Nunzio's Message Board

[kbrowder]

Hi Nunzio,

You'll probably get tired of me writing all the time, but I gotta ask this one more thing....

I've got mp3's for my music room now and I'd like to set up something similar to what you have in your automatic juke box.

I have created one file with the whole list in it and named music.m3u.

How do I set that up so it will play from that one script? Even though users won't be able to queue up songs for playing, they can at least click on what they want or just let it play.

The logic behind all this escapes me even though you went through most of it with the podium (audio pulpit).

If it isn't too much trouble can you guide me?

Thanks,

Your friend,

Ken
_________________
Ken Browder, Editor - The SevenTimes Newsletter -
editor@7times.org
http://7times.org

[Nunzio]

Hi Ken,

[kbrowder]

Thanks friend.

You said:

[Nunzio]

Good morning Ken...

Okay. I've whipped up a sample page for you...
nunzioweb.com/temp/kenbrowder/music/music.shtml

Examine it and test it by playing the music (both multi-streaming and individual playlist files), and let me know if it's okay or if changes are needed.

Here are a few things that I did...

1. I gave the option for the site visitor to either stream all tracks at once (using your music.m3u multi-track playlist), as well as to individually select any one song.
   
2. I also gave an option for your site visitors to download the entire playlist to play in Winamp or other media player (similarly to what I have done at this section of my main page for my site visitors).
   
3. There are a few songs whose artist's names I did not know, and instead substituted ??? in place of the artist's names. I'll need you to supply me with those names (I recognized Elvis Presley's voice though. Unmistakable - LOL!).
   
4. I did not have a valid MP3 file to link to for "Welcome To My World - by Jim Reeves", so I instead threw in that substitute page that says "Nothing here yet". I'll need you to tell me the exact file name you decided on for that MP3 and exactly where you uploaded it to.

I need to bring some other things to your attention ...

1. Of course I've referenced the MP3's at your server
   
2. I noticed that they were recorded at 128kbps instead of the 192kbps I recommended, but that's okay providing you don't go any lower than that. Any lower bitrate will produce terrible sound (something I'm sure you don't want for your site visitors). This also answers your question in your above post where you ask about bitrate and slower connections (re: your brother is "out in the country" and the best he can get is 28800). When dealing specifically with streaming in Winamp and not through your web page player controls, he can also try to increase buffer size in Winamp to see if that helps --> CTRL+P for Winamp Preferences > Plug-ins > Input > double-click "Nullsoft MPEG Audio Decoder [IN_MP3.DLL]" > Streaming tab > Streaming Data Buffer > increase the size
   
3. I also noticed that all your MP3's are choppy and skippy. To test if it was specifically on your end I downloaded a few of your existing .rm files and reencoded to exactly the same bitrate as you did. My conversion from .rm to .mp3 produced files of the same bitrate and size as yours, but with no choppiness and no skipping whatsoever.

Conclusion: the problem is on your end, either due to bad (old and faulty) sound drivers that need updating, DirectSound settings in Winamp, or more likely, a combination of both.

Therefore I have a few recommendations for you. First, follow the advice given by DJ Egg and others in the 2 threads listed here...

From the Winamp Troubleshooters Sticky - Common Issues...

[Nunzio]

I just realized something...

You said your brother is at 28800. If you are trying to tell me that he's only using a 28Kb modem for a connection, then it'll be practically impossible for him to eliminate constant buffering. Internet connection speed must be greater than the bitrate of the stream you are listening to. A person can never listen to a 128Kb stream on a 56Kb modem, and have it non-interrupted. The modem simply can't keep up. And on a 28Kb modem? Forget about it. Now honestly speaking, I don't think you should sacrifice the quality of the music you are streaming to a point where it's completely inaudible simply for the sake of one or two users / site visitors that have terrible internet connections.

Again though, your brother and the other person you mentioned can "try" to increase buffer size in Winamp to see if that helps. But there are no guarantees it will really help...

