I've got a number of computers which I've been using to test the PC TV software featured on this site. Only problem was on my main computer I kept hitting a real stumbling block. After a few minutes of playing the stations the software would crash. No matter which program I was using. They worked fine on my other PCs - just not on this one.

I can't tell you how annoying it is when this happens. You've just found the perfect station, it's all buffered up and ready to go, and then it's gone and you have to start over. It's enough to make anyone scream!

The good news is I found two fixes that seem to do the trick. They're things I read about while trawling around on the Internet forums and trying to figure out what was wrong. I've now 'cured' the PC that kept causing this problem and it hasn't done it since.

Here's what worked:

1) Downgrading Windows Media Player

As PC TV software uses Windows Media Player to play the content on your PC, problems with good old WMP can give you all kinds of headaches when you're trying to watch your favourite TV stations.

I'd read on a number of forums that people had hit problems with Windows media player after installing a new version of the software.

I'm a big fan of not fixing something that ain't broke! But for some reason I keep upgrading my player when I hear there's a new one out. Uninstalling it isn't as easy as most software though - but then we are talking about Microsoft here.

Here's what you need to do

1) In XP, click on START and then go to the Control Panel.

2) Click on Switch to Classic view (if you're not on it already).

3) Go into Add or Remove Programs

4) Here's the bit I'd missed before. Check the box marked 'Show Updates'.

5) Scroll down and you should see Windows Media Player. Now click on Remove.

Each time you do this process, it will Roll Back the player to the previous version. See if this helps.

2) Empty your Explorer Cache

I read that if Windows Media Player is causing the software to crash, then you should try emptying IE's cache. I gave this a try and this also seems to help. I must admit that I've no idea why. If I find out, I'll post and let people know. For the time it takes though, it's well worth trying.

I hope that these 2 ideas help anyone who is experiencing any crashes.

Stay tuned!

Tom