Streaming WMV

rabbit_fufu wrote on 4/22/2004, 11:36 AM
Hi All,

This is my 1st post here so if I am posting in the inappropriate area please accept my apologies.

I'm wondering if anyone has any experience streaming wmv files over the web. I've got it working so that the video streams ok, but it does not seek - at least, not very well. FYI I'm using a web server, not a streaming media server - Ideally I'd like to be able to have a seekable, streaming video over a web server, but I'm not sure if this is possible.

If anyone has any suggestions I'd be deeply appreciative.

Thanks!

-trav

Comments

Liam_Vegas wrote on 4/22/2004, 11:44 AM
You cannot "seek" if you are serving the WMV file via the web site. That is because the file must first download completely before you can use the "slider" to move the position somewhere else.

You can only seek if you are <really> streaming it via a windows media server. Then when you move the slider the player software tells the windows media server to jump right to the place you have selected.

For instance... take a look at the video here (my cable show) and you will see there are links below the video player. This allows me to sort of put "chapter points" on the web page. That would not be possible if it were not truly being streamed.

Not the answer you were looking for... but I hope that was helpful.

Jsnkc wrote on 4/22/2004, 11:46 AM
Well, if you don't have a streaming server you will definately run into a lot of problems trying to run streaming videos.
There are always some problems with seeking streaming videos since the video has to reload the buffer to get to the point you are going to. Depending on the connection speed it will normally only take a few seconds to do that.

Another alternative if you don't have a streaming server is to offer the clips for download, depending on how big the files are this is normally a better option if you aren't using a streaming server.
rabbit_fufu wrote on 4/22/2004, 12:00 PM
Hi guys, thanks for the quick replies. So there's no way at all to optimize a unix webserver for streaming then? Or is it just not recommended?
Liam_Vegas wrote on 4/22/2004, 12:19 PM
There is <no way> to "optimize" <any> "webserver" for streaming. You have to be using a true streaming media server rather than just serving the files up via the web server.

You have to install a streaming media server that runs on Linux. Microsoft does not have one... but I believe the Real server has a version for Linux. That does allow streaming of WMV files (also can stream quicktime and MPEG4... as well as RM files)