• Questions list
• VideoChat
• Written Chat
• General requirements
• Minimum requirements

FAQs & Troubleshooting

Welcome to the troubleshooting page for the Virtual Fairs, we will try to help you to solve any possible problems in your connection and utilisation of the interactive features of the application.
Please, remind that the Virtual Fair is a Rich internet application, a Web application designed to deliver the same features and functions normally associated with desktop applications. Therefore it is possible that this application needs more resources and memory from your computer, close some other applications to enhance the functioning of the Virtual Fair.

 

 

How do I have the Video Chat application recognize my camera?

Configuring the Webcam:

1. Connect the camera to your computer
2. Make sure the computer recognizes the camera. You can check by going to the "My Computer" page in Windows or the "Finder" window in OSX and seeing what devices are plugged in.
3. How to access to your Videochat:
   1. Login the backend
   2. Go to “Videopresentations” section
   3. Click the “information” button of the desired event
   4. On the new window you can see your personal access info, click the showed link to launch the Videochat application
   5. Use this personal username and password to login your Videochat
4. When the broadcaster console opens for the first time, it asks you if want to "Allow" or "Deny" Camera and Microphone access. Select "Allow".
   

   
   Important

   (If at any point you click "Deny", then the window will never show up again. When this occurs, you will have to reset it. To reset it: right click on the video area, click "Settings", and select "Allow" and close.)
5. In the broadcaster console related tab, select your camera from the Video Sources tab, in its drop down menu. If it is an embedded webcam then it will appear as "USB Video Class Video". If it is a plugged in DV Camera then it will appear as "DV Video".
6. Your video should appear in the Stream Window, now.

   MAC USERS: Does the videochats work with iSight for Mac?

   Yes, however Adobe Flash does not detect per default your iSight camera. To change to your iSight, on the stream monitor box hold down CTRL and click. Select Settings and click the webcam icon. Under the Camera section select USB Video Class Video. Click Close. You should now see your stream on the server monitor.

   Troubleshooting

   Try updating Adobe Flash: http://www.adobe.com/products/flashplayer/ o After updating Flash, restart your computer

   It may be possible that you are behind a firewall that has blocked off the necessary ports that allow the VideoChat and Virtual Fair to connect. You want to check whether the standard ports for video streaming and chat are blocked.

   They are port number 80 for video streaming and port number 843 or 443 for IRC written chat. Here you can find some generic information on how to open the ports:

   • http://support.microsoft.com/kb/308127 (PC)
   • http://homepage.mac.com/car1son/static_port_fwd_firewall.html (Mac)

Exactly how all this is done depends on your firewall, consult your documentation and our firewall FAQ

7. Please make sure you have installed ALL of the drivers for your camera

 

How do I get my sound to work?

Configuring Sound

Plug in your audio device prior to opening the Videochat broadcaster window.

Select your audio device from the broacaster window drop down menu.

1. If you have a mic plugged into the input on your computer or laptop then select "Built-in Input".
2. If you want to use the embedded webcam mic then select "Built-in Microphone".
3. If you see neither "Built-In Microphone" nor "Built-In Input", most likely your audio device will be listed as your sound card. If so, select your listed sound card.
4. Because of a Flash issue, DV camera audio is not detected, if you want to use the audio from a DV camera then you need to connect it to your laptop via a cable connection.

Make sure your computer microphone is set to on through your computer's system preferences.

 

Why is my videochat stream choppy?

Potencial Causes

* Insufficient Internet bandwidth: It is possible that the upload speed of your Internet connection is too slow.
Check your internet connection at www.speedtest.net
We recommend an upload speed minimum of 320 Kbps. 400 Kbps is preferred.

* Insufficient CPU: Ensure additional programs are not running in the background or accessing the Internet (ie Itunes, Skype, etc). Your stream can become choppy if your CPU usage is so high that it causes your computer to slow down. This can affect both the broadcaster stream quality and viewer stream quality.

• Close all other programs: By closing other programs running on your computer (Itunes, Skype…), you will free up CPU and help your computer run faster.

Beyond, internet connection and video and audio levels, the key to a good quality stream is pretty simple, the same fundamentals of any video experience.

1. Make sure you have GOOD lighting. This is one of the most important factors in stream quality.
2. Make sure you have a GOOD camera. The better quality the camera, the better the stream.
3. Make sure you close all other programs on your computer. Computers bogged down running other programs can cause your stream to be lower quality.

 

Why do I get error messages when I try to enter a videochat room or start broadcasting?

Potencial Causes

* Firewall Issues: It may be possible that you are behind a firewall that has blocked off the necessary ports that allow our application to connect.

