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Streaming Audio    |    Podcasts    |    Video

STREAMING AUDIO

MP3 streams can be played using iTunes, QuickTime™, RealAudio™, Windows Media™ Player, Winamp and other media players. Our MP3 streams are available in two different link styles -- .pls and .m3u - to accommodate the different player preferences.

• .pls: ITunes, QuickTime, Real Player, WinAmp
• .m3u: Real Player, Windows Media Player

ITunes (Mac OS/Windows/Linux)

• Use the .pls link to listen to the stream.
• For additional assistance, please refer to the iTunes support section or choose the help menu in your iTunes player.

QuickTime (Windows or Mac OS)

• Use the .pls link to listen to the stream.
• If the QuickTime player is installed and you have trouble listening to the stream, you may need to reinstall or upgrade your QuickTime Player. Certain browsers require the QuickTime Plugin, and reinstalling the player will install the necessary plugin.
• For additional assistance, please refer to Apple's support section choose the help menu in your QuickTime Player.
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Windows Media Player (WMP) version 7 and higher (Windows OS)

• Use the .m3u link to listen to the stream.
• If Windows Media Player is installed but the stream will not play, you may need to reset the player's preferences. Go into Tools -> Options/Preferences -> Formats and make sure MP3 is checked off, click Apply, and then close and restart your player.
• For WMP version 8 and higher, the path for resetting preferences is slightly different. Go to the Tools -> Options -> File Types and make sure MP3 is checked off. Save, then close and restart your player.
• If you continue to have trouble listening the stream, consider reinstalling or upgrading your Windows Media Player.
• For additional assistance, please visit the Microsoft Windows Media Support Site or choose the help menu in your Windows Media Player.

Windows Media Player all versions (Mac OS)

• Microsoft will continue to support Windows Media Player 9 for Mac, but has no plans to continue development of the product beyond that release.  You can play Windows Media streams in QuickTime using the Flip4Mac plugin.
• For additional assistance, please visit the Microsoft Windows Media Support Site.

Real Player Basic/RealOne (Windows or Mac OS)

• Use either the .pls link or .m3u link to listen to the stream.
• If the Real Player Basic/RealOne player is installed and the link will not play, you may need to reset the player's preferences. Go to the Tools menu -> Preferences. In the left menu, go to Content -> Media Types and check off MP3 Audio and MP3 Playlist. Click OK to save the settings, then close and restart the player.
• If you continue to have trouble listening to the stream, consider reinstalling or upgrading your Real Player.
• For additional assistance, please refer to the player support section or choose the help menu in your Real Player.

Winamp (Windows OS, Unix, Linux)

• Use the .pls link to listen to the stream.
• For additional assistance, please see the Winamp support section or choose the help menu in your Winamp Player.

Additional MP3 Player Options
Many additional MP3 players exist, including:

• For Windows 95 and up: WinAmp, MusicMatch, Xaudio, freeAMP or the Microsoft Media Player (included in Windows).
• For Macintosh: iTunes, MacAmp or MacAmp Lite.
• For Linux, FreeBSD, SunOS and other Unix: Xaudio or mpg123, among others.

This list is not complete. Many players exist, so you have the option to use any player you prefer; however, because there are so many options, we are not able to test them all. If your preferred player doesn't work, we suggest you do a Google search or install a different player.

Launching the Stream in a Different Media Player
When you install a media player, you will often see pop-up windows asking you to make this player your "default player" (which simply means the player "claims" certain media types and will automatically launch in the future when music or videos of those types are played).

Typically, the most recently installed media player will be the default player on your computer for most media types unless you set it up NOT to be. You can reset these preferences in the following places:

• RealPlayer - View -> Preferences -> Upgrade -> Media Types
• Winamp - Options -> Preferences
• Windows Media Player - Tools -> Options -> Formats

Firewalls and MP3 Streams
Strict firewalls may block access to an MP3 stream. Some firewalls are configured to deny any inbound traffic not sent on port 80 (the port used by most web traffic). Our MP3 streams are sent out on varying ports. If a firewall denies inbound traffic from ports other than 80, contact the network administrator and find out if there is a workaround.

Can't Connect
Many types of interruptions between your computer, your player, your computer's OS, your local network, your ISP and the Public Interactive streaming server can exist and cause trouble. Often the interruption is temporary. Please try to connect a few times at different times of the day, if possible.

Still Can't Connect
If you continue to have trouble listening to the stream, consider reinstalling or upgrading your Windows Media Player.

Are there Windows Media Player choices for Linux?
You can use MPlayer, which is free, or The CrossOver Plugin from CodeWeavers for $25.

Saving Programs and Saving/Bookmarking the Stream
This is a live web stream, so you cannot save specific songs or programs (which is also illegal), but you can bookmark the stream in your player. To add the stream to your list of favorites, go to File -> Add To Media Library.

Windows Media Error Codes
The Microsoft Windows Media Support site lists error codes, what they mean and what to do when they occur.

