| Do you like watching videos on the web? Apparently | | | | first batch of bytes is received. This is not as |
| a LOT of people do. Google thought the | | | | efficient as a dedicated streaming server, but unless |
| phenomenon important enough to dish out $1.65 billion | | | | you are running a very highly-trafficked site, the |
| to acquire YouTube and guarantee its position as a | | | | results are virtually indistinguishable. This is the option |
| number one provider of video feeds. | | | | discussed in detail in this article. |
| But is there really any reason the average | | | | Several applications exist on the market to handle |
| webmaster could not build their own video or audio | | | | progressive, or psuedo, streaming. The difficulty in |
| based portal? Would that not be a difficult thing to | | | | using them lies in the amount of work it can take to |
| attempt? Well, that used to be the case, but it is not | | | | add HTML code to individual pages on your site in |
| true any more. | | | | order to call the application which will then stream |
| Now, based on the fact that you are currently | | | | your audio or video content. What you really need is |
| reading this article, I would hazard a guess that the | | | | an automated solution of some type. An application |
| following is true: At some point in the past, possibly | | | | that will allow you, or your visitors, to simply upload |
| even just recently, it occurred to you that building a | | | | the content that is to be streamed, and then have all |
| YouTube-like site might be a fun thing to do. But | | | | the file storage and HTML link-formatting done for |
| then you tossed the idea out the window once you | | | | you, behind the scenes. |
| discovered that adding audio and video clips to your | | | | Fortunately there is at least one application that does |
| site can be time-consuming and tedious. Not to | | | | all this for you (this is mentioned in the resource box |
| mention technically intimidating. But like I said, that no | | | | below). In this case the application makes use of a |
| longer has to be the case. In fact, if you are | | | | Flash-based client named Wimpy, which exists in |
| prepared to fork out a few hundred dollars for the | | | | several different incarnations. The best known of the |
| software to power your site, you can be up and | | | | Wimpy players is the Wimpy MP3 Player which allows |
| running in no time flat. | | | | MP3s to be played from a fancy Flash-based |
| In all likelihood you do not truly want to compete | | | | jukebox. The appearance of this player is controlled |
| with YouTube for visitors. But maybe that real | | | | by a skin, and there are literally dozens to choose |
| estate site you had been thinking about could benefit | | | | from--some of which contain rotating dials, flickering |
| from audio and video feeds. Or perhaps that | | | | volume bars, and so on. An alternative to placing a |
| restaurant guide, or model plane construction | | | | jukebox on your pages is to simply place a button |
| website--short how-to videos on the best way to | | | | that allows an MP3 track to be played or paused. |
| build remotely-controlled planes might be just the | | | | This is the Wimpy Button Player. It is useful for |
| thing you need... | | | | pages where you are going for simplicity, or page real |
| Are the ideas starting to bubble up? If so, read on to | | | | estate is at a premium. |
| find out how you can set up a video or audio site | | | | But Wimpy can do more than just play MP3s. If you |
| painlessly. | | | | want to serve video files from your site you can |
| So what are the barriers to us as webmasters | | | | elect to use the Wimpy AV Player. This version |
| wanting to set up such a site? Well, you have | | | | allows you to load an entire video playlist, just as the |
| probably already investigated several | | | | Wimpy MP3 Player does. But my preference for |
| multimedia-related web sites to see how they go | | | | video presentation is the Wimpy WASP Player. This |
| about presenting audio and video clips to their visitors. | | | | client will play just one video at a time, but it can be |
| Most of these sites now offer streamed content, | | | | controlled with javascript commands, so it offers |
| which is to say the music or the video feed starts | | | | more in the way of programmable and presentation |
| playing just a few seconds after you hit the play | | | | options. You can embed the videos right into your |
| button. No waiting for a full download to occur. | | | | web pages, or you can elect to have them pop up |
| Visitors, even those with high speed connections, | | | | when a visitor clicks on a link. |
| simply do not have that kind of patience. So, you | | | | By using a solution that combines all these Wimpy |
| must serve the content immediately. | | | | clients into a single transparent application, and which |
| There are two basic ways you can do this. One, you | | | | also allows visitors to review the uploaded audio or |
| can install a special server that is optimized to stream | | | | video files, you have at your disposal just the tool |
| audio and video files. However, this can cost you an | | | | you need to create a YouTube-like site complete |
| arm and a leg, depending on the server you choose. | | | | with visitor reviews. Hopefully I have managed to |
| It is also just one more thing you do not want to | | | | convey the idea that creating such a site is fairly |
| have to deal with if you can avoid it. The second | | | | straightforward. With the right tools in hand, the only |
| option is to go with a simpler method, called | | | | remaining ingredient you need to make it happen is |
| progressive streaming, wherein you make a request | | | | dedication and passion. But if you have read this far, |
| to your regular web server to stream the file in such | | | | you likely have that in spades. Good luck! |
| a way that it can be played almost as soon as the | | | | |