* Flash: It may be possible that you do not have the most updated version of Flash or your Flash has been corrupted

* Open Firewalls: You want to check whether the standard ports for video streaming and chat are blocked.

They are port number 80 for video streaming and port number 843 or 443 for IRC written chat. Here you can find some generic information on how to open the ports:

1. http://support.microsoft.com/kb/308127 (PC)
2. http://homepage.mac.com/car1son/static_port_fwd_firewall.html (Mac)

Exactly how all this is done depends on your firewall, consult your documentation and our firewall FAQ

* Update Flash: http://www.adobe.com/products/flashplayer/

 

My browser keeps crashing when I try to stream the videochat! Why is this happening?

There are known issues between Adobe Flash and certain cameras (like some DV cameras). To get around this, we recommend you use either Camtwist or Webcammax as they are more stable with Adobe Flash.
You would have one of these programs detect your camera, then from your broadcast panel go to advance settings, then select Camtwist or Webcammax. This should eliminate the crashing problems.

 

I was able to connect to the Videochat or the written text chat, but I am not able to do it anymore.

There is a reported issue with Internet Explorer, where the session gets stucked in your computer, and you are being recognised by the application as a logged user to both the videochat or written chat, while you are not.

1. Close all the open windows of your internet explorer browser
2. Open again one browser window and go to the page of either the Virtual Fair or the content manager. Once the page is loaded, click simultaneously on CTRL+F5 to force a page refresh.
3. Enter your login normally.

 

 

What ports do I need to open in my firewall to connect to written chat?

The required ports in order to have this service working are 80 and either 443 or 843 (both TCP and UDP). Connection with the chat server (chat.imaste-ips.com) must be allowed through these ports and there must not be a IRC (Internet Relay Chat) protocol filter, since
this is the protocol used for communication.

Both 80 and 443 ports should be open by default in your computer or network, but if you're
behind some corporative network, environment can be more restrictive.

When your computer connects with 443 (or 843) port we send a privacy policy file and we receive a similar file back. This behaviour is required for written chat.

Communication for this service doesn't use HTTP protocol. If you are behind an HTTP proxy, you'll be able to receive the application and its content, but this doesn't guarantee proper written chat working.

If you can view Virtual Fair page but the lower chat bar is disabled, there can be two common issues: either you are already connected using another browser or your network doesn't allow you to access to the chat server.

First case happens only at login. Since your login is unique and identifies you univocally, we don't allow two users to log in at the same time with the same nickname. Close the other windows where you are logged in and reload the page.

Second case requires more complex solutions:

First, please make sure that standard ports required for written chat are not closed on your computer. These ports are 80 and 443 (or 843 if 443 is not available).

Here you can find some information about port opening but we advise you to ask for help to your IT department:

1. http://support.microsoft.com/kb/308127 (PC)
2. http://homepage.mac.com/car1son/static_port_fwd_firewall.html (Mac)

The specific way to proceed depends on your firewall and the corporative network. Ask for help to your IT department, documentation and FAQs for your firewall.

443 port is the default HTTPS port and should be enabled by default. For more information: http://www.grc.com/port_443.htm

This port can be disabled by some firewall software (like ZoneAlarm or Norton Internet Security) or perhaps your Internet access is done through a router with a firewall. If you have no firewall installed, this port is open by default.

Keep in mind also that you need an Internet connecion if you want to work with the application. If you work with the application in cache, you'll be able to navigate through the Virtual Fair but you won't be able to connect with any server beyond your computer.

If none of the described solutions works, please call our Customer Service Centre at 0034 915360503. We'll give you specific help for your problem.

 

I can connect to the written chat, but it get disconnected often

If this issue happens few times, don't worry. It can happen that the connection between client and server get lost, it's a common network problem. Make sure you have installed the latest Windows version and the latest patches installed, so you'll enhance overall system stability.

 

I can see the lower chat bar, but I see no error or disconnection message and I see there are '-' connected users

Some error after initial connection happened. It's not usual. Just refresh the page (CTRL+F5); this should be enough.

 

I could connect to the written chat before but now I can't, with no apparent reason

There is a known issue regarding some system configuration and Internet Explorer versions, that makes the session is recorded in your computer even you are connected no longer. This makes the application recognize your user and makes it believe that you are logged in, when you are not.

1. Close all the Internet Explorer open windows.
   Open again a browser window and go to the Virtual Fair page or the backend. Once it loads the page, refresh the page (CTRL+F5). It will update the cache.
   Enter your user and password as usual.

 

I am able to connect to the written chat, but the user lists are empty

It's a very unusual issue. Some error happened during the connection process and some of the following operations won't properly work. Refresh the page (CTRL+F5); it probably will work.

