Here are some things to consider if you are having trouble signing in:
• A browser security level set to High can not only prevent you from
initially signing in but also cause problems with utilizing ARC Web Shop. Try
lowering the security level to Medium.
• Make sure that any firewall that you are using is set to allow communication
from the ARC Web Shop domain.
If you have a hardware firewall, you will need to make sure that ports 80, 443,
and 1755 are open.
• Double check the spelling of your member name and password. Remember that
passwords are case-sensitive. Verify that you do not have the Caps Lock
key on, and try re-typing your password.
• If you've forgotten your password, use the link on the sign-in window to
request your password.
• Make sure your Internet connection is working: Try using Internet Explorer to
browse to another Web site, and check your IE settings*.
• Some ad-blocking software, such as AdSubtract, PopUp Killer, or @Guard, may
prevent you from signing into ARC Web Shop and using some areas unless it is
properly configured. Make sure your ad-blocking software is configured to allow
URLs from ARC Web Shop.
* To Check your Internet Explorer Settings:
1. Select Internet Options...from Internet Explorer's Tools drop-down
menu.
2. Go to the Connections tab and verify that the information is correct.
3. If you use a proxy server, click the LAN Settings ...button and make
sure the proxy server address is correct. If you are not using a proxy server,
make sure this box is not selected. Consult your Network Administrator if you
are unsure.
4. Go to the Advanced Tab. Scroll down to the Security section and make
sure the Use SSL 2.0 check
box is checked.
Do I need a credit card to use ARC Web Shop?
No.
The ARC Web Shop also accepts payments through
PayPal.
Music Downloads
Technical Requirements
What are the system requirements for using ARC Music Downloads?
Windows 98SE, 2000, ME or XP (sorry, no Windows 95, NT, 98, Me, Macintosh
or Linux)
Pentium-class CPU equivalent or better, 233 MHz or higher processor (most
computers meet this requirement)
At least 64 MB of RAM
About 1 MB of disk space per minute of music
A sound card and speakers
Speakers or headphones (if you want to play music on your computer)
An Internet connection (broadband recommended)
Internet Explorer version 6.0 or higher
Windows Media Player version 7.1 or
later (Windows Media Player 9 Series is recommended as it improves streaming
quality and reduces buffering times)
To optimize your ARC Web Shop experience, we recommend the
following:
- A USB 2.0 port is recommended if you are connecting a portable device, as
it provides
maximum transfer rates.
- A CD-RW drive and CD burning software if you want to burn track to CD.
To find out your computer's specifications:
- Click Start, choose Settings, and then select Control
Panel
- Scroll down to System and double-click to open it
A window will open that displays your computer's system
profile, including processor speed, RAM and other information.
How much hard drive disk space do I need?
Each song you download will occupy about 1 MB of disk space per minute of
music. Your disk space requirements depend on the number of songs you want to
add to your music library and their duration. To find out how much disk space
you have, double-click on My Computer on your desktop and then
right-click on the hard disk drive where you will store your music, and view
Properties.
How long does it take to download a song?
Downloading a song (4 – 6 minutes or 4-6 MB) takes:
- Broadband (T1, DSL, ISDN, cable modem): under 1 minute
- 56 Kbps modem: 15-20 minutes
Actual download time varies, depending on the length of the
song, your system configuration, site traffic and network traffic.
We recommend you have a high-speed Internet connection, but
it is not required to download music.
What computer should I use to download my music?
You should download your music to the primary computer where
you store your digital music.
How do I download a song?
- Find the song (or album) you want by searching or browsing.
- Click Buy Now to purchase a song or album.
- Confirm and pay for the purchase.
- We will send you an e-mail that gives you downloading instructions.
If for some reason your download is interrupted or a song does not download
completely, you may download it again. Each song file can be downloaded to the
same computer a total of 3 times. If you exceed the maximum number of downloads,
you will need to contact us at
care@arcuk.org and we will determine if
it is possible to restore the song file.
Please note: You can only download a song license once. If a license file is
lost or damaged, you will need to contact contact us at
care@arcuk.org.
You may back up a song and its license to two additional
computers..
If there is a problem with your download and you need to try
again, you have 60 days from the purchase date to re-download the song.
If the Song stops abruptly in the middle and won't play to
the end, The song file may have been interrupted during the download
process by a pop-up blocker, which didn't allow the file to download completely.
Download it again after disabling pop-up blockers.
How do network firewalls affect the download process?
Some firewalls might misinterpret the ARC Music Downloads Manager and prevent
you from viewing the downloading dialogue boxes. In some cases, a firewall may
not allow you to download the complete song file. Consult your firewall
documentation.
