XEON Series - vbFLV Streaming Video Player
 

Release Date: 2006-11-13
Revision: 1.1 (see change log in this post). If UPGRADING from Revision 1.0 DO NOT overwrite any files, apart from the main player.swf
vBulletin versions compatible: Works on ANY - uses no MySQL

Features:

• XML Based FLV Player
• Single playlist population
• Fade in/out over thumbnails
• Auto-detect Normal or Widescreen video formats
• Auto-detect Scroll-bar on if more than 5 videos in XML file
• Optimized for vBulletin using a single ?conditional?
• Optimized picture clarity/quality
• Slide Scroll bar to view other movies
• Uses javascript object embed for all known browser compatibility issues

Watermarked version details: *See second post below*

As many members requested, here at vbulletin.org, I designed this video player. It is XML driven, and the full vBulletin integrated version will be a commercial product, with many added features.
To compliment the XEON vbMp3 Player I brought you, the XEON series vbFLV Video Player, is another feature packed add-on. This is currently designed as a popup.

The vbFLV Video Player allows you to add unlimited video footage from various sources. There are no limits on FLV streaming, but you may wish to think about bandwidth consumption, if you intend to have very long movie clips. Note: most FLV clips are between 1-2Mb?s each, due to compression used. I would suggest you read these instructions carefully for no problems to occur, installation is fairly straight forward but setup will take longer.

Broadcast streaming video directly from your vBulletin forum.
You can encode your own movie files into the FLV format.
Use websites like www.keepvid.com to download any video from Google, YouTube, iFilm, and numerous other video websites. Visit www.keepvid.com for a full list.

Bandwith Consumption:
Due to design of this player and you will rarely find flv files around websites, the player is restricted to local flv files only. This was done by request, since most people that requested this modification wanted to play videos on their own websites, not on a global basis. If you have a large forum and huge video files, and only a small bandwidth limit I would not recommend you install this version.

Why FLV?
FLV is a widely used format for video/audio - and uses can be even interactive. No other video format comes close to these specifications - and the compression ratio will surpass anything around. In this tutorial you will be able to find the best compression ratio to use (the demo uses a 512k stream, which these days is quite adaquate for most users). Most video formats can be converted to the FLV format, I have listed a few places below where you can get free converters from.

What is FLV?
FLV is video format used by Flash, it is possible to take a 50Mb mpeg file and convert it to a 512