General
What are Exploratorium Webcasts?
When can I watch a Webcast?
Getting Started
What do I need to view a Webcast?
Player download links
Troubleshooting
How do I test the media player?
Why can't I receive the Webcast?
Why are there stops or gaps during the Webcasts?
Talk to Us
Email us a question or give us feedback
General
What are Webcasts?
Exploratorium Webcasts are live video or audio broadcasts that are
transmitted over the Internet. Exploratorium Webcasts are produced
in front of a live audience at the Phyllis C. Wattis Webcast Studio
in San Francisco. Learn more about Webcasts.
When can I watch a Webcast?
You can watch a Webcast any time during or after the live Webcast.
Note that Webcast times are listed in Pacific Standard time. See
upcoming Webcasts for dates and times.
Getting Started
What do I need to view a Webcast?
To view a Webcast, you need to have the required media player (Real,
Quicktime, or Windows Media) installed on your computer. The required
media player is listed next to the Webcast date on both the upcoming
Webcasts and archive pages.
Download links
RealPlayer
Quicktime
Windows Media Player
You do not need to purchase the premium players to view our webcasts. You can download the free versions of the players. They work fine!
You may want to test your media player.
before the actual Webcast to ensure the player works properly.
Troubleshooting
How do I test the media player?
Click on the appropriate link below to test your media player:
RealPlayer Test
Windows Media Player Test (256kbps)
Quicktime Test (not available yet)
If your media player does not launch, you may need to
install the media player. If the media player launches but does
not play, you may need to configure your browser
or upgrade your media player. If the test message appears, you are
ready to receive a Live@Exploratorium Webcast.
Why can't I receive the Webcast?
Use your refresh or reload button on your browser to load the most
recent version of the page--the one with the live Webcast. Try holding
down the shift key while refreshing or try reloading the web page.
You may have an older version of the page loaded in your cache.
Why are there stops or gaps during the Webcasts?
Poor sound/video quality, excessive buffering, and/or delays in
connectivity are all usually due to insufficient bandwidth. Due
to Internet congestion, some jumps and/or buffering may be unavoidable.
During popular live Webcasts, our servers may be overloaded. We
do everything we can to avoid this situation. You may also experience
these types of problems when your computer's resources are limited.
Try not to run other applications while accessing streaming media.
Talk to Us
