Solar Innovations' Contacts

Videos

Having problems viewing video on the Solar Innovations, Inc. website? The following FAQ contains answers to several common questions associated to viewing video on Solar's website.

What file types are Solar Innovations, Inc.'s videos in?
Solar Innovations, Inc. has videos posted in three different file types. Every link to a video is labled with the file type(s) it is available in.

• WMV: This file type is associated with Windows Media Player, though Macintosh users can download a special patch for Quicktime to allow them to view these videos.
• MOV: These files are viewable in Quicktime.
• AVI: These files are available in virtually any media view, including Quicktime and Windows Media Player. This type offers the most quality, though the files are generally quite large, requiring significant time to download.
• M4V: This format is primarily for Apple's iPhone, though it may be viewable on other media players.
• 3GP: This format is for other mobile devices.

What software do I need to view videos?
To view Solar Innovations, Inc.'s video, you are required to have Windows Media Player 9 or higher, or Quicktime, depending upon the file type that you select. You can download Windows Media Player 9 Series from the Microsoft Windows Media Player website, or Quicktime from the Apple website:
Download Windows Media Player or Download Quicktime

For optimal performance, we recommend that you download the latest player. You can also upgrade to the most recent version of Windows Media Player at any time. Open the Windows Media Player application and select "Check for Players Updates..." from the Help menu.

Macintosh users will need the latest version of Flip4Mac WMV. This free utility allows Mac users to watch Windows Media Video.

What are the minimum computer specifications required to watch Solar Innovations, Inc.'s video?

Windows

• Microsoft Windows: 98SE, 2000, Millennium Edition, XP Home Edition, or XP Professional
• Microsoft Internet Explorer 6, Safari 3, Firefox 2, Chrome, or Opera 7.51 or newer
• 128 megabytes (MB) of RAM or better
• Broadband Internet connection or access to a high-speed network
• Super VGA (800 x 600) or higher resolution
• 16-bit sound card Speakers/headphones

Macintosh

• Mac OS X
• Safari 2, Firefox 2 or Opera 7.51 or newer
• 256 megabytes (MB) of RAM or better
• Broadband Internet connection or access to a high-speed network
• Super VGA (800 x 600) or higher resolution
• Speakers/headphones

I'm not receiving picture or sound. Why not?
Once you click on the link to start a video, there is a brief delay after you connect, during which your system "buffers" the video stream from our server before it begins playing. If the delay is longer than a few seconds, verify that your system meets the following:

1. The latest version of Windows Media Player is installed on your computer.
2. You have a broadband connection to the Internet.

If you have Windows Media Player and a broadband connection, it may be that the number of people using the Internet has slowed down the transfer of information from our server to your computer. This is referred to as "network congestion," and often occurs in the early evening and at other peak hours. You may experience a faster connection at an off-peak time.

Why do video clips sometimes stop or pause?
Frequently, when a video stops in the middle, it is merely waiting for more information to come over the broadband connection; once it does, the video will start again on its own. If the stream does not restart in a reasonable amount of time, try stopping and restarting the video. This causes the stream to “rebuffer” and may reset the connection.

I am hearing sound but not seeing the picture. What's wrong?
Usually this happens because you do not have a fast enough connection to the Internet. If you connect to the Internet through a dial-up modem, you will not be able to view the video; a broadband connection is required.

How do I change the connection speed in Windows Media Player?
You may have problems viewing media when your Windows Media Player streaming speed doesn't match the speed of your connection to the Internet. If you have Windows Media Player 9, you can remedy that by following the directions at Microsoft's site here. If you have Windows Media Player 10 or 11, go to the Tools Menu, click Options, go to the Performance tab, and select Detect Connection Speed. This will make sure the connection speeds always match.

What about firewalls?
Some corporate networks and Internet Service Providers block video transmissions. If you cannot see video clips (even though your system meets the system requirements noted above), you may want to contact your Internet Service Provider or Network Administrator to see whether a security firewall is blocking video transmission.

Current Solar Innovations, Inc. Videos