July 18, 2005:
How do I create streaming audio for my website?
- Jake K., [removed]@gmail.com
You have several options when it comes to streaming
audio for the web. Obviously, RealPlayer and Windows Media Player
are two of the big players (no pun intended!) in the field of
streaming audio, and both are formats that most web users are
very familiar with. Both provide free content development tools
for webmasters -- here are links to Real's RealProducer
and Microsoft's Windows
Media Encoder. With the encoder of your choice, load your
audio file (.wav, .mp3, or a number of other formats) and the
encoder will step you through the process of creating a file
that will stream. If your server supports streaming mp3, you
can also stream mp3 files directly, and your users can receive
them with Winamp
or another mp3 player.
Another popular option for streaming small files
is via Macromedia Flash. If you're competent in working with
Flash, it's very easy to stream an audio file within an .swf
Flash file. If you're not, there are several easy-to-use utilities
that will make the job easier. I like Fun
Soundplayer, which, while not free (it retails for about
$15,) makes it very easy to convert an mp3 file to Flash format,
with a variety of button and player options for the file itself.
Whichever option you choose, it's important to
consider your audience and the size of your files. If your files
are small, streaming via Flash may be the answer, as they'll
play right in your webpage without loading a separate application.
If your files are large, offering your users the option to pause,
jump ahead and back throughout the file is definitely a benefit
that they'll appreciate.
Got a question for the webmaster? Email
it to askthewebmaster@newramp.com!
Ask The Webmaster is written biweekly by Jill
Cataldo, Senior Web Developer for NewRamp.com. She has been
working in web development since 1996. Articles are copyright
©2005 NewRamp and may not be reproduced without permission.
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