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You have figured out part of the problem...

There are several ways to launch a stream using a web browser including:

- A link to an mp3/realpayer/quicktime playlist (.m3u, .pls, .ram, .qtl) to launch a media player based on the http Content-Type or the file type associations known by the browser
- an application definition to embed the media player into a web page
- A non-http link directly to the streaming server - typically mms:// for Microsoft Multimedia Streaming Server

The streaming server being used by SFX Motor sports is using the mms:// service.

An http page with an mms:// HREF link launches the client PC's Windows Media Player (or WMP plugin for Mac users)... WMP sends the content request with its file name (and optional DRM information) - but the request does not have referring URLs - since it is not http!

So if the infringing site directly linked using an mms:// URI, the MMS server has no ability to know what web page the request came from, only the IP address of the requester.

Now if SFX motor sports was clever, they would add sponsorship messages as a prestream message on the streaming server, or use the facilities of Windows Media player and the mms protocol to display the sponsorship logos directly in Windows Media Player, or use the DRM protection - but they are not under any obligation to be that clever.

The mms: protocol is proprietary and subject to changes by Microsoft as it sees fit.. this is a place which has tried to document how it functions:
http://sdp.ppona.com/

mms: is very useful as it does more than audio streaming - it permits streaming of audio and video together with synchnronization, multicast support, automatic bandwidth adjustment, protocol fallover, etc... It's not a big mystery why most commercial streaming has moved to using this product.

Watch 'Algebra: In Simplest Terms' hosted by Sol Garfunkel, PhD.:
http://www.learner.org/resources/series66.html

26 half-hour videos covering all topics of Intermediate and College Algebra. The webcast videos are free (registration required), just click on the VoD symbol to watch them. If you use SDP ( http://sdp.ppona.com/ ) you can download the ASF steams for repeat viewing. BTW... I got an A+ in my College Algebra class... It's absolutely critical that you fully understand advanced topics of Algebra before starting a Calculus class.

SDP Multimedia - http://sdp.ppona.com/ - group dedicated to reverse engineering MS's protocols, as a proof of concept they've created a tool that will download the stream for you.

http://sdp.ppona.com/

I personally like the ease and simplicity of SDP (plus it's free) for recording various types of streams. -- Dave

And even if you don't have TiVo or a capture card, you'll be able to use the SDP (http://sdp.ppona.com/) to download it if the stream is ASF.

Ok, maybe I'm just stupid ignorant, but I haven't found a way to record Windows Media streams to my HD to watch again later

It can be a pain sometimes depending on what kind of security and encryption they are trying to use, but basic MMS (WMV, ASF) streams can be captured with SDP (free! OSS!).

I've used it a few times with varying success. I'd give it (in the last 2 years or so) about a 75% chance of success.

To download (instead of stream) in Windows...get SDP Multimedia recorder and save the file mms://wnbgmsft-wm9.fplive.net/wnbgmsft/winhec_2005 0425_300.wmv

Damnit, why the hell do I insist on not using the preview feature. Let me try again. For those who would like to download files instead of streaming them (so everyone with half a brain), here are some URLs.

Part 1:
mms://video.pbs.org/general/windows/media4/frontli ne/2214/windows/ch1_hi.wmv

I guess for the other parts just increment the last number in the URL above. You can't download this file using normal means however since it's using Microsoft's proprietary streaming protocol. However, I found this program for Windows (I'm sure there's a Linux way but I'm not looking), which seems to work:
http://sdp.ppona.com/

For those who would like to download files instead of streaming them (so everyone with half a brain), here are some URLS. Part 1: mms://video.pbs.org/general/windows/media4/frontli ne/2214/windows/ch1_hi.wmv I guess for the other parts just increment the last number in the URL above. You can't download this file using normal means however since it's using Microsoft's proprietary streaming protocol. However, I found this program for Windows (I'm sure there's a Linux way but I'm not looking), which seems to work: http://sdp.ppona.com/

For MMS streaming, I use SDP (a windows utility). You can do it on unix too... i believe the name of the utility is mmsclient. iirc, it's bundled now with mplayer or one of the other common unix media players.

I used SDP, but search google groups for "mms download" and you'll find lots more.