Are you ready to start improving? GREAT! Your Star Pronunciation lessons are in video. You will watch a minimum of 1 hour of video training each week (there’s lots more if you want to do more!).
Before you start it we’ve compiled this checklist for you to double check your internet connection.
Computer and Internet Checklist
- Yes I have a good broadband connection (ADSL2, or at least 8Mbps ADSL1, or cable internet, or 3G, with a BIG Plan)
- Yes I have an Internet Plan of over 4GB per month.
- Yes I understand that I may not be able to view my lessons from my work computer because some large companies block access to unknown sites.
[/message_box]
More Information on computer and internet requirements:
More info on internet plans. Star Pronunciation lessons are in video. Streaming video on the internet uses up more internet downloads than other media types. How many downloads you use depends on how many video lessons you watch.
Students normally use under 4 GB of download per month to take the course. 4BG per month allows for you to repeat each lesson once and take bonus lessons. Please consider the size of your internet plan and your monthly download limit. Please note that each time you click on a video lesson page the lesson will load and it will use downloads from your plan. You can avoid using up downloads by clicking on a video lesson page only when you plan to watch the lesson.
The Star Pronunciation videos aren't working well. What can I do? The quality of the internet to your house internet connection is affected by congestion and access by your service provider. There are a few reasons why a video may not have streamed well. We recommend the following:
1. Check your connection speed. We recommend ADSL 1, 2 or cable. Slower internet speeds will not stream video well. Contact your internet service provider to discuss a better connection. Our system will automatically adjust the quality of the video based on your connection. Our system will buffer, so if you open the video, hit pause and allow it time to load (grab a drink and a snack perhaps). Once the video is loaded it should play smoothly.
2. Check your internet plan usage. You might have used up your monthly download limit. When this happens your provider will slow your connection.
3. High numbers of people in your neighbourhood using the net at the same time can slow your internet. Watch the lessons outside of peak internet use times. Peak times are 3.30-6.00pm weekdays.
4. Some browsers stream better than others. We recommend Chrome, Firefox or Safari. Download Google Chrome Browser for free here.
You can check your internet speed here.
Here are some general tips to improve your streaming.
I can't watch the videos at home. What other options do I have?There are a number of other options:
1] Find a cafe or hot spot that has free internet. Although often the speeds are not fantastic.
2] Watch the lessons at a friends house. Some people have very large (around 100GB), inexpensive internet plans and would be happy for you to use their internet.
3] Watch the videos at a public library. Most public libraries have very good internet facilities that anyone can use. You will need to book a time to use the computer. You may also need to be a member of the library; joining is usually free.
4] Watch the videos at work. Most employers are very supportive of staff taking this training. You can discuss completing the videos at word with your manager. Many employers also fund the program. Some large companies block access to unknown sites check with your IT team to see if you can access the lessons from your work computer.
5] If you are a University student you could watch the lessons at University. There is often wireless and desktop computers with internet access.
Should I upgrade my internet plan?If you have been on the same internet plan for a while it is probably a good time to look into upgrading. Internet plans have come down a lot recently and are now relatively inexpensive. For example you can get a broadband connection of 120GB limit for around $50 per month in metro areas in Australia, with connections in the rest of the world offering even better value. The cost of ADSL2 and Cable internet are very competitive. If you haven’t updated your plan for a while you will probably find you can get a much better deal so an upgrade might be an excellent option for you.
Can I watch the lessons in full screen?The file size has been kept small to optimize video streaming so the lesson look better as sized in the player. Clicking to full screen on a large screen will make them less clear.
Yes you can, but we don’t think it’s the best way to study the videos due to screen size.
iphone
We recommend that you put the MP3 audio files on your iphone to use for practice. Our system will also allow you to watch the videos on your iphone, however the videos are made for a larger screen and completing the quizzes and using star check may prove more difficult.
Android smart phones
We recommend that you put the MP3 audio files on your android to use for practice. Our system will also allow you to watch the videos on most newer android phones, however the videos are made for a larger screen and completing the quizzes and using star check may prove more difficult. Our tests also found pausing the video created issues for reloading.