Windows Media Support Site
For additional assistance, please visit the Microsoft Windows Media Support Site or choose the help menu in your Windows Media player.

PODCASTS

A podcast (a word combining "iPod" and "broadcast") is an audio program in mp3 format delivered on a regular or semi-regular basis via the internet.  A listener uses podcast-compatible software, such as iTunes or Juice (each available as a free download), to subscribe to a podcast.  The file is then regularly updated as new episodes are posted by the provider, and downloaded to the user's computer or portable digital audio device for listening.

How do I subscribe to an RSS Audio Podcast Feed?
   1. Download and install podcast-compatible software (see examples listed above).
   2. Familiarize yourself with how the software works by reading the program's provided documentation.
   3. Locate the podcast feed that interests you. KERA and other public radio podcasts can be found on KERA's podcast page.
   4. Add the address to the podcast feed to your podcast-compatible software by either manually typing the address or by copying and pasting from your browser.

Why do I just get a bunch of code or links when I click on a podcast link?
Podcast RSS Feeds are in XML format and are designed to be processed by podcast-compatible software, also known as an "aggregator."

How does podcast aggregator software work?

Using an aggregator program, you subscribe to an RSS podcast feed (including any listed on KERA's podcast page). Identical in operation to an RSS news aggregator, a podcast aggregator automatically and regularly checks feeds to which you've subscribed. When a new episode of that podcast is available, and when the aggregator checks to see if a new podcast is posted, the aggregator retrieves the new podcast and alerts you that new content is available.

How do I listen to a podcast after I subscribe?
Though the process for listening depends on what type of software you are using, listening to a podcast typically involves two steps: First, download the most current audio files in the podcast to your computer.  Then, open the audio files in an audio player (i.e. Windows Media Player, iTunes, etc) that is compatible with the file format. Some podcast aggregators combine these steps into one step; however, some podcast aggregators require that you highlight the podcast, select download, and then select open or play. For more details on how to download and listen to a podcast subscription, consult your aggregator software's documentation.

How do I listen to podcasts on my portable audio player?
How you copy or "sync" subscriptions to a portable digital audio player depends on the podcast software  you are using, as well as the type of mp3 player or other portable device you are using. The process is often similar to the steps described under the previous question; however, instead of listening to the audio on your computer you will be transferring or copying the current audio files to your portable mp3 player. Some podcast aggregators combine the step of downloading and transferring to a portable mp3 player into one step.  However, some podcast aggregators require that you highlight the podcast, select "download," and then select "sync" or "transfer." For more details on how to download and listen to a podcast subscription on your portable digital audio player, consult your podcast aggregator and your portable audio player's documentation.

For more documentation on listening to podcasts, visit Apple's iTunes Podcast FAQ or WikiPedia.

VIDEO

KERA's videos utilize the Flash format.  This format requires Adobe Flash Player 8 or newer (click to download).  After installing Flash, you may need to close all browsers or restart your computer to complete installation.

Flash Player requires the following minimum hardware configurations:

• Windows: 450 MHz Intel Pentium II processor (or equivalent) and later / 128MB RAM
  
• Macintosh: 500 MHz PowerPC G3 and later 128MB RAM

 Flash Player requires the following minimum software configurations, listed by operating system:

• Windows 98: Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.5, Firefox 1.x, Netscape 6.2 and above     
• Windows ME: Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.5, Firefox 1.x, Netscape 6.2 and above     
• Windows 2000: Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.5, Firefox 1.x, Netscape 6.2 and above     
• Windows XP: Microsoft Internet Explorer 6.0, Firefox 1.x, Netscape 6.2 and above
• Windows Vista: Microsoft Internet Explorer 7.0, Firefox 1.x, Netscape 6.2 and above
• Macintosh OS X 10.1.x, 10.2.x, 10.3.x or 10.4.x: Firefox 1.x, Netscape 7.x and above, or Safari 1.x and above

If you have installed Adobe Flash Player but still cannot see KERA video content, here are some common causes: 

• Pop-up blockers blocking Flash
  The most common cause of Flash movies failing to display is the presence of a pop-up/ad blocker software that specifically targets Flash content. To find out more about this please see Flash movies do not appear after installing the Flash Player (Adobe TechNotes).
  
• Internet Explorer Settings on a Macintosh
  On the Macintosh there is a setting in Internet Explorer to enable plug-ins. This setting is located in the Explorer > Preferences menu of the browser. In the Preferences dialog box, select Web Content under Browser Display. Then ensure that the Enable Plug-ins option is selected.
• Internet utilities blocking ActiveX
  Some Internet Utilities, such as Norton Internet Utilities, perform functions similar to a firewall and may restrict viewing of ActiveX controls. You need to ensure that your firewall or utility settings are set to allow ActiveX controls or you will not be able to view Flash movies in Internet Explorer.

Still can't find a solution to your problem?  Let us know.