RCN Customer Support

What is Video Mail?
Video Mail is premium video and audio recording software which allows you to send personalized videos, greeting cards, and customized photo narrations. You can send a quick hello with your face and voice; a Happy Birthday card to your Mom that has a personal touch; or download your own pictures and narrate the story of your summer vacation for all of your friends to enjoy.

What is the maximum length of a Video Mail?
You can send Video Mails that are up to 45 seconds in length.

How long is a Video Mail available for viewing?
Your Video Mails are accessible to recipients for 30 days.

How To

How do I optimize the quality of the videos I record?
To create the highest quality Video Mail, Press Webcam Controls. The control panel for your personal webcam will open. Look for checkboxes that are labeled, "Auto" or "Full Auto". Turning off these options and manually adjusting the settings will allow Video Mail to record at its highest quality.

I recorded a video that I didn't like and don't want to send it. What do I do?
You to erase what you have recorded by recording over it. Simply press the record button again and speak into the microphone. Or, close the Video Mail and the recording will be gone when you re-open it.

Why does the Greeting Card function continue to record after I have pressed the stop button?
If you utilized the optional text feature and placed text in the final panel of the greeting card, Video Mail will continue recording for approximately 7 seconds after you have pressed stop, in order to record your personal text message screen. No audio will be recorded under this message.

I closed Video Mail after recording a video. When I re-opened the program, my recorded video was gone. Why?
When you close the Video Mail software, any recorded video that has not been sent is deleted.

If I minimize Video Mail while recording, why does the recording stop?
Video Mail cannot record if the program is not fully open. Maximize the program again by clicking on the icon in your System Tray and re-record.

If I minimize Video Mail while previewing a video, why does the recording stop?
Video Mail cannot preview your video if the program is not fully open.

After the video and audio setup are complete, how do I record a video?
Just press the Next button and you will be taken to the Basic Video Mail screen. Press record and look into the camera

How do I resend a Video Mail to a different recipient?
Once you have recorded a video, it stays in a queue until you either close the program or record over it. To resend a video to a different recipient, just press the Back button. You will return to the Address and Send screen. Type the address, subject and message to the new recipient(s) and press the Send button.

I unplugged my webcam while Video Mail was open and now I have no video. What do I do?
Unplugging the webcam is never recommended while the program is open. If, however, the USB cord does become disconnected, it may freeze both the application as well as your computer, particularly if your webcam is your audio input source. If this happens, you will need to reboot your computer.
When you re-open Video Mail, any previously created video will be deleted and you will have no video selected. Press Options and select Video Setup. Next, re-select your webcam. You will now be able to create another video.

When I open Video Mail, and decline the offer to update my software, the program won't launch. Why?
To ensure the best possible functionality, you are required to download new versions of Video Mail software whenever they are available. Not updating will prohibit you from using Video Mail.

When I open Video Mail, I am getting an error message regarding a storage limit. What does it mean?
Your Video Mail account is limited to 30 MB of storage. The error message simply means that you have reached your quota. The message will continue to appear until enough messages are purged and you have space in your account.

If I've reached my storage quota, can I still create and send Video Mails?
Yes. As you send Video Mails, the oldest files on the server will be deleted. However, it is important to note that you will continue to see the message until enough of your files are deleted from the server and you are no longer over the 30 MB storage quota. This error will occur at the following times:

I loaded pictures into Story Teller and another user signed in after me. Now my pictures are gone. Why?
A user who signs out of Video Mail will lose any pictures loaded into Story Teller if a different user signs in. However, if the same user simply logs in and out, their pictures will not be affected.

Video & Audio

Do I have to have a webcam and microphone to run Video Mail?
Yes. Video Mail Create will not operate without both a webcam and microphone plugged in. (Note: Most webcams have a built in microphone, allowing you to select your webcam for both the audio and video inputs). However, the Video Mail Share Library does not require a webcam and allows you to send Animated Greetings from Doozy Cards.com, Cool Videos from Stupid Videos.com and Funny Videos from Clean Comedians.com. Or you can upload your own content.

Why can't I see myself on the video screen after I have chosen my video camera?
Check the cable for the camera, and make certain it is plugged into the proper location in the back of your computer. If so, double check to see that it is plugged in tightly. If there is still no live video, make certain that the webcam driver has been properly installed. If you are still having problems, check the Manufacturer's User Guide for your webcam.

Why can't I hear myself through my speakers?
Check the cables for the speakers, and make certain they are plugged into the proper location in the back of your computer. If so, double-check to see that the cables are plugged in tightly. If there is still no sound, make certain that the sound driver has been properly installed. If you are still having problems, check the Manufacturer's User Guide for your sound driver or computer.

