I have an MP3 I need to stream... what's best?

[wrafter]

Hello there, I have a number of MP3s I'd like to stream. For legal reasons I can't provide them on the site for download.

I have a bog standard linux server to host the site, and don't have a fancy streaming server to do the job.

The only streaming I've done before is using Real Producer, creating a rm file, and pointing to it from a ram file... or was it the other way around?

Anyway, I'm wondering if there's something better I could do, that doesn't necessarily require that I shell out on expensive software.

Creating a Real Media stream necessitates users have Real Player (which is something I don't even have myself any longer), so I'm wondering if I can be a little more user friendly and provide something more accessible to my user base, without necessitating Real Player.

Anyone any thoughts?

[martzy]

I really like to you use flash for streaming mp3

[wrafter]

Yes, point taken, though I'm not a flashie, so that's out for me.

[choster]

You can stream MP3s by pointing to them through an .m3u file (equivalent of .ram to .rm or .asx to .asf). The .m3u file is the playlist format-- simply a text file listing what to stream (single or multiple). Your web server should be configured to deliver .m3u files as the audio/x-mpegurl MIME type/

So you could create a link to a file called welcome.m3u , which contains the single line

http:/www.example.com/audio/ceo-welcome.mp3

and the file ceo-welcome.mp3 will be streamed to the user.

[wrafter]

choster, you win the prize. Perfect solution.

[drabino]

I've been working on the same issue, I have an mp3 file that is quite long (12 minutes) and although .wav format plays it immediately in windows media player, obviously to do a .wav file of 12 minutes is way too big of a file (26M or more). What I love about .wav is that it opens in windows media player immediately.
So I tried flash, but the file is too big. I tried the m3u to mp3 solution, but with every single player I tried (Itunes, windows media player, real player, music jukebox) it got stuck and wouldn't play.
What you said about resetting the browser sounded like a clue but I didn't understand it. How do you do that?

[wrafter]

Having done this m3u to m3 thing twice now... the first time it worked like a dream, second time it did not... I went through every link, thought I was going mad, until I realise that it had to be server-related.

It was. Reason was that there was no m3u mime installed or used on the server, and I had to go via the hosting company to get their assistance with this.

This might be your problem, so check it out.

[drabino]

Thanks for clarifying.
I sent the info to the host admin and he sent me back the output that shows audio/x-mpegurl MIME type is configured.
We are now exploring the possibility that I uploaded the files in the wrong mode (binary rather than ascii) as well as seeing if eliminating front page from the path (since I don't use it anymore) is the problem.

Thanks for your help. When we get it working I'll send a Eureka!

[HughMungus]

Actually, .m3u files will not cause the MP3 to "stream" (it'll be progressive download) and it will still allow the user to access the MP3 file directly by looking at the contents of the .m3u. And you do know that even if you do stream it, it can be recorded pretty easily, right?

[wrafter]

I'm aware of this. Do you know of any way to "stream" and mp3 file other than this, in a cheap, easy and speedy way?

[drabino]

when you say "it can be recorded pretty easily" are you saying that someone can save the file as their own once it is downloaded?
If that's what you're saying, we are aware of that and the client wants people to have it, so he's ok with it.
If you're saying something else, what?

[HughMungus]

Yes. Even if it's streamed from a streaming server wherein they can't save the MP3 as a .mp3 file, they can record the program.

If you don't mind people having it, why are you adamant about not allowing them to just download the file? I was answering under the assumption that you didn't want them to have the file at all. A .m3u file will work in that case (in fact, .m3u is probably your best bet).

[drabino]

thanks for that thought. I appreciate it.
It's only for esthetics--I prefer the file to open directly into a player rather than make people wait for the file to download.