audio on the web

[esthera]

I put audio on the web (lectures) as mp3 but the problem is they take a lot of space and the user has to download the file to listen.
I there a way for the user to listen as it downloads and any better way to do it to use less space?

Is streaming audio what I need?

Please advise?

[PeOfEo]

streaming would be a good solution. The easiest way to stream audio IMO would be a .asx file, it would not require you to setup a specific stream server. Do you have the ability to use an asx file on your server, or do you have the ability to use some actual media streaming software? What kind of server are you on (windows or linux or other) and what kind of control do you have over it?

[esthera]

I am hosted on a unix server. I just emailed there tech support and was told
We provide Real Audio/Video and Darwin Streaming Server. We do not provide support for .asx, however, you may be able to install your own software that may enable you to do so on your VDS.


What do you suggest?
My goal is to make it as easy as possible for the user to listen to the lectures and take up less space on the server. (my mp3 files are not 65 mg. each for a 1 1/2 hour lecture)

[PeOfEo]

use darwin, its pretty good. Real pisses me off anyway, they will get you in a .rm format or something. Darwin is good quality and it will let you do rtsp.