Embeding Windows Media Player? A tricky one.

[Dan Phillips]

Hi

I have a streaming radio program that I am setting up a website for. I am
streaming live MP3 audio. Currently I am using NiceCast as a broadcaster and
ShoutCast server as my server. The webpage I have create has a link that
opens your external viewer that is associated with the extension M3U. This
link is working great. Alternatively I am also attemption to have an embeded
windows media player play the streaming audio. As long as I have windows
media player 9 installed everything works great. However if I have a version
of windows media player lower than 9 it does not work. I have accessed other
sites that do audio streaming with versions of windows media player that are
lower than 9 but they seem to be streaming ASX, WMA or ASF. They also seem
to be using the MMS protocol which I think requires a windows media server
but I am not completely sure. I don't want to use a windows media server
because there will be thousands of users connection to the broadcast and the
per user liscense fee with windows media server is too expensive. ShoutCast
provides unlimited user liscenses. Can anyone help me out with this. Will
ShoutCast work with the MMS protocol? Is there some other setting I should
be using in ShoutCast to address my problem? Is there a way to fool windows
media player by creating a false asx extension for my streaming mp3? Anyone
have an example of streaming audio that is embeded and working with a
version of windows media player earlier than 9 that is not using a windows
media server or the MMS protocol. Any help would be greatly apreciated.

Dan

 

[Toby A Inkster]

Is there a way to fool windows media player by creating a false asx
extension for my streaming mp3?

The problem is not the m3u/asx file, but the fact that (AFAIK) Windows
Media Player prior to version 9 didn't support streaming MP3. Provide a
link to download a decent media player (WinAmp, RealPlayer, XMMS, etc) and
be done with it.

 

[Spartanicus]

Alternatively I am also attemption to have an embeded
windows media player play the streaming audio.
http://www.spartanicus.utvinternet.ie/embed.htm

As long as I have windows
media player 9 installed everything works great. However if I have a version
of windows media player lower than 9 it does not work.
URL?

I have accessed other
sites that do audio streaming with versions of windows media player that are
lower than 9 but they seem to be streaming ASX, WMA or ASF. They also seem
to be using the MMS protocol which I think requires a windows media server

Correct, MMS is a proprietary MS protocol.

Will ShoutCast work with the MMS protocol?

No, it uses it's own transport protocol.

Is there some other setting I should
be using in ShoutCast to address my problem? Is there a way to fool windows
media player by creating a false asx extension for my streaming mp3?

No need for that, post an URL and we can point out your problem.

 

[Spartanicus]

The problem is not the m3u/asx file, but the fact that (AFAIK) Windows
Media Player prior to version 9 didn't support streaming MP3.

Incorrect.

 

[Whitecrest]

The problem is not the m3u/asx file, but the fact that (AFAIK) Windows
Media Player prior to version 9 didn't support streaming MP3. Provide a
link to download a decent media player (WinAmp, RealPlayer, XMMS, etc) and
be done with it.

Or use a Flash player embedded if you are set on embedding a player.
Flash allows you to stream (actually progressive download). You could
make it look just like a car radio or something.

 

[Whitecrest]

No need for that, post an URL and we can point out your problem.

My guess is he is using the GUID for Media player 9, rather than using
6.4 GUID which will pop up what ever MS player the user has on their
computer. (except that short lived version they released for a month or
so)

 

[Unregistered]

here's a simple fix for your webcasting woes

open notepad and paste the following

<ASX version="3.0">
<Entry>
<ref HREF="http://yourip:port#/listen.pls (or m3u)"/>
<title>place station name here</title>
</Entry>
</ASX>


Save the file as an .asx file.

create a link to you newly created asx file and host. modify the htt
and title references in the file to suite your needs.

Done and done

Unregistered