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Endless audio buffer on WP audio player

  1. letsgetserious
    Member

    Hello,

    Haven't found a solid solution in the forums regarding the never-ending-buffer that has been occurring in my WP audio player when I post audio. Here's my post, moved from the wrong forum:
    ---------------------------
    I've been having difficulty posting audio properly. I'll usually have 2 audio files appx. 60 megs each per post, and the WP audio player usually buffers until I get an error message.

    Any ideas as to why the stream breaks? All are greatly appreciated.

    Thanks,

    Mike
    ---------------------------
    Is the URL for the audio file correct?

    Can you link to an example of this so we can see what is occuring?
    ---------------------------
    I double-checked the URL to the audio file, and made sure the coding was done properly

    Here's what I'm talking about:

    http://letsgetserious.wordpress.com/2007/11/28/a-downtown-affair-episode-3/

    Part 1 will buffer until "Error opening file", but doesn't build the buffer meter up at all.
    Part 2 will buffer for about 1 minute, and then the buffer meter will start to move, and the audio will play (extremely long delay from first click).

    Any ideas why this is occuring?

    Thanks.

  2. timethief
    Member

    Volunteers cannot help when it comes to problems like "endless buffering" on the wp audio player. Please use the "support" button located on the top right hand corner of any admin side blog page to report this to staff. Support is open Monday to Friday 8 AM - 4 PM, Pacific time. Please do not post personal information to the forum but do note that staff require the following information when you send in your support ticket:
    - your browser
    - your browser version
    - your FULL blog address (not the name, the real address that begins http:// )
    - your FULL username
    - your REAL email address that is registered here
    - and a very good description of the exact problem.

  3. devblog
    Member

    One of the reasons of the 'endless buffering' problem is when the audio file is being hosted by a provider that doesn't allow direct access to such file.

    Try hosting your audio files on a different server. I use http://www.musicwebtown.com and, so far, haven't had this kind of issues.

    HTH

  4. timethief
    Member

    YAY! devblog - thanks for this information. I'm bookmarking this thread. :-)

  5. raincoaster
    Member

    Also, if you host at Odeo, every file has three different URLs. In my experience, you need to use the URL of the MP3 in the podcast, otherwise it buffers eternally.

  6. djeddieo
    Member

    I got real excited about devblog's tip, as I (a noob) am having a similar problem to letsgetserious: my mp3s just won't play. No endless buffering, just ' error opening file'. I had first put my mp3s at Z-share, then Support told me that the link had to end '.mp3', so I've tried a number of things, from simply copying a .mp3 address from a site that already plays the file, to signing up for webhosting at Filefreak.com. I went to webtown, but the problem persists. Until Support opens, any tips? My link now looks like this:
    [audio http://www.musicwebtown.com/eonessimo/playlists/150830/1174012.mp3%5D

  7. devblog
    Member

    I've created a test post with the URL of your audio file and it plays well. Check it out:

    http://dolfint.wordpress.com/2007/12/05/testing-audio-file/

    The code I'm using is like yours:

    [audio http://www.musicwebtown.com/eonessimo/playlists/150830/1174012.mp3]

    Please let me know once you've seen it so I can delete that post.

  8. djeddieo
    Member

    no; that just buffers forever....do you think maybe it's just MY computer (and letsgetserius's) that won't play these? I even tried just clicking on one of the URLs that I had tried before [http://www.box.net/shared/static/e1n3pay069.mp3] which was just stuck in an email, and it opened a Windows Media Player and started playing...but when I stuck the URL in my WordPress blog it doesn't play, it asks you to save the file. Again, I'm a noob, but I'm gonna put my MusicWebTown link BACK in my blog; will you try it and see if it plays? If it plays for you, it must be something in MY computer. (and can you also try the 'click below for new window'....see if that works? Thanks:
    http://djeddieo.wordpress.com/

  9. devblog
    Member

    I'm testing too the box.net URL and it works. Check it out:

    http://dolfint.wordpress.com/2007/12/05/testing-audio-file/

    BUT Here's the thing... both players work in:
    * Firefox 2
    * Safari 3.0.4

    The player linking to the file hosted at box.net works only in:
    * IE7
    * Opera 8.53
    * Opera 9.01

    Neither of them work in IE6

    So, I'm assuming you're using IE6?

    This is very strange, and right now, I can't think of a reason why these browsers are behaving like this...

    So is not your computer, it's the browser. I'd suggest you to contact support and point them to this thread... Both param tags have the same values (except the URL to the audio files, of course) and I see no reason why they shouldn't play.

