ActionScript 3.0 :: Meta Data And Loading Methods?

I'd like to be able to resize the stage according to the size (and aspect ratio) of the video - to do this so far I've been trying by using an external function call to javascript:

Code:
function onMetaData(info:Object):void {
objInfo = info;
ExternalInterface.call("videoPlayer.resizeVid", info.width, info.height, mcVideoControls.height);
tmrDisplay.start();
}

As you can see it happens on meta load, and in order to do that I have to attach the net stream, start playing the video to load the meta data, and then pause it:

Code:
ncConnection = new NetConnection();
ncConnection.addEventListener(NetStatusEvent.NET_STATUS, netStatusHandler);
ncConnection.connect(null);

[code].....

What's happening is the player loads up at it's original size, and then with a jolt is resized as required, but responsiveness and load time of the video is very bad and hangs the browser quite easily...

1) Is there some sort of threaded pre-load I can use so that the video doesn't load with such a jolt and the responsiveness of the player isn't compromised

2) is there a way of obtaining the meta data of the video without loading it fully?