vB Easy Archive - Question regarding streaming media within safari

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Question regarding streaming media within safari
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Posted by: lookatmypeehole

im aware that playing any kind of media through safari is limited to apples website. And these file extensions are usually .mov right? Im also aware that we dont have a flash player.... However i was able to visit my professors ftp site and hear a streaming .wav file..... If the iphone has the ability to do this, why cant we stream content from a regular site??

Posted by: eas

I don't know why you think that we can only play media from Apple's website.

The iPhone should be able to play any of it's supported file types when loaded over http (and apparently FTP). I think the only limitation is that the file either has to be under 10MB, or it has to be stored on a server that is capable of byte-serving.

For video files, the other limitation is that it can only play actual files whose length and size. is known at the start of playback. In other words, it can't play live streams, and it can't play files that are being transcoded on the fly. This apparently an issue with the MPEG4 container format. MPEG4 can be streamed over RTSP, but the iPhone doesn't support RTSP, at least not yet.

My understanding is that MP3 files don't have the same inherent limitation, but my experience is that it won't play MP3 streams provided by my local radio station, or other sites.

Posted by: lookatmypeehole

there is a sticky on the first page of apples forum that shows a website called www.seeqpod.com I believe and it streams .mp3 its actually pretty neat now that you bring it up

Posted by: scaredpoet

Basically, any video offered in a quicktime format is playable on the iPhone.