I have a website with a page for racing videos that I and other members have made. These videos are typically 400kb to 1 meg in size, and I have about5 of them, but want to add more eventually. Each video gets about 1000 hits per month.

Now, what do you think is the best way to make these videos accesible to my members? They are using a lot of bandwidth, and I really wanna cut it down a lot. I could zip them, which would reduce the size a little I think, and then hopefully people wont downlaod them as much if they are already saved on their computer. Sound good? If you have any other ideas on what I could do, please let me hear them...I'm open to everything, and don't know a whole lot about computers, so if there is a simple way that I am missing, please let me know, thanks! :)

There are scripts out there (hotscripts.com) that will allow you to manage users or members and the number of downloads they are allowed each day, month, or whatever. This is probably the best way to make sure each user only uses up so much bandwidth. However, if your site gets more popular, you will of course need more bandwidth regardless, unless you limit the number of members as well.

Wow really? I never knew there was such a script. Exactly what does it do? How would it limit the number of downlaod to each person? I think my biggest problem is people who wanna watch the vids EVERY day, so they just go back to the site everyday and re-download them. What you mentioned seems like it would be a great idea. :)

The following link may be of some interest to you:

http://www.hotscripts.com/Perl/Scripts_and_Programs/File_Manipulation/Download_Systems/index.html

There are numurous packages that will fit your needs from very basic functions to more advanced functions.

Thank you very much! Maybe I'm just dumb, but this one seems like the only one that would limit the number of downloads to each user:

Description: webFile allows you to distribute files without ever showing the path to the file. Your files are fully protected, and may only be accessed by our script. This is great for shareware developers who wish to offer the full version of an application on their website. webFile allows you to create new users with passwords, and limit the number of times each user can download a specific file.
Price: $50 - Version: 1.0 - Platform(s): Unix, Linux, Win NT - Last update: 2001-12-17

And of course it's $50. :lol: Am I correct, or is there more there? I read every one of them. I really dont need anything special, just to be able to limit the user of downloads. :) Thanks again.

Well, the best way to offer them is to serve them via an actually streaming server. Have you considered this? Won't help the amount of downloads situation, however that could be worked into the whole thing I'd think.

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Hahahahahaha, sorry for straying from the post, but I couldn't resist, had to post, "Dude it's a lama" hahahahaha. sorry I told you it was finals week and I was tired and stressed. "And then"

What is a streaming server, and how does it use less bandwidth? You don't think ne of those scripts would work good? Thanks for the help.