I am puzzled at no longer being able to view the video stream from the Rochelle IL camera on 2 of the 3 browsers on my computer. I use a standard iMac of reasonably current vintage with an up to date operating system. All browsers: Safari, Firefox and Chrome are up to date. Recently, both Firefox and Chrome have no longer been able to open this video stream. And I am unable to find out why, and would appreciate thoughts. BTW: the lovely Trains Mag videos of the recent 4014 "BigBoy" excursion to Promontory have presented no problems with viewing.
Two things mess up video feeds: changed URL's and video card settings. The browsers cache links in an attempt to speed things up. If the URL changes, the cache won't update. I find the Rochelle camera at http://trn.trains.com/videos/webcams/2014/09/bnsf-and-union-pacific-in-rochelle-il
The way to clear that is to clear your cache's occasionally.
Second is video card settings. This is a quagmire of settings and such. It shouldn't happen but every once in a while the settings are updated to a configuration that won't display some video feeds. The Mac settings should be OK but try an update of the OS once again. Additionally, check settings for your monitor. There appears to be a problem with external monitors connected to the Mac. Go to monitor settings and see that it hasn't changed with some update.
petitnjThe way to clear that is to clear your cache occasionally.
As this may confuse or delay some non-computer-savvy people, I think he means using the Ctrl-F5 command to wipe the cache (this is common in the major browsers). That salty term means you hold down the 'control' key like a shift key (which it actually is on a teletype, in the sense of shifting key meanings to allow external control of things directly) and then press function key 5 at the top of the keyboard. This avoids digging in menus, wiping the wrong things, etc.
If you are not computer savvy, BEFORE you go trying things in what follows, READ THE WHOLE THING!
To further complicate and confuse things for non-computer savvy people, lots of newer computers (especially laptops) have usurped the Function keys (F1 to F12, usually the very top row of keys on the keyboard) to control hardware (change screen brightness, Sound volume/on/off, etc.) instead of being commands to Windows software ("Help", "Refresh" etc.). There is usually a setting in the BIOS or UEFI that controls which the keys will do by default.
"IF" the user has not reset the BIOS/UEFI to return the keys to the original "F1" through "F12" actions, (which the non-computer savvy person probably has no idea they could even do!), then one must also hold down another key, usually labeled "Fn" and often very near one of the "Ctrl" keys in the bottom row of keys, to get the function keys to perform the original action ("Help", "Refresh", etc.) and not make changes to the hardware setup (Sound volume/on/off, change the screen brightness, etc.)
To tell which is the default action on any conputer, look at the keys and see if they have an extra symbol on them, such as one might have a big "*" and the adjacent one have a small "*"... those usually mean make the screen brighter or dimmer, so press one and see what happens to the screen. If the screen brightness changes, then you will have to hold down the "Fn" key to get the original software Function to occur. And in the action Overmod recommended, hold the "Ctrl" key down at the same time (so 3 keys total being pressed, "Fn" and "Ctrl" first, then type "F5") to clear the browser's cache.
Here is where my admonition above comes into play... IF your computer is set for the Function keys to perform a software action, then what happens if you press one of the keys will depend on what program is the focus of input from the keyboard at the time you press the key! And every program will have a different action to take! So don't just go banging on the Function keys willy-nilly!
I recommend that you click on the desktop first, then Windows itself will recieve the keycommand.
On my keyboard, the "F5" key has a symbol of three squares and some lines emanating from one of them. Depending on the BIOS/UEFI setting and whether I press the "Fn" key at the same time, it will either turn the keyboard backlighting on/off or refresh the icons on my desktop.
IF you made it through this and at least understood some of my ramblings, you may now be a bit more computer savvy than you were before! :-)
Of course, clearing the browser's cache may or may not cure the OP's original problem!
Semper Vaporo
Pkgs.
Semper VaporoIf you are not computer savvy, BEFORE you go trying things in what follows, READ THE WHOLE THING!
Thank you.
I was going to mention how to get to the function keys on things like laptops and phones but couldn't figure out how to explain it in a short or clear post made from a lagging telephone. Some devices (compact laptops in particular) "overload" the keys on the necessarily small keyboard by assigning multiple meanings to some of them using both the standard shift, control, alt(ernate shift) and special keys like Fn.
BIOS (basic input-output system) is accessed by a special key combination -- one of the 'jokers' being that the standard desktop method involves a function key, which was usually F2 or F10 in the 'bad old days' of Pentium systems. UEFI (Unified Extensible Firmware Interface) performs the same job the dedicated BIOS chip did in those older systems (but almost or completely software-based). How you get into it ... and the almost incredible harm you can cause tinkering with things when you do ... would take books, and the books have been published. My advice to the computer-literate if they cannot figure out how to access function-key functionality with shift keys ALONE is to be sure you have a printed, detailed, step-by-step set of instructions how to modify the 'firmware' settings, including what to do if anything goes wrong in the process. And wherever you can back something up, do so and be sure you can find it afterward and know what to do with it when you do.
My thanks to pettitnj for his hint, which was to critically examine the url link to the Rochelle camaera stream. It had indeed changed without my noticing it. For the non-techies, the url was prefaced by "https://" as contrasted with "http://". There is a critical difference in how browsers treat internet access requests, which I won't bother going into. Suffice to say, if other viewers have a problem with no longer being able to view the Rochelle camera stream, be sure your url link did NOT add the "s" to the command. This may cause it to work once more.
I really did not intend to write so much, but when it comes to computers one has to keep backing up in any explanation to explain the explanation... and then add two sidebars of warnings, what if's and your computer might be different!
I know enough about computers that when I am playing with settings or editing the Registry and "shoot myself in the foot" I can bandage me toes and get back to where I was. (I am glad that is a metaphor or I'd be missing major portions of both legs with lots and lots of powder burns everywhere else).
The above lengthy instructions are exactly why I resist training my fingers to remember keystroke combos; these are subject to change as noted.
Clearing the cache in Firefox is straight forward, just visit Edit > Preferences > Privacy > Cookies - Clear Data
Good luck to the OP ....
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