Multimedia Help and Tips
Flash is Disabled Help | JavaScript is Disabled Help | General Audio Help
Adobe Flash Player Issues and Help
Internet Browsers, such as Internet Explorer and Mozilla firefox allow "plugins" to load when a page from the Internet needs to display certain content. The animated multimedia content referred to as "Flash" needs such a plugin. Flash content is commonly used for advertising banners, but has many other less annoying uses.
If you can watch videos on YouTube, then Flash Player is installed and functional. The problem could be to do with "JavaScript" support on your browser, or restrictions placed by administrators if using a PC at work.
Skip down to the JavaScript Help section.Microsoft Windows may already have installed some limited support for Flash content to display in Internet Explorer but, as with most things in computing, content that was written by somebody using design software of a certain "Version Number" requires that the "plugin" of that same version or higher be installed and ready for the browser to use it.
Most current Adobe Flash Player versions at time of writing (July 2010)
- Windows running Internet Explorer: 10.1.53.64
- Windows running Firefox, Mozilla, Netscape, Opera: 10.1.53.64
- Macintosh or OS X running Firefox, Opera, Safari: 10.1.53.64
- Linux running Mozilla, Firefox, SeaMonkey: 10.1.53.64
- Solaris running Mozilla: 10.1.53.64
The little calendar that is set to display to the right of the list of overnight stops on the "Route " page requires Adobe Flash Player version 8 or higher. The Voice Clip audio player that should show when you click the leftmost button on the Flash-enabled MP3 " Voice Clip Player" page also requires Adobe Flash Player version 8 or higher.
Although the report in the yellow area at the top of the page should display the correct details, some alternative browsers may not provide totally accurate information. You can also verify what version of Adobe Flash Player is installed on your computer by clicking this button:
- When that page opens, if you see a larger version of the following image appear on the screen and then being replaced by an advertising banner, and the little box showing version information down the right of the page, this will indicate that Flash Player is already installed on your computer and enabled:
If Flash is not installed and/or enabled, then the items will show respectively like this:
If Flash is clearly not installed and/or enabled, then you should install it from HERE When this page opens it should display something like the screenshot shown below. You should look at the top of the page to verify that the details match up. The example screenshot below of the Adobe page indicates that Internet Explorer and the Windows operating system have been detected:
If the details are correct, then proceed. The "Google Toolbar" extra is optional. If you don't know what it is, then uncheck it before clicking the "Agree and Install Now" button.
If the details are obviously incorrect, and you know that you are, for example, running a Linux operating system, or are using Mozilla Firefox or Opera browser, then you should click on the link entitled " Different operating system or browser?"
On the page that opens you first choose your operating system from a drop-down list and click the "Continue" button. The section below appears where you select your browser. The screenshot below shows a selection of Operating System "Windows 7/Vista/XP/2008/2003/2000" and "Other" browser - "Firefox, Safari, Opera" as an example:
The installation process will vary from that point onwards depending on your Operating System and Browser. Installation Instructions for non-Microsoft Operating Systems and Browsers, please read This Page on the Adobe website.
Go to the Adobe Flash Install Page Now:
JavaScript is a type of computer code that is either written into the contents of a web page, or is fetched from the web server where the web pages are being loaded from. It is used to do many things that enhance web pages above basic standard text. On this page, JavaScript code is only used to show the "System Test Results" area in yellow near the top of the page. On other pages on this site it is used to show the blue Menu Buttons and other content. Some Internet Browsers may prompt you to enable what is called "ActiveX" content by showing you a beige bar near the top of the page, but in most cases the code is transparently and harmlessly used by the page.
The message shown in the yellow area right at the top of this page will tell you if JavaScript is enabled in your browser. Other symptoms on this site will have been that the blue Menu Buttons may not have displayed where they should, the area at the top right corner of most pages will not have displayed changing images, embedded YouTube Videos will not show where they should, and the Counter at the bottom of most pages will show as an image rather than as text.
