NBA.com: Inside Ticket Frequently Asked Questions

What is NBA Inside Ticket?
NBA Inside Ticket is NBA.com's premium broadband subscription product. It includes live audio broadcasts of every NBA game, all NBA broadband video including game highlights, daily recaps and specialized video content. Learn more.

I subscribed to NBA Inside Ticket last season. Is my username and password still good?
If you were an NBA Inside Ticket subscriber or RealOne Superpass subscriber prior to this season, your username and password is no longer active. You will need to sign up again.

I am trying to sign up for NBA Inside Ticket but it says my e-mail address is already in use?
If you get the message that your e-mail address is already in use, that means we already have you registered in our NBA.com database. If you do not remember your password, or never created one, goto our Password Recovery Page. There you can select "Reset password". We will create a password and e-mail it to you. Using that password you can login, and change your password to whatever you like under "My Profile".

I am a monthly subscriber of Inside Ticket or Audio League Pass and I want to discontinue the service.
If you want to cancel your monthly subscription to Inside Ticket or Audio League Pass, contact Inside Ticket support and provide your username, e-mail address and the specific product details you would like to cancel.

How do I update my billing information for Inside Ticket?
To update your billing information please visit https://secure.broadband.nba.com/cc/editprofile.php.

What do I need to view NBA content?

Operating System and Browser Requirements The operating system you use determines which browser you need to view videos: If you use Windows 98, NT, 2000, XP, ME, use one of the following browsers:

Internet Explorer 5.5 or 6.0
Netscape 7.X
Mozilla 1.X or Firefox 1.X

NOTE: This example is based on Real Player 10.

Internet Explorer users need RealPlayer Basic 8 or higher.

Netscape and Mozilla users need RealOne player or higher.

How can I resolve problems accessing NBA content?

If you are unable to access NBA content:

Verify that you meet the system requirements as outlined in What do I need to view NBA content?
If you meet the system requirements but still have difficulty accessing, we recommend you disable any ad or pop up blocking software tools that you may have installed and try again.
If you continue to have difficulty viewing, send us a description of your problem using our contact form.

How can I resolve problems with playback?

If video displays as a slide show, or if you receive audio without video, you may be experiencing problems due to bandwidth congestion:

Verify other streaming applications (including mp3 players) are not running.
Try clicking the Change Speed button to the right of the player. This allows you to toggle between the narrowband (for 56k users) and broadband sites to determine which performs better for you.
If the problem persists, we also recommend checking back at a time when your Internet service provider may experience less congestion to see if there is an improvement.

If you receive video without audio:

Verify that your system audio works by playing another audio application and/or checking your speaker and headphone wires.

If you do not receive video or audio, or if you only see advertisements:

If you are using ad-blocking or pop-up blocking software, you may experience problems streaming video. We recommend you disable the software and try accessing again.
If you are behind a firewall or proxy server, you may experience problems streaming video.

For details on how to configure RealPlayer to receive video through a firewall see http://service.real.com/firewall/index.html.

For tips on optimizing RealPlayer, visit http://service.real.com/main.html.

Are cookies required to view NBA content?

You will not be able to view NBA content if the cookies (Internet Files/Web Pages temporarily stored on your computer) are disabled. Following are step-by-step instructions to enable the cookies. Note that these instructions may vary slightly for different browser versions.

INTERNET EXPLORER 6.0:

Start Internet Explorer.
Click the Tools menu and choose Internet Options.
Click the Privacy tab to display the Privacy panel.
Use the vertical slide bar to adjust your privacy settings to Medium High.
Click the Advanced button.
Verify that the Override Automatic Cookie Handling option is not checked.
Click OK.
Click OK again.
Close all open Internet Explorer browsers.
Reopen the browser and return to a NBA site.

INTERNET EXPLORER 5.5:

Start Internet Explorer.
Click the Tools menu and choose Internet Options.
Click the Security tab and the Custom Level button.
Scroll down to the "Cookies" section and select "Enable" for both: Allow cookies that are stored on your computer. Allow per-session cookies (not stored).
Click OK and YES to the confirmation message.
Click OK again.
Close all open Internet Explorer browsers.
Reopen the browser and return to a NBA site.

FIREFOX 1.0:

Start Firefox.
Click the Tools menu and choose Options.
Click on the Privacy category on the left.
Click on the Enable Cookies checkbox in the Cookies section.
Click OK.
Close all Firefox browsers.
Open Firefox and return to the NBA site.

