Flash

[Mossy]

I'm going to put some Flash video on my website and I was going to check out Sorenson Squeeze for the job. However, and after seeing Daniel's amazing work in the Screening Room, I'm now contemplating Flash 8.

It's very pricey software and the only reason I want it is to convert my videos for the web.

Questions:

Is it easy/possible to convert a Quicktime file to Flash using the software?
Would Flash 8 Basic be a better buy considering that I only need/want it for video conversions?

Thanks,

M

[JC/DV]

Get the On2 Flix Standard. It works just as well, but no player controls. Check out my site and look at the clips. They were done inf Flix Standard... I will be upgrading to pro so I can get controls soon.

[ssvp]

Flash 8 comes with the Flash Video Convertor as it's own software package as well as you can convert while in Flash 8.

Premiere Pro 2.0 allows you to export your timelines as Flash Video in either the On2 VP6 or Sorenson Codecs.

Just download the Trial of Flash 8, install, Choose Professional Version and give it a try for 30 days..

[sonydude]

Flash 8 is fine for sharing videos with other techies but around 1 in 3 brides won't be able to see it. The big sites (like amazon) that use flash 8 have sniffers and redirects to v7 and v6 versions.

[ssvp]

Yeah that's true.. Flash 8 can builld you a player that includes all the code to sniff the version of the user's flash and will auto direct them to macromedia..err.. Adobe to download and upgrade their flash..

I've had no one in a year ever say they couldn't view the videos I created in Flash for the web..But I suppose you could miss out on people using 6 or 7 who don't want 8 or 9 I think it is now..

[MediaConcepts]

This is what I'm looking at Flix Pro - $249 (http://www.on2.com/consumer/flix-pro/). I don't need all the features of Flash, just the video encoding.

Joe

[ssvp]

This is what I'm looking at Flix Pro - $249 (http://www.on2.com/consumer/flix-pro/). I don't need all the features of Flash, just the video encoding.

Joe

True that.. If your not looking to build your own custom players, no need for Flash..

[sonydude]

the flash update routine is buggy. People viewing video at work are normally behind firewalls and are prevented from installing applications themselves. At the moment no large scale commercial sites are relying on flash8 they all have redirects to v7 & v6.

[ssvp]

You could always write your own routine to pull up the video embedded in a .SWF for 6 or 7..:)

[sonydude]

absolutely. Flash 8 also requires more computing power than a lot of office desktops have so we just stick with v7 and redirect to v6. Approx 1 in 4 get redirected. As multimedia pros we sometimes lose sight of the (b)leading edge.

[docile]

I use ffmpegx (http://ffmpegx.com) for my flash encodes. You can encode to many other formats and best of all, it is free! Runs only on Mac, though. However, it does not support On2 VP6, which I believe Daniel used for his HD flash file (which I haven't seen yet :( )

For PC users, you can use the Riva encoder (http://www.rivavx.com/index.php?downloads&L=3), which is also free, though I haven't used it.

You can read more about it at http://www.jeroenwijering.com/?item=FLV_Video_Compression

The tutorial is written for Windows users but it is still very helpful. He has another article about embedding flash (http://www.jeroenwijering.com/?item=Embedding_Flash) into your website as well.

[bruceo]

Get the On2 Flix Standard. It works just as well, but no player controls. Check out my site and look at the clips. They were done inf Flix Standard... I will be upgrading to pro so I can get controls soon.

Unless you want 2 pass encoding, which doesn't make much of a difference that I can tell then don't pay $250 for the controls included in the pro version because they suck ass. They look very amateurish. I have been looking for a standalone player that is just like jeroen's except that the controls pop up like Daniel's clip did. Is the pop up control only available in F8 or is it F6&7 compatible??

[bruceo]

Flix "Pro" also sucks because it doesn't even deinterlace the footage by default or even provide the option, so therefore you have to give it deinterlaced source (usually meaning unneccesary rendering) or your output will look like crap on progressive displays (basically 90+% of all the displays you would be viewing flash content on.....

[MediaConcepts]

Flix "Pro" also sucks because it doesn't even deinterlace the footage by default or even provide the option, so therefore you have to give it deinterlaced source (usually meaning unneccesary rendering) or your output will look like crap on progressive displays (basically 90+% of all the displays you would be viewing flash content on.....

I didn't see any interlacing issues when I tested it...

[bruceo]

I didn't see any interlacing issues when I tested it...

If you give it interlaced source it will give you interlaced output and there is no option to deinterlace.

[MediaConcepts]

If you give it interlaced source it will give you interlaced output and there is no option to deinterlace.

I guess what I meant to say is, I didn't see any problems with it not being interlaced. I plan to buy it unless something better comes along.

Joe

[docile]

If you give it interlaced source it will give you interlaced output and there is no option to deinterlace.

ffmpegx has a deinterlace filter and two-pass encoding... and again, it's free :innocent0007:

[bruceo]

I guess what I meant to say is, I didn't see any problems with it not being interlaced. I plan to buy it unless something better comes along.

