Flash Player?

[technochild]

Hello Everyone,

I am new here, and have found this site through Google (after searching for flash info for hours ).

My reason for posting is that I have this new flash project that I wish I had never gotten myself into. I need to develop a flash video player that will play mp4 files. Is this even possible?

I am a seasoned PHP, Javascript, and CSS coder, however I just started experimenting with flash about 2 months ago so some of the terminology and methods for creation are pretty new to me.

If any of you can tell me where to start, or forward me to some decent tutorials that may help me - I would really appreciate it!

-tc

[MrMadison]

You'll have to convert it to an .flv
Flash should come with a Flash 8 Video Encoder. That is, if you have flash 8.

But if you do...convert it to an FLV and on the flash stage, open the components windows, and drag out a media playback(or the one with FLV in its name or description. Not on my compy atm)
Than it's just a matter of configuring it in the component inspector.


Hope this helps.

-MrMadison

[technochild]

ehh... see the thing is, I will need to be able to create these things dynamically on the fly... It's to display vodcasts online, and I would hate to have two versions of every vodcast just to be able to play it online...

Is there any other way? Or even a script that I can put on my server that will convert the files on the spot?

-tc

[Sgaspar11]

Unfortunately I don't know of any way to convert them on the fly since you have to use Flash 8 to convert them.

You can build a movie player shell that loads videos in externally so you can reuse just the one video player. It's a bit more complicated. Let me know if that is what you are looking to do and I can send you some stuff.

[technochild]

yeah, I guess that would work... could I embed that "shell" into remote sites - such as one might do with the YouTube player? The whole point of this is to allow people to play the mp4 files through a branded player on, and off my site, and to provide an embed code to bloggers. I cannot convert the files to .flv because Vodcasts must be in .mp4 format to be retrieved by itunes.

-tc

[Sgaspar11]

Yeah, it'd be just like the Youtube player example. I am pretty sure the Youtube player uses FLV, infact I am positive it does.

This concept would make it so anyone could embed your videos on their website, BUT it still doesn't get past the whole .flv issue.

If you google for "free YoutTube video player" you should find a "Free" clone of the player already built. Might save you a ton-o-time.

Hope this helps,

Scott

[Sgaspar11]

Oh oh! The other option you have is to just not use flash all together if you want to keep MP4 files only. You could stream using Windows Media Player:

http://www.mediacollege.com/video/fo...dia/streaming/

Just a thought,

Scott

[technochild]

Well... Another great benefit of creating my own branded player is free advertisement. I mean, look at all the embedded youtubes floating around...

So could you refer me to some sites or tutorials that may help me along this project? I really need to get something together by June 1st...

[Sgaspar11]

Sure,

Here is David Stiller's blog. Has everything you need to know about streaming flash video, building a player etc.

http://www.quip.net/blog/

And the article about loading external video files:

http://www.quip.net/blog/2006/flash/...external-video

Good luck!

Scott

[technochild]

Thanks a bunch!
-tc