Another explanation could be a temporary service collapse, something unusual and very bad news for our IT team.

Programs using port 443

Skype and other programs sometimes use port 443 thus preventing you from using it so either close Skype and then connect to the Virtual Fair and then start Skype again (it will then use a different port).

 

 

Firewall troubleshooting

A firewall is a piece of hardware or software that prevents data packets from either entering or leaving a network. To control the flow of traffic, numbered ports in the firewall are either opened or closed to specific types of packets. The firewall reviews two pieces of information in each arriving or departing packet: the protocol through which the packet is being delivered and the port number to which it is being sent. If the firewall is configured to accept the specified protocol through the targeted port, the packet is allowed through.

If you share or firewall your internet connection, such as sharing a DSL/cable connection among multiple PCs, or connecting through a proxy/hub/router, or running a software firewall program (including the one built into Windows XP), you should consult our firewall FAQ. In brief, here are your options:

1. Windows XP has a built-in Internet Connection Firewall (ICF). See Microsoft's help page for how to disable it. If you want to keep ICF on, you'll have to modify it, see the next section.
2. For any connection problem with the written chat, you will need to open TCP and UDP incoming and outcoming traffic for ports 80 and 443 (or 843), for domain chat.imaste-ips.com. Exactly how all this is done depends on your firewall, consult your documentation and our firewall FAQ.

Browser Configuration for the Virtual Fair

How do I configure Internet Explorer 6?

1. Click on Tools (on the IE 6 toolbar) -> select Internet Options
2. Select Internet Options and click the Security tab.
3. Select Internet as Web Content Zone
4. Click on the Default Level button.
5. Click OK.
6. Click the Refresh icon on the toolbar and return the event.

If this solution isn't working or isn't suitable for some reason try the next:

1. Click on Tools -> select Internet Options and click the Security tab
2. Click on the Custom Level button
3. Configure the categories by following the directions below
4. Active X Controls and Plug-ins - Enable Download signed ActiveX, Run ActiveX controls and plug-ins, and Script ActiveX controls marked safe for scripting.
   1. Downloads - Enable File Download
   2. Miscellaneous - Set Software Channel to Medium
   3. Scripting - Enable all options in this category
   4. Click OK
5. Click the Privacy tab
6. Click 'Default' and make sure that the slider is set to Medium
7. Click the Advanced tab
8. Locate the Browsing category and check Disable script debugging
9. Uncheck the following options:
   1. Configure the categories by following the directions below:
   2. Display a notification about every script error
   3. Reuse windows for launching shortcuts
10. Click Apply
11. Select the General tab
    1. Click the Settings button (located in the Temporary Internet Files category)
    2. Click the option marked Every visit to the page
    3. Click OK
    4. Click the Delete Files button (located in the Temporary Internet Files category.)
    5. Click OK to go ahead with the Temporary File deletion (this clears your browser's "cache" of stored files.)
12. Click OK to close the Options window and return to your browser
13. Click the Refresh icon on the toolbar and return to the event

 

How do I configure Firefox?

1. Open the Tools menu located on your Firefox toolbar
2. Select Options & select the Privacy category and do the following:
   1. Open the Cookies menu by clicking the plus next to it
   2. Check the box next to Enable cookies
3. Select the Web Features category and do the following:
   1. Check the boxes next to Enable Java and Enable JavaScript
   2. Click on the Advanced button and make sure all the boxes are checked
4. Click OK
5. Click the Reload button/icon on the toolbar and return to the event

 

 

required software

Web Browsers:

1. Internet Explorer 6 (and later versions)
2. Firefox 1.5 (and later versions)

 

required system

1. Minimum: Pentium III, 667 MHZ. 512 MB RAM. ReSolution 1024 x 768
2. Suggested: Pentium IV, 2.66 MHZ. 1 GB RAM. ReSolution 1280 x 1024

 

Adobe Flash Player version

1. Flash Player version 9.0.115 or the most recent versión: almost 85% of the computers are already equipped with this version.
2. Is not necessary any other software or plugin for the good performance of Virtual Fair

 

Peripheral devices

1. Webcam for the video chats
2. Sound Card: The drivers must to work with the headphones, microphone and speakers

 

Bandwidth

1. For to use correctly the Audio and multimedia functions, we recomend you a broadband like ADSL or similar
2. broadband minimum: 1 MB. Suggested: 4 MB.

Although it is not recommended, the Virtual Fair technically supports a connection of smaller speed. Nevertheless, you can have difficulties in the Virtual Fair load, the multimedia zones or, simply, connecting to the server.