PRNwindowstest.asp
• http://www.vdat.com/techsupport/windowstest.asp
• http://www.slp3d2.com/launchsiteglobal/test_win.cfm is a Windows Media Player 9 test

If you need help playing the videos send the following info to Paul Kates, pkates@uwaterloo.ca

• Your name (Full name and UW email address):
• Course (STAT 202, 230 or 231):
• Day and time trying to watch videos:
• Computer:
  • PC or Mac
  • laptop or desktop
• Network connection (wired or wireless):
• Operating system (Windows XP, Vista, Windows 7, MacOS, other):
• Location (campus or home):
  • if the video is not playing on a lab computer include the computer number and lab room number and building
• Browser (name and version):
  • look under Help > About to find the version
• Video player browser plugin check results (Windows Media Player and/or QuickTime plugin installed in the browser):
• Video Player version (Windows Media Player or QuickTime):
  • start the video player and look under Help > About to find the program version
• Day and Date of Video:
• An explanation of the problem:
  • e.g. See a black screen saying "Determining User Environment" but no video plays after waiting more than 5 minutes.

Recommended Playback Method: IE7 and Windows Media Player on a PC (e.g. Windows XP)

The simplest way to play the videos is to use Internet Explorer 7 and Windows Media Player 11 on a PC. The video will be streamed to your PC and allow you to click on the timeline to watch any part of the video right away.

Alternative Playback Method 1: Firefox and Windows Media Player on a PC

To see streaming video through Firefox 3, get the Windows Media Player plugin from either of the following two locations:

• http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia/download/AllDownloads.aspx and select the menu options
  • Select Download: Windows Media Player
  • Select Version: Player Plugin for Firefox

• http://port25.technet.com/pages/windows-media-player-firefox-plugin-download.aspx.

Close Firefox and click to install the plugin.

Alternative Playback Method 2: Firefox and QuickTime on a PC

Video sent to the QuickTime player is not streamed. Once a portion of the video is downloaded QuickTime will begin to play it, but you can only move back and forth in that portion of the video that has been sent to your computer.

You will need the PC QuickTime plugin for Firefox available at https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/browse/type:7

Close Firefox and click to install the plugin.

You will also need the PC QuickTime player from Apple.

Alternative Playback Method 3: Firefox and Windows Media Video files on a MAC

Pick up the free MAC player Flip4Mac Windows Media Video (WMV) plugin for QuickTime. This plugin allows QuickTime to play Windows Media Video (WMV) files.

Firefox will require the MAC QuickTime plugin too.

Alternative Playback Method 4: Firefox and QuickTime on a MAC

Firefox will require the MAC QuickTime plugin.

Paul Kates
Mathematics Faculty CTE Liaison
pkates@uwaterloo.ca, x37047
Last modification date: Fri Jan 07 12:36:36 2011.