Un-imbedding MLS streaming video :: Is it possible?

Discussion in 'MLS: General' started by Knave, May 10, 2004.

  1. Knave

    Knave Member+

    May 25, 1999
    Currently when I stream an MLS game either from MLSNet or Yahoo's soccerpass page it comes up in a version of Windows Media Player that's imbedded in my web browser. I'd like to watch the games directly in an un-imbedded Windows Media Player so I can keep the screen "on-top," and change the window size. Does anyone know if this is possible? If it is then how do you do it.

    If it's possible and you know how to do it, but it's a no-no for some reason ... well, you can always PM me. :D

    Thanks!
     
  2. mpruitt

    mpruitt Member

    Feb 11, 2002
    E. Somerville
    Club:
    New England Revolution
    Hmm well it doesn't come up that way in mine. I would say that it's probably simply a problem with your IE settings actually. You're talking about just wanting it to stream in a different window right, a seperate WMP window? Just re-reading what you wrote. When you say imbedded, do you mean that Yahoo Soccer Pass window/browser skin kinda thing, or do you mean the thing that tends to pop up in the left hand corner like the media bar. If it's the former I agree with you that'd be great, if the latter then just refer to what I just said.
     
  3. Knave

    Knave Member+

    May 25, 1999
    It's the former. I've attached a screenshot of what I get (and don't want). I assume it's what everyone gets.

    I'd like to watch via a stand-alone Windows Media Player - that is without the "Yahoo Soccer Pass window/browser skin kinda thing."
     
  4. profiled

    profiled Moderator
    Staff Member

    Feb 7, 2000
    slightly north of a mile high
    Club:
    Los Angeles Galaxy
    The worst thing about the whole embedded thing, is that int he "browser" part of the window, if you're watching an old game it shows the damn score to the game you are currently watching, which kills a bit of excitment if you didn't know the score....
     
  5. odg78

    odg78 Member

    Feb 14, 2001
    North Carolina
    Has anyone else had the play/pause and other controls disappear within the last couple of days? It still plays the same way, but I can't control it anymore.
     
  6. Wallydrag

    Wallydrag BigSoccer Supporter

    Jul 24, 2002
    Oklahoma City
    Club:
    FC Dallas
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I hate that it shows you the score. Avoiding the score to watch the game and then seeing that is very pissy.
     
  7. morrissey

    morrissey Moderator
    Staff Member

    Feb 18, 2000
    West Los Angeles, Calif
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Someone needs to find the name of the actual streaming file and its location. It isn't easy, I have been trying for a while. Once that info surfaces then it will be a matter of copying the URL into your media player of choice.

    james
     
  8. CUS

    CUS New Member

    Apr 20, 2000
    I think there's capture software available. Try download.com.
     
  9. Chicago1871

    Chicago1871 Member

    Apr 21, 2001
    After 5 minutes of looking through my IE settings and my WMP settings, the only thing I can find that might help is this:

    Open up the media bar in IE and at the bottom there is a "Media Options" tab. Select it and change your current settings.

    That's all I can figure it is, because my settings are set as such so that all media is played in a seperate WMP screen. Wish I had something more for you. Hopefully that helps.
     
  10. cliffkram

    cliffkram Member

    May 4, 2003
    Brum via NYC
    I tried really hard this weekend to unembed the file. It's tough. The browser window is "framed", so if you try to view the source html, it will only show you the html for the frame you clicked on. Unfortunately, you can't right click the area where the video is, so you can't view the source. If you could view the source you could easily find the stream file (probably an .asx file)
     
  11. CUS

    CUS New Member

    Apr 20, 2000
    I downloaded and installed WM Recorder ( http://www.wmrecorder.com ). A full version costs 30 bux. I used it to record the first 2 minutes of the Fire v. Gizzards highlights from MLSNet.com (the demo version only records for 2 minutes). Pretty fast and easy, if you have the bandwidth and storage.

    The file is saved as a WMV by the way.
     
  12. Chicago1871

    Chicago1871 Member

    Apr 21, 2001
    How's it working for you? I used it for a short while, but it gave me some attitude and I had to put it down. The time I had it, it worked great, might have to pick it up again since the AFR recorder no longer works for recording the goals of the week.
     
  13. CUS

    CUS New Member

    Apr 20, 2000
    Worked great for me. I might even spring for the 30 bux.

    I'll wait until Comcast comes over, though.
     
  14. nicodemus

    nicodemus Member+

    Sep 3, 2001
    Cidade Mágica
    Club:
    PAOK Saloniki
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Even more crappy than that is the fact that you have to watch in IE. I have the browser on my computer because it came with it, but I have two other browsers I prefer using.
     
  15. kenntomasch

    kenntomasch Member+

    Sep 2, 1999
    Out West
    Club:
    FC Tampa Bay Rowdies
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I get the same window, but it doesn't bother me. I have a big monitor at home. But you can either go their size or full-screen, nothing in between. Which I don't mind. I keep it running underneath and check in from time to time, but leave the audio running.

    Good luck finding the URL of the actual stream, though. I think they specifically want to keep you from doing that.
     
  16. Knave

    Knave Member+

    May 25, 1999
    I know. That's why I started this thread. ;)
     
  17. Treetaliano

    Treetaliano Member

    Jun 29, 2002
    Charlotte, NC
    amateurs :rolleyes:

    i'll give you guys a hint.

    go here : http://sports.yahoo.com/mls/scoreboard

    click a "video" link.

    look in your cache.

    the answer is looking you in the face.

    excuse me while I go and watch my Smurfs - Metro match on DVD again ;)
     
  18. Knave

    Knave Member+

    May 25, 1999
    That doesn't help with the live streaming though, does it?
     
  19. CUS

    CUS New Member

    Apr 20, 2000
    Nor most of the video links on MLSNet. I've even gone to the temp folder to try to find the file in cache, to no avail.
     
  20. odg78

    odg78 Member

    Feb 14, 2001
    North Carolina
    --I must be inept also, because I'm having no success finding it.
     
  21. paintgreen

    paintgreen New Member

    Aug 17, 2001
    Miami, FL
  22. porkrind

    porkrind Member+

    Quakes
    United States
    Sep 27, 2001
    Bostonia
    Club:
    San Jose Earthquakes
    I'm on Linux, and while I have software perfectly capable of viewing windows media files and such, it really pisses me off that Yahoo limits viewing to only IE users on Windows.

    Why do they care what OS or browser I use? It's all so very lame :(

    And while I'm ranting, their "Media Helper" isn't.

    I'd certainly appreciate it if someone could post direct links to the .asx files. Or better yet, download the .asx file, open it up, and tell me the URL contained therein.
     
  23. billward

    billward Member

    Oct 22, 2002
    El Cerrito, CA
    Club:
    San Jose Earthquakes
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I did a little poking around and found some URL's but they didn't work in my Windows Media Player. I have Linux at home and could try them there but I'm not optimistic.

    If you go to the page in Mozilla/Netscape and hit "page info" you can get the URL for the content, which is (for the Quakes/Metros game at least):
    http://mediaframe.yahoo.com/buildli...&ivt=1084397579&auth=km2B2Q7uy2t.Zvzs6wpx9A--

    I then ran that URL through "lwp-request" (a Perl script that comes with the LWP Perl module) and got this:
    <ASX version="3.0">
    <Abstract>
    {
    }
    </Abstract>
    <EntryRef ClientBind="no" href="http://playlist.yahoo.com/makeplaylist.dll?id=1267090&segment=127841&s=96601091&ru=y&b=000003c2c86de40a298ab"/>
    </ASX>

    Finally when I did the same with the URL I found there, I got:
    <ASX version = "3.0" previewmode = "no" BannerBar = "AUTO">
    <Title>MetroStars at San Jose</Title>
    <Entry>
    <Title>MetroStars at San Jose</Title>
    <Abstract>Click here to go to our Web site</Abstract>
    <Author>Yahoo! Broadcast</Author>
    <Copyright>© 2004, All Rights Reserved.</Copyright>
    <Ref href = "mms://wmcontent62.bcst.yahoo.com/bus01root4/Bus01Share13/__S__/majorleaguesoccer/11/6084559.wmv?StreamID=6084559&b=000003c2c86de40a298ab&s=96601091&Segment=127841&ru=y&CG_ID=1267090" />
    </Entry>
    </ASX>

    But I was unable to get any of those URL's to load in Media Player, and lwp-request doesn't grok the "mms" protocol. So I'm out of ideas.
     
  24. Knave

    Knave Member+

    May 25, 1999
    I'm bumping this thread to see if anyone can help with the problem below. It was originally posted on another board.
    As I said there ...
    Anyone have any ideas?
     
  25. cherno

    cherno New Member

    Jan 17, 2003
    Charlottesville, VA
    My problem is that the video is very choppy, if it loads at all. The audio is fine, but the video is really just still pictures every 2 seconds or so. I live in university housing so I don't think it's a connection problem. I've heard other people say that they have trouble playing it with WMP but when they switch to RealPlayer it works better. When I click on the "change player settings" link (or some similarly titled link) it tells me that I don't have the newest WMP version (which I do) and that I don't have RealPlayer at all (which I do). Since it seems that we ain't gonna find the direct url anytime soon, does anyone have any ideas for getting it to load with RealPlayer (even if is embedded) as opposed to WMP?

    Cherno
     

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