Frequently Asked Questions

Scroll down to browse the FAQ, or select your area of need:
Configuration questions
Problems viewing streams
Connection types
Viewing pre-2007 archives
Poor audio or video quality
Purchasing CD or DVD recordings

How do I view the streams?
Your computer must be capable of playing Windows Media content, and a high-speed internet connection is required.

PC users should download the Windows Media Player from Microsoft. Most PCs have the program already installed. We require version 6.4 or higher, though for the best experience, we recommend version 9 or higher.
Firefox users: we recommend also installing the Firefox WMP Plugin for full features, though the streams will work without it.

Mac users need a plugin called Flip4Mac available that allows the streams to play in QuickTime. Flip4Mac is now the official Microsoft method of playing Windows Media content on a Mac.

Once you have downloaded the player appropriate for your computer, install it by double-clicking on the file you downloaded, then follow the directions on-screen. You may need to restart your computer to complete the installation.

After you have the player installed, simply use your web browser, click on the link for the event you wish to view, and a player window will open.

If clicking the link does not work, try opening Windows Media Player -> File -> Open URL, then enter the URL of the stream.
If the concert is in Boe Memorial Chapel, use
http://stolaf.streamguys.net/boe
If the concert is in Skoglund, use
http://stolaf.streamguys.net/skoglund
You can also try pasting the URL directly into your browser.

Nothing happens when I click on an event.
Your browser may be blocking pop-ups. Be sure you allow pop-up windows to be opened from www.stolaf.edu.

I get an error message when I click on an event, or the player loads, but nothing plays—just a blank window.
You are probably trying to connect before the stream has been activated. Streaming starts about 10 minutes before the event is scheduled to begin.
St. Olaf College is in the Central USA Time Zone.
If you know the event has started, please be patient; it sometimes takes a moment for the stream to begin playing.

The stream periodically skips or "hiccups." What's going on? Is there something I can do? Or is it on your end?
The stream leaves St. Olaf at a constant rate of 256k per second. Unfortunately, for a variety of reasons, your internet provider is not always able to guarantee a consistent connection speed. That's where the skips and "hiccups" come in.

You may want to talk with your provider if you consistently have skips or "hiccups" when you are trying to view a stream.

Do I need a high-speed Internet connection to listen?
A dial-up connection will most likely not be able to receive the amount of data necessary to sustain continuous playback.
You are free to attempt viewing the streams with a dial-up connection, but we do not recommend it.
Any common variety of high-speed connection—such as DSL, cable, WiFi, or satellite—should be sufficient to view the streams.

Can I use RealPlayer to view the streams?
No; only compatible players will work to view the streams.

How do I view archives from before the 2007–2008 academic year?
In order to listen, download the latest version of the QuickTime Player. (You may wish to select the version without iTunes.)

Once you have downloaded QuickTime, install it by double-clicking on the file you downloaded, then follow the directions on-screen.

After you have QuickTime installed, simply use your web browser, click on the link for the event you wish to view, and a player window will open.

The sound quality isn't as good as it is on my CD player. What's wrong?
In short, nothing's wrong. In order for audio and video to be streamed live over the Internet it needs to be compressed. This decreases the sound quality to some degree.

The video appears blocky or of poor quality.
As with audio, in order for video to be streamed live over the Internet it needs to be compressed, and this reduces the quality of the image. Due to the musical nature of most of our streams, we bias our encoding towards the audio—in effect, "trading" some of the video quality for better audio. This allows us to keep the bandwidth of the stream down, so that users with slower connections can receive the stream without skipping.

If you would like to enjoy St. Olaf performances at the highest fidelity, please visit stolafrecords.com to purchase a CD or DVD. If you would like to purchase a CD of a chapel service, please contact us by calling 507-786-8590, or email broadcastmedia@stolaf.edu.

PC-Cillin users: PC-Cillin has been known to cause issues with our streaming services. We recommend that you contact the manufacturer of PC-Cillin, Trend Micro at trendmicro.com.

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