Playing .FLV (or .SWF) movies

[Trevor L.]

I had this in another thread, but maybe it got lost, so I am reposting it

How do I play a .flv file from my Website?
I have Macromedia Flash Player installed (as do 98% of sites according to
the stats one reads).

I have this code (for an .flv file) but it doesn't work:
<object classid="clsid27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000"
id="Carole and Tammy" width=400 height=600
codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,0,0">
<param name=movie value="images/carole-and-tammy.flv">
<param name=play value=true>
<param name=loop value=false>
<param name=menu value=false>
<param name=quality value=Autohigh>
<param name=scale value=noborder>
<param name=align value=center>
<embed src="images/carole-and-tammy.flv" quality=Autohigh
width=400 height=600 scale=noborder
align=center swLiveConnect=false
name=Carole and Tammy loop=false play=true menu=false
type="application/x-shockwave-flash"
pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer">
</embed>
</object>
This is code I found on a website for playing an .swf file. I just changed
the file name.

I have had little luck in encoding my movies (.mov format ) to either .swf
or .flv.
I can create an .swf file, using Turbine Video Encoder, but only the audio
plays - the screen is blank.
I can create an .flv file, using Riva FLV, but it doesn't play very well.
(It plays in 0.5 to 1.0 sec jerks using Riva FLV and not at all using the
above code)

 

[Andrew Murray]

don't you mean 98% of *users*? the User is the one that needs the plugin
installed.

 

[Cheryl D Wise]

According to Macromedia if you do not embed the flv in a swf file your
visitors will have to have Flash 7 or 8 installed. 8 has almost no market
penetration and 7 does not have a 98% market share. That's the total for all
versions of Flash. So you best bet is to embed the flv file in a swf and
call it or get a streaming server

You may notice that even Macromedia says to output the flv inside a swf file
unless you are using a Flash Communication Server see:
http://www.macromedia.com/devnet/mx/flash/articles/video_primer_04.html

--
Cheryl D. Wise
MS FrontPage MVP
http://mvp.wiserways.com
http://starttoweb.com
Online instructor led web design training in FrontPage,
Dreamweaver and more!

 

[Trevor L.]

Wow

Cheryl,
This is great info., but technically, I am at a loss.

I will look at the link, but I may have to come back to you or another
expert on this group. I am not sure what I do to get a streaming server.

My ideal solution would be one I have seen on many websites, where you do
not have to download anything but the flash video starts immediately, or
there is a delay while it loads (presumably to a temp file - not the
download to a permanent file which I see most of the time)

 

[Trevor L.]

A further query,
I checked the link and it refers to use of Macromedia Flash and Dreamweaver,
which I do not have.

Can one write some HTML code which will do what these sites I wrote about
do?

Surely, it all comes down to executing code and does it matter what
generates that code?
Can't one write the code without using a code generator?

P.S. I am an amateur. I am not building a professional site, just trying to
do things out of interest

 

[Cheryl D Wise]

The problem is getting your flv into a swf. You can then export the file
including all the html you need with it. As far as a streaming server, they
can be expensive, talk to your web host.

You didn't say what version of FrontPage you are using. With FrontPage 2003
you can insert a SWF (may work with a flv I haven't tried it) open the page
then from the Insert menu select:

Insert Web Component | Advanced Controls and from the Choose a control
"Movie in Flash Format". Short tutorial at
http://www.anim-fx.com/flash-tutorials/importfrontpage2003.htm

Macromedia has a tech note about using Flash in FrontPage at
http://www.macromedia.com/cfusion/knowledgebase/index.cfm?id=tn_14769 (near
the bottom)

You can also check out Jimco's Flasher
http://www.jimcoaddins.com/addins.aspx which may be especially helpful if
you are using an older version of FP.