Re: Usability testing please!

Els wrote:

http://billericaybaptist.net/sermons

In Firefox and IE6.0 the streaming starts as expected, with a
"progress-bar" in the browser window. In IE 5.0 the browser complains
about the lack of an Active-X player (probably due to the version I
have installed), and in Opera I get to choose between 'open' and
'save', but on 'open', it opens the m3u file, and nothing is being
streamed.

This is the problem I have. I don't want to get too in-depth with the
differences between .mp3 and .m3u, downloading and streaming, and
browser setup; but as I say in the paragraph above the links, I cannot
control what the users' browsers will do with the links.

In Opera, what opens the m3u file? Is it simply displayed as a text file
showing the URL of the MP3?

Thanks for looking.

--
Mark.
http://tranchant.plus.com/

Mark Tranchant wrote:

http://billericaybaptist.net/sermons

In Opera, what opens the m3u file? Is it simply displayed as a text file
showing the URL of the MP3?

When Opera asks if I want to save or open, it suggests using winamp,
but gives an option to choose a different program.
The problem is that the m3u file is opened/saved, and not the mp3.
The mp3s on the hithot site get the same dialog box, but they download
on choosing 'open', and start playing right after they're downloaded.

FWIW, the m3u file is served as audio/x-mpegurl.

--
Els http://locusmeus.com/
Sonhos vem. Sonhos vão. O resto é imperfeito.
- Renato Russo -

Els wrote:

Mark Tranchant wrote:

http://billericaybaptist.net/sermons

In Opera, what opens the m3u file? Is it simply displayed as a text file
showing the URL of the MP3?

When Opera asks if I want to save or open, it suggests using winamp,
but gives an option to choose a different program.
The problem is that the m3u file is opened/saved, and not the mp3.

Winamp ought to support m3u files, which are simple lists of URLs of
files to play. In this case, the m3u file is a single line pointing to
the mp3.

What actually happens if you ask it to open the file in Winamp?

The mp3s on the hithot site get the same dialog box, but they download
on choosing 'open', and start playing right after they're downloaded.

Those are straight links to the mp3 files and should behave exactly as
the "Download" links for the sermons.

FWIW, the m3u file is served as audio/x-mpegurl.

http://www.spartanicus.utvinternet.ie/streaming.htm

....suggests that is correct. If anyone knows otherwise, let me know!

--
Mark.
http://tranchant.plus.com/

Mark Tranchant wrote:

Els wrote:
Mark Tranchant wrote:

http://billericaybaptist.net/sermons

In Opera, what opens the m3u file? Is it simply displayed as a text file
showing the URL of the MP3?

When Opera asks if I want to save or open, it suggests using winamp,
but gives an option to choose a different program.
The problem is that the m3u file is opened/saved, and not the mp3.

Winamp ought to support m3u files, which are simple lists of URLs of
files to play. In this case, the m3u file is a single line pointing to
the mp3.

What actually happens if you ask it to open the file in Winamp?

That's what I did - Opera opens a new tab, with an audio icon, and
shows the m3u file on 'line 1' of the page, as seen in this
screenshot:
http://here.locusmeus.com/temp/mark.jpg

The mp3s on the hithot site get the same dialog box, but they download
on choosing 'open', and start playing right after they're downloaded.

Those are straight links to the mp3 files and should behave exactly as
the "Download" links for the sermons.

The screen with those looks the same, except for the progress column
actually showing a progress bar moving from left to right, instead of
just 'stopped'. After the bar ending up on the right, WinAmp opens and
starts playing the file.

I'm sorry, but no idea why the m3u file stops after 53 bytes.

FWIW, the m3u file is served as audio/x-mpegurl.

http://www.spartanicus.utvinternet.ie/streaming.htm

...suggests that is correct. If anyone knows otherwise, let me know!

Can't say anything about that - no idea really ...

--
Els http://locusmeus.com/
Sonhos vem. Sonhos vão. O resto é imperfeito.
- Renato Russo -

Els wrote:

http://billericaybaptist.net/sermons

In Opera, what opens the m3u file? Is it simply displayed as a text file
showing the URL of the MP3?

When Opera asks if I want to save or open, it suggests using winamp,
but gives an option to choose a different program.
The problem is that the m3u file is opened/saved, and not the mp3.

Winamp ought to support m3u files, which are simple lists of URLs of
files to play. In this case, the m3u file is a single line pointing to
the mp3.

What actually happens if you ask it to open the file in Winamp?

That's what I did - Opera opens a new tab, with an audio icon, and
shows the m3u file on 'line 1' of the page, as seen in this
screenshot:
http://here.locusmeus.com/temp/mark.jpg

Aha!!! This is Opera's Content-Location "bug" in action, I believe. Let
me explain:

I don't actually have any m3u files. I do a bit of URL rewriting to
turn, for example, 20050529p-mp3.m3u into m3u?date=20050529p&type=mp3.

The destination file is a PHP file, m3u.php, that sends out the MIME
type header and the appropriate contents.

Apache, by default, always sends out a Content-Location header giving
out the actual filename used, even after URL rewriting.

Opera seems to pay more attention to that than to the original URL
request. This is why you have ended up with a file m3u.m3u in the
screenshot.

Please try it again now: I have turned off Apache's Content-Location
header for m3u.php and included my own, which refers to the URL.

For more information on this interesting and subtle behaviour of Opera,
check out: http://tranchant.plus.com/notes/content-location

--
Mark.
http://tranchant.plus.com/

Mark Tranchant wrote:

http://billericaybaptist.net/sermons

http://here.locusmeus.com/temp/mark.jpg

Aha!!!

You sound happy <g>

This is Opera's Content-Location "bug" in action, I believe. Let
me explain:

[snip]

Please try it again now: I have turned off Apache's Content-Location
header for m3u.php and included my own, which refers to the URL.

Yup, it's working now. Doesn't even open any new tab or window, starts
playing in Winamp straight away :-)

For more information on this interesting and subtle behaviour of Opera,
check out: http://tranchant.plus.com/notes/content-location

I'll bookmark that for future reading :-)

--
Els http://locusmeus.com/
Sonhos vem. Sonhos vão. O resto é imperfeito.
- Renato Russo -
Now playing: - 20050529p.mp3

Els wrote:

Mark Tranchant wrote:

Please try it again now: I have turned off Apache's Content-Location
header for m3u.php and included my own, which refers to the URL.

Yup, it's working now. Doesn't even open any new tab or window, starts
playing in Winamp straight away :-)

Excellent: many thanks for testing this.

--
Mark.
http://tranchant.plus.com/