Stream audio from html page

[Just Allan]

Hi folks. I want to sell some CDs on ebay, and have it so people can
click on links to play song samples. I've already acheived this - and
even worked out how to play them all in a row, instead of clicking
each one. BUT... While it streams ok, the "buffering" time between
songs is slowing the whole thing down to annoying times.

Apart from just joining all the clips together manually... is there a
way to make the next song start buffering before the first one ends?
(So it just starts playing when the first song completes?)

Thanks for reading...

Allan.

 

[Spartanicus]

Hi folks. I want to sell some CDs on ebay, and have it so people can
click on links to play song samples. I've already acheived this - and
even worked out how to play them all in a row, instead of clicking
each one.

No you haven't, not reliably anyway.

BUT... While it streams ok, the "buffering" time between
songs is slowing the whole thing down to annoying times.

Either it's not streaming, but rather downloading and playing, or you've
encoded using an unsuitable bitrate for the connection.

 

[Just Allan]

No you haven't, not reliably anyway.

Ok, but how do you know this without knowing what I did? I created
link to *.m3u files for each song - that in turn have a single line of
text to each mp3 in the ftp space. Also one more link, to a *.m3u
file that contains all the songs - so they can play them all in a row
if they want.

Either it's not streaming, but rather downloading and playing, or you've
encoded using an unsuitable bitrate for the connection.

The problem is, the song sample files are only 25 seconds long - so
the song is over and buffering time is starting up again after each 25
seconds. So it seems like it's always buffering.

Any ideas, anyone?

Allan.

 

[Spartanicus]

Ok, but how do you know this without knowing what I did?

Because I know what's possible in a www context and what's not.

I created
link to *.m3u files for each song - that in turn have a single line of
text to each mp3 in the ftp space. Also one more link, to a *.m3u
file that contains all the songs - so they can play them all in a row
if they want.

So you are relying on the error correction of your player, the m3u file
format should only contain one url, apparently your player accepts
multiple urls, mine doesn't, ergo you've created something that doesn't
work reliably.

There's a "proper" way of doing this by using the playlist format
(*.pls), but client support is poor, so again this is unreliable.

The problem is, the song sample files are only 25 seconds long - so
the song is over and buffering time is starting up again after each 25
seconds. So it seems like it's always buffering.

Any ideas, anyone?

Stop relying on error correction, not everyone uses the same crappy
player as you do.

There's no reliable way to do what you want, so stop wanting that.

 

[Just Allan]

So you are relying on the error correction of your player, the m3u file
format should only contain one url, apparently your player accepts
multiple urls, mine doesn't, ergo you've created something that doesn't
work reliably.

Stop relying on error correction, not everyone uses the same crappy
player as you do.

Oh well, it'll do I guess. It can't be all that bad a method - I got
the suggestion from someone in here! : )

 

[Kim André Akerø]

So you are relying on the error correction of your player, the m3u file
format should only contain one url, apparently your player accepts
multiple urls, mine doesn't, ergo you've created something that doesn't
work reliably.

There's a "proper" way of doing this by using the playlist format
(*.pls), but client support is poor, so again this is unreliable.


Stop relying on error correction, not everyone uses the same crappy
player as you do.

There's no reliable way to do what you want, so stop wanting that.

I searched around for more information about the m3u format, and all were
stating that an m3u file is in the ASCII format with the location of one MP3
file (either local or URL) on each line. Meaning that a list of MP3 files or
streaming locations is contained in such a file, not restricted to just one.
One of the explanations I found:
http://www.afterdawn.com/glossary/terms/m3u.cfm

What player do you use that doesn't support several URLs and locations in an
m3u file? Sounds to me that it appears to not handle these files correctly
(or doesn't support the use of a playlist at all).

Even Windows Media Player handles this format correctly.
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?kbid=316992&product=w98#21
"An .m3u file is a metafile playlist that references .mp3 files and provides
additional metadata for the items in the playlist."

 

[WebcastMaker]

What player do you use that doesn't support several URLs and locations in an
m3u file? Sounds to me that it appears to not handle these files correctly
(or doesn't support the use of a playlist at all).

Some will go out of their way to show the exception to the rule, rather
than agreeing the rule covers virtually everyone else. But hey, to each
his/her own, this is usenet. One should read all the responses, and
decide what is right for their specific case. One side does not fit all
when the "all" consists of hundreds of millions of people.