InformIT/Cisco Press Online Video FAQ

How do I view the video?

Once you have purchased your video, simply log into your Account page. The video files will be stored in the Digital Products section for you to access at any time. Once you click on your product, you should see a table of contents page.

What format are the videos?

All of the videos are served up through a Web browser with the QuickTime Plug-in. We recommend QuickTime Player 7 or higher. The QuickTime Player is available for both Mac and PC users.

Mac users, go to www.apple.com/quicktime/download/mac.html to download the latest player.

PC users, go to www.apple.com/quicktime/download/win.html to download the latest player.

Can I save the files to my computer?

No. The videos are only accessible while logged into InformIT.com or ciscopress.com. A downloadable version is under development.

Can I view the videos on other devices?

At this time the videos are only playable on your computer through a web browser with the QuickTime Plug-in. We are in the process of bringing you quite a few other options in the near future, so stay tuned.

How long will it take me to download the movies?

Download times will vary based on your Internet connection speed. Since we are using progressive download, you will be able to start watching your video in just a few seconds. It will continue to download as you watch.

Our lesson files range from 25-200 MB per each chapter download. The following table is an approximation of the time it takes download a 100 MB file, depending on your connection speed. Divide the time in half for a 50 MB file and double the time for a 200 MB file.

Connection Type	Speed* (k= kbps) (M=Mbps)	Approximate Download Time*
Modem	14.4 k	16 hrs.
Modem	56 k	4 hrs.
ISDN	128 k	1.75 hrs.
Wireless	144 k	1.5 hrs.
Wireless	516 k	30 min.
DSL	640 k	20 min.
T1	1.5 Mbps	18 seconds
T3/Cable	3-5 Mbps	> 10 seconds
Other stuff	Faster Still	Instantly

* Actual bandwidth speeds vary depending on network conditions.

Why do I see a QuickTime symbol instead of my video?

Some of our longer videos take more time to load; you may have to wait for a moment to view your video. If your video still does not appear, click the chapter again to reload the video.

If you are having issues with a QuickTime video, we recommend that you change the QuickTime settings on your computer according to the instructions for your operating system (Windows or Mac) that appear below.

Windows (XP or Vista)
Note: If at any time you inadvertently close the QuickTime settings window before clicking the Apply or OK button, you must start changing the recommended settings again from the beginning as the settings are not saved until the Apply or OK button is clicked.

1. Click the Start button, then click Control Panel (or Start, Settings, then Control Panel). When the Control Panel opens, click on Switch to Classic View or Classic View in the left pane of the window. Double-click on the blue QuickTime icon to open the QuickTime settings window.
2. Go to the Audio tab. In the Sound Out section set the Rate to: 32 kHz, the Size to: 16 bit, and the Channels to: Stereo (L R)
3. Select the Browser tab and make sure that the "Play movies automatically" box is checked, then click on the MIME Settings... button at the bottom.
   

   For Windows XP: In the MIME Types window that opens, click the Use Defaults button and then click OK.
   For Windows Vista: Place a check in the box beside .mov, .mqv, .qt, .qti, and .qtif and then click OK.

4. Select the Streaming tab and choose 512 kbps DSL/Cable in the drop-down menu under "Streaming Speed".
5. Select the File Types tab and click on the Use Defaults button. (If you are using Windows Vista, you do not have a File Types tab and should skip this step.)
6. Select the Advanced tab. If Transport Setup is set to Automatic, click the down arrow in the drop-down menu and choose Custom. For Transport Protocol choose HTTP, and for Port ID choose 80. Click the OK button. Next, click the Empty Cache button.
7. While still on the Advanced tab, under the "Video" section, check the "Safe mode (GDI only)" radio button.
8. Click the Apply button on the lower right.
9. Close the QuickTime Settings window by clicking on the OK button.

Mac (OS X)

1. Click on the Apple icon in the upper left hand side of the screen, then select System Preferences.
2. Click the QuickTime option.
3. Select the Browser tab and make sure that the "Play movies automatically" box is checked.
4. Then click on the Advanced tab and select the MIME Settings... button at the bottom. In the MIME Types window that opens, click the Use Defaults button and then click OK.
5. Select the Streaming tab. In the event that "Automatic" does not work, click and change to 512 kbps DSL/Cable in the drop-down menu under "Streaming Speed".
6. Select the Advanced tab. If Transport Setup is set up to Automatic, click the down arrow in the drop-down menu and choose Custom. For Transport Protocol choose HTTP, and for Port ID choose 80. Click the OK button.
7. Next, click the Browser tab and click on the Empty Cache button.
8. When finished, you may close the window. (There is no button to apply or save changes, as those changes are made upon clicking your selections.)

Why won’t my video work in Firefox?

For Mac users, unfortunately Firefox is not currently supported. Please try using another Web browser such as Safari. For PC users, our videos will work in versions of Firefox 2.0 or later.

Why do I see an “Account” page or a Login error message when I click on my video?

If you are using Firefox, you may come across one of these error pages when you click on your purchased video link. Please refer to the question above.

I can see a “Table of Contents," but nothing happens when I click the link for a video chapter.

>Be sure that pop-up blocking has been disabled in your browser, or add the InformIT.com and ciscopress.com domains to your allowed sites.

How do I navigate through the video or make volume adjustments?

At the bottom of your video, you should see a navigation bar that looks like this:

To play your video, click on the second button to the left. Once the video is playing this will turn into a pause button, and you can press it again to pause playback. You can also use the space bar on your keyboard to stop and start playback.

To adjust the volume of your video, click the button on the far left, which will bring up a slider. Move the slider up or down to adjust the volume. To move forward or backward in the video, click and drag the circle on the video navigation bar to your desired location, as shown below.

Why does my video reset to the beginning after I’ve started watching it?

If you’ve started a progressive download and it has not completed, it will reset to the beginning when it determines it has not yet downloaded the portion of the file you wish to access. Wait until the download finishes to scroll through the end of the file.