Hi. I do a lot Bluegrass Band web sites and I add mp3 files so that browsers can listen to the band's sound. I want to make sure I am telling my clients the right stuff. I basically say that .mp3s are the most universally accepted files for audio. I can trade quality of sound for file size, i.e. higher sound quality=larger files size and vice versa. Most newer computers will automatically pop open its default audio software, create a buffer and start playing the .mp3 when the link to the .mp3 is clicked on.

Etc. Etc.

Here is the default message I put on the .mp3 pages:

The following sound files are .mp3s. On most computers, you will be able to simply click on the file and your computer will open it up, create a buffer and start playing it from the server. You can also download the entire file to your hard drive and then listen to it. If your computer does not have an audio player, you can download one for free from Real Networks.

Anyone have much experience with this stuff. Here is an example of a page I made that features .mp3s.

http://www.cabinfeverbluegrass.com/Listen.html

Let me know if I am doing anything wrong, or maybe if there is something I could be doing that I am not to make everything even better. I know I could offer variosu file sizes so that users could choose between fast and slow connection speeds, I am considering that.

I think the average user will get the open/save dialogue instead of any sort of streaming you refer to. I could be wrong though

Jason

You have the right idea, they open right up for me. The only thing I would do different is not tell them to get real player. real player is a pain in the neck, to download the free one, they want too much info from you and you have to register with them to install it. I tell people to get winamp, it's a very nice player and they don't bug you with spam....