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FAQs
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Q. Does the daylight savings time
change in the spring and fall effect the show times in my area?
A. Only if you live in
Arizona which does not follow daylight
savings time. If you live anywhere else, the show will start
at the same time year round.
Q. What time can I listen online
in my timezone?
A. You can listen to the
show live on the internet weekdays
6:00 AM - 10:00 AM Eastern (New York time)
5:00 - 9:00 Central (Chicago time)
4:00 - 8:00 Mountain (Denver time)
3:00 - 7:00 Pacific (L.A. time)
You can also catch back-to-back replays of each day's show beginning at 6pm ET on the BOB&TOM 24/7 stream.
April to October - AZ use Pacific
November to March - AZ use Mountain
Q. What is Streaming
Audio and Video?
A. Streaming audio and
video are similar to what you hear and see on radio and television,
except delivered via the Internet, instead of by broadcast signals.
Q. Why is it called “streaming?”
A. This kind of media is called streaming because it
is passed from our computers to yours ready to view in real
time… in short, you don’t have to download all of
the content before you can enjoy it.
Q. What difference does it make
that Bob & Tom content is streamed, instead of downloaded?
A. Audio and video files are very large. Most people
would spend many minutes or hours waiting for them to be downloaded
to their computer if they weren’t streamed. Streaming media
lets you enjoy this content in just a few seconds, instead of
having to wait for it.
Q. What special equipment
do I need to use the streaming features of bobandtom.com?
A. All you really need are three things: A computer that
is relatively
current, the capability to listen to sound through your computers,
and a piece of software (called a player) that can receive and
process our audio streams.
Q. How can I tell if I have everything
I need?
A. Most computers that are less than 3 years old will
have everything needed. If you have speakers, and you have heard
them play any words or music (like the “mail” message
when you first sign onto the Internet), chances are you’re
okay. If you still aren’t sure, you might want to contact
the manufacturer of your computer. Plus, we have a little test
you can perform a few questions down.
Q. Can I receive streaming through
my Macintosh? What about Web TV?
A. All Macs made for a number of years are capable of
receiving streaming audio. You may have to download and install
some new, free software. More about that in the next question.
Web TV is a different matter. We’re sorry, but most versions
of Web TV can’t receive streams. But a few can. You may
want to check with the Web TV people to see if your model is
supported.
Q. Tell me more about these media
players? Do I have one? Is it the right kind?
A. A media player isn’t a piece of equipment…
it is a kind of software that “recognizes” the stream
coming into your computer, and plays it through your speakers.
There are three different formats of media players that are
most commonly used. Your computer may have some, all, or none
of them already installed. Here are the types:
Windows Media Player- Most computers
that use the Windows operating system have Windows Media Player
installed. If your version is very old, you may need to download
and install a more current one in order to use streaming (don’t
worry, it’s free). We’ll tell you how to do that in
a moment. Anytime you see the words “Windows Media”
in a picture or text link, it means that you will receive the
stream in Windows Media format. Incidentally, there is a free
version of Windows Media player for the Macintosh, too.
Real Audio- Real Audio is another
format of streaming. Many, many computers come from the manufacturer
with Real Audio players installed. Like Windows Media player,
you may need an up to date version. At bobandtom.com, we make
only the live radio show available in this format; short audio
and video clips, as well as show archives, are not available
in Real Audio format.
Quicktime - Most Macintoshes
are shipped with a Quicktime player. As with all players, if
yours is too old, you may need a new one. You can get the live
radio show, all short clips, and all show archives for their
Quicktime player. Just look for the Quicktime button or link.
Q. I need a player. What do I do?
A. Just download it! The links are below. Remember a
few important points, however. First, you only need the basic,
free version of each player to enjoy our streaming content.
Some of these companies sell upgraded versions with more features,
but all supply a basic, free version too. Sometimes they just
hide the free one a bit! So don’t buy the upgraded version
unless you want to do so. Also, you can’t just download
the player… you have to install it, too. It’s easy;
each of the players has complete instructions. Just follow them.
When you’re done, come back to the test links above, and
try them out. If you have downloaded and installed the player
properly, you will hear the test, and you are ready to go!
Download Windows Media Player
Download
Real Audio
Download
Quicktime
or http://support.premiereinteractive.com/
Q. What kind of Internet
connection do I need to have to use streaming?
A. Well, some people report acceptable results at as
slow as 14.4k,
but we don’t recommend it. The minimum for quality audio
is 28.8k, and for quality video is 56k. Faster is always better.
Even if you do have a fast modem, however, please bear in mind
that any other number of conditions may degrade your stream,
from electronic “noise” on your phone line, to slowdowns
at your Internet Service Provider.
Q. Is there any downside to streaming?
A. Well, sometimes. Streaming requires that the Internet
connection between our computer and yours be free of “traffic
jams.” The Internet isn’t a direct pipeline from our
computer to yours. Our streamed content passes through many
other computers along the way, and these computers are outside
our control. If any of them is carrying too much other traffic,
our streamed content may be slowed down. If you are listening
or watching our content, and it suddenly stops for a few seconds,
then returns, this is probably why.