Avoiding the common causes of problems with downloading and
playing songs
To avoid problems with downloading and playback, please make
sure you do the following:
- Use Windows Media Player version 9 or later
- Disable pop-up blockers
- Verify your firewall settings are configured appropriately
Disable download/dial-up accelerators
I don't live in the United Kingdom. Can I download music from the ARC Web
Shop?
Yes ARC music downloads are available in all countries.
What can I do with music I buy on ARC Web Shop?
Music you purchase is yours to keep and comes with the following rights:
1 Download the music to one computer and back up music to two additional
computers.
2 Make 10 burns to a CD.
3 Make unlimited transfers to a portable device.
Windows Media Player keeps track of the rights associated
with each song.
What file format do Music Downloads come in?
ARC Web Shop Music Downloads are 128 kbps stereo WMA files. ARC Web Shop
utilizes Microsoft Windows Media Digital Rights Management software to protect
audio tracks. For more information about the Microsoft DRM,
click here. This means that ARC Music
Downloads are legal, safe and easy to use. The 128-bit WMA files also offer
superior sound quality.
What media player can I use to play music downloaded from ARC Web Shop?
The ARC Web Shop is designed to work with Windows Media Player version 9 or
later. We chose to work within the most widely-available media player to make
your music downloads experience as fast, easy and inexpensive as possible. There
may be problems with downloading songs and their licenses if you try using other
media players or an earlier version of Windows Media Player. To find out what
version you have, open your Windows Media Player, click the Help menu and
select About Windows Media Player. A window will open and display
information about the player, including the version number.
Update your Windows Media Player
Our downloads are WMA files protected by Digital Rights Management (DRM).
Windows Media Player 9 or later is able to play, burn and transfer WMA files
protected by DRM encryption. Our music download files can be played on most
portable digital music players. Check
the documentation for your player to be sure it can play the WMA file format
protected by Digital Rights Management (DRM) encryption.
If you try to play a song in another media player and get an
error message about a missing license, you can try playing the song in Windows
Media Player first, then in the older version of your other media player. Or you
may need to upgrade the other media player to the latest version. The player
needs to support DRM encryption.
Do I need to adjust the settings of my Windows Media Player?
No. In fact, it will be easiest for you to use your music
downloads if you retain the default settings for Windows Media Player. This will
ensure all your music is downloaded to the same folder and will be added to the
Windows Media Player Media Library, so you can easily find it when you
want to play, burn or transfer music.
Where can I find the music I've downloaded?
Unless you specify another location, your songs will be added
to the Windows Media Player Media Library so you can easily find them when you
want to play, burn or transfer music. Just click Media Library in Windows
Media Player to view and play all your songs.
Will ARC Music Downloads play on my iPod or Macintosh computer?
At this time, the Apple iPod and Macintosh computers will not play ARC Music
Downloads files. Our files are in the WMA format with Digital Rights Management
(DRM) encryption. Many other media players will play our files.
How do I back up songs and their licenses to another computer?
To back up your music, you will need to make copies of both the song and
license files and transfer these to the new computer. You may back up music to
two additional computers.
1. Copy and transfer song files:
- Copy song file(s) and transfer (via email, on CD, or through a shared
network) to a designated music folder on another computer
2. Back up license files:
- Go to the Tools menu on Windows Media Player and click on
License Management
- Choose the location to store the license backup files
- Click Back Up Now to save all your license files to this location
3. View license files:
License files are hidden by default until you change your folder viewing
options. You must show hidden license files in order to transfer them to
another computer.
- Open the file where you placed your license backup files
- Go to the Tools menu and click Folder Options
- Select View and click Show hidden files and folders
- Click OK
4. Transfer licenses to a different computer:
- Copy your license backup files. (Look for filenames drmv1key.bak,
drmv1lic.bak, drmv2key.bak, drmv2lic.bak)
- Transfer all license files (via email, on CD, or through a shared network)
to a designated music folder on the new computer
5. Restore licenses:
You must restore the licenses on the new computer before you can play the songs.
- Go to the Tools menu on Windows Media Player and click on
License Management
- Point to the location where you saved the license files on the new
computer
- Click Restore Now to allow Windows Media Player to access the
licenses on the new computer
- Open the song to play it
6. For more information:
Please refer to the instructions on backing up and restoring music to a computer
in the Windows Media Player's Help system.
Can't find your downloaded song file
The ARC Music Downloads Manager asks you to confirm or select a new location
where you want to download your music. If you didn't select a specific location
on your desktop for your music files, the Download Manger will default to the
My Music folder, and Windows Media Player will list the songs in its
Media Library.
