Hello -

I'm posting this question very cheaply, because I'm looking for a
researcher that has done this before, and can do a cut-and-paste job
right into the answer.

I want to stream an mp3 off of a basic web page, such as a geocities
page.  It's important that the mp3 is NOT downloaded when a person
clicks on it.  I just want the player to appear within the web browser
and stream it [or buffer it].

The answer to this question will provide me with the code that I can
just paste right into an html file, change the path/file-name of the
mp3, and be ready to go.

Thanks,

8675309-ga

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Clarification of Question by 8675309-ga on 03 Apr 2003 10:39 PST

Hi -

Thanks for the link.  Maybe "streaming" is not what I want.  I want to
do what's on this page:

http://www.spectrasonics.net/instruments/stylus/demos.html

All these links go to mp3's that can be played.  I think they're
"downloaded" perhaps, but the mp3 file itself is kind of "hidden" in
that it's not readily seen as a file that can be saved.

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Request for Question Clarification by sgtcory-ga on 03 Apr 2003 11:21 PST

Hello,

This site simply opens a new window, with no status bar, so the user
doesn't see the file name they are downloading. (The file is not
streamed)

Is this what you want to do?

Thanks,
SgtCory

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Clarification of Question by 8675309-ga on 03 Apr 2003 11:34 PST

Interesting...  where is it putting the file?  I tried downloading one
of them, and then searching on my system, and I can't find it
anywhere.  Will the code in the source of that page do exactly what I
want, or will I have to change something around?

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Request for Question Clarification by sgtcory-ga on 05 Apr 2003 10:37 PST

If you are using windows, files that are downloaded usually get stored
in a temporary folder. Something like this -

WINDOWS\TEMP\Temporary Internet Files\.....\

I can write some HTML/Javascript that will open the file in a new
browser just like you see on the site you listed. You will only need
to change the way you link to the files.

Let me know if this is what you need, and thanks for the clarification
-

SgtCory

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Clarification of Question by 8675309-ga on 05 Apr 2003 15:12 PST

Hi sgtcory -

Thanks for writing.  I'm going to close this question... After
consideration of what it is I'm doing, I realized I no longer need
this question answered, because I actually don't need the file to be
downloaded/streamed from a page.  Thanks for all your help though!

I would say that it's impossible to make it non-downloadable. If the
mp3 is in the HTML source (which I guess it has to be), one can easily
find it's address, and copy it to the harddrive. And for most users it
would probably be stored in the cache as well, which means that one
can access it from there, without finding it's specific address.

The easiest way of getting around this would be to convert it to a
format which isn't as easy to download, such as streaming real audio
or windows media, or perhaps put the music in a flash file or
something.

I suppose a real reasearcher can give you information about how to do
this, or perhaps they can even help you with it as mp3, good luck
anyway :)

Carl

Since there is software that will record anything that comes from your
sound card it is impossible.

Hi -
 
Thanks for both of your comments.
 
It's OK that it can be recorded or "worked around".  I just need it to
stream though without a readily accessible way of downloading it.

Hello 8675309,

There is some good reading here:

http://www.cnet.com/internet/0,10000,0-4004-7-294834,00.html


In order to stream the MP3s you need to have your server set up to do
so (software), or use a script (PHP for example) to process them using
readily available server installed software.

You can also learn more here:

ShoutCast
http://www.shoutcast.com

I hope this helps -

SgtCory

The streaming is a process where the server sends data bytes with the
speed needed. So you need a especific software to do it. I think that
Geocities, I don't re-search it ;-), cann't

Also you can try to make a Java applet that can play mp3 data in the
browser, but it need that the client install a JVM (Java Virtual
Machine) and the applet. It's a bad solution.

If you can use a server with shoutcast or similar software, like free
software, it's a better solution. There you only set a dir in your web
with multimedia content and set an url like
http://www.miwebsite.com:8000/content/archive/2004-05-20/1430.pls