CTRL+P for Winamp Preferences > Plug-ins > Input > double-click "Nullsoft MPEG Audio Decoder [IN_MP3.DLL]" > Streaming tab > Streaming Data Buffer > increase the size
_________________
Nunzio's Little Place On The Web
Moderator - Winamp Forums

[kbrowder]

Wow! You are great!

That will work! You must be reading my feeble mind

The choppy songs I dont' know about. I had these in mp3 on a disk here and that is what I used.

When I tried to covert with winamp, I did one which worked. The next didn't.

When I tried to go back to using winamp normally, it wouldn't work nomatter how I set it.

I DID download G2 from one of the links given at TARA's, and then downloaded (again) WinAmp full from the NullSoft site.

I uninstalled everything, rebooted and then reinstalled everything.

WinAmp is playing magnificently now. However, I've almost been afraid to try the conversion again, but I suppose I must if I want to get all this resolved.

Thanks about the modem speeds. Ben and Gary both have very slow connections even using 56k modems. They, of course don't have to listen to the music on the web site, because I can give it to them on disk.

It was more a concern with others I don't know about that I was asking the question.

Ok on increasing the buffer size. That might help to quite an extent.

As I understand it, if slow connects still get buffering too much even though they are using the embedded player, it is their connection and not WinAmp. (Sometimes I sound like a simpleton).

I do so appreciate your help. She Song "I believe" is by Ed Ames, and the other one with ?? is Anne Murray again.

I'll rename the one by Jim Reeves as soon as I can and then let you know.

Thank you so much for your knowledge, expertise, and patience with me.

Your friend,
_________________
Ken Browder, Editor - The SevenTimes Newsletter -
editor@7times.org
http://7times.org

[Nunzio]

[Nunzio]

Ken...

All 17 .rm files you zipped and emailed me have been reencoded to MP3 (Lame) CBR format, 128kbps, 44100Hz joint stereo. They have been zipped up and uploaded to my server for you.

Download the ZIP file here --> http://nunzioweb.com/temp/kenbrowder/mp3.zip

It's a very large file and may take several minutes to download, depending on your connection speed. But please let me know when you have successfully downloaded it and have successfully extracted the files, so that I can remove the ZIP file from my server.

You'll then need to upload the new MP3 (no choppiness, no skipping) files to your server to replace the choppy MP3's that are presently there.

2 things...

1. Included within the ZIP file you sent was welcometomyworld.rm (Welcome To My World - by Jim Reeves). I reencoded it to welcometomyworld.mp3. After uploading it you'll need to change the last line in your music.m3u multi-stream playlist file from this...
   

   Code:

   http://7times.org/music/Jim Reeves - Welcome to My World.mp3

   
   to this instead...
   

   Code:

   http://7times.org/music/welcometomyworld.mp3

   
   ...and then reupload the changed music.m3u to your server.
   
   
2. Excluded from the ZIP file you sent was the Elvis Presley "You Gave Me A Mountain" .rm file (probably would have been named yougavemeamountain.rm if included). I'll need that .rm file due to the fact that the existing .mp3 file at your server is extremely choppy and skippy (more so than others). Please send it to me so that I can convert it and send it back to you.

Now, once you have replaced all files you should immediately notice the change (elimination of choppy/skippy playback) when listening to them at the temp example page I set up for you. If you do NOT notice a change, it would be because you are still listening to "cached" copies from previously playing the files. In that case just empty your internet cache and refresh the browser to allow the newly uploaded files to play instead of the cached files..

Okay. Let me know when you have the ZIP file so that I can remove it from my server.

Take care,
Nunzio
_________________
Nunzio's Little Place On The Web
Moderator - Winamp Forums

[kbrowder]

Hello Nunzio,

Well, all the mp3's have been uploaded as well as the music.m3u file.