Some computers being used in a corporate environment may have JavaScript disabled by the System Administrator for safety reasons and to control what content workers may see. In that case, ask the System Administrator if he or she could enable "scripting" on your computer rather than tamper with security settings yourself.
To enable JavaScript yourself you can try the very well documented and illustrated methods in Mr. Ed's Computer Help Forum. There is no sense in repeating the instructions with such an excellent resource freely available.
Mr. Ed has a JavaScript Test Page that may prove useful in checking for problems.
Microsoft have a text-based page that describes how to enable JavaScript in the most commonly used browsers if you do not need screenshots and can follow step-by-step instructions.
While the above linked pages cover just about all commonly used browsers, it is probable that some of them will not even be able to load pages on this site (eg. Opera Mini). I am NOT a professional web developer and have only been able to test the site in Internet Explorer 7 and 8, Firefox 3.6.6, and Opera 9.8 or 10.6 - whichever version they refer to it by.
The Opera version numbers is just an example of the various issues that occur with so many web browsers being available, and each one has its own little quirks that make it hard for a non-professional like me to make everything display and work in all of them. I am sorry if some of the page layouts look ridiculous or unusual, or if you cannot see some of the content, but I simply do not have the time to try and standardize every page for all browsers.
This section is intended only as a basic troubleshooter for situations where sound plays normally elsewhere, but does not play from multimedia content on this website. It is not an exhaustive exploration of all potential audio problems, but hopefully will discover and rectify the reasons for audio content not playing on this website as intended.
If you have been experiencing audio-related problems before visiting this site, then the problem may be more complex than these tips are designed to address. In that case, I can wholeheartedly recommend that you sign up at
where I am a resident non-professional expert. Along with about 50,000 highly qualified IT. Professionals and non-professional people like me, and for a small monthly fee, you will get the competent and correct answers you need. There is a free trial period for new members.
Microsoft offer a variety of "Quick Fixes" in their Fix it Solution Center, but the fixes are only for certain versions of the Microsoft Windows Operating System and have been known to cause a few isolated problems of their own and I would only recommend using them if referred specifically to a certain fix, or if the symptoms clearly match the issues that the fix is said to address. Some of the "Fix-It" utilities are what they refer to as "Automated Troubleshooting Services" (MATS) that you install and run to diagnose one or more of a range of issues within the scope of that tool, and a fix is then downloaded and effected. The most relevant to this area is the "No Sound In Windows MATS", but you should read the details of that Fix-It carefully and ask an expert first where possible.
No Sound, but everything looks like it is working?
This is very common, and the most usual cause is so simple that it is often overlooked even by the most experienced computer "experts".
- 1. System Volume Control is turned down or sound is "muted".
- 2. Headphones are plugged in, muting the speakers.
- 3. Speakers or headphones are not turned on.
- 4. Speakers powered by an adapter in a wall socket are not plugged in.
- 5. Volume knob/button on speakers/headphones is turned down.
- 6. Volume slider in online video is turned down or muted.
- 7. Wires to speakers/headphones are unplugged or loose in socket(s).
- 8. You cleaned your ears with a "Q-Tip" and a fuzzy bit is left in there.
This Troubleshooting Flowchart for Audio problems is an excellent resource, but is not usually necessary. Most audio-related problems are caused by a simple oversight. Let's start with the basic checks.
Does a light usually show on your speakers when working?
Is the light still illuminated?
If the answers are Yes and No respectively, then check that everything is plugged in and turned on.Have you been using headphones but put them aside to listen to sound through the speakers?
Although some systems allow sound to come through speakers and headphones at the same time, generally plugging in headphones switches all signals to them and isolates the speakers.