Why can't I hear anything when I record a Video Mail?
Check the cable for the microphone, and make certain it is plugged into the proper location in the back of your computer. If so, double check to see that it is plugged in tightly. If there is still no audio, check the Manufacturer's User Guide for your microphone. Some microphones are a part of the Webcam and the sound malfunction may signal a problem with your webcam.

My video screen is displaying extreme latency. It almost looks as though my hand has three hands behind it as I wave it across the screen. How do I fix it?
In order to optimize the low latency settings built into Video Mail, the monitor refresh frequency must be set to an average (medium) rate of between 60-85 Hertz. Higher settings will greatly effect the quality of low latency in both self-preview and playback. To change the refresh frequency:

My audio and video are out of sync when I preview. How do I fix it?
A couple of things can cause audio and video to go out of sync:

Receiving Video Mails

Is special software required to view Video Mail?
A recipient will need Windows Media Player 7.1 or higher on their computer in order to view a Video Mail. This Media Player is embedded in all Windows Operating Systems. However, if the Video Mail recipient does not have it, it can be downloaded from a web browser, by navigating to: www.microsoft.com. The program is free.

To view an Animated Greeting Card from Video Mail Share, the recipient must have Macromedia Flash Player 7.0 or higher. This should download automatically the first time the user plays and Animated Greeting. If it doesn't, the Flash Player can be Download at: Macromedia.com

How long can people retrieve the Video Mail I send?
Video Mail is retrievable up to 30 days.

Why won't the Video Mail I received play, even though I have Windows Media Player?
To play a video mail, you must have Windows Media Player 7.1 or greater. To play an Animated Card you must have Macromedia Shockwave Flash Player 7.0 or higher. The Flash Player will download automatically when you open the Animated Greeting.

If you have Windows Media Player 7.1 and are still having problems playing a Video Mail you have received, do the following:
From the Start menu, choose Programs. Select Windows Media Player.

You should now be able to view the video you received. If you are still not able to, we recommend upgrading your Windows Media Player by navigating to: http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia/download/default.asp and downloading the latest Media Player for you Version of Windows.

I followed the steps for viewing my Video Mail in Windows Media Player 7.1 or higher, but I am still having problems. Why?
This may be due to the browser you are using. Not all browsers allow Video Mail to be viewed. Please check the following chart for your browser compatibility:

Browsers:	Video Mail Function Level:
All versions of Windows:
IE 5.5, (SP2, SP3, SP4)	Fully functional - can send and receive
IE 6.0	Fully functional - can send and receive
Netscape 6.x	No functions available. There are no versions of Windows Media Player compatible with NS 6.x
Netscape 7.1	Playback only with Windows Media Player Plug-in
Mozilla 1.6	Playback only with Windows Media Player Plug-in
Opera 7.5	Playback only with Windows Media Player Plug-in
AOL (Any Version)	Playback only with Windows Media Player Plug-in
Macintosh
Browsers:	Video Mail Function Level:
Currently Video Mail is not available for Mac Users. However the following browsers will allow a recipient to view a Video Mail with some exceptions.
IE 5 for OS 9	Playback only requires Windows Media Player to be installed
IE 5.2 OS 10.2	Playback only requires Windows Media Player to be installed
Safari OS 10.2	Playback only requires Windows Media Player to be installed
In all cases without Media player, the following message is received:	"The page Video Mail Player has content of MIME type application/x-oleobject, but you don't have a plug-in installed for this MIME type. A plug-in should be available on this page: http://activex.microsoft.com/activex/controls/mplayer/en/nsmp2inf.cab#Version=5,1,52,701 Do you want to open the page? "Cancel or go"

Other issues that could prevent the recipient from viewing Video Mail include:

Does Internet Explorer need to be set as my primary browser in order to create and send Video Mails?
No. Although Internet Explorer 6.0 must be installed on your computer to operate Video Mail, it does not have to be your default browser.

When saving the Video Mail sent to me, a dialogue box came up asking if I wanted to play the item in Internet Explorer. I said yes and now the Video Mail opens in a panel on the left side of the screen. How do I stop that from happening?

Make certain if the "Do you want to play the item in Internet Explorer" box comes up again that you always say "NO".

Technical Issues

What video format does Video Mail use?
Video Mail uses the Windows Media format, which has a ".wmv" file extension. Windows Media Player 7.1 or higher must be installed on your computer in order for Video Mail to work.