NETSCAPE:

Start Netscape.
Click the Edit menu and choose Preferences.
Click the Advanced category on the bottom left.
Select "Accept all cookies" in the Cookies section.
Click OK.
Close all open Netscape browsers.
Open Netscape and return to a NBA site.

Where can I view the NBA's Privacy Policy?

Click here to view the NBA Privacy Policy.

If I have lost or forgotten my member name and/or password, how can I get them so I can log in to my NBA Account?

If you have forgotten your password you can get an e-mail hint or reset your password here.

If you have forgotten your member name you can provide your e-mail address here to have it sent to you.

I can't login to my account and I have the proper username and password.

Please make sure you have met the requirements under the question, "What do I need to view NBA content?". Also insure you do not have the Caps Lock ON, when entering your password.

Why do I receive "cannot connect" error messages with RealPlayer?

NOTE: This example is based on Real Player 10.

"Cannot connect" errors generally mean that RealPlayer did not connect to the computer that serves the media content (the server); they may also mean that the link you clicked is out-of-date. Common "cannot connect to server" errors include:

Cannot connect to server.
Cannot connect to server, the link you requested may be inaccurate or out-of-date.
Connection to the server could not be established. You may be experiencing network problems.
Connection to server has been lost. You may be experiencing network problems.
Connection to server has timed out. You may be experiencing network problems.
Unable to connect to server.
Unable to establish a connection with the server.

Connection errors that occur on specific sites or that only occur once in a while are not usually a cause for concern. Occasional errors tend to occur when traffic is high on the Internet, the site hosting the files is down, or the site hosting the file has been moved.

Connection errors that occur at all sites on a recurring basis indicate a problem with RealPlayer connection configuration or your Internet connection. To allow RealPlayer to connect, you may need to reconfigure RealPlayer or your security software.

If you get one of these errors, it may mean that RealPlayer did not receive enough information to maintain a connection to the server, or that RealPlayer stopped receiving information from the server for an extended period and could not maintain the connection. The problem could be caused by excessive network traffic on the Internet, your Internet Service Provider (ISP), or a local area network (LAN) connection.

Solution 1: Determine if the problem is with the specific file.
To rule out a problem with the file itself, try playing sample files:

Open http://service.real.com/test/ in your Web browser.
Click the links that match your connection speed. Dial-up modem users should choose the 28K or 56K links.

If the sample files play, then the problem may be with the specific Web site, or with the file you were trying to play. This may be a temporary problem of high traffic or technical difficulties. Try again later, or contact the Webmaster of the site to alert them to the problem.

Solution 2: Check RealPlayer’s online status setting.
RealPlayer detects online status by default. If this detection fails, RealPlayer may be incorrectly set to Work Offline mode. If you are using a network connection or have a cable modem or DSL connection, you can override this detection and force RealPlayer to assume you are online all the time.

To change the online status of RealPlayer:

In RealPlayer on the Tools menu, click Preferences. The Preferences box opens.
In the Category pane, click Connection.
Click the Assume I am online option.
Click OK.
Restart RealPlayer.

Solution 3: Test your connection speed.

In RealPlayer, click the Tools menu, and then select Preferences. The Preferences box opens.
In the Category pane, click Connection.
Click the Test Connection button, then the Perform Test button to determine your current connection speed.
Click the Update button to set your minimum bandwidth preference.
Click OK.
Try to play the clip again.

Solution 4: Increase the time-out settings, and try playing the clip again.

In RealPlayer, click the Tools menu, and then select Preferences. The Preferences box opens.
In the Category pane, click Connection.
Under Network Time-out, increase the time-out settings by 10 seconds.
Click OK.
Try to play the clip again.
If you still have problems, increase the time-out settings by another 10 seconds and try again.

Keep trying until the clip plays or it becomes obvious that increasing the time-out settings will not resolve this problem. Increasing this time also increases the time you wait for a time-out message to appear.

Solution 5: Play the clip when the network and Internet are less busy.
If you are unable to play the clip after trying these suggestions, try connecting to the clip at a different time.

Solution 6: Configure your personal firewall or security software to allow RealPlayer access to the Internet.
Firewalls must be configured to allow realplay.exe to have two-way access to the Internet before audio or video can be played. Consult the manufacturer of your firewall software if you are unsure how to grant this access.

