Streaming movie files from ASP.NET

[MattC]

Hi,

I have a directory of movie files that I want users to be able to view and
play in an Embedded media player. However I only want them to be able to
access the movies from my asp.net page.

How can I stop access to the files direct. I was thinking of the following
possible solutions but each has their drawbacks.

Write back to the response stream with the content type of movie and stream
back the movie that way and let the browser decided which player to invoke,
this way only the ASPNET account can be given access to movies on and NTFS
level and that stops people downloaded direct, I can handle which movies
they get on the page. Problem is with this, it wont appear in their
embedded browser.

The other way is the dynamically write out html that will embed the media
player with the file to play. But then the media player will not be
connecting under the ASPNET account and the movies wont be able to be got
at. Also the user can just view source and then they can see where the
movie is and download direct.

Does anyone have a slicker idea. Can Windows Media Services be used to any
effect here, kinda stuck as I dont know what to look up and read.

TIA

MattC

 

[Steve C. Orr [MVP, MCSD]]

You media files should be located in a private directory.
You could create a web page that acts as the gateway to these files. Before
it uses Response.WriteFile it authenticates the user to ensure they should
have access.

Here's more info:
http://SteveOrr.net/articles/StreamingMedia.aspx