.bmp = OS/2 or Windows Bitmap
.iff = Amiga
.jpg = JPEG Image
.pct = Macintosh PICT
.pcx = Zsoft Paintbrush
.pic = PC Paint
.pict = SoftImage
.ppt = Microsoft PowerPoint
.psd = Adobe Photoshop
.ras = Sun Raster Images
.sgi = Silcon Graphics Image
.tga = True Vision Targa
.tif = (TIFF) Tagged Image File Format
.wmf = Windows Metafile
.wpg = WordPerfect

Video Mail gave me an error message that said port 80/port 1501 was already in use. What does this mean and how do I fix it?
Video Mail utilizes port 80, which is the same port that web servers and Internet fed programs use. If Port 80 is in use, Video Mail will find another Port.
In the unlikely event that you receive this error message, it may be caused by a program such as KaZaa or Skype or CNET Live Update. First, try closing Video Mail then closing any such program. Then, re-launch Video Mail and see if this takes care of the error.

If the error is not solved by the above action, or if you do have a web server running on your computer such as Apache, or Microsoft Internet Information Server, etc. chances are great that this is what is interfering with Video Mail. Consequently, disabling or uninstalling the web server will allow you to use Video Mail.

To disable Apache in Windows 2000/XP, go to "Start -> Settings -> Control Panel -> Administrative Tools -> Services" and disable the Apache service.

To disable Microsoft Internet Information Server in Windows 2000/XP, go to "Start -> Settings -> Control Panel -> Administrative Tools -> Internet Service Manager" and stop the Default Web Site.

To disable Microsoft Personal Web Server in Windows 98/Me, go to "Start -> Settings -> Control Panel -> Personal Web Server" and stop the server under the Startup tab.

If your PC is not running any of the above programs, you can use a tool to determine what program is using port 80. The tool is available at: http://www.foundstone.com/resources/termsofuse.htm?file=fport.zip. Once you've downloaded the file, extract it to a directory on your disk (e.g., C:\FPORT ). Then open a command line window and run the program "C:\FPORT\FPORT.EXE /P | more" or "C:\FPORT\FPORT-2.0\FPORT.EXE /P | more" (depending on whether you unzipped keeping folder names or not). The output from the tool will look something like the following (this output is from a Windows 2000 PC):


FPort v2.0 - TCP/IP Process to Port Mapper 
Copyright 2000 by Foundstone, Inc. 
http://www.foundstone.com 
Pid   Process            Port  Proto Path 
660   tcpsvcs        ->  7     TCP   C:\WINNT\System32\tcpsvcs.exe 
660   tcpsvcs        ->  9     TCP   C:\WINNT\System32\tcpsvcs.exe 
660   tcpsvcs        ->  13    TCP   C:\WINNT\System32\tcpsvcs.exe 
660   tcpsvcs        ->  17    TCP   C:\WINNT\System32\tcpsvcs.exe 
660   tcpsvcs        ->  19    TCP   C:\WINNT\System32\tcpsvcs.exe 
920   inetinfo       ->  21    TCP   C:\WINNT\System32\inetsrv\inetinfo.exe 
920   inetinfo       ->  25    TCP   C:\WINNT\System32\inetsrv\inetinfo.exe 
664   PGM1           ->  80    TCP   C:\Program Files\I_use_port_80\PGM1.exe 
420   svchost        ->  135   TCP   C:\WINNT\system32\svchost.exe 
8     System         ->  139   TCP 
8     System         ->  445   TCP 
648   MSTask         ->  1028  TCP   C:\WINNT\system32\MSTask.exe 
920   inetinfo       ->  1035  TCP   C:\WINNT\System32\inetsrv\inetinfo.exe 
8     System         ->  1037  TCP 
8     System         ->  1384  TCP

In this case, the program "PGM1" is using port 80 on this PC. The program name and path on the right side of the output should help you determine what program to disable to allow Video Mail to work. If inetinfo.exe is taking Port 80, this generally indicates that a native Windows Web setting has been turned on. As this setting is not a necessary one, to disable: Start | Settings | Control Panel | Add/Remove Programs | Add/Remove Windows Components | UNCHECK Internet Information Services (IIS)

What are the minimum system requirements?
In order to properly run Video Mail, you will need a Pentium III, 500 MHz computer with at least 64 Mb RAM. It will run only in Windows 98SE, 2000, XP Professional and XP Home. Likewise, you will need Microsoft® IE 6.0. an Windows Media Player 7.1 or higher.

