Re: AVI stream
Sure, any media format can be streamed over Apache. The secret is the use
of meta files. The "streaming" is a function accomplished by the client,
not the server. All the so called streaming protocols out there are just
glorified TCP/UDP data transfers with some bells and whistles thrown in. If
you want something streamed into Media Player you just create a .asx
metafile with it's contents pointing to the http location of the media.
Media player automatically knows how to "pace" the download. Real Player
works on the same principle.
An example asx file:
<ASX VERSION ="3">
<ENTRY>
<Title>Boss's Speach</Title>
<Copyright>Copyright Blah</Copyright>
<REF HREF ="http://wherever.com/something.avi";>
</ENTRY>
</ASX>
You mentioned copyright issues. It is impossible to keep someone from
stealing *any* streamed content if they're determined. It wouldn't take
much for someone to take apart your asx file and copy the URL into their
browser and simply download it. One thing you can do is configure Apache to
only serve the content if the browser id string matches the known media
player browser types. This would prevent anyone from accessing the file from
Netscape or IE or whatever. You'ld have to check your access logs to see
what kind of id string it sends. One other thing to consider is that I
think, but am not sure, that media player will keep a temp file of content
received over http in the system temp directory. You'll have to test it to
make sure. I think you can also embed "copyrighted material" tags in the
file itself to tell media player that it can't be saved off. But like I
said before, it is flat out impossible to safeguard streamed media from a
true hacker. :) So all you will really be doing is keeping away the casual
thief. That goes for Real Player too. So how many in your audience are
going to think to look in %temp% for a copy of this??
At 11:29 AM 3/18/02 +0100, Michal Novotny wrote:
>Hello!
>
>Is there a chance to stream avi/wma file from Debian box?
>
>For now I'm using RealServer for Linux, but (for clients) I need to add
>support for Windows Media Player (standard player in MS Windows) :-(
>I cannot use download, but stream. Copyright issues...
>
>Could anyone help me?
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