To fully enjoy PBS KIDS, we recommend the following computer set-up.
This site is best viewed with the latest version of either Internet Explorer (version 7 or newer) or Mozilla Firefox (version 2 or higher).
On a 800x600 screen, the graphics and text will appear larger but you will see less at one time without scrolling.
On a 1024x768 screen, you should be able to see most of the main screens without scrolling.
To change your screen resolution, look for "Display Properties" or "Monitors & Sound" in your computer's control panel.
Many PBS KIDS sites use free plug-ins to make activities more fun and interactive. The plug-ins are listed below, but not all activities require these plug-ins. Each of these can be downloaded for free.
If you're not sure if your computer has these plug-ins or if you need to install one or more of them, ask an adult to help you.
Flash allows you to watch animation and play games through your Web browser.
QuickTime plays videos and QuickTime VRs — "virtual reality" panoramic scenes.
RealPlayer plays sound and video files. It starts playing before the whole sound or video file has finished downloading, so you don't have to wait for the whole file.
The first time you watch a video clip on PBS KIDS and PBS KIDS GO!, you can choose between RealPlayer or QuickTime as well as whether you prefer to watch big files (for faster connections like cable modem or DSL) or small files (for slower connections like dial-up). These preferences will be saved to a cookie on your computer so that you won't have to make that decision again, unless you want make a change.
Java games can be a lot of fun, and most computers can play Java games without downloading any extra software. However, there are some cases where you need to download the newest version of Java.