License files are downloaded to your computer as invisible and easily
transportable Windows Media Player "package" files. They are downloaded to the
same folder as your song files.
How do I transfer a song to a portable player?
You need a WMA-compliant portable player that supports
Digital Rights Management (DRM). Not all media players that support WMA will
support DRM. Please refer to the documentation that came with your player to
determine if it is compatible.
In Windows Media® Player:
- Select the songs or playlist you want to transfer.
- Make sure your portable device is connected to your computer.
- Click Copy to CD or Device.
Click Copy to transfer the music.
What should I do if I have trouble transferring songs to a
portable player?
On the Windows Media Player Help menu, select Help
Topics. Under Contents, navigate to the help topic Copying files
to your portable device.
If you are using different software to transfer songs, please
refer to the help documentation for that software for instructions.
You can make unlimited transfers to a portable player.
How do I burn songs I download onto a CD?
You need two things to burn your music to a CD:
- An internal or external CD-RW drive that is connected to the computer you
use to play your music.
- A blank CD-R disc that is compatible with the write speed of your CD-RW
drive, and that is able to record audio files.
Please refer to the blank CD packaging, and consult the
documentation that came with your CD-RW drive if you have questions.
To burn to a CD:
- Put the blank CD in your disk drive.
- Select the Copy to CD or Device tab on Windows Media® Player.
- Select the music you want to copy.
- Click Copy in the upper right hand corner.
It's usually best not to use your computer or run other
programs on your computer while burning a CD. If you have trouble burning CDs,
On the Windows Media Player Help menu, select Help Topics.
Under Contents, navigate to the help topic Creating Your Own CDs.
This help section will walk you through the steps to create audio CDs using the
Windows Media Player.
You are licensed to burn a song to a CD 10 times. If you try
to burn a CD after that, Windows Media Player will deliver a message indicating
that you are not licensed to make any more burns of that song to a CD.
Where can I play the CD I burn?
When you burn an audio CD, you can play the CD on any optical CD player that
plays music (e.g., your car stereo, home audio system, boom box, or portable CD
player). Please remember: ARC Music Downloads are for personal use only and not
for resale or commercial use, as indicated in the End User License Agreement..
What should I do if I have trouble playing music?
Here are a few questions to consider if you are having
trouble playing your music:
- Is ARC Music Downloads temporarily unavailable? You may not be able to
retrieve the license file that allows you to play the music. Please check back
soon.
- Do you have the latest Microsoft Windows Media Player installed on your
computer?
Get it now for free.
- Does your computer satisfy the minimum system requirements? above
- Does the song appear in the Media Library on Microsoft Windows Media
Player? If not, in Windows Media Player click on File, then Add to
Media Library, then By Searching Computer.... Windows Media Player
will find all songs on your hard drives and add them to your Media Library.
- Is the volume turned up on your speakers and/or Windows Media Player?
- Are you playing the song from the computer you used to download the song
for the first time? If you transferred music files to another computer, you
must also back up the song licenses and transfer them to that computer.
- Are you trying to play the song in an older version of another media
player, and getting an error message about a missing license? Try playing the
song in Windows Media Player first, then the other player. If that doesn't
solve the problem, make sure you have the latest version of that media player
and that it supports DRM encryption.
If you still cannot play your songs after following these tips, please
contact us by sending an email to
care@arguk.org .
I am being asked to install an ActiveX control to continue my
installation. What is this and is it safe?
The ActiveX control helps ensure the most secure environment for the
installation of ARC Music Downloads. It offers another security check to
guarantee the files you are installing from are free from viruses and have been
certified as authentic ARC files. To install this ActiveX control:
1 Click the light yellow bar at the top of the screen.
2 Select Install ActiveX Control.
3 Click Install on the box that appears.
An Internet Explorer script error appears when I try to open ARC Music
Downloads inside Windows Media Player
This is most likely caused by a conflict between the Windows
Media Player's Digital Rights Management (DRM) software (used for licensing
songs) and McAfee's VirusScan Enterprise version 8.0 or 8.0i. Consult the McAfee
and Microsoft websites.
Can I upload songs to a shared music server?
No. The End User License Agreement you accept when you purchase music from
ARC Music Downloads prohibits you from making the music you download available
on a shared server or Web site. For more information, please consult the End
User License Agreement.
Can I sell the music I download from ARC Music Downloads?
No. The End User License Agreement you accept when you purchase music from
ARC Music Downloads prohibits you from using the music you download for
commercial use. For more information, please consult the End User License
Agreement. ARC wants you to spread the message; but we need the funds from our
music sales to help fund our campaign. |
