Posted by Cerebral Believer on 08/17/06 17:29

"cwdjrxyz" <spamtrap2@cwdjr.info> wrote in message
news:1155832348.731256.158600@75g2000cwc.googlegroups.com...
>
> Cerebral Believer wrote:
>
>> I should have explained, the .mp3's and .ram's will be available to
>> download
>> and purchase also. I thought it would be sensible to supply them in a
>> format compatible with most media players, including hardware players.
>
> I think that you need to use either a .rm Real file with associated
> .ram playlist file or a .wma file with associated .wax playlist file
> for playing free samples on the web. You will have to decide if you
> want to use a low enough bit rate to be played on dialup with some loss
> of quality or a higher bit rate for quality on broadband. Both formats
> will stream, provided you code correctly and install the correct mime
> types for the 4 extension types mentioned on the server, if they are
> not yet installed on it. For music to sell, I think you need to use a
> high bit rate mp3 for quality, since nearly everyone interested in
> music can play mp3s and they can be easily copied to various portable
> consumer mp3 players that many people have. The music to be streamed is
> easily embedded on the main page so that you do not jump to a player
> page everytime a song is selected to play, and this is the way most
> large commercial sites that stream samples and sell music do it. It is
> possible to write valid objects for both .rm and .wma for embedding the
> music on the page, and I can supply the code, if you need it.

I agree that .mp3 is probably the best format for portable devices and
players. .ra files tend to be smaller, and may be more suitable for people
with slower connections. I have visited some sites that stream audio, and
they manage to either figure out a persons connection speed, or they ask a
person to input it. I would be interested in the code for an embedded
player, but more interested in finding out how I could design one myself, so
that I can update the look of my site to a design that pleases me.

Regards,
C.B.

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