Using MP3s in Ektron

Question

Ektron 801 SP1

I am allowing users to upload MP3 files to their profile using the CommunityDocuments control. I want the user to be able to click the link and play the song. For some file types, such as .doc, the file downloads immediately because the URL of the link refrences "DownloadAsset.aspx". The MP3 files have a URL like http://www.domain.org/documents.aspx?id=242665652917&TaxonomyId=242665652152&LangType=1033&EkTB_iframe=true&height=520&width=790

How can I get these files to play? I have the following in the web.config

<add key="audio/mpeg" value="WindowsMedia"/>

Answer 1

As far as I know, Ektron doesn't provide any player / plugin support ootb for MP3 files. You can specify an additional MEDIA type in the web.config, perhaps. Or use HTML5 Audio. http://www.w3schools.com/html/html5_audio.asp

When using the HTML5 approach, pay attention to which codecs are supported by which browsers. You'll have to work out something else for older browsers via fallback or shim.

Adding a MEDIA type in the web.config will just tell the browser to load a plugin like quicktime or wmp, if it works at all.

Answer 2

As per eGandalf's answer, Ektron doesn't include an MP3 player. You should still be able to use Ektron to store and the serve up the MP3, by saving it into the library or as a DMS asset. You made need to update an Ektron config setting by adding ".MP3" to a file extension whitelist.

Regarding having a user player the MP3 in the browser, I would look at using JW Player - it's very popular and here is a tutorial on using it to play an MP3.