winamp and helix

[Jägs]

Does anyone know if mp3 streams from Helix can be played in Winamp 5? As per Helix's instructions, I've dumped an mp3 on the server, and while it seems that Winamp (and iTunes, PocketTunes, etc.) can access the stream, it refuses to play.

I've tried this on a number of machines but wanted to confirm my findings here. Note: the stream does work in RealOne (surprise).

I was running streams from SHOUTCast as well as Apache::MP3, but we run Helix on our production server, and our SysAdmin would like me to use it instead.

Any assistance will be greatly appreciated!

[ujay]

Are you able to provide a link ?

UJ

[Jägs]

Well, after quite a bit of digging, I think I've figured out the issue, but feel free to chime in if I'm wrong: Helix only streams MP3s via RTSP, not HTTP; ergo, only RealPlayer, RealOne, Real(et al.) can play them.

As a majority of our Windows users have WMP, and our Mac users have iTunes, I guess I'll have to convice the admins that SHOUTcast or IceCast is the way to go. Or have everyone install RealOne...

people can always install real alternative and in_tara and that's Winamp setup to play real streams, there's a sticky detailing how to set it up that i can't find at the moment

[jmatthews112]

Throws this at wanderer...

Was this the sticky you were looking for? <-- for Jägs too

[ujay]

I use Tara and Real Alternative a lot, it works very well.

For easiest set up and trouble free use, follow the last two suggestions.

"Or just use the Tara plugin for ALL Real formats instead (recommended).
(might require you to uncheck "process audio through winamp" in Tara config)".

UJ

[Jägs]

Thanks for the info, wanderer & jmatthews112.

I figured if I could get the Helix/MP3 stream to work in Winamp, there would be hope to get it to work in WMP and iTunes as well. At the very least, telling everyone to install Winamp instead was far more palatable than telling everyone to install RealOne. And while the solution provided is an easy fix for me, I have to worry about the novice users (read: the majority) as well, so I'm still stuck.

Like I said, I think I'm going to shift my efforts to the endeavor of convincing everyone that we should install Icecast or SHOUTcast, as they seems to get along better with the other kids.

Thanks too, UJ (posted this while you were posting your response).

Icecast or SHOUTcast is a better option ideally since you're opening your market to a far larger potential user base that way (seeing as the real format is highly proprietry and as you point out, unless you know your way around a pc, then they're player is the only way).

if you did do the in_tara+real alt method, you can always make an installer to handle the things for you so that should help out novices better but that's just another thought on things

jmatthews112: thanks for finding the link since i was doing a quick scan when i was working so i couldn't properly search for it myself