Computer Requirements
In order to fully use the painting e-course, your computer will need to meet a set of technical specifications. The minimum specifications we recommend are described below. If you have technical problems we would advise you to double-check these requirements.
General System Requirements
This is what we recommend as a minimum. However, it may be possible to view the lessons with a computer that has specifications that aren’t at this level. Please note that Nancy Medina Art, LLC does not recommend you change any of these settings without first contacting your company’s IT department if you’re using a work computer and will not be held liable for any problems that result.
There are no specific hardware requirements for the computer you use to study online. However, if you experience problems you should review the list below and compare it with your computer specifications. This is what we recommend as minimum requirements. Note that you may be able to study effectively using a computer at a lower specification.
- Operating Systems = Mac OS or Windows 7 or higher
- Processor = 1.4 GHz 32-bit (x86) or 64-bit (x64)
- Memory (RAM) = 2GB or higher
- Free Hard Disk Space = 25%
- Screen Resolution = 1024×768 or higher
- Screen Colors = 32-bit (high color) or higher
- Flash Player = Version 11.2 or higher
- Adobe Reader = Version 7 or higher
- Browsers = Chrome, Safari, Mozilla Firefox, Opera or IE9 or higher (use the latest version of any browser).
While certain operating systems and browsers are not officially supported it is probable that you will be able to use them to view content. We will try to help where we can but cannot guarantee we will be able to resolve the issue if you use one of the unsupported operating systems or browsers. Most of the content will also work in Firefox and Chrome Stable.
Troubleshooting Guide
If you carry out the following checks first you may well be able to solve the problem yourself faster than getting in touch with us. Of course, if you do these checks but still haven’t solved it then please do contact us so that we can begin helping you.
♥ Check your internet connection, make sure you are connected.
♥ If you have a poor Wi-Fi connection or signal, try moving your computer or laptop closer to your router. Your router should be optimally placed…open and away from walls, heavy duty appliances and other obstructions which may affect Wi-Fi performance. You could also try plugging an Ethernet cable if you have one.
♥ Limit the number of devices connected to your network. Are other phones, tablets, computers all connected to your network? The more devices connected to your network, the more of a bottleneck it will cause.
♥ When all else fails, reboot! Sometimes our computers, laptops, tablets, etc. just need a good ol’ fashioned hard reboot! For pc’s and laptops, you would want to “shut down” then power back on. For tablets, power them completely off then back on.
♥ Close other windows and programs. If you have too many programs running or windows open all the over the place, it will not only slow down your computer but may also confuse you on where you were. If you aren’t using an open program or window, just close it.
♥ Clean out temporary files. You would be surprised at all the history your computer saves! Remember shopping for those sandals last summer? Ha ha. These cached files and images can really drag your machine down. Depending which browser you use, the instructions on how to clear your internet files will be different. The most common browsers are Internet Explorer, Google Chrome, Firefox and Safari. Simply do a Google search on instructions for deleting internet files for the specific browser you use (Example for Safari users: Go to Google and type in “how do I delete internet files on Safari?” Then follow the instructions provided).
♥ If you are still experiencing slowness, sputtering and lag, check with your internet provider to make sure you are subscribed to a plan that delivers the right speed and data allowance. If they determine you are the one right plan, they may recommend rebooting your router or walk you through other steps on how to trouble-shoot the issue.
Videos
- You need to download and install Adobe Flash player plug-in. Go to the Adobe Flash plug-in download page and follow the instructions to install the plug-in.
- If you run into problems with cut off videos, you may need to increase your screen resolution to a minimum of 1024×768. On a Windows operating system the easiest way to change this is to minimize open windows so you can see the desktop. Next, right-click and select Properties from the menu. Click on the Settings tab and change your screen resolution to 1024×768.
- If you run into problems hearing a video, you may need to double check:
- Do you have a sound card installed?
- Are your volume settings correct?
- If you have Windows 7 you can check this by first clicking the volume icon in the task bar and ensuring sound is not muted. Then, go to Start > Control Panel and select Sound. Make sure the appropriate playback device is enabled in the Playback tab. Right click the Playback device and select Test to check whether your computer is playing sound.
- Your speaker cables and headphones are plugged into the correct socket and have not come loose.
PDF files
You may need to download and install Adobe Acrobat plug-in. Go to the Adobe Acrobat plug-in download page and follow the instructions to install the plug-in.
