MSNBC Player help and frequently asked questions
 To learn more about MSNBC Player's features, click on a button below.

Toolbar links area Toolbar links area Information pane Information pane Additional coverage area Additional coverage area Volume and mute settings Volume and mute settings Full screen feature Full screen feature Banner ad area Banner ad area Playlist navigation Playlist navigation Video selection Video selection Streaming status area Streaming status area Speed setting Speed setting Control area Control area Seek bar feature Seek bar feature Video Area Video Area

Overview
The MSNBC Player provides information about the video, related links to stories and easy access to other MSNBC video clips.

Banner ad

This is where we display advertisements. Find out more about advertising on MSNBC.com.

The information pane
This area contains information related to the video as well as additional MSNBC.com coverage. This area also displays information from the toolbar and the "more" video listings.

When you click on any of the toolbar links -- "Settings," "e-mail us," "Write us" or "Help" - as well as the "More" link, this pane will refresh with your selection. See other sections on this help page for more details on each of these features.

You may click on the button at any time to return to the video's related information.

Related information

This area contains related information on your video. Headline, caption and associated links are displayed here. Selecting any of these links will open a new browser window.

Additional coverage area

With each MSNBC.com video played, the additional coverage area displays links to related MSNBC stories. These links will open in a new browser window.

Full screen feature

This feature maximizes the MSNBC Player window and enlarges the video. To leave full-screen mode, click on the button and the window will return to its original size.

Video quality in the full screen mode will be reduced with a lower connection speed setting.

This feature is not available in Netscape or on older Internet Explorer browsers.

MSNBC Media Full Screen Feature
To display only the video in full screen, right click on the video image and select full screen. Press the Escape key to return to the MSNBC Player window.

Playlist area

The MSNBC Player features a playlist area with a selection of several videos. An image with an associated headline from the next video in the playlist is shown in this area. Two videos, your original choice and the next in this play list automatically play in succession unless you stop the player or select a different clip.

Playlist navigation
Previous and Next features
 Use the and buttons to preview other videos in the playlist. If you want to watch one of these videos, click on the image or the headline and the video will begin playing.

More link
To see a list of additional MSNBC.com videos, click on the button. This will open a list of videos in the information pane. You can scroll through this list and select any video.

Seek bar

This feature allows you to fast-forward or rewind video by grabbing and dragging the seek bar. There will be a short wait after the bar is moved as the video rebuffers.

Speed-setting feature
Select the settings button or the speed button to open the settings page in the information pane. See the "settings" section of this file for more information.

Streaming status area
Elapsed time and total time
This area first shows the buffering status. When a video begins to play, it must first "buffer" in order to load enough of the video for the clip to stream. Once buffering is complete, elapsed time and duration will be displayed in this area.

Buffering
 While the video loads, this area will track the buffering status. Once this number reaches 100 percent, the video will begin playing.

Toolbar links area

This area contains links to:

  • Adjust settings
  • E-mail a video link
  • Write to MSNBC.com
  • Access this help file

    Settings link
    When you first use the MSNBC Player, you must select your Internet connection speed. Your computer then will remember this setting for other video clips. NOTE: If you disable your cookies, you'll be prompted to select a connection speed setting each time you launch the MSNBC Player.

    Clicking on the speed button -- -- also brings up the settings page in the information pane. The settings page allows you to select the connection speed to the Internet.


    Dial-up modems users should select 28k or 56k; ISDN, DSL, cable modem and corporate LAN users should select 100k, or higher, if available. If you are experiencing persistent re-buffering, return to the settings page and lower your speed setting.

    E-mail this link
    To send an e-mail that contains a link to the streaming video, click on the link in the toolbar area. Complete the form in information pane. You may send the video link to a maximum of five people. Use a semicolon (;) to separate your e-mail addresses.

    Once you have completed the form, click on the button to send the e-mail. If you do not wish to send the e-mail, click on the button.

    Write us link
    To write to MSNBC.com, click on the link in the toolbar area. Complete the form that appears in the information pane. Click on the button to send the message to MSNBC.com.