Why are the text graphics on my greeting cards fuzzy?
Fuzzy text graphics are caused by your computer's video card. If you have an older monitor or out of date video card on your computer, the quality of your graphics in any program will be compromised, but may seem more obvious in Video Mail.

I am using Windows 2000. In Greeting Card mode, there seems to be a slow-down in the program between the page where I enter text and the record screen, when navigating back and forth. Why?
This is due to the way Internet Explorer (which holds the Video Mail program) renders HTML. Unfortunately, it is not something that Video Mail can control.

The video quality is "jerky" and slow and I can hear "glitches" or "stuttering" in my audio when I preview Video Mails. Why?
Video Mail requires that the Direct Memory Access (DMA) setting for be turned on all hard drives. DMA may not be turned on by default in Windows 98 or ME. However, Microsoft® states that DMA is turned on by default in Windows 2000 and XP. However if you are hearing major problems with the audio, the best way to ensure quality is to ensure that DMA is turned on.

From your Desktop, right-click on the "My Computer" icon.
Choose Properties
Choose Device Manager
Double-click on "Disk Drives". All of the drives on your computer will be listed. Look for the hard drive. By process of elimination, your hard drive will be the one that does not say either: "floppy" or "CD".
Right-click on your hard drive.
Choose Properties.
Choose the Settings tab.
Click in the DMA box. A dialogue box entitled "Unsupported Hardware Alert". Will appear. This dialogue will warn you of the possible side effects of enabling DMA. If you have questions about this warning, please contact your original computer manufacturer.
If you decide to enable DMA, press OK.
Press OK again.
You will now see a dialogue stating that the computer needs to shut down or restart. Press YES.
Your computer will now shut itself down.
If the computer doesn't restart on it's own, power it on. You are now ready to resume using Video Mail

For more information on Direct Memory Access, please follow the link to the Microsoft(r) Knowledge Base Article on this topic. http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=258757

For Windows 2000 and XP:
DMA should be turned on by default. If not:

From your Desktop, right-click on the "My Computer" icon.
Choose Properties.
Choose Device Manager.
Double-click on "IDE ATA/ATAPI Controllers"
Right-click on "Primary IDE Channel"
Choose Properties.
Choose Advanced Settings
Under "Device 0", make certain that "Transfer 1" is set to "DMA if available". Do the same for "Device 1"
Press OK.
If you have more than one hard drive you can repeat steps 6 to 9 above by right clicking on "Secondary IDE Channel". Otherwise close the Device Manager.

When I change the audio output sound level in Video Mail, it also changes the sound level on the audio slider in Windows. However, when I close Video Mail, my Windows audio slider returns to its previous setting. Why?
By design, Video Mail is programmed to change your Windows audio output settings to the appropriate place for you to be able to hear comfortably when using the program. However, we do not want to assume where you want your settings to remain. Therefore, when the program closes, it returns your Windows audio input slider to it's original setting for you.

I've imported a PowerPoint presentation and not all of the pictures are showing up, why?
Only the first 10 slides in a PowerPoint presentation can be displayed. The Story Teller feature only allows for 10 images to be used, enabling you to have time to show the images during the alloted 45 seconds of recording time.

Which cameras are recommended for use with Video Mail?
Video Mail currently supports drivers for cameras with 320x240, 320x288, 352x240, 352x288, 360x240, or 360x288 size fields. Video Mail has been tested as suitable with the following webcams with properly installed drivers:

Are there any cameras Video Mail does not support?
If the camera driver meets the 320x240, 320x288, 352x240, 352x288, 360x240, or 360x288 size specification and the drivers are properly installed, the camera should work. However the cameras listed below are not supported for the following reasons:

Camera	Reason
Orange Micro iBOT USB 2.0	Incompatible video size drivers (includes support for 160x120, 176x144, 256x240 only)
Veo Advanced Connect	Driver installation issues. The auto install does not properly install the sound driver, consequently Video Mail will produce video from this camera, but no sound.

When I try to record, I am getting an "Error 530". How do I fix the problem?

Video Mail uses a Windows Media Format file which compresses the audio and video data and creates a .wmv file, then uploads it to the server after you press the send button. This Media Format file is downloaded to your computer after the first installation and launch of Video Mail. If this Windows file was somehow blocked by anti-virus or firewall software, or, if you had a previous installation of it and the file is somehow corrupt, Video Mail will not work.

