Q – What is internet streaming (or webcasting)?
A – This is a very simple method of providing you with a single click feature to start playing an audio or video file directly off the internet. In the case of Vet Talk Radio we provide an on-line media player that allows the file to immediately download to your local computer and start playing. This method overcomes the effect of ‘buffering’ where a file seems to stutter as it is played incrementally. The bonus effect of this method is that when the same file is played again, it is played from the local PC and not downloaded again.

Q – How much bandwidth does it use?
A – When the internet was new, bandwidth was expensive. Many people didn’t want to play audio or video because of this. Now bandwidth is very cheap overall to the point of being almost irrelevant for what Vet Talk Radio provides. In fact playing several videos from YouTube can use more in a few minutes than Vet Talk Radio uses in a whole day! Vet Talk Radio is about 150Mb of audio in the first few days.

We have compressed our audio tracks to be as small as possible while still retaining good quality. After the first week, the average download per month for 30x10 hour days o fVet Talk Radio is less than 50Mb as the files then get replayed off your own computer. However live updates can still occur and new audio overwrites the old audio. 

Q – Does my computer fill up with all the audio being played?
A – No, not at all. The Vet Talk Radio system uses some of the available disc space on your computer to store files that are replayed from time to time. It then clears this out and starts again after a pre-determined amount of time.

Q – I only have dial-up or a very slow connection. Can I still have Vet Talk Radio?

A – It is possible however using a dial-up connection would tie up that phone line all day. Besides most dial-up monthly bandwidth plans are quite small and now mainly used for email and low use customers. We would suggest our USB stick / Hard Drive option with monthly updates. If your connection is ADSL but quite slow – we would certainly suggest you try the audio stream as a first option. If it isn’t suitable then the other options mentioned above would be the best for you.

Q – What is the USB Memory Stick / Hard Drive option?
A – This is simply a way of delivering the initial audio material to you in one go.
Updates are delivered entirely on the USB Stick / Hard Drive.
You don’t even need to be connected to the internet and with our Hard Drive option you don’t even need a computer. We express post the preferred device to you. You use it for a month and return it to us. Just before you return it we send you a second unit with new music, advertising and promotions. This option is ideal for dial-up internet customers. The disadvantage is that updates are monthly and there is additional cost involved in purchasing hardware and postage (both ways) etc.

Q – What happens if my internet connection ‘goes down’?
A – Some users do report less than perfect internet connections from time to time. If this is the case we can provide our USB Memory Stick option (usually a generic playlist with branded promotional spots) as a back-up. A small extra cost applies. This may also be useful in the case of a computer ‘crash’ (rare!) – the memory stick can then be used in a second computer.

Q – What happens if your (Vet Talk Radio) server goes down?
A – We actually use a number of different servers located around the country. The chances of all of them being off-line at the same time are very small. Whilst we don’t yet have automatic switching, we will be able to advise all clients that may be affected by phone and e-mail of alternative servers for the duration of the outage.