NPR Audio Help for Macintosh Users

Mac OS 8/9 Users - If you get a blank page when you click on an audio link:

IE users: There is a bug in older versions of Internet Explorer and you'll need to upgrade to version 5.1.6. Get the upgrade here:
http://www.microsoft.com/mac/DOWNLOAD/IE/ie5_classic.asp

Netscape users: You need to upgrade your version of Netscape to version 7.0 or higher. Find the download here:
http://channels.netscape.com/ns/browsers/download.jsp

If Quicktime is opening instead of the Real player, or if you get the message 'unsupported transport':

Step (1)

Mac OS X: Un-associate QuickTime with the extension type .smil. Quicktime will not open these files. To un-associate it, open the QuickTime player, go to edit, then preferences, QuickTime preferences, Plug-In tab, Mime settings, expand "video", highlight "smil 1.0 File" , set to "do not use QuickTime." (if you have more than one version of SMIL or another version of SMIL, Repeat the same instructions for each instance of SMIL)

Mac OS 8/9: You need to un-associate QuickTime with the extension type .smil. Quicktime will not open these files. To un-associate it, open the QuickTime player, go to edit, then preferences, QuickTime preferences, Browser Plug-in, Mime Settings, expand "video," highlight "smil 1.0 File", set to "do not use QuickTime." (if you have more than one version of SMIL or another version of SMIL, Repeat the same instructions for each instance of SMIL)

Windows:

(A) You need to un-associate QuickTime with the extension type .smil. QuickTime will not open these files. To un-associate it, open the Quicktime player, go to edit, then preferences, QuickTime preferences, Browser Plug-in, Mime Settings, expand "video", highlight "smil 1.0 File", unselect it. (if you have more than one version of SMIL or another version of SMIL, Repeat the same instructions for each instance of SMIL)

(B) You should also set .smil to open with real player at the system level: start -> programs -> accessories -> windows explorer -> tool menu -> folder options -> File Types. Under extensions, scroll way down until you find SMI and SMIL. Make sure both "opens with" the real player/real one player, use the change button to locate the real player if associated with something else.

Step (2)

Make sure the file helper section of your Web browser associates .smil files with the Real player.

IE 5.1.6 for Mac OSX: select Edit / Preferences, In the left-hand window, click on the arrow next to "Receiving Files" (you may have to scroll down to see it). Then, click on "File Helpers." In the right-hand window, scroll down until you see "SMIL 2.0 file" (there may be more than one with a similar name, use the same instructions for anything with SMIL in it.) Click on one, then click on the "Change..." button. At the bottom of the window is an area called "Handling." It will probably have a QuickTime icon there. Click on the "Browse..." button next to the icon and browse until you find the RealOne or RealPlayer on your machine. Select it and click on the "Open" button. Repeat for each instance of SMIL in the File Helpers window. Close the windows and quit your browser. Then, re-launch the browser and try listening again.

IE 5.1.6 for Mac OS 8/9: edit -> preferences -> Receiving Files/File Helpers. Scroll down until you see "SMIL Document" (there may be more than one with a similar name, use the same instructions for anything with SMIL in it). Click on one, then click on the "Change..." button. Under "File Type" look for "application" It will probably have a QuickTime icon there. Click on the "Browse..." button next to the icon and browse until you find the RealOne or other Real player on your machine. Select it and click on the "Open" button. Repeat for each instance of SMIL in the File Helpers window. Close the windows and quit your browser. Then, re-launch the browser and try listening again.

IE for Windows: usually not necessary; please write us if you need this.

Netscape 7.02 for Mac OSX (add a new mime type for .SMIL): Netscape -> preferences -> Navigator/Helper Applications -> New Type. In Description type "SMIL", in file extension type ".smil", in MIME type, type "application/audio", in Application to use, press the choose button and browse to your Real player, then 'OK.'

Netscape 7.02 for Mac OS 8/9 (add a new mime type for .SMIL): Edit -> Preferences -> Helper Applications -> New Type. In Description type "SMIL", in file extension type ".smil", in MIME type, type "application/audio", in Application to use, press the choose button and browse to your real player, then 'OK.'

Netscape for Windows: May not be necessary; please write us if you need this.



Are you having trouble accessing our content because of firewall issues?

Real Player: You can try setting your network transports to "http only": tools, preferences, Connection/Network transports, Manually configure connection settings:

1. rtsp settings, uncheck the top three, check the bottom one "attempt to use http for all content"
2. pna settings, uncheck the top three, check the bottom one "attempt to use http for all content"

Restart your real player.

Windows Media: Tools, options, network tab. Uncheck (multicast, UDP and TCP). Check HTTP, click OK. Restart your Windows Media player.

QuickTime: Edit, Preferences, QuickTime Preferences, Streaming transport, check that "Use HTTP, port 80" is selected. Restart your quicktime player (note: the only content we have available in quicktime format is the program stream and hourly news, if your quicktime player is opening for other links, this may be a problem, see "If QuickTime is opening instead of the Real player, or if you get the message 'unsupported transport':")

Safari browser, Mac Os X: If you get the message "mounting failed":
In Mac OSX, it's because there is a bug in Apple's BETA release web browser, Safari. The bug shortens the extension .smil to .smi. They have not released a fix for this yet. We have informed Apple of this problem.



XML errors:
If you get XML errors while trying to listen to audio, it's usually because the computer does not have the Real player installed. Verify that you have a Real player installed by checking your list of installed programs. If you need the Real player, you can find a link to the download site here: http://www.npr.org/audiohelp/audioplayers.html.



Netscape users: Please upgrade to Netscape version 7.0 or higher. You are welcome to write us for help with other browsers.



Archives Users:
Audio before Feb. 1, 2003 is only available in the Real player format. Download a free Real player.

Mozilla users:
We have not had much success using the Mozilla web browser with our audio; please use another browser if you would like to listen to our audio. Still can't listen to NPR audio?
If you still have problems, please contact us and be sure to provide this additional information:
1. What audio player do you have set as your preferred player for NPR audio?
2. What audio player are you using to play our audio?
3. What is the URL (location) of the audio you are trying to listen to?
4. Does an audio player open when you click an audio link? If not, what happens?
5. What is the exact error message or symptom you receive from an audio player when trying to listen to this audio?
6. What is your audio player version?
7. What is your browser version?
8. What is your operating system version?

Thanks for your patience.