Creating Flash Video

[Dstoverden]

I successfully used the Flash Video Encoder Wizard creating a FLV file. I followed the instructions from the book Flash Professional 8, Training from the Source. My first video was approx 1 min 20 secs long and was an .avi file. I took only about 15 minutes to render, compile, etc. I then sent the files to my server and it worked great.

Then I decided to go to a 4 min 30 sec file and the next section of the lesson #7 was about using another technique "you manually add the FLV Playback-Player 8 component and connect the FLV file to it in Flash." This took almost two hours to accomplish. Again I used an .avi file.

My guess is that the frame size of the video edited in 720 x640 or something close has something to do with the long render, compile time. I used Sony Vegas Movie Studio for the original editing.

Does anyone have any clues as to how I should proceed in the future? I tried saving my original in .wmv files but I got an error message that said I was out of virtual memory. I had 20 gbytes of space in my system. So that is odd.

Either of these can be viewed in
www.dittomark.com/v2
www.dittomark.com/turkcall

Thanks anyone. Dave

[cancerinform]

Thread moved.

[Dstoverden]

I was wondering why there was no response. Of all the things Flash 8 is becoming famous for it is the quality of the video feature. I thought this forum would be alive with interest and answers.

I will go to the other forum and thanks.

[Ask The Geezer]

.avi is fine. I've encoded 8 gigabyte files down to a 30Mb flv's before. It takes awhile.

But 760x640 is way too big. Best to keep it more like 480x360 or 320. Bigger sizes make way bigger files, but worse, the bigger the dimensions, the harder it makes the processor work. Most older processors can not keep up with 720x640.

[Dstoverden]

Have you ever tried wmv files. My last attempt at that was a message saying I was running out of virtual memory. I cancelled out of that. Did not try again.

I also have saved a video file edited in Sony Vegas Movie Studio and am curious how Flash 8 will treat the various MPEG 1 and 2 and 4. My experience with video editing is only months old and so I am not too conversant on the variety of rendering options out there. I know some require separate rendering of the audio.


Any tips here.

Appreciate your comments.

Dave

[Ask The Geezer]

You'll just have to experiment. I have tried all formats in the new encoder, and I have Sorensen Sqeeze, from before that. Some files, especially those made on a Mac will cause troubles with audio encoding. In that case, I use Premier or Adobe Audition 1.5 to strip the sound so I can import it to another program.

One of the best programs I have is Magix Movie Pro 10. $50, and that thing is amazing. It exports to a number of different formats, but I generally use uncompressed avi, cause those work good in the encoder.

The probem with the Flash Video Encoder is that it doesn't like files that have already been compressed. It can't read the codec used to compress them.

I've also been searching for and installing all kinds of codec's for the last several years, and most of these other programs can find and use them when rendering. I don't know all the mechanics of that, but they seem to work anyway. :)

[Dstoverden]

Geezer,
I thank you for your replies and I was curious about who you were and what you do. I clicked on your video tuts, graphic design and 3D design links and web page.

For the last year, at my ripe old age of 71, I have been totally consummed learning Video editing and marrying it to my meager knowledge of Flash. I am planning a Web site that accepts uploads of instructional video clips and offers them to the public.

When I saw what you do, I was blown away. How awesome. And 17,800+ responses on Flash Kit. You are one giant in this industry. Glad to make your acquaintance.

Dave

[Ask The Geezer]

Hey Dave. Finally, someone here older than me. Going on 60 next month. :)

As you can guess, I have the time to be here, and I learn best by working on other peoples problems, so I keep coming back.

One of my day jobs is building CD presentations for a paper magazine that bundles CD's with their quarterly issues. Been doing that 2 years now. Since they wanted to use a lot of video in the presentations, I had to learn it. What I've found out is you can't have too much software.

I've found that the new Flash 8 suite is the best ever. If you have it, you should get the latest updates for Dreamweaver and F8.

Also, flash isn't the only video format worth putting on a page. Quick Time, WMV and even RM have their uses. Now, QT has Virtul Tour capabilities, so I'll be getting into that soon, just looking for good software now.

You might want to download the Windows Media Encoder. It's free. you can get it here (http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia/forpros/encoder/default.mspx).

You can search Google for Real Time converters too. I like to get these cause they come with codecs that my other programs can use. and you can capture RM movies off the web, then convert them to video flv's.

[Dstoverden]

Pardon me for being nosey (sp?) but I noticed some pricing on web page design and associated structures that seemed quite reasonable. Is this your company? And what relationship do you have to Tension Design Studios?

This is all significant to me as I may be light years ahead talking to you about mutual interests. There are significant issues that I am going to face as I start getting response from videographers that want to upload their material to me. Streaming video is one of those and I see that that is part of your price listing.

Feel free to send me an email through Flash and I will send you my real email address in a reply. We may want to continue discussions privately.

Thanks Geez

Dave S.

[Ask The Geezer]

Check your PM. ;)

[cancerinform]

Looks like I moved this one to the right place and by the way I am only 7 years younger than Ask The Geezer. ;)

[Dstoverden]

Yes, this is the right place. Great Call C..form. :thumbsup:
Got your PM, Geez. I will get more info for you later today.

Basically I want to set up a Flash web page that takes in instructional video, displays thumbnail clips and allows viewers to select, and then download.
On a crawl, walk, then run basis, I want to set up a sample web page first to display 3 to 5 videos so that potential partners can click and run it and see what it is all about. I have the basic front page artistic concept in mind and a preliminary site plan put together. I will be forwarding that to you by PM. I have to be totally familiar with the video uploading, streaming, and downloading because guess who will be the chief bottlewasher in the early stages,.... moi. :scared:

Eventually, of course, the big picture can be incredibly involved and expensive. The issues of taking in orders, getting secure applications, setting up a shopping cart, getting the financial/bank relationships, like Pay Pal, getting server space, etc. All that stuff, wow. Mind numbing. :yikes:

Dave