Some simple HTML questions

[Pinky]

I will be renovating my band's site (www.the-boogiemen.com) and currently have simple hyperlinks to the mp3 files.

What I'd like to do is only allow people the option of listening and NOT downloading the entire file. I also was thinking of having a lo and hi fidelity version for the dialup users (kinda like MP3.com does).

Problem is, I don't know what free frontpage compatible script or service is available, or if it's easier than I'm making it out to be.

I was a good programmer years ago, but cgi/java/perl, etc and the other multitude of languages and integrations kinda drove me away. The site stuff will be done in frontpage.

TIA

[Pinky]

Just so you have an idea of what I am capable of, see the changes I made in a few hours time tonight.

This is about the extent to which the site will evolve, with I more linked page on this "Rudy Strooglitz" fella (which currently only loads an MP3 file). I was also thinking about roll over audio, but I don't know what I need to be doing (doesn't look like Frontpage give me a lot of options with audio).

[Aedan]

Uhh.. Hate to tell you this, but it can't be done. That's the bit about listening but not downloading BTW. The reason is that the data has to be sent - and someone who's sent the data can capture it and write it to a file, in exactly the same way they'd download a file... (Yes, even with RTSP!)

Soo... My suggestion would be to make the stuff you don't want distributed poor quality, or limited in length. That way it becomes not valuable to someone who wants the whole thing, but still allows people to get an impression of what you're presenting.

IF you want a low and high quality versions, then you can do it one of several different ways..

Windows Media Player does a good job with low bandwidth presentation. MP3 does a good job with higher bandwidth presentation. No idea about QuickTime though. I'm heavily biased against RealMedia, as it seems to be buggy and unreliable. (That's when it's working, rather than when it's trying to kill my computer)

Microsoft offer a free Windows Media Encoder (WME) that should be able to code the low bandwidth stuff.

If you're against Windows Media, then you can encode an MP3 in mono, with a lower bitrate (say 32K to 40K for a 56K dialup user). An ADSL user can probably play 128K stream, which would give reasonable quality.


So, the low and high quality audio streams are fine, no problem. Rollover or popup audio will require some javascript scripting. Not having used FrontPage, I have no idea what it is capable of.

AidanII

[Pinky]

Thanks Aidan.

Stinks that I can't "prevent" theft, but I like some of your suggestions...

Do you know off hand what command/code I use so that when someone selects to listen to a song it automatically launches their default mp3 player? My PC is set to automatically prompt for "open" or "download."

[Max193]

Originally posted by Pinky
Thanks Aidan.

Stinks that I can't "prevent" theft, but I like some of your suggestions...

Do you know off hand what command/code I use so that when someone selects to listen to a song it automatically launches their default mp3 player? My PC is set to automatically prompt for "open" or "download."

A plain link like:
<A HREF="MyMusic.mp3">My favorite song</A>

will start the system's default player that is registered for mp3 files.

hth:-D

[Pinky]

Originally posted by Max193


A plain link like:
<A HREF="MyMusic.mp3">My favorite song</A>

will start the system's default player that is registered for mp3 files.

hth:-D

I kinda realized after I asked that "just because it don't do it on mine" thing, I set XP to prompt me for a reason .

Guess I'm all set then, thanks!