Unplug the headphones completely to hear if sound comes through the speakers, or make sure the headphone plugs are firmly in the sockets and see if the sound now comes through the headphones.The "System Volume Control" is accessed in different ways depending on your Operating System. For Microsoft Windows you should usually see a small speaker icon in the "System Tray" (or "System Notification" area) on the bottom right of your screen next to the clock. If you double-click on that it will open the Volume Control. The screenshot below shows how it is laid out in most Windows systems, although yours may be a little fancier:
The areas that I have shaded in pastel colors are the ones that (from left to right) control: Master (overall) Volume; most audio output other than Audio CD playback; and CD volume. Make sure than none of the "Mute" boxes are checked, and ensure that none of the "sliders" are down near the bottom.
If you don't see a section, such as the "MP3/Wav" one, then go up to the menu at the top and click on the "Options" menu, then choose "Properties". The screenshot below shows the type of dialog that will show on most Windows systems:
Ensure that it is set to show the available "slider" sections for "Playback" and not "Recording", and then click in the main ones discussed above to check (tick) them. Click the OK button and the sections should show in the Volume Control. Make sure that none are muted. Close the Volume Control and try to play the audio content again.
If the above steps still do not produce sound through the speakers or headphones, then perhaps the volume is muted or turned down in whatever "Player" is supposed to be producing sound.
The built-in Media Player in your operating system will have its own Volume Control that may or may not be independent of the one in the System Volume Control shown above. Make sure it is not turned down or Muted.
The Flash-enabled "Voice Clip MP3 Player" on This Page of the site also has its own Volume Control slider and Mute button just above the playlist area.
Clicking the Mute button slides the volume control to the left, i.e.. all the way down. Incidentally, the grey "progress bar" right above the area of that player shown above does not work as intended, just in case you wondered.
If you are not hearing any sound from any of the Videos that are loaded into the pages of this site from YouTube, then they too have a Volume Control that is not always immediately visible. If you go to the "Route" page of this site you should see a video at the bottom that is fetched from YouTube. Holding the mouse over the speaker icon shown in the screenshots below will display the volume slider.
The above steps cover the usual problems when there is no sound being produced from your speakers but the Player or Video seem to be advancing normally. Problems with distorted or garbled sound are beyond the scope of this basic troubleshooting guide which is only really intended to let you hear audio content on This Site where the cause is relatively simple.
Stuttering sound, or frequent breaks in sound?
The most common cause of this is not as technical as the symptoms might have you thinking, but is just a problem that most of us will experience from time to time while listening to audio content over an Internet connection. It is, unfortunately, something most of us have to suffer unless we have a computer that is slicker than a rat out of an aqueduct and have a blazingly fast Internet connection.
When your web browser displays a web page, it needs to fetch the various components of the page, for example: images, files that dictate the layout, "script" files that make the browser do fancy things, and other items such as the files that provide multimedia content. A YouTube video playing from within a non-YouTube web page (such as the small selection on this site) fetch the parts that make up the "frame", and then fetch in the actual video files. All of these files are stored in hidden folders on your computer so that they can be reloaded more quickly if you move away from the page and then return to it.
When you click on a link that opens your normal Media Player to show a video or play an audio file, these too have to be "downloaded" to your computer. Usually the multimedia file begins to play as it is "streaming" from its original location, but sometimes it is unable to download at the speed required to provide continuous sound or video playback. This is usually referred to as "buffering", and can be annoying.
Unfortunately there is not much that we can usually do about this, but the content will normally play back continuously if replayed because the file has been stored on your computer. Excessive pauses and drop-outs can sometimes be reduced by closing other applications that are using the same Internet connection, and if you Right-Click in the playback frame of a YouTube-type video that uses Adobe Flash Player resources, you usually have the option to reduce the Quality of a video from High to Medium or Low.
YouTube have a Test Page that attempts to show the history of the speed at which their videos have been playing on computers in your area, but I cannot vouch for how accurate it might be nor whether it makes sense to you.
As a general rule, the larger the video or audio file that has to be downloaded to play on your computer, the more likely it is to pause playback while it buffers the content.
Good Luck
I MAY be able to spare the time to make some further suggestions or provide advice in respect of problems with multimedia content on the C2CR2C site if you send me a brief message using the Contact page, but I cannot guarantee this.
Regards - Bill Dalziel