  10. djeddieo
    Member

    I use MSN Explorer, as well as IE7, but here's what MSN says in my setup:
    System Configuration Summary
    ================================================
    Operating System Windows XP (5.01.2600)
    Internet Explorer 7.00.5730.0011
    MSN Client 9.50.0039.1900
    MSN Market en-us
    MSN Brand MSN [VZ02]
    MSN SKU Verizon Broadband with MSN Premium
    Default E-mail Program MSN Explorer

    So, when you say 'contact support', do you mean WordPress Support?

  11. devblog
    Member

    So, when you say 'contact support', do you mean WordPress Support?

    yes, of course.

    I'll go ahead and delete the test post.

  12. djeddieo
    Member

    Thanks for your help devblog, but I still don't know what my solution is; all Support keeps telling me is that the help I'm getting here is excellent. I guess if some of my friends get back to me and tell me that the songs play in THEIR browsers, that makes it less of a problem.

  13. devblog
    Member

    No problem.

    My default browser is Firefox, and the songs hosted at musicwebtown and box.net play with no problem (see my post above for a browser compatibility list).

    If you're friends/readers visit your blog with either Firefox or Safari, they won't have any problems listening to your audio files... However, issues will araise if they visit your blog using a different browser (see list above).

    I can't say it's a 'bug' from wordpress' end, but I believe they should look into this and solve it.

    My guess, and this is just a guess, is that the wordpress guys don't use IE at all, and as long as it works in their browsers, they're happy with the results. IF this is the case, then how bad because they should test their web apps in as many browsers as possible. Even, if they're adapting 3rd party plugins, they should test them in as many browsers as possible as well to make sure the user experience is a good one no matter what browser they're using. This is just my opinion.

    For now, I'd suggest you to host your files at box.net... based upon my tests, those hosted there, do play in IE7. They might not play on MSN browser since, I believe, the engine it uses is the same as IE6 does. (see list above)

    Sorry I can't be of more help.

    Cheers!

  14. timethief
    Member

    @devblog
    Thanks for the time and energy you put into this. I have bookmarked the thread. :-)

  15. djeddieo
    Member

    yeah, thanks again devblog; you're a lot more help than Support has been (nothing personal, Support; I'm sure you're trying and will help me soon!) I'm such a noob, I assumed that, like 90% of people out there were using IE, but I just emailed a Mac-using friend and told him your findings, and he reports:

    "That's odd because they will not play on either my Firefox 2 or Safari 3.0.4 on my Mac."

  16. devblog
    Member

    Thank you, TT.

    No problem, djeddieo.

    It's odd indeed because they do play on my Mac as well... I haven't tested them yet on my Linux box, though. I'll do it as soon as I get home and I'll update this thread. Maybe it'll be useful to someone else later.

    Best!

  17. vietlam
    Member

    I'm aware that there are problems with the audio function (for the lack of words). Most of my visitors who used IE could not listen to it at all (eternal buffering). I used to be able to replicate it with IE myself, but not anymore. I couldn't analyze it any deeper than that, so I never send in for support. Not quite sure whether it is the host either, since i used musicwebtown before, but hotlinkfiles now.

  18. djeddieo
    Member

    I'm inclined to believe devblog's analysis that it's a browser compatibility issue (if I'm summarizing devblog accurately). I poked around on other wordpress blogs to see if there were ANY audio players I could listen to, but didn't find any. I was really excited to start blogging (a cousin of mine had set up this WordPress site a s a surprise), but the audio player was, for me, a key element. I might do some looking around for other blog hosts.

  19. devblog
    Member

    I have some posts with an audio player on my blog. This is one of them:

    http://dolfint.wordpress.com/2007/09/25/my-two-new-acquisitions/

    it doesn't work in IE6 nor IE7 and those I mentioned above...

    I didn't notice this issue till you brought it up. I assumed this audio player would work in any browser but guess not...

  20. katm
    Member

    Devblog's audio works in FF 2.0.0.10 as well as Konqueror 3.5.8 under Fedora.

  21. djeddieo
    Member

    anyone know of other blog hosts that feature audio?

  22. djeddieo
    Member

    you know what I just noticed? If I run my curser over the box.net link, a player appears, and THAT ONE works! that's almost good enough for me!

    http://djeddieo.wordpress.com/

  23. djeddieo
    Member

    I've got to admit, this "buffering" is still baffling me. I've tried looking at my site thru different browsers, re-storing the mp3 files, and still, some will not play. I just re-stored one HERE(just below the post), and I can go to MusicWebTown and play it just fine (in any of my browsers), but it won't play for me in the WordPress audio player (again, in any of my browsers). Anyone?

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