Troubleshooting playback of Mediasite presentations

If you are having trouble playing a Mediasite presentation or are encountering excessive buffering/pauses in the video, first verify your computer and your internet service meet the requirements for playing a Mediasite presentation.

Requirements for viewing a Mediasite presentation

The web-based Mediasite player is HTML5-compliant and requires no special plugins. Most modern web browsers have built-in support for HTML5 content.

Troubleshooting tools

Viewing requirements test tool

The Mediasite Viewing Requirements Test Tool detects which media types your web browser supports. At a minimum, you should see a check mark symbol next to MP4 under On Demand. The page also provides a link to a sample presentation you can use for testing, as well as helpful links to more detailed troubleshooting information.

Other troubleshooting measures

If you have determined your computer and your internet connection meet the above requirements, but you still cannot watch Mediasite presentations, please try the additional troubleshooting tasks below.

• A potential workaround for constant buffering is to begin playback, then pause the presentation for 30-60 seconds before continuing playback. This allows your web browser to build a video buffer large enough to avoid or reduce the frequency of buffering.

• Clear your web browser's cache.

• See if you can successfully play this Mediasite test presentation. The test presentation is hosted on a different Mediasite server and can help isolate the issue.

• Are you using a wireless or cellular connection? Try switching to a wired Ethernet connection or plugging directly into your cable or DSL modem.

• Avoid situations where you may be competing for bandwidth on a shared internet connection, such as trying to watch Mediasite presentations while your roommate is streaming Netflix or playing online video games.

• Try playing the presentation in other web browsers to learn if the issue is isolated to a specific browser.

• If you have access to another computer or playback device, see if the presentation plays successfully on that device. For example, try playing back the presentation on a computer in Hale Library or other on-campus locations.

• Evaluate the adequacy of your internet service or plan. Certain basic DSL packages do not offer sufficient download bandwidth to support high-quality streaming video. Similarly, most satellite internet services struggle with streaming video due to the high latency inherent in beaming a signal into space and then back to Earth.

Specific error messages or conditions

Error message: The requested presentation is currently unavailable

This message most often results when the presentation's visibility status is set to "Private." Contact the instructor or owner of the Mediasite presentation and request they change the visibility status from "Private" to "Viewable."

Blank space where the presentation should appear

Your K-State Single Sign-On (SSO) browser session may have expired. Do one or more of the following:

• Close the browser, reopen it, then log in again to start a new session

• Open K-State Connect or another SSO-enabled service in a separate browser tab and sign in to start a new session

• Clear your web browser's cache

An unfamiliar login screen or a message stating the service requires cookies be enabled appear instead of the presentation

These conditions can occur under certain circumstances. Do one or more of the following:

• Ensure cookies are enabled in your web browser

• Clear your web browser's cache, then close the browser, reopen it, and try again

• Try playing the presentation in other web browsers