Common Questions

• CPE Eligibility
• Webcast Technology
• KPMG Podcasts
• KPMG TaxWatch Events
• KPMG TaxWatch Help Desk

Webcast Technology - Common Questions

What are the minimum technical requirements to view a Webcast from my computer?

To access a TaxWatch Webcast event, your computer must have:

1.  Hardware and operating system configurations:

2.  Media player installed - such as Microsoft Windows® Media Player or Real Player®.
    (Click on the links below to download the appropriate streaming media player.)

3.  Internet browsers installed -- either Microsoft Internet Explorer® 6.0 or Netscape® 7.1 browsers
     for Windows® operating systems. Before you access the event, you should determine that your
     browser is configured to stream media.

4.  Internet Connection installed - a minimum internet connection of 28.8Kbps; a 56Kbps connection
     is recommended.

5.  Your computer must also have cookies and JavaScript enabled.

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Can I view the Webcast if my computer has pop-up blockers?

• No, in order to access the Webcast and receive polling questions, your computer's pop-up blocker must be disabled to enable cookie support. Every computer is different. However, you should have an option under your Internet Browser tools options section. Or, contact your network administrator or technical helpdesk for assistance on obtaining instructions on how to temporarily disable your pop-up blockers.

Can I log into the Webcast from a different computer than the one that I originally registered from?

• If you have pre-registered for a Webcast event, you can log into the event from any computer including the computer that you registered on originally. You will just need to enter your e-mail address on the Webcast registration page for identification purposes.

How can I download and print the presentation slides for the event?

• Yes, presentation slides are typically made available in an Adobe Acrobat® PDF presentation file format prior to the start of the Webcast event; and are easily downloadable to your desktop from your media player. Once the presentation slides are downloaded, you can follow your standard printing process for your computer, which is typically File > Print > Ok >.

Are all questions submitted via the question box answered?

• Most questions can be answered via the question box during the live Webcast with answers made available to either all event participants or privately to the individual posing the question. Questions that involve additional follow-up may be answered after the live Webcast via e-mail directed to the requestor.

What do I do if I have a difficulty advancing to the next presentation slide during an event?

• Slides are automatically advanced and controlled from the Webcast studio and not by the participant. However, if your presentation slides are not advancing, you may need to refresh your Internet Browser. Press F5 to refresh your screen. If you are having difficulty viewing the Webcast using Real Player® and are on a Windows®-based computer, you may need to view the Webcast using Windows Media Player® instead.

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What can I do if I cannot hear the audio part of the presentation?

• First, verify that your computer speakers are connected to the audio port of your computer and that the volume is turned on (not in mute mode) and increase the volume setting as needed. (Your speakers or headphones must be plugged into your computer system's sound card.) If you still cannot hear any audio, shut down your Internet Browser and re-launch. If you continue to have difficulty with the audio during an event that is already in progress, you can continue to view the presentation slides from your computer and simply dial-into the audio portion via teleconference.

Can I synchronize the teleconference call audio and Webcast audio?

• No, there is approximately a 30-second Internet delay on the Webcast audio (vs. the teleconference audio) due to the streaming media flow over the Internet connection.

What can I do to have the Webcast media player fit on my computer screen?

• You can resize the Webcast to fit on your computer by resetting your screen display resolution to 1024x768. Just right-click on your desktop and select "Properties". Click on the "Settings" tab. On the lower right side of the window is a sliding scale. Move the scale to a resolution setting of 1024x768, then click "Apply" and "OK."

What can I do to prevent the Webcast media player from automatically stopping or from continually buffering?

• Network congestion can occur at any time causing the flow of streaming media on your computer to slow down or to stop completely often due to one of the following problems:

     1.  Connection to the Internet through a modem (dial-up).
     2.  Access to a Webcast during peak Internet traffic hours.
     3.  Connection to the Internet from outside North America.
     4.  Heavy traffic on your company network.

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Podcast - Common Questions

What is Podcasting?

Podcasting is the method of distributing multi-media files, such as audio programs or music videos, over the Internet using either RSS or Atom syndication formats, for playback on your personal computer or portable music device like an iPod or MP3 player. It is similar to listening to an "on-demand" radio program. The host or author of a podcast is often called a podcaster. With podcasting, you can subscribe to a series of audio episodes that download automatically to your podcatcher whenever a new audio file is available for playback.

What is a Podcatcher?

A Podcatcher is a simple computer program used to automatically download podcasts to your personal computer or portable music device like an Apple iPod or MP3 player. You do not need to purchase any special software as there are a variety of free Podcatchers available online.

What is an MP3 player?

An MP3 player is a device that plays music and audio files stored in the digital MP3 format. As an analogy, think of the MP3 player as a Sony Discman, but smaller in size and instead of playing CDs, it plays digital files.

What is MP3?

MP3 is an abbreviation for MPEG-1 Audio Layer 3 which is a file format that compresses audio files by up to 10 to 12 times. For example, a standard 4-minute song stored on a CD is about 40MB in size. The same song, when stored in the MP3 format, is only 4MB in size with no noticeable loss in quality. The advantage of storing in the MP3 format is that you do not need a large storage device to hold these audio files making the unit very lightweight and portable. Most MP3 players can play audio files in both the MP3 and WMA (Windows Media Audio) formats.

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