However, the mp3's are still very choppy for some reason from your website sample, and even when I click on them in Ws-FTP and play them direct in WinAMP.

The same file plays great on my computer locally and the wav and rm files play well that are on the web site.

Strange! Could it be something I'm doing wrong when I upload them?

I sure don't understand it

Ken
_________________
Ken Browder, Editor - The SevenTimes Newsletter -
editor@7times.org
http://7times.org

[Nunzio]

Hmmmm. I just downloaded a few of the MP3's directly from your site. I opened them in Winamp along with the same-named local copies (those contained in my ZIP file). I can see that the few I downloaded from your site are indeed my file conversions, based on file size and the metadata I included in both the ID3v1 and ID3v2 tags (I included proper metadata to allow the MP3 titles / names to display correctly in Winamp).

BUT... the few I downloaded directly from your site play all choppy in Winamp, whereas the local copies do not. The files I downloaded from your site have indeed been corrupted. There is only one thing I can think of that may be corrupting the files when uploaded to your server. You say you are using WS_FTP. Are you making absolutely certain that the MP3's are uploaded using Binary transfer ONLY and not using ASCII or Auto? Any and all files that are not "text-based" or "editable" via a text editor need to always be uploaded via Binary mode (eg: sound or music files, image files, zip or executable files, etc). Any and all files that are "text-based" or "editable" via a text editor need to always be uploaded via ASCII mode (eg: HTML files, .pls or .m3u playlist files, CGI or PHP files, other text-based files, etc). You should never ever use the "Auto" mode of transfer in WS_FTP when uploading any files to your server. That option actually shouldn't have even been included in WS_FTP as far as I'm concerned. It's handy but causes more problems than it's worth.

See this screenshot of the WS_FTP upload process for your (or any) MP3 files.

So, if you had ticked or checkmarked anything other that Binary when uploading the MP3's to your server, this could very well be corrupting the files. The files are definitely getting corrupted somehow in your upload process. That I've already determined, as I just indicated above (via my comparison with the same local copies).

So check into this. I think this is what might have happened. If you haven't been uploading sound files (.rm, .mp3, .wma, etc) using Binary transfer only, then re-upload the files using Binary transfer only and see if that corrects the problem. It should.

Take care,
Nunzio
_________________
Nunzio's Little Place On The Web
Moderator - Winamp Forums

[kbrowder]

That could be it Nunzio.

I'll delete the files there and then re-upload making certain I use binary to do so.

Thanks for your help.

Ken
_________________
Ken Browder, Editor - The SevenTimes Newsletter -
editor@7times.org
http://7times.org

[kbrowder]

Ok Nunzio.

The binary upload did the trick. Everything is streaming nicely now.

How do I set it up on the web site?

Thanks so much.

Ken
_________________
Ken Browder, Editor - The SevenTimes Newsletter -
editor@7times.org
http://7times.org

[Nunzio]

Yep. It did the trick. I figured it would.

I'll do what I did initially with your Audio Pulpit - zip up all needed files for you to download, explain what they are for and where they go, explain how to maintain the music section, etc. However, it's 9:30 PM here and a little too late to do all this tonight. Will do it tomorrow though.

Also, can you send me that missing Elvis Presley .rm file, so I can convert it to .mp3 and complete everything on my end? I've already made changes at the temp example page and everything is now working with the exception of "You Gave Me A Mountain - by Elvis Presley".

Take care,
Nunzio

P.S.
I'll now remove the ZIP file from my server since I assume you no longer need it.

[EDIT]
Hang on a sec...
Since we've determined that it was due to the fact that you weren't uploading in binary mode, don't bother to send me the Elvis Presley .rm file yet. I may not have to convert it. If you still have the uncorrupted copy of that .mp3 file that you initially had sitting there, then reupload it in binary and all should be well. If not, then send me the Elvis Presley .rm file and I'll convert it and send it back to you.
_________________
Nunzio's Little Place On The Web
Moderator - Winamp Forums

[kbrowder]

Thanks, Nunzio.

