Graboid Video - Watch TV Episodes and Movies Online

Frequently Asked Questions

Please make sure you have the latest version of the software! You can find it here.

Technical Questions

  • Does Graboid limit my usage / bandwidth?

    Yes, you have 4 GB during the 30 day free subscription period.

  • How do I view my transfer allowance (bandwidth) used and remaining?

    You can see used/remaining at the top of the Graboid video window. Note that bandwidth is a term that we use to describe both transfer speed (determined by your ISP) and total amount of transfer (determined by your subscription with us). Yes, it’s confusing.

  • Does my bandwidth roll over from one month to the next?

    No, any unused bandwidth (transfer allowance) at the end of your billing cycle is lost, and refreshed with your regular monthly amount.

  • I signed up for the free version and I keep seeing files that are grayed out. Why?

    Only high definition files and videos larger than 2 GB are unavailable during your free subscription period. More transfer allowance, larger files, and HD content are all available for a small upgrade fee.

  • I downloaded a video and there’s no sound, or it isn’t in english. *#%$!

    Try clicking on files with the US flag beside them. Videos without a flag could be in any language. You can also try streaming first, to verify the language before downloading. If a file does have a US flag and plays in something other than english or is silent, the english/sound is almost always on a different soundtrack. Just tap ‘L’ while playing in fullscreen mode to cycle language tracks.

  • I have sound but no video.

    This can usually be fixed by resizing the window, or switching between full screen and windowed mode (press F, or doubleclick on the window). Rarely, this can be a problem with the video file itself.

  • How do I access the downloaded files on my hard drive, i.e. without using Graboid?

    You can check the location for downloaded files via the preferences menu within the application. Or click on the downloaded video in Graboid and choose “Locate”.

  • Is Graboid compatible with Mac/Linux?

    We all use Macs too, and we love Linux. Sorry, we don’t have a timeline for development of a Mac or Linux version yet. Parallels Windows Emulation software works well on a Mac to use Graboid to download files. Not so much for streaming.

  • You don’t have the video I want.

    Graboid is a video browser. We don’t post or host the content. But the content updates daily, so check back later if the file you’re looking for isn’t there.

  • My downloaded file won’t play.

    Rarely, it is possible the file is corrupted. Graboid does not host files, or test them for completeness. Files with green thumbs have been verified by other users. Try downloading a different version if there are multiple versions. Other things you should know/try to optimize your viewing:

    1.Stream a few minutes first to make sure it’s what you want (especially for TV episodes). If it doesn’t stream, then make sure it has a green thumb. If it doesn’t have a green thumb, it will probably still work, but don’t be upset if it doesn’t. If it has a red thumb, it will often still work, but download at your peril.

    2. When files are downloaded, they are put into a folder on your PC that can be accessed by you to play them on software other than Graboid Video. Graboid uses software called VLC player to play videos, but you can use other software such as PowerDVD. The location of the folders is shown/changeable in File-> Preferences when Graboid is open. If you move these files around, Graboid can’t access them, so if you want to play them in Graboid, then leave them in their original folders.

    3. Videos come in all sorts of different formats. Some are DVD format, some are .avi, some are multiple .avi files. Graboid will play them correctly 90% of the time. But if it doesn’t work, you can sometimes get the files to play by accessing them directly on your PC and using different video play software.

    4. Keep enough space on your harddrive! These files are huge, and if you run out of space during a download, unpredictable things happen, although most of the time Graboid will simply give you an error message and stop downloading. You can pick up where you left off once you’ve cleared some space on your drive.

    5.Once the file is downloaded, it will go into ‘Processing’ status. This can be for a long time (hours), or for a short time (seconds) depending on the file format, file size, and whether error-correction is needed. When streaming files, every packet has to be correct, which is why downloading is more reliable than streaming. Once a file is downloaded, Graboid Video has some powerful error-correction algorithms to go in and fix any broken file segments. Just let it finish.

  • I was trying to download/play a video and it says it is added to the queue, but then nothing happens.

    Please quite out of Graboid, then go into a folder called “GraboidCache” which is in the same parent directory as your Partial Download folder. Inside of the GraboidCache folder, should be one called cache_@graboid.com Delete that folder and start up Graboid and try downloading something.

  • Can I download multiple files simultaneously?

