Question For Danstine...

beatnik wrote on 5/7/2004, 2:40 PM

Hello, you seem to know about video for the web. I would like to use
a plugin Windows Media Player rather than the Active X because of
compatibility issues. What I like about Active X is that it shows buffering
and the plugin type doesn't? Is there a way to show buffering with a
plugin?

Thanks,

Alex Morias
www.videolistings.ca

Comments

danstine wrote on 5/7/2004, 5:08 PM

I'm not convinced that you understand what the compatibility issues are, it doesn't have so much to do with the plug-in, but how you implement the HTML code to render the wmp plug-in. You have a choice of using the OBJECT tag or the EMBED tag. Unfortunately, it's actually a little messier than that because MS wmp object is an activex object, but we won't go there. I think you are saying that you want to use just the EMBED tag, well that's your choice, but personally I think it's a bad one because EMBED is no longer supported in HTML. I use both, because I have to in order to maintain cross-browser compatability, I would much prefer to use just OBJECT.

Be that as it is, you want to see buffering? Well, whether you are using the OBJECT tag or the EMBED tag, you use the same "command" in the form of parameters or attributes to instruct wmp how to display itself. I believe that the answer to your question is all that you need to do is add ShowStatusBar and set it to true, then make sure that you add 26 pixels to the height attribute. If you decide to go the route I do, and use both OBJECT and EMBED, you have to be careful to make sure you include your "commands" for both elements.

Um, by the way, there is a Windows Media Player SDK that you can download from the Microsoft site that explains all of the possible parameters and values.

For illustration purposes, and to make sure that I'm guessing your question correctly ...

Play Video OBJECT with Nested EMBED

Play Video EMBED only

If I didn't answer your question, feel free to post back. And because I'm convinced it's nearly impossible for a small start-up to own and test on every single browser in use, if anybody finds any problems, I would sure appreciate a heads up. BTW, this is encoded for high speed connections, not dial-up. And yes, I know it doesn't work correctly in Firefox; but that's due to the ASX file, and Firefox using an outdated plug-in. I don't know any Apple people who are willing to install WMP, so I don't know what it does on Safari.

Ah, I might point out that this video has no audio, it's a long story but I was naive and foolish, and being very under-self-employeed could not afford the license fees for the original tune. So, if any of you musician types have a 1.20 tune that goes with a dog named Freedom Fighter that you would like to offer, I'll be happy to give you exposure and credits! A couple of the guys that visit this forum (and have provided some really nice music) are approaching the 500 hit mark on our little baby start up site.

Dianne (edited)

beatnik wrote on 5/7/2004, 6:30 PM

Hello Dianne (same name as my wife!) THANKS for your reply and input!

YES that is all I wanted was to "show" the buffering. This way I don't have to
place the words "please wait for video to play" below the player, which I think looked cheap.

I needed to show buffering because it reassures the viewer that "something"
is going to happen sson.

Again thanks for everything. To view my site go to www.videolistings.ca

Regards,

Alex Morias

danstine wrote on 5/7/2004, 7:38 PM

I went to your site, pretty cool. How's it taking off?

BTW, since you are loading your video on your homepage, you might consider some additional effects, for example, go to:
Our Sample Site and click the Launch Video for the Winter Games example. Then pick a Windows Media Player option. You'll notice that you see a "Loading Please Wait" graphic before the video starts, well that can be a jpg, or wmv, and you can set it to be in place for however long it takes your real video next in line to buffer.

You can find out more about this in the Windows Media Player SDK, but it has all sorts of potential on a commercial site, not the least of is something to fill up that black box while your video loads.

Dianne