    Help file
    To view the available help topics, click on the help link in the toolbar area. The displayed links will take you to a portion of this help file.

    Video control area

    These buttons allow you to play, pause or stop the video. When the stop or pause buttons are clicked, the play button image will appear in their place.

    Stop
     Click on the stop button to stop the video. As with a CD player, clicking on the play bottom will return to the start of the video. Buffering will occur.

    Pause
     Click on the pause button to pause the video. Click on the play button after a pause to resume watching the video.

    Volume and Mute settings
    Mute
    Click on the button to turn off your sound.

    Click on the button again to turn the sound back on.

    Volume
    Grab and drag the vertical bar to reduce or increase the volume. You may need to adjust your speaker volume or the system tray volume to find the best settings.

    Video area

    The video area displays MSNBC Media, Flash, and gif content. First-time users will see an image requesting them to select a speed setting. Stopping the video will display an image in this area.

    Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

    What does "buffering" mean?
    The MSNBC Player requires a certain amount of data to be available on the user's computer prior to showing the video. The computer is "buffering" the data to allow the content to play back in the MSNBC Player.

    Why do I see a streaming video prior to the video clip I selected?
    Sometimes, a streaming media advertisement will play before the video.

    Can I skip this streaming media advertisement?
    No, the scroll bar is disabled during a streaming advertisement.

    How can I contact MSNBC about a problem?
    You can use the "write-us" link in the MSNBC toolbar area to send an e-mail to MSNBC.com.

    Does MSNBC support Real video?
    Not at this time. Click here to download and install Windows Media Player.

    What hardware is recommended to stream video on MSNBC.com?
    MSNBC does not recommend hardware, but a Pentium™ 200 or faster should be used. With slower computers, the page will take longer to load.

    Does MSNBC Player work in Netscape, Internet Explorer 4, or on the Mac?
    You will be able to see videos with all of these browsers and platforms. However, many of the features described above are not available with IE 4, Netscape, or the Macintosh. For MSNBC Player’s best performance, Microsoft’s IE 5.x or higher is recommended.

    What version of the Windows Media Player do I need to use for the Mac?
    Use the "Player 7 for Mac (OS8.1 and later)" from http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia/en/download/default.asp

    What version of the MSNBC Player is needed for Netscape?
    The MSNBC Player uses the embedded Windows Media Player version 6.4 via a plug-in for Netscape. Unfortunately, Microsoft does not offer a Windows Media Player plug-in for Netscape 6.x. However, Microsoft does offer a Windows Media Player plug-in for Netscape 4.x. Download the plug-in from Microsoft’s Windows Media Player’s Download Center.

    Important Installation Notice:
    Whether installing for the first time, upgrading to, or reinstalling Windows Media Player 9, it is important to install all components to ensure that the embedded files for MSNBC Player are installed correctly.

    Why doesn't the full screen feature enlarge the video?
    The full screen feature uses the original size of the video and screen resolution to determine the maximum amount that the video can increase. At screen sizes below 800x600, you may not notice any increase in the video size. To get the MSNBC Player full screen, right click on the video while it is playing and select full screen.

    I cannot hear the audio. How can I fix this?
    To be able to hear the audio on MSNBC.com videos, you must have a working sound card and your computer speakers turned on with the volume set at an appropriate level.

    The audio sounds like chipmunks - too fast. How can I fix this?
    Updating your sound card's driver might take care of this problem. If you need assistance with getting the latest version of your sound card driver, contact the card’s manufacturer.

    The video looks blurry. How can I fix this?
    The higher your bandwidth selection, the better the image. If you have an Internet connection that can support the 100k speed selection, choose the 100k (or higher) on the "settings" page for the best visual clarity. Also check your video card settings. Set the number of colors higher than 256k colors.

    Where can I purchase a video I watched on your web site?
    Click on this link http://www.msnbc.com/m/info/reprints.asp for information about purchasing available MSNBC.com videos.