To correct the issue follow these instructions:

Close Video Mail.
Click on this link to download the corrective registry key: Fix-Encoder-Setup.reg
You will receive a box asking you to open or save the file.
If you choose open:
1. The registry key will be automatically downloaded.
2. A dialogue will ask if you are sure you want to add this information to the registry.
3. Press Yes.
4. The file will be added to the registry and give you a confirmation message. Press OK.
5. Open Video Mail. You should be able to record. If not, please contact a technical support agent.
If you choose save:
1. The dialogue will ask for a location.
2. Choose a location that you will remember, such as your desktop. The name of the file is: "Fix-Encoder-Setup.reg".
3. Navigate to the location of the saved file and double-click on it.
4. A dialogue will ask if you are sure you want to add this information to the registry.
5. Press yes.
6. The file will be added to the registry and give you a confirmation message.
7. Press OK.
8. Open Video Mail. You should be able to record. If not, please contact a technical support agent.

I just installed (or upgraded) Video Mail and when I open it, it crashes or nothing happens. How do I get around this?

There is a known condition with Norton Internet Security 2005 which may cause Video Mail to either crash, or not fully open. If NIS 2005 is running during the first launch of Video Mail, after installation you may experience a referenced memory error; a Windows error telling you that "...Video_Mail.exe must close"; or Video Mail opens with no live video and no way to log in. To work around this problem, do the following:

Uninstall and reinstall video mail but don't open the program.
Disable Norton by right-clicking on the Norton icon in the system tray. You can choose to disable it for 5 minutes as you will be turning it right back on.
Now re-launch video mail.
Record and send a test message. (This message doesn't need to be more than a few seconds long.)
With Video Mail still open, turn Norton back on.
Close Video Mail.
Re-open Video mail. This time, the camera may not work, but the firewall will probably prompt you to allow the following .exe files:
1. Vibe_Video_Mail.exe
2. Update_check.exe
3. Vibeupdt.exe
Choose Permit always for each.
Close Video Mail.
On the next re-launch of Video Mail, the two products should work fine.

When I downloaded a PowerPoint file in to Story Teller, I get an "Internet Explorer Script" error? What do I do?

This is a known issue in Video Mail caused by an apostrophe in the name of your PowerPoint file. To solve the issue, do the following:

Press yes on the error message.
Right click on each downloaded PowerPoint slide to remove it.
Press yes to confirm that you want to delete it.
The Internet Explorer Script error will appear. Press yes again.
Repeat the above steps for all pictures you have downloaded.
Close video mail.
Navigate to the PowerPoint file you just imported to Video Mail.
Rename the file taking out the apostrophe and any other special characters.
Reopen Video Mail.
Import the newly renamed file.

What types of Media files are supported and unsupported by Video Mail?
The following formats are supported in Video Mail:

.asf .asx .dvr-ms .mpeg

.mpg .m3u .m1v .mp2

.mp3 .midi .mid .rmi

.wax .wav .wmx .wm

.wma .wmv .wmv .wmd

.wvx .wpl

How do I convert a Media file?
Although neither .avi nor .mov files are supported in Video Mail, you can convert both file types to the .wmv format by following the instructions below:
(NOTE: This will require the download of two free conversion applications from the web)

To Convert an .MOV to .WMV:
(NOTE: Converting a .mov file is a two-step process. First you must convert to .avi, then you must convert the .avi to .wmv.)

Navigate to: www.radgametools.com
Press the download button for "Free Bink Tools"
Click on the link: "The RAD Video Tools" and download the free application.
Install the application.
Open the application and browse to the file you want to convert.
Press the Convert a File button.
Choose .avi for video files.
Press convert.
You will now have an .avi file

The file will be put back in the same folder as the original, but will now have an .avi extension. However, in order to add it to Video Mail, you will have to convert it to .wmv:

To Convert an .AVI to .WMV:

Navigate to: Microsoft Encoder Downloads
In order to download the encoder, you will need to decide whether or not to validate your copy of Windows by pressing the Continue button.
Choose Yes or No.
Press Download.
Install the application.
Open the application and press New Session.
Choose Convert a File.
Press the Browse button to browse to a Source File.
Media Encoder will fill in the Output file with the new .wmv extension.
Press Next.
Choose File download.
Press Next.
Choose Video and Audio Quality.
Press Finish.
After a few moments, the Encoder Results dialogue will appear.
Press Close. You do not have to save the session.
The file is now in the output location previously listed.

You can now record a Video Mail and add your new .wmv file to your Video Mail.

To convert other file types, go to a search engine such as Google.com and search: "Converting [type of file to be converted] files".

How To

Video & Audio

Receiving Video Mails

Technical Issues

General

How To

Video & Audio

Receiving Video Mails

Technical Issues