PRODUCT OVERVIEW
TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS
REGISTRATION AND LOGIN
ACCOUNT AND BILLING QUESTIONS
TECHNICAL TROUBLESHOOTING
OTHER AND GETTING FURTHER SUPPORT
What are the minimum system requirements?
- Windows 2000 or XP
- Internet Explorer 5.5 or 6.0
- Windows Media Player 10
- A broadband internet connection of at least 500 kbps
- Flash Player 6.0 or higher
- Internet Explorer's "Privacy" settings set to the default "Medium" setting
- Firewalls and pop-up blockers disabled
How many computers can I use to access Big Brother Online Video?
You can access Big Brother Online Video from a maximum of two computers. For example, you will be able to access our service from work or home, or from your desktop and your laptop. Beyond the first two computers, you will be locked out from viewing your purchased content from additional computers and you'll get a "Maximum Licenses Reached" notification.
Do I have to install any special software to view Big Brother Online Video?
There is no special software necessary to play Big Brother Online Video content other than what is listed as our minimum system requirements.
Click here if you don't already have the latest version of Windows Media Player.
You should also run Windows Update in Internet Explorer under the Tools menu to make sure you have the latest updates to your operating system and Internet Explorer.
Can I use other media players like QuickTime, RealPlayer, etc?
No. You need to use Windows Media Player with our service. If you have more than one media player on your computer (RealPlayer, QuickTime Player, etc), please set Windows Media Player as your default media player to avoid problems accessing our content.
To make Windows Media Player the default media player:
- Open up the Windows Medial Player application.
- Click on Tools > Options.
- Click on the"File Types" tab.
- Check the boxes for "Windows Media File (asf)", "Windows Media Audio file (wma)", and "Windows Media Video file (wmv)".
- Click "Apply" and then "Ok".
Can I use dial-up internet access?
A dial-up connection is not recommended because our video streams at 240 kbps, and a dial-up internet connection is only 56 kbps or slower. We recommend you have a minimum Internet connection of at least 512 kbps.
Can I access Big Brother Online Video from a Macintosh?
Big Brother Online Video is not available to Mac users because the Mac version of the Windows Media Player does not support the features we use to protect our content from unauthorised use.
As soon as Microsoft releases a version of Windows Media Player for the Macintosh that supports these security features, Mac users will be able to access our content.
Please contact Microsoft if you have further questions about this issue.
What is Digital Rights Management (DRM)?
Digital Rights Management (DRM) is a technology that allows for the secure management of digital media. Users have to accept "DRM licenses" on their computers in order to view our video content. This security protects the content from unauthorised distribution and viewing by issuing licenses to your computer for each piece of protected content to which you are authorised.
How do I get a DRM license?
Usually, a DRM license will be delivered to your computer automatically without you even noticing the process when you play our content.
If this is the first time you've ever tried to play DRM licensed content on your computer (or if you recently reinstalled or upgraded your Windows Media Player), Windows Media Player will ask for your permission to download security upgrades from Microsoft (sometimes referred to as "individualisation").
This "individualisation" process should start automatically, but you will need to click "Yes" or "OK" when asked to permit the upgrade (see example image below for PC's with XP and Service Pack 2). If you don't permit the upgrade, our content will not play for you.
If the "individualisation" process fails for some reason, you may need to reinstall Windows Media Player from scratch. Please consult Microsoft's Windows Media Player website for additional assistance.
Do I have to obtain a DRM license every time I want to watch a new piece of content on the same computer?
Generally, yes. When you first click on a streaming media link, a DRM license for that piece of content will be distributed to your computer and stored by Windows Media Player. This license cannot be moved to another computer. As long as this license remains on your computer, and it has not expired, you will not need another license to watch that same piece of content on that computer.
Each piece of content requires its own license. Further, content licenses can expire within hours or days, depending on the terms of your purchase. Also, accessing content from multiple computers uses up the limited number of licenses issued to you for a specific piece of content.
