Best way to deliver MP3's on a website?

[Matt Clara]

Hi, we have a series of Public Service Announcements roughly 700KB a piece
in MP3 format. Until now I've used a simple
<embed width="285" height="50" src="MDA_PSA_01.mp3" autoplay="false"
border="1">, which appears to work great within the LAN I test on, but I'm
afraid it's automatically downloading the files upon opening the page. I
don't even know anyone with dialup I could test it on! At any rate, there's
probably a better way (keeping in mind we have no streaming capabilities on
our servers), and I was hoping to receive a few pointers here.
Here's the page:
http://www.michigan.gov/mda/0,1607,7-125-1568_2390_18298-101396--,00.html

 

[Spartanicus]

Hi, we have a series of Public Service Announcements roughly 700KB a piece
in MP3 format. Until now I've used a simple
<embed width="285" height="50" src="MDA_PSA_01.mp3" autoplay="false"
border="1">, which appears to work great within the LAN I test on, but I'm
afraid it's automatically downloading the files upon opening the page. I
don't even know anyone with dialup I could test it on! At any rate, there's
probably a better way (keeping in mind we have no streaming capabilities on
our servers), and I was hoping to receive a few pointers here.

http://www.spartanicus.utvinternet.ie/embed.htm#audiovideo
http://www.spartanicus.utvinternet.ie/streaming.htm

 

[dan]

Hi, we have a series of Public Service Announcements roughly 700KB a piece
in MP3 format. Until now I've used a simple
<embed width="285" height="50" src="MDA_PSA_01.mp3" autoplay="false"
border="1">, which appears to work great within the LAN I test on, but I'm
afraid it's automatically downloading the files upon opening the

page.

Well, that's what you're *telling* it to do, isn't it?

Why not just hyperlink your audio files, like this:

<a href="MDA_PSA_01.mp3">PSA #1</a>

That way, people can play the audio on whatever plugin or helper-app
they might happen to have configured for this data type, or download it
to be played externally.

 

[Jan Faerber]

Hi, we have a series of Public Service Announcements roughly 700KB a piece
in MP3 format. Until now I've used a simple
<embed width="285" height="50" src="MDA_PSA_01.mp3" autoplay="false"
border="1">, which appears to work great within the LAN I test on, but I'm
afraid it's automatically downloading the files upon opening the page. I
don't even know anyone with dialup I could test it on! At any rate,
there's probably a better way (keeping in mind we have no streaming
capabilities on our servers), and I was hoping to receive a few pointers
here. Here's the page:
http://www.michigan.gov/mda/0,1607,7-125-1568_2390_18298-101396--,00.html

Click enter:
http://www.thecelticgoddess.com/

 

[Fernie]

Matt,

I visited your site and had to look at a blank white page for at least 30
seconds. Finally, your page appeared and I was able to play your sound
media.

Anyway, I have a cable modem connection so I can't even begin to guess how
long I would have waited if I had a dialup connection.

Regards,

Fernie

 

[Matt Clara]

page.

Well, that's what you're *telling* it to do, isn't it?

I guess that's what I'm asking, yes? Yes.

Why not just hyperlink your audio files, like this:

<a href="MDA_PSA_01.mp3">PSA #1</a>

That way, people can play the audio on whatever plugin or helper-app
they might happen to have configured for this data type, or download it
to be played externally.

I guess I was hoping for something snazzier than that...

 

[Jan Faerber]

Jan Faerber wrote:

Click enter:
http://www.thecelticgoddess.com/

At the moment I can not find one of those mp3 speeches by Adolf Hitler
embedded into a webpage.
"Das Deutsche Volk..."

But it is not much better nowadays:
http://okimc.org/attachments/nov2004/iraqipeople.jpg

 

[Mark Parnell]

I guess I was hoping for something snazzier than that...

What could be snazzier than allowing your visitor the freedom to play it
the way they want to? Or even not to play it.

Especially with a file of that size audio/video should never be
loaded/played unless the user specifically requests it.