Yeah, I'll up the Prestley file as is and see how it runs.

Be waiting for the .zip tomorrow.

Thank you for all your work.

Your great.

Ken
_________________
Ken Browder, Editor - The SevenTimes Newsletter -
editor@7times.org
http://7times.org

[Nunzio]

Good morning, Ken...

I see that the Elvis Presley MP3 is streaming just fine. Very good!

Okay. There are now 3 zip files sitting at my server.
Download all 3 files...

1. music.zip
   
2. playlists.zip
   
3. html.zip

After you have downloaded all 3 zip files, unarchive (unzip) the files from within them and then upload those files to your server. The files within music.zip need to be uploaded directly to your existing music sub-directory at your server. You will need to create a new directory within your music sub-directory and name it playlists. You will then upload the files that were unarchived both from within playlists.zip and from within html.zip into the new playlists sub-directory that you create under your existing music directory.

When uploading this time Ken, remember the difference between Binary and ASCII modes of transfer. This time it's easy though. Every file I've included in all 3 ZIP files are all editable within a text-editor and therefore all files must be uploaded to your server in ASCII mode.

There are 7 files within music.zip...

1. blank_stream.htm - the file that initially displays "All music will stream here" before anything is selected
   
2. no_stream.htm - the file that will display "Nothing here yet" if you decide to use it for any dead links or as a temporary measure while in the process of updating if you want your site visitors to be presented with something instead of a 404 file not found error page --> nothing is missing currently though and all links are good.
   
3. music.shtml - the page I created that does not yet exist at your site but is needed at this URL --> http://7times.org/music/music.shtml. The new page links to the "music-select.htm" Music List pop-up window. *Note: Instead of using my music.shtml page directly you might instead have to create your own and only use mine as a reference. This would only be needed if in fact you are using SSI (server side includes) throughout the pages at your site. I assume that you might be since you are using .shtml pages instead of .html pages. But I have no real way of telling if you are or not because with SSI the site visitor only sees and can only obtain the source code to the "end result" of the include file(s) that are parsed into the web pages. So only you know what if any SSI calls you are using and may have to create your own music.shtml page with those "includes" within it, instead of using mine.
   
4. music-select.htm - the file that is linked to in music.shtml to be displayed within the pop-up window that contains the Music List.
   
5. note.gif - the musical note image displayed to the left of all entries in the Music List.
   
6. printed.gif - the same background image used throughout your site and also as a background in the Music Selections pop-up window --> you really don't need this one since you have it but I included it anyway.
   
7. stream.htm - the page that displays "Multiple track streaming" and "Select from individual tracks" selections within an iframe in the Music List.

Again here, as in your initial thread referencing your Audio Pulpit, I referred to an "iframe" above. You can learn more about iframes (inline frames) by reading some of these tutorials. You can also reference an article I wrote that deals with how I use iframes at my site as well, if you would like to.

There are 19 files within html.zip...

1. climbeverymountain.html
   
2. hetouchedme.html
   
3. howgreatthouart.html
   
4. ibelieve.html
   
5. icanseeclearlynow.html
   
6. idliketoteachtheworld.html
   
7. ilovetotellthestory.html
   
8. isawthelight.html
   
9. itisnosecret2.html
   
10. jesuslovesme.html
    
11. music.html (this is the file that references the multi-stream music.m3u playlist)
    
12. ohwhatabeautifulmorning.html
    
13. peaceinthevalley2.html
    
14. putyourhandinthehand.html
    
15. somebodybigger.html
    
16. welcometomyworld.html
    
17. windbeneathmywings.html
    
18. yougavemeamountain.html
    
19. youneededme.html
    

All the above 19 files are pages I created that contain the Media Player object and embed controls that reference same-named .m3u playlist files that are their counterparts (listed below) which you will upload to the new playlists sub-directory that you will create under the existing music sub-directory at your server. I named each .html page to reflect the same-named .m3u files to keep it simple and to avoid confusion. Each of the 19 .html files are linked to within stream.htm, which is displayed as "Multiple track streaming" and "Select from individual tracks" selections within an iframe in the music-select.htm Music List.