    No, and you don’t need to. With filesharing applications like Limewire, multiple file download optimizes bandwidth from disparate servers (other PCs generally) on the other side. With Graboid, download speed is from a high speed server all the time. With queued download, the total download time for all files is the same as for multiple downloads, but you get some of the files much faster.

  • I was trying to download/play a video and it says it is added to the queue, but then it sticks at 0% downloaded.

    There are several configuration issues that can cause this problem:

    1. Click the status button on the In Progress line in the downloads tab. Sometimes that tells you the problem.

    2. Graboid may simply have opened up too many simultaneous connections to the server where the content resides, and that server is denying access. You can usually solve the problem by shutting down Graboid for 15 minutes or so (the connections will reset).

    3. Only one instance of Graboid can be used for downloading or streaming at a time. Make sure no-one else is using your account.

    4. The download may be stuck. Try quiting Graboid, deleting the “Graboid Temp” folder from your download directory, and re-adding the video to your queue.

    5. Right click the Graboid icon on your desktop, select run as…. and run as administrator, or remove the protection from unauthorized use.

    6. Turn off your firewall. If that solves the problem, then give Graboid permission to go through and turn it on again.

  • Trying to stream/play (not download) and buffering sticks at 0%

    This usually happens because the Graboid player has opened up too many simultaneous connections to the server where the content resides, and that server is denying access. You can usually solve the problem by shutting down Graboid for 15 minutes or so (the connections will reset).

  • My downloads complete and then disappear.

    Your downloads will delete themselves if your download and playback (partial and complete) directories are the same. You can change these by clicking preferences at the top right of the Graboid window. Note that c:\graboid\partial and c:\graboid\complete are the safest destination folders.

  • Download manager did not start properly or there is a problem with my user preferences.

    This can be caused by the folder name being too long, when coupled with the long names of some video files. In general, you can fix it by clicking preferences at the top right of the Graboid window and setting your partial and complete folder paths to c:\graboid\partial and c:\graboid\complete.

  • The document cannot be displayed unless you install the Personal Security Manager (PSM). Download and install PSM and try again, or contact your system administrator.

    Please try uninstalling and reinstalling the latest version from our website.

  • Can I play videos using Graboid on other devices besides PCs? (i.e. Macs, Cellphones)

    No. But we’re working on it. For now you can convert your downloaded videos for playback on these devices using various third-party applications. Videora is an excellent free program to do this. You can find out much more detail about this at VideoHelp.


  • General Questions

  • What’s Graboid?

    Graboid is the future of feature-length media on the web. Our vision is to provide instant access to feature-length, high-quality videos for users across the globe. We also guarantee high standards for video creators and independent artists seeking to promote and distribute their work. Graboid is not a file-sharing network. Graboid is a video promotion technology.

  • What’s unique about Graboid?

    Everything. Graboid’s primary focus is on providing you instant access to high-quality, feature-length material. While typical video sharing sites focus on providing low-quality clip-length videos, we enable users to view and promote full-length videos at high quality. And while typical video downloading programs require download time and mandate file share prior to downloading, Graboid allows for instant access via streaming playback to all videos, from 22 minute television shows to three hour documentaries.

  • Is Graboid legal?

    Yes.


  • Billing and Account Management

  • Do I need a credit card for a free Graboid account?

    No. Just download and and go.

  • How do I upgrade my account?

    Open up Graboid and log in. Now click the “Account” tab and all of your upgrade options will be presented to you.

  • How/When do you charge me for a paid plan?

    Your first month charge is billed immediately when you sign up for a paid plan. You are then billed a recurring charge every month on the same date as your signup, or last day of the month if your signup date is past the current month-end.

  • How do I cancel my service?

    Contact us. We can only cancel current service. We cannot offer a refund for your subscription. If you used Paypal for the subscription, you can cancel yourself by logging into your Paypal account, clicking ‘history’, selecting ’subscriptions’ from the show: drop-down box, and selecting ’submit’. You’ll see an entry called ’subscription creation’ with ‘Graboid Inc.’ in the name/email column. From there you can change status from active to cancelled.

  • How do I get a refund?

    We’re sorry to hear you’re not happy with the service. We offer free access to Graboid so users have a chance to try the service before they upgrade. Because of this, it is not our policy to offer refunds on premium subscriptions, as indicated in the terms of service on our site.

  • I have upgraded my account but it still shows as a free account.

    Contact us and send us a copy of your paypal receipt with your subscription number, your username, and the email address you used to sign up. We’ll take care of it within 24 hours.