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WebCT Vista has been retired as of June 30, 2008.LATTE is now Brandeis University's only online learning environment. |
More and more class-related media files are being made available through WebCT and the Library & Technology Services Quicktime Streaming Server. Some of the most popular are audio files that accompany foreign language text books. All public computers at Brandeis are configured with Quicktime, so you will always be able to view your files.
To have access to these files, you'll first need access to the WebCT course in which they are posted - this access is automatic once you're enrolled in a class that has a WebCT component. You can log in to WebCT by surfing to http://webct.brandeis.edu in Internet Explorer and entering your UNet username and password, then clicking on the appropriate course.
If you're having trouble logging in to WebCT, contact the staff at the WebCT Support Deskr for assistance: call 781-736-4739 or e-mail latte@brandeis.edu.
Once you've logged into your WebCT course, you should find an icon pointing to an interface where you can select the audio or video files you wish to hear from among the available media. When you choose a file to listen to, a new browser window should open in which a small Quicktime Player will begin "buffering" and then playing the file. If this doesn't happen, the following troubleshooting list should help you figure out the problem:
Q: Is Quicktime Player installed on my computer?
If it is not, or if you have an older version, point your browser to http://www.apple.com/quicktime/download/ to download the latest version of Quicktime Player.
Q: Is the audio turned on?
The sound may be turned off in your computer's settings, or your external speakers may be off. In Windows, double-click the speaker icon in the system tray to set the volume. On a Mac, go to the Apple menu and select Control Panel > Monitors and Sound.
Q. Have I selected the correct connection speed in Quicktime player?
Check to make sure you have set the correct connection speed for Quicktime Player. Open the Quicktime Player and click Edit > Preferences > Quicktime preferences > Connection Speed. Select the speed that matches your Internet connection.
Q. Is your Quicktime browser plug-in installed?
To view and hear Quicktime files in your browser, the Quicktime browser plug-in must be installed. You can check to see if this is the case by going to: http://www.apple.com/quicktime/download/qtcheck. If the Quicktime logo is visible at the bottom of the page, the plug-in is properly installed.
Q. Can I access ANY Quicktime movie?
Check to see that you can access any streaming movie by opening the Quicktime Player and clicking Edit > Preferences > Quicktime preferences > Streaming transport. Click the Auto Configure button. Quicktime should confirm that it can use UDP/RTSP port 554. If it switches to http:// port 80, then you are most likely behind a firewall, which likely means that a firewall is configured to block Quicktime streaming files.
Q. How do I tell my firewall to allow streaming files?
The firewall issue is a tricky one. If you have a cable/DSL modem and a router with NAT firewall:
Consult your router's documentation for specific instructions on configuring port forwarding.
Q. What if I get an "Error 404" message?
Sometimes when students using Quicktime Player for the first time on-campus an "Error 404" message appears. To fix it, one needs to change a preference within Quicktime Player, using these steps:
If you've followed all the steps above and are still unable to receive Quicktime streaming files, you should contact the staff at the WebCT Support Desk for further assistance: call 781-736-4739 or email latte@brandeis.edu.