If the problem is bad enough, you may even lose the signal completely,
and get an error message. If that happens, go back to the web
page you started from, and press the link again. We use a very
sophisticated system capable of delivering streamed content
all over the World at once, and monitor it 24 hours a day.
Q. Any other problems with streaming?
A. Streaming is completely dependent on the connection
speed at your computer. If you have a slow connection to the
Internet, or your service provider is at or near it’s capacity,
you may suffer interruptions in the stream. This is more common
with video than audio, since it requires far more “bandwidth”
to deliver.
Q. What can I do to have the best
chance of getting a good quality stream?
A. First, close all unnecessary applications and windows
running on your computer. Just keep your web browser and your
media player open. If you have an adapter at your wall jack
to let you plug a regular phone into the same outlet as your
computer, it is a good idea to take it off when you want to
stream. It can cause a loss of quality. Finally, if there is
a lot of noise on your phone line, you may want to have the
phone company visit. Many service packages include “inside
wire maintenance,” and you may be able to have the quality
of your connection improved.
Q. I have a problem you haven’t addressed here. Am I out
of luck?
A. Not at all! We’ve built a special web page to
help. Just go to
http://support.premiereinteractive.com/,
and fill out the form completely on the page. You will receive
assistance by email from an audio engineer, usually within 24
hours.
VIP All Access Pass
FAQs
Q. I have a Macintosh
and I'm trying to listen to the All Access audio feed using
my Windows Media Player and it's not working. What's the problem?
A. We have identified a bug in all versions of Windows Media
Player that prevents access to the VIP All Access service.
We are working with Microsoft on this,a nd hope to have a
speedy resolution. In the interim, you are welcome to use
Real Player 8 Basic, which is a free download at: http://www.real.com/
Q. I paid, and got a
confirmation email. Where do I log in to listen?
A. When you pay, and your payment is confirmed,
our system leaves a 30-day cookie on your hard disk that identifies
you as a member. Under ordinary circumstances, you do not
need to log in ever after your subscription is confirmed.
Q. So, if I don't have to log in,
how do I get a stream after I have paid?
A. Just go to the website, and go to any
of the streaming links, and click them. Instead of getting
redirected to a login or subscribe page, the audio file will
simply play, as long as you have a current version of the
correct media player installed.
Q. Okay, I tried that, and I still
got redirected to a login page. Why did that happen?
A. For some reason, our system couldn't
find the cookie that identifies you as a member. Use the user
name and password in your confirmation email to log in again.
If it still does't work, send a detailed email to customerservice@premiereradio.com,
and we will help you individually.
Q. I lost the email with my user name
and password. Now what do I do?
A. On the login page, follow the link to
"Forgot User Name and Password?" If that doesn't
work, write a detailed email to customerservice@premiereradio.com,
and we will help you individually.
Q. I bought StreamLink from my compter
at the office, and I want to listen at home, too. Can I?
A. Yes, your license is valid for up to
two computers. When youa re at your home computer, just press
on the stream you want to hear. You will be redirected to
the login page. Enter the user name and password from your
confirmation email, and you will be given a new cookie that
will allow you to access all of the streams through your subscription
expiration date.
Q. What media players and browsers
do you support?
A. Most modern browsers and players work, but not all are
guaranteed to work. We guarantee that the latest versions
of Internet Explorer (5.5 and up for PC, 5.0 for Mac) will
work, and the same with Netscape. We guarantee that Windows
Media Player 7.x will work for all operating systems. We guarantee
that Real Player 8.x will work for all operating systems.
Q. What if I have questions that
aren't answered here?
A. Please write a detailed email to customerservice@premiereradio.com,
and we will help you individually.
Q. Can I
use the version of Windows Media Player currently in my computer?
A. Our streams are tuned to provide maximum quality, and for
them to work properly, youmust use the most current version
of the free players provided by Microsoft and Real Audio. For
Microsoft, this means using Windows Media Player 7.x. For Real
Audio, theis means using Real Player Basic 8.x. You do not need
to buy the upgraded version of Real Player to use our audio.
The free version works perfectly.
Q. What if I use an older version of Windows Media Player
A. While Windows Media Player 6.4 seems to work in some system
configurations, it fails completely in others. Notably, Windows
Media Player 6.4 fails completely when used with Netscape 4.7x.
If this happens to you, it is advised that you upgrade your
player. If you cannot, please switch from Netscape to a current
version (6.x) of Internet Explorer. We are unable to support
older versions of players and browsers.
Q. Can I copy a link and paste it in a browser, or to my favorites?
A. No, this will not work. The only way to access a stream is
to click the link on the webpage it originates from. You cannot
copy and paste an audio link into a new browser, or save it
as one of your favorites in your player.
Q. I was listening to a show, stopped
the player, and returned to it several hours later. It failed
to play again. Why?
A. When listening to any one of our audio streams for an extended
period of time, you cannot stop and restart the stream. You
will be
dropped or receive an access denied error message. If you do
encounter this, close your player, go back to the webpage from
which your audio link was generated and click on it again. You
can then fast forward to the point at which you wish to resume
listening.
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