There are 19 files within playlists.zip...

1. climbeverymountain.m3u
   
2. hetouchedme.m3u
   
3. howgreatthouart.m3u
   
4. ibelieve.m3u
   
5. icanseeclearlynow.m3u
   
6. idliketoteachtheworld.m3u
   
7. ilovetotellthestory.m3u
   
8. isawthelight.m3u
   
9. itisnosecret2.m3u
   
10. jesuslovesme.m3u
    
11. music.m3u (this is the multi-stream music.m3u playlist file that is referenced in music.html)
    
12. ohwhatabeautifulmorning.m3u
    
13. peaceinthevalley2.m3u
    
14. putyourhandinthehand.m3u
    
15. somebodybigger.m3u
    
16. welcometomyworld.m3u
    
17. windbeneathmywings.m3u
    
18. yougavemeamountain.m3u
    
19. youneededme.m3u
    

All the above 19 files are playlists I created that reference their same-named MP3 counterparts that already exist at your server. Of course music.m3u above is different than the others insofar as it's the multi-stream playlist that contains URL pointers for streaming all the 18 individual .mp3's.

So... if you need to add more music files just create new .m3u files to reference new .mp3's you may add in the future to the Music List, and create same-named corresponding .html pages to reference any newly added songs. You can reference the source code of any of the above 19 .html files that you'll unarchive from html.zip as a "template" (with the exception of music.html). Then reference those pages within stream.htm.

If you have any questions or if you run into any problems then feel free to post back here again.

Take care,
Nunzio
_________________
Nunzio's Little Place On The Web
Moderator - Winamp Forums

[kbrowder]

Thank you my friend.

That is as detailed as I have ever seen instructions given. No wonder you are a moderator at NullSoft!

I will do as you state here, and let you know when it is up and running.

Your effort is appreciated greatly.

Ken
_________________
Ken Browder, Editor - The SevenTimes Newsletter -
editor@7times.org
http://7times.org

[Nunzio]

Ken...

Thank you and since I had some free time, I just popped by your site and I see that all is up and running well right now. Very good!

I also see that you've revised both the Audio Pulpit and the Music Room pages to inform site visitors that they need to unblock blocked pop-ups to access both the sermons and the music. That's good too. I have a similar notification at my site for areas where javascript and pop-up windows are utilized.

Now there's only one thing left and then I believe you are done... I noticed on your main page that you changed the "Want to hear the SevenTimes theme-song? Click a link below" section.

I recall that initially you had 2 links there. Something like "Use Windows Media Player" (linked to a .wma file) and "Use Real Player" (linked to an .rm file).

Now you have one link --> "Uses Windows Media Player or WinAmp" for the .m3u playlist file and that is good but there are 2 small problems....

1. You are linking to http://7times.org/music/welcometomyworld.m3u instead of linking to http://7times.org/music/playlists/welcometomyworld.m3u where the file actually exists. You'll need to change the link.
2. I would change the text that says "Uses Windows Media Player or WinAmp" to "Use Windows Media Player or Winamp" instead. The letter "a" in Winamp is not now nor ever has been capitalized. It's a common mistake that people make.

Okay Ken... you are finished now I think. I'm glad to have been of help. And in the future if you ever experience any problems with the Winamp application, feel free to visit the Winamp Tech Support forum. If you experience no problems and just want to comment on or have a question about Winamp, then feel free to visit the Winamp Discussion forum.

Have a Merry Christmas, a Happy New Year, and Happy Winamping!
Nunzio
_________________
Nunzio's Little Place On The Web
Moderator - Winamp Forums

[kbrowder]

[Bubba]

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