Solution 7: Verify that your corporate firewall or proxy allows RealPlayer access to the Internet.
Corporate local area networks (LANs) or commercial Internet Service Providers (ISPs) often use a firewall or proxy to limit traffic and protect their users' computers from unauthorized access. If these ports are specifically restricted by your firewall, you will need to configure your Connection Preferences to use your firewall’s settings.

By default, the RealPlayer uses the following ports to connect:

TCP 80, 554, 4040, 7070, 8080, 443 (SSL for sign-in), 1755 (MMS Windows Media requests)
UDP 6970-32,000, 1755 (MMS Windows Media resend requests)
HTTP 80 (AU, Messaging Service, and HTTP Cloaking)

RealPlayer configurations will override these defaults. Contact your network administrator for further assistance.

Solution 8: Contact your ISP or network administrator for assistance.
If you are still unable to connect, the problem may be with your computer network settings. Contact your Internet Service Provider (ISP) or network administrator for the information you need to regain connection.

How can I tell if high network traffic is affecting playback in RealPlayer?

NOTE: This example is based on Real Player 10.

Special events and high network traffic can cause playback problems. When many people are trying to access a Web page or a video at the same time, this causes high network traffic. When the player encounters high traffic, it degrades quality in an attempt to maintain continuous playback.

You can see or hear the degraded quality in the playback. You can also see indications of this in the Status Display, the green bar across the top of the RealPlayer:

The timestamp (on the right side of the Status Display bar) normally displays the amount of time you have been connected to the Internet via the RealPlayer. The Play Icon (a triangle on the left side of the Status Display bar) shows the current quality of the Internet connection, called Net Health.

Net Health is indicated by the color of the Play Icon:

A green Play Icon represents a good Internet connection.
An orange Play Icon indicates that some information is being lost. If you have a fast Internet connection, this will likely not hinder your playback quality. Moderate server or Internet traffic can cause this. If the orange Play Icon displays for more than a few seconds, you will notice audio and video degradation. Audio may begin to sound hollow and tinny. Video may appear blocky or choppy (like a slideshow).
A red Play Icon tells you that there is severe information loss and that the Internet is trying to communicate with your RealPlayer. This communication causes the playback to pause. Severe Internet or Web site congestion will cause this to continue for longer periods, or cause connection to be lost. If you see the message Communicating... or Contacting... for long periods, this indicates high traffic on certain links or during special coverage.

How can I spot a high-traffic problem?

The RealPlayer is handling Internet traffic well when the Play Icon is green, content is playing, and the timestamp is counting up normally.

Here are some high-traffic signs to watch for, in increasing severity:

Play Icon is flashing between orange and green, content is playing, and the timestamp is counting up normally.
Play Icon is steady orange, content is playing, but degrading. Timestamp is counting up but at more of an irregular interval. Audio may begin to sound hollow and tinny. Video may appear blocky or choppy (like a slideshow).
Play Icon is red, content has long pauses or has stopped on single frame, and the clip title has been replaced by the word Communicating... (dots after word are animated). The timestamp has stopped counting up.
Clicking on a Web link or attempting to play a file from the Real Guide page returns an error such as "File not found," "Connection could not be established," or "Content unavailable." This is a temporary problem.

These problems with your video playback signal a high-traffic issue. Unfortunately, high network traffic is beyond your control, and you may just need to try again later.

Could it be a problem with my RealPlayer?

You can always double-check that your RealPlayer is functioning properly. To rule out a problem with your RealPlayer, try playing sample files:

Open http://service.real.com/test in your Web browser.
Click the links that match your connection speed. Dial-up modem users should choose the 28K or 56K links.

If the sample files play, then RealPlayer is functioning correctly. The problem may be with the specific file you were trying to play.

When trying to view a video the link is opened in browser window returning an error page.
This is caused by having no media player assigned to open RTSP links.
For RealPlayer:
Open RealPlayer and from tools on the top menu, choose preferences.
From the left menu under Content, choose Media Types.
Click the Advanced button.
Scroll all the way down to Other Media, and check Real Time Streaming Protocal.

When I play video, the frame flashes quickly from video to black.

This is usually a problem with the RealOne player. Follow these steps:
1. At the top of the RealOne player, select "Tools" -->"Preferences"
2. In the Preferences popup click on "Hardware" on the left
3. In the area that says "Video card compatability", uncheck the "Use Optimized Video Display" box.

You can visit our Inside Ticket support form for Web-based customer service. You will need your NBA/WNBA member name to login.