Ten Minute Mentor Help

Contact Information
System Requirements/Viewing Ten-Minute Mentor Presentations
Written Materials
Troubleshooting
Contact Information
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If you have questions, comments, or suggestions about Ten-Minute Mentor, please use our "Contact Us" page to receive the quickest response. If, however, you wish to leave a voice mail message, please call (800) 204-2222, ext. 1749 (in Austin, (512) 427-1463, ext. 1749). Please note that you are having problems with the Ten Minute Mentor classes.

Mailing Address: TexasBarCLE, P.O. Box 12487, Austin, Texas 78711-2487
Fax: (512) 463-1418.
System Requirements/Viewing Ten-Minute Mentor Presentations
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To view a Ten-Minute Mentor presentation you need:
  • A computer with a current operating system (such as Windows XP or newer, and Macintosh OSX 10.4 or newer) with sound and speakers.
  • A current web browser (including Internet Explorer, Firefox, Safari, etc.) with Cookies, Java, and JavaScript enabled.
  • A modem with minimum speed of 28.8 Kbps. (We recommend a faster modem speed.)
  • The free Windows Media Player (lets you listen to and/or watch video stream) downloaded and installed. Download Windows Media Player . Some classes use the new Silverlight player, available here.
Presentation Slides:
If you are viewing a presentation with slides, you will see the slide icon on the viewer toolbar. If you have moved off the slide screen, you can return to the presentation slides by clicking the slide icon. You can advance through the slides or move back through previously viewed slides by clicking the "<" and ">" icons. When you want to synch the slides back up with the presentation, click the slide icon again.

Changing the Video Streaming Speed (available only with Windows Media Player):
The stream speed of the video can be changed by clicking on the drop-down list below the video. Simply select the desired speed from the list and the video will be reloaded and play at the selected speed. If you experience substantial buffering of the video, try the audio only selection.
Written Materials
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If there are any written materials that go with the presentation, Adobe Acrobat Reader is the free software that lets you view and print them. All written materials (if any are present) are formatted as PDF files. PDF stands for Portable Document Format. The advantage of PDF files is that they can be read and printed on all major computer platforms. PDF files also have their own search engine, and each page appears exactly as it did in the original printed material. PDF files, however, are not word processing documents. Although you can copy and paste text from a PDF file into a word processing document, most of the formatting will be lost. We recommend printing the materials prior to starting the presentation to avoid pauses in the Internet video.

Download the free Adobe Reader.

Please remember that you must both download AND install the software on your computer. Downloading the software does not necessarily install the program automatically for you.

Troubleshooting
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Supported Browsers
Ten Minute Mentor classes function with most major internet browsers (Internet Explorer, FireFox, Safari, Flock, Opera, etc.). If you have trouble with a particular browser, you may want to try a different one to minimize troubleshooting problems. To find out what browser version you are using, open your browser and check in the Help menu of the software's menu bar (the strip at the top where it says File Edit View…Help). The last option in the Help menu usually says About (and then the name of the software). This is where your version number is listed. Please make note of the version number and then go to the software manufacturer's site to see if you need to download the latest version. Most browsers have an option to upgrade from this menu as well.

Additionally, to retrieve a different version of your web browser, look for the download link (or similar language) on these pages:

Audio Problems
First make sure your speakers are plugged in. A simple technique is to unplug and plug in your speakers to ensure that they are solidly connected. Don't forget to check the speaker's electrical connection to the wall, if such a connection is required. If your speakers require batteries, make sure they are fresh. Check to see if the speakers are turned on. Many speakers have on/off switches that may need to be adjusted.
Turn up your speakers' volume. You may need to turn up all of the controls to obtain adequate volume. The volume control may be located:
  • On the speakers themselves. Usually there is a volume knob on the speakers.
  • In your computer's operating system. Windows users can find this setting by going to the Start menu, then Settings, then Control Panel, and then by clicking on the Multimedia item; from there click on the first tab, Audio/Playback.
Sluggish Performance
Interruption (or sluggish performance) of the audio/video signal can be caused by many factors. As a first step, try changing the speed of the video stream or choose an audio-only stream. If you still encounter interruptions in your audio-only class, it may be due to:
  • Accessing the service during times of peak usage.
  • Accessing the service when your local area is experiencing bad weather. Especially in certain parts of the state, this can cause you to lose your connection altogether or for it to become sluggish as it compensates for communication errors on the line.
In both these cases, coming back to the presentation at a different time may resolve the problem. Also, disconnecting and then reconnecting to your Internet Service provider will reset your connection and may speed things back up.
Finally, be sure to check your the minimum System Requirements found above on this page to make sure your computer is in compliance.

Internet Connections
The faster your Internet connection, the more quickly you will be able to surf the Web and download files. (For example, a cable modem will download a 30-second video clip in 16 seconds; a 56K modem will take over 15 minutes to download that same clip.) Users with faster modems also tend to encounter fewer problems listening to Online Classroom lectures; while users with slower modems (below 56K) may experience choppy sound or video due to the sluggish performace of these devices.

If you have a dial-up connection (which typically runs anywhere from speeds of 56K to as low as 14.4K), we recommend that you choose an audio-only presentation (or the audio-only option of a presentation offered in video) for the smoothest experience. If you have a higher speed connection (such as ISDN, Cable Modem, DSL or T1) you should have no trouble with either the audio or video online presentation formats.
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