Adding Streaming media to website

[toadpipe]

Hi, this is my first post. I currently have streaming media up on a website I am working on. My host supports http streaming. I am using real video, because it was easy to set up and get my video to play. But another web designer told me that doing it this way with realvideo, my video won't really stream, the end user will have to essentially down load the whole thing before they can watch it. In order to have true streaming video I would have to have a realvideo server. Now I can also make quicktime and windowsmedia (wmf) files will either of those stream from a http. I know windows will stream if you put mms in the wmx file, but what if you put http instead? Also if you know how to set up streaming wmf files, pleas walk me through setting up my wmx file. Thansk in advance for any help, hope I wasn't to confusing.

[toadpipe]

Well since 12 people looked and no one knew how, I went ahead and figured it out myself. If anyone wants to learn how just post a reply and I will walk you through it.

[mike breck]

Hi toadpipe,

I'm sorry no one "in the know" was around to help you. I dabble in web design myself (I have not tackled streaming media yet - but I'm sure it's just a matter of time before I'm asked to do it) and would certainly be interested having an outline of how you did it for future reference.

Mike

[toadpipe]

No prob Mike, I wasn't mad that no-one replied with an answer, I was just hoping someone would, becuase I am lazy. Here are the steps for Setting up streaming media for windows media files.

1.) First encode your video into the wmv format, using a program like Premiere ($500) , Final Cut Pro ($1,000), or even Pinnacle DV studio($60).
2.) Now beleive it or not you need to create a text file. The following needs to be entered into the file:

*ASX version = "3.0"*
*Entry*
*Ref Href = "http://nameofyoursite/nameoflocationoffile/nameofvideo.wmv" /*
*/Entry*
*/ASX*

Please NOTE: subsitute < or > for * in the script, I had to enter it this way so the forum wouldn't run it.



3.) save the file as nameofyourvideo.wvx Oh and insert the name of your video file and location of file etc.. instead of the dummy ones I supplied.

4.) Upload all your video files (WMV) and all your corresponding video link files (WVX) up to your server. Note: You cannot link directly to a WMV file that is why you have to make a wvx file.

5.) in your HTML editor (by hand, or by dreamweaver, or by frontpage, or by what have you) enter in the following script to have windows media player embedded in your page ready to play the video when they hit play:

*BODY*
*OBJECT ID="Player" width="320" height="240"
CLASSID="CLSID:6BF52A52-394A-11d3-B153-00C04F79FAA6"*
*PARAM name="URL" value="http://WebServer/MyFile.wvx"*
*PARAM name="uiMode" value="none"*
*/OBJECT*
*BR*
*INPUT TYPE="BUTTON" NAME="BtnPlay" VALUE="Play" OnClick="StartMeUp()"*
*INPUT TYPE="BUTTON" NAME="BtnStop" VALUE="Stop" OnClick="ShutMeDown()"*
*SCRIPT*
*!--
function StartMeUp ()
{
Player.controls.play();
}

function ShutMeDown ()
{
Player.controls.stop();
}
--*
*/SCRIPT*
*SCRIPT LANGUAGE="VBScript"*
*!--
On error resume next
Player.URL = ""
if err then msgbox "You need Windows Media Player 7. Go to" & chr(13) &_
"http://www.microsoft.com/windowsmedia"
err.clear
--*
*/SCRIPT*
*/BODY*


Please NOTE: subsitute < or > for * in the script, I had to enter it this way so the forum wouldn't run it.

6.) substitute your url and file name in the script where it says webserver/myurl etc..

7.) There are other scripts on microsofts webpage, which is where I found this one. I liked this one becuase it was clean looking and only gives the user two buttons: play and stop, so they can't really screw it up.

Well so far that is the only way I could get video to stream from http, without having to pay $$$ for a realvideo server or a windows media server, I hope that helps. Oh and have a great day! Oh and that script will automatically detect if they have the correct version of windows media player or not and provide a download link if they do not

[mike breck]

Thanks toadpipe for your detailed and informative explanation.

I've put it in my notebook for future use.

Mike