Possible solution for anti hotlinking wmv's?
 

Hi I have read some other threads about how wmvs can't easily be protected from hotlinking (and still work on macs). I have one solution but need to know if I will get listed doing this.
If you use forced download scripts and the php page is protected it would work. The link is to the php page with a path to a protected directory that the wmvs are stored in.

HOWEVER the wmvs won't play straight away in
wmp but will have to be downloaded by the surfer then opened in wmp. Is this ok?

We might even be able to use the php to stream the files instead.. would this be better, if it opens in the wmp?

If so I will post the script so everyone can use it.

Umm, you could get the same thing by just zipping the files and putting a password on them. End user unzips with the password and looks at the file.

However, if you make it too hard to see the videos (too much work) people are not going to line up to see your site.

Just one of those things.

Want to make it easier? Set up a cron job that changes the name of the directory with the movies in it every day, and have your pages generated by PHP on the fly with the links in them. Then you are out for only a day max.

Heck, cron it every hour if you like :-)

Alex