I have some concerns about speed with the Scripture App with multiple features. My training in websites taught me that things need to appear fast in order to keep a browser from moving on to something else. Yesterday, in community with some pastors who have a low literacy level, I wanted to demonstrate the usefulness of the highlighted verses being paired with audio. To keep app filesize low and easily installable on their phones, I have hosted the audio files online. The audio is a compressed 3gp file. A 4 min. audio file is less than 1,000 kb. However, it often takes minutes to download. This is true when using my wifi at home. This is true when on a 4g signal. If I were to download something on either of these connections that is the same size, it would not take more than a second. This could be a problem with the app itself. It could also be a problem with where I’m hosting my files.
I have chosen to host the files on the site provided me by Kalaam Media. It is possible that this server is slow. I don’t know their specs.
I have seen other recommendations on this forum:
Archive organization (supposedly doesn’t work now)
scriptureearth organization
IPS-based cloud service that someone in SIL runs
Possibly Google Drive worked at one time or there is a way to set it up now that was a feature request.
Assuming that the slow download speed has to do with the site I host on…what are free options with the fastest download rate? If I am not mistaken, usually by the time I get to chapter two of a book, the app has already pre-downloaded the chapter and so it can transition smoothly to the next chapter. I may be wrong though. Any advice here would be appreciated.
I still have my suspicions that the app itself has something in it that keeps it from connecting quickly. The FCBH NT on the Bible App can download the file and start playing in about 2 seconds. Unfortunately, the Bible App is not a popular app for the people group that we work with and also currently, our timing files are not integrated into the Bible app.
@Luke, I believe Kalaam is hosting content on their own server running seafile. I don’t know the physical location of the server and where your community is.
You can put a content delivery network (CDN) like CloudFlare in front of it that will help with having files close to where they are used. They have free and $20/mo plans that is probably enough for what you need. The CDN speeds up access to the file store on the origin server (hosted by Kalaam).
FCBH does support streaming audio with HLS which could start the audio right away without having to wait for it to download. I believe it is a different fileset id than the standard and you would have to check with them if they have generated the fileset for you language. I thought that we had tested it with SAB but I can’t remember the result. It is something that I could work with you on to see if that is feasible.
Hi Luke,
If we, Kalaam, are hosting your files, would you please share the language code with us. I can try to run a “Lighthouse” test on it and possibly get some more information. Generally speaking, our Lighthouse reports have been pretty good to even excellent. And FWIW - our Seafile server is located in Europe and is using Cloud Fare.
Thank you Chris. The FCBH streaming looks like it might be a very good solution, at least for our New Testament content. I have requested access to their API. Unfortunately, I overlooked your HLS comment until after I had submitted their form, so hopefully I will get a chance to request the HLS you mention. I may also look into how to use CloudFlare with Kalaam. I don’t think I have bothered with that yet on our scripture site even though I use it with other domains I run. Thanks for your feedback on my question.
@Dan_Neville I pm’d you with our language name and code.
Hi Luke,
Another thing to try is to uncheck the option to “search all folders on the device if an audio file is not found in the specified folder.” I tend to uncheck this and audio downloading and playing is dramatically faster.