Movies may be viewed in any of three methods:

Streaming allows you to watch a video directly in your web browser, without having to download the (large) file to your local machine. You may also watch a streaming video directly from within QuickTime player (or your preferred viewer application that supports streaming). This is the most efficient way to watch these movies, but it does require a DSL, cablemodem, or faster connection in order to work.

Fast Start will download the video to your local machine, but will begin playing it as soon as enough is downloaded to begin watching it; in this fashion, you can begin watching the movie while the later portions are still downloading. This might work better than streaming if you have a slower connection; it is discouraged, though, due to the general inefficiency of the process.

Downloading a file allows you to save a copy to your computer for later viewing. The files are rather large (typically, over 100 megabytes each); however, this might be the best option if your connection is too slow to allow streaming, or if you wish to view a movie file again at a later time.

Most of our videos are available in several formats, for maximum compatibility (tested on Linux, Windows, and Mac OS X).

“QuickTime 7” files use the H.264 video codec and AAC for audio compression. This format provides the maximum video and audio quality, but it requires QuickTime 7.0 or later (available as a free download for Windows and Mac OS X).

“QuickTime 6” files use the older Sorenson 3 video codec and AAC for audio compression. This combination is supported on older versions of QuickTime (not necessarily just version 6) and various other older players. If a “QuickTime 7” link doesn’t work for you (shows blank video, etc.), try this version next.

“Windows Media-formatted” files can be played back in Windows Media Player 9 or later (a free download from Microsoft).

If you are using another system (such as Linux), or if you choose not to install one of these players, you might also be able to play these videos using VLC Player, a free video player that is available for a wide selection of operating systems.

Each video is available in both a low-bandwidth (~150kbps) and a high-bandwidth (~300kbps) version. The high-bandwidth versions are of higher video quality; if your connection is fast enough, you will probably prefer these. The audio is about the same on both types, so you should be able to hear the lecturer clearly on either version.

Below are links to all of the videos currently available. Hover your mouse pointer over a link to view the file’s size.

If you require assistance with viewing or downloading these files, you can contact us via email at: help@physics.utexas.edu