FAQ: Creating ASX and PLS files
Once you have set up your server, we highly recommend to use pls files (ShoutCast Server) or asx files (Windows Media Server) to connect to your stream. These files are uploaded to your webserver and you simply place a link to those files on your websites. By using these files you have a little more flexibility. If you must change a link for example, you don't need to change many websites. You just need to change one file. But that's not all. These script files also offer a few more functions like showing banners, headers and other information. When using asx files, you can even display complete websites in the Windows Media Player 9 itself. Or small neat flash files. Like this example.

ASX Files (Windows Media Metafiles)
Below is a typical layout of an ASX file created in notepad, and used with Windows Media Player:

<ASX version="3.0" BANNERBAR="AUTO">
<ABSTRACT>Your Radio</ABSTRACT>
<TITLE>Your Radio</TITLE>
<AUTHOR>http://www.yourradio.com</AUTHOR>
<COPYRIGHT>(c)2006 Your Radio</COPYRIGHT>
<MOREINFO href="http://www.yourradio.com" />
<REPEAT>
<ENTRY>
<ABSTRACT>Your Radio</ABSTRACT>
<TITLE>Your Radio</TITLE>
<REF HREF="http://rs2.radiostreamer.com/yourradio" />
<PARAM NAME="Location" VALUE="Chicago, USA" />
<PARAM NAME="Genre" VALUE="Rock" />
<PARAM NAME="Homepage" VALUE="http://www.yourradio.com" />
<AUTHOR>http://www.yourradio.com</AUTHOR>
<COPYRIGHT>(c)2006 Your Radio</COPYRIGHT>
<MOREINFO HREF="http://www.yourradio.com" />
</ENTRY>
</REPEAT>
</ASX>

Here "Your Radio" would be replaced by the name of your station/website. The section which reads "<REF HREF="http://rs2.radiostreamer.com/yourradio" />" identifies the stream location "http://rs2...." and publishing point "/yourradio" of your stream. This information you will receive from your Streaming Server provider.

One you have amended this information you are free to save it into the ASX format. In any text editor this is done simply by saving it as "youradio.asx" in the Save As dialog. If you have correctly performed this task you will see a Windows Media Player icon showing the filename.

You will notice that you can also set the location of your website, genre, and city location.

Here is a working example for you to try. DRS 2006 Radio Network. Users can right click and "Save Target as..." or simply click to listen.  If you only want your listeners to save the file, then create a zip file which they can download.
Find out more about asx files right here!

HINT:
You can also use ShoutCast streams in asx files (for Windows Media Player 9 and higher). This way you can force that your stream is played by the Windows Media Player. Just like ram files for the Real Player. This is how a simple asx file with a mp3 ShouCast stream looks like:

<asx version="3.0">
<entry>
<MoreInfo href="http://www.yourradio.com"/>
<Abstract>Your Radio</abstract>
<title>Your Radio</title>
<author>http://www.yourradio.com</author>
<ref href="http://rs2.radiostreamer.com:10000"/>
</entry>
< /asx>

Important here is the port number and NO /listen.pls at the end.

If you have uploaded your asx file to your server and it will start the Windows Media Player, be sure the mime type asx is set on the server.


PLS Files (ShoutCast)
PLS files basically look like this:

[playlist]
File1=http://rs4.radiostreamer.com:11000
Title1=DRS 2006 Radio Network
Length1=-1
File2=http://rs2.radiostreamer.com:10000
Title2=DRS 2006 Radio Network
Length2=-1
NumberOfEntries=2
Version=2

You also make these files in your favorite text editor like notepad and simply save them as *.pls files. The pls files contain a playlist. The items can be stream locations or simple mp3 files.