Detect a Live Stream in Embedded WMP

Hello all,

I'm using an embedded windows media player to display a live stream. The stream comes from a tri-caster as a wmv file. I'm looking for a way to check and see if a stream is available (currently broadcasting). I can use jscript in IE to check the state of the player, but in any other browser I'm kind of at a loss. If anyone knows a way to accomplish this in C#, VB.net or javascript it would be awesome.

WMP can be used by anyone with the plug-in. I don't have control over the stream's format so flash isn't an option. I'd just like to be able to display the player only if a stream is actually being broadcast.

The media server is available whether there is currently a broadcast or not but when I do a web request to the stream's URL I get the same response whether it's being broadcast or not.