Joe

IMO standard is fine but pro is not worth it except for maybe the batch function, but not for $250. The controller and html functions are no better than a freeware app. For encoding standard is fine or go for rivaencoder for free.

[docile]

Unless you want 2 pass encoding, which doesn't make much of a difference that I can tell then don't pay $250 for the controls included in the pro version because they suck ass. They look very amateurish. I have been looking for a standalone player that is just like jeroen's except that the controls pop up like Daniel's clip did. Is the pop up control only available in F8 or is it F6&7 compatible??

Actually, these encoders encode your video to the flv format so you can use a different player to play your flv video file (PM me and I will show you :)

The player that Daniel used for his comes with flash and I think you can download it from Adobe.

[tbanucci]

Flix Pro works pretty well for me, you can see what the output looks like here:

My Wedding Demo (http://www.lastcut.com/weddings/index.html)

I bought the additional players pack for like $30, and although it's not the best skin, it's probably one of the better ones they have in the pack. I am having a little trouble with these videos playing from a progressive server (they are choppy and Flix does not allow you to buffer an FLV file).

So, I may be purchasing this soon:

Rich-Media-Project (http://www.rich-media-project.com/)

But these guys have not responded to any of my pre-sales inquiries so I don't know if they will work out for me.

[Mossy]

Thnx to everybody who has contributed to this thread. Been busy with Daniel offline with regards to this post and I'm humbled by his willingness to help me out on this matter!!!

Guys like Daniel made VU great and we're lucky to have him onboard here at WVP!!!!!!

M

[JC/DV]

I got the Flash Video Player 2.5 working. Gotta tweak some. Check it out in action www.jcdv.com (http://www.jcdv.com) I can't get it to autostart though?!?!!?

Thanks everyone who suggested info... now I can save money and not buy Flix Pro!

[docile]

I got the Flash Video Player 2.5 working. Gotta tweak some. Check it out in action www.jcdv.com (http://www.jcdv.com) I can't get it to autostart though?!?!!?

Thanks everyone who suggested info... now I can save money and not buy Flix Pro!

Jerome,

try:
flvplayer.swf?file=FLV/adam_selina_intro.flv&autoStart=true

BTW, I believe you used to use swfobject on your pages but it doesn't look like you're implementing it anymore... you probaby still want to use it.
Use it just like you did before except substitute the flvplayer code for the old adam_selina_intro.swf you were using before...

Hope that makes sense.

[JC/DV]

Jerome,

try:
flvplayer.swf?file=FLV/adam_selina_intro.flv&autoStart=true

BTW, I believe you used to use swfobject on your pages but it doesn't look like you're implementing it anymore... you probaby still want to use it.
Use it just like you did before except substitute the flvplayer code for the old adam_selina_intro.swf you were using before...

Hope that makes sense.
Yeah, I removed the swfobject code just to get this thing to work (nuts and bolts) getting ready to implement it back now. BTW, the documentation is WRONG in the readme file to get autoStart to work! It has a small s and not a S

[JC/DV]

Got it all implemented and even the noscript which will still embed if javascript is disabled... but using the swfObject script, I can't center the file! I just stretched it for time being to fill that space until I can get it centered. Also, with the flvplayer and swfobject used in tandem, there is a page refresh problem which will not play the video, but sound is heard..... any ideas? I gotta run for a few hours though.

[docile]

Got it all implemented and even the noscript which will still embed if javascript is disabled... but using the swfObject script, I can't center the file! I just stretched it for time being to fill that space until I can get it centered. Also, with the flvplayer and swfobject used in tandem, there is a page refresh problem which will not play the video, but sound is heard..... any ideas? I gotta run for a few hours though.

Jerome, try placing all the code in a centered div, like this:

<div align="center">
CODE HERE
</div>

Can you tell me how to replicate your page refresh problem? Maybe it has something to do with the fact that you are stretching the video file? I don't know but that was just a wild guess.

[ssvp]

Remember to configure your local .js of SWFObject as well as your inline code in the HTML.

[JC/DV]

Can you tell me how to replicate your page refresh problem? Maybe it has something to do with the fact that you are stretching the video file? I don't know but that was just a wild guess.
Thx Peter, I feel stupid...

Just hit refresh or F5 and refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site and go back to the home page. It won't show the video.

[JC/DV]

Well, I'm tired of screwing with it. I just reverted to the object tag and have it set to autoStart. User doesn't have to "activate" it to play as it autostreams... Can't get around the refresh problem. IT wasn't with resizing the video either. Ahh well, atleast I have controls now.

[docile]

Thx Peter, I feel stupid...

Just hit refresh or F5 and refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site and go back to the home page. It won't show the video.

Jerome, I couldn't replicate the refresh problem.. *shrug*

Well, I'm tired of screwing with it. I just reverted to the object tag and have it set to autoStart. User doesn't have to "activate" it to play as it autostreams... Can't get around the refresh problem. IT wasn't with resizing the video either. Ahh well, atleast I have controls now.

I think you also have to use the embed tag inside your object tag for safety.