just want a video player

[ken1965]

Hi all! I just wanted to know how to make a video player for my site?
its not for music, I have small 60 sec movie clips that people sent me and I want to show the viewers.
can someone tell me how to go about doing this, and what will I need so I can have video for my site thanks

[Dene]

Well for a start, your options are:

- Build an FLV Player from scratch. Requires good ActionScript skills.

I did this, it was loads and loads of work but the end result was great.

- Use Macromedia's Media Components in Flash MX 2004

Can give good results but often results in a generic look and feel.

You'll do well to check the tutorials in the Flash/Video section on Macromedia's site

[ken1965]

Hi thanks for replying
what i'm looking for for is this, http://xfacts.com/v-player.html
so that the viewers can see diferent clips, would this be hard to make? I was looking at Macromedia's Media but like you said limited
and not much I can do with it any suggestions.
thanks

[Dene]

I've made an easy-to-use component that streams external FLVs.
Try the demo here

Dene

[ken1965]

Hi Dene that real cool got lost in the preview never seen the movie lol. Its a nice player plane just want I'm looking for, can you load this player to play more the one clip? I'm looking for a player where the viewer has option to view example clip: 1,2,3 so on. can this be done with that one as well?

[Dene]

Hi Ken

Yeah there's a function you use like this. Say you've named the component 'myPlayer'

myPlayer.loadVideo("myMovie.flv");

The FLV you specify can be either an http:// address or local filepath.

Dene

[ken1965]

Hi Dene is this for sale?
and also what about the program that helps convert you mpeg file for Flash decoder something like that I went to Macromedia's Media
to download it but I cant find it i'm using mx2004 can you give me the exact url so I can download this thing. and also about your player let me know thanks.

[jlpeifer]

Dene,

Your player component looks great. I'll probably buy it if I can get it to work. I downloaded the demo and attempted to follow the instructions you provide, but got jammed up. Perhaps you can tell me what I'm doing wrong. Apologies in advance for being such a newbie.

After installing the demo component via the MM Extension Manager I opened Flash and created a new Flash document. I dragged the demo component onto the stage and renamed it "MySlider". I then selected the MySlider component now on stage and entered the location of the local FLV file in the "Video URL" field using the Component Inspector panel. When I went to preview I saw only a blank screen.

I'm certain this is a situation where there's a short between the keyboard and the chair (me). Can you provide some input on what I'm doing wrong?

jp

[Dene]

Hi

Get the flv tool at swfx.org
This will add duration data to the FLV to make it compatible with the component. Otherwise you will see a blank screen.

Also ensure your movie is published for Flash Player 7.

If you want to export a compatible FLV without using the above tool, use Macromedia's latest Video Exporter

Thanks

[jlpeifer]

Awesome... Works great! What I don't understand is ... I had used Sorenson Squeeze (v3.5) to make my FLV file. Based on what I've read the duration meta data should've been there without the help of SWFX... no?

Well regardless... sold! Great work.

[Dene]

If you're using Sorenson Squeeze 3.5 you'll need to use the swfx.org/flv-duration tool. It's free and very easy.

The way I create FLVs that can be controlled with a video controller is this: I convert my video file to an FLV using Sorenson Squeeze 3.5. Then I add the missing 'duration data' using the free tool at swfx.org.

Future releases of Squeeze will incorporate the missing duration data into its encoded FLVs, making the above swfx tool redundant.

To recap, if you don't export your FLV with Squeeze, you can use Macromedia's Flash Video Exporter which enables you to export FLVs from video apps like QuickTime and others. See the Macromedia docs

Dene

[ken1965]

Hi Dene I tried to email you from your site but it didn't work,
I'm having insues with the demo I'm trying to load a movie clip but like jlpeifer I get a blank screen, I'm new to flash so not sure what to put in the action panel, can you help me with more details on how to make it work thanks.

[Dene]

Hi Ken

This FLV Stream Component I've made doesn't play movieclips. It streams and plays back external FLV files - ie. external to the Flash movie.

I recommend Sorenson Squeeze 3.5 to convert your video files to FLVs.

Once you have your FLV file you just need to download the flv duration tool, and this can be used to add data to the FLV which allows the FLV to be fully controlled and streamed.

Without the above step the component won't work and you'll get the blank screen.

You also need to publish your movie as Flash Player 7.
Feel free to ask more help about anything.

Dene

[Wheels]

Hey Dene,

Sorenson publishes with a framerate property - at least on .swfs - if it does the same with .flv's you could add a function that calculates the duration.

Maybe?

[Dene]

Hey Wheels

In Sorenson Squeeze you've got the option of setting the frame rate for exporting FLVs too. I don't think there's a way of finding the total frames in an FLV, but if there is yes you could calculate the duration... i don't think its possible though.

The next version of Squeeze is going export duration metadata with FLVs.

[ken1965]

Hello Dene
can you put the action in my fla so I can check how you did it? this is the name of my video is (ufomare_Bband[1]_300k) I have squeeze I have duration I even have the exporter from Flash.
Is this correct? and one more thing, how do you upload this to the sever? I have 15 clips I would like to show my viewers thank you helping ?

[Dene]

Hi Ken
I've downloaded your FLA.
All you need to do is use the flv duration tool from swfx on your FLV. Then you'll have an FLV named ufomare_Bband[1]_300k_flvduration.flv

This is the FLV which the component will play.

Select the component on stage and from the Properties panel click Parameters. In the Video URL field type ufomare_Bband[1]_300k_flvduration.flv

Put ufomare_Bband[1]_300k_flvduration.flv in the same folder as the FLA.

That's it.

You could specify a path to the FLV if it was elsewhere eg. ../movies/myFLV.flv or http://mydomain.com/videos/video01.flv

Let us know how you get on.

[jlpeifer]

Ken, Here's how I did it...

I. Video Encoding
1. Downloaded and installed Sorenson Squeeze... Download Here
2. Created my FLV file using Squeeze
3. Downloaded and installed SWFX... Download Here
4. Added the duration meta-data using SWFX (open SWFX, find your FLV file and let SWFX do its deal)

Note! After SWFX adds the duration data it will create a whole new FLV file with a different name than your original. To keep things simple, after using SWFX you should probably delete your original file and manually rename the file that SWFX just created.

Now that my FLV was ready I turned my attention to Flash and Dene's component. My first order of biz was to make certain that the component was installed.

II. Component Installation Process
1. Dowloaded and installed the Macromedia Extension Manager Download Here
2. Downloaded and unzipped Dene's demo component Download Here
3. Double-clicked on the FLVSCdemo.mxp file that was included in the zipped file. When I did this on my Windoze system the component got automagically installed to Flash via the Extension Manager
4. Opened Flash MX and viewed the Components Panel. There I found the newly installed component named FLVStreamControlDemo

Ok, so now that the demo was properly installed I decided to put it to the test. For this, let's assume that your FLV file will be in the same directory as the Flash Document you're about to create and save.

III. Placing the component on stage
1. With Flash MX started I create a new Flash document. I size the stage to be the exact width and height of my video. Well almost. You see, Dene's player is 13 pixels tall by default (you can change that if you want later). I simply made added 13 to the height of my video and made the stage that size. My video was 160-px wide by 120-px high, so I made my stage 160w x 133h
2. I immediately saved the project to the exact same directory that contained the FLV file that I created in the steps above.
3. Next I dragged the FLVStreamControlDemo component onto my stage. I placed it at the bottom.

IV. Changed component parameters (component on the stage must be selected in order for you to view/change its parameters)
1. The component by default is 200 pixels wide. Remember that my stage is only 160 pixels wide? I adjusted the width of the component to 160.
2. In the field marked Video URL I changed the default "myvideo.flv" to the name of the video I created in the previous steps.

V. Completing the Deal
1. Once again I saved my project
2. I published the Flash movie (File -> Publish)
3. Using a file manager (explorer) I navigated to the directory that contained my FLV and Flash project and found the newly created SWF file. I opened the SWF file by double-clicking on it and BINGO... I had a fully functional FLV movie with Dene's player controller at the bottom.

If you can get things working to that degree I'll help you with the next step which is getting those videos out on the Internet.

[ken1965]

Hi jlpeifer hello Dene.
Ok I downloaded a clip from the net with Quick Time. Now its on my desktop, I open the movie again then I whent to files, export, and there was flash flv exporter. I have sqeeze 30 day trial, I have Duration as well. In the export menue of my Quick Time, sqeeze is not there, and if I go to sqeeze and open it up, it and select my movie, it say doesn't reginize it? But with Flash exporter I converted the movie, it turn out to be (ufomare_Bband)then When I whent to use Duration it says that its already been converted? this is what I don't get what I'm doing wrong? because in my flash movie its still Blank. Question is, is it because the movie was downloaded from the net (I'M STUPID I CANT GET THIS SIMPLE THING TO WORK DAMN)

Hey Dene you should realy apply the instruction that jlpeifer provided with your program its well writen.

[Dene]

Yeah I was thinking the same thing about jlp's instructions. Well written.

Ken, send me the FLA with the http: address inputted into the Video URL field on the component.

Are you publishing as Flash 7? Needs to be.