Web Design in a Nutshell, 3rd Edition

Serving MP3s

MP3s can be served from a traditional FTP or HTTP server. MP3s can also be streamed using server solutions such as SHOUTcast (discussed later in this section). Along with the main advantages of streaming, this means that the MP3 file is not actually downloaded to the user’s computer, providing better copyright protection.

And speaking of copyright, remember that although there is no problem creating MP3s for your own personal use, it is illegal to upload and distribute audio if you do not hold the copyright for it.

One of the most popular software packages used for streaming MP3s is SHOUTcast from Nullsoft. It makes it possible for people to broadcast audio from their PCs with a minimum amount of hardware and knowledge, over any speed Internet connection (although more bandwidth certainly helps). You can broadcast MP3s to individual users or to many users at once by redirecting your stream to a high-bandwidth server. To listen to a SHOUTcast server stream, open Winamp, iTunes, or any other stream-capable MP3 player and bring up the Open Location dialog box. Enter the URL of the server you want to listen to and hit Enter. For a list of SHOUTcast servers (and for more information), visit http://www.shoutcast.com. SHOUTcast server licenses are free.

The following summarizes the MP3 format:

Good for...	Distribution and sale of high-quality audio (like music tracks), radio broadcast-style transmissions at lower bit rates.
Delivery	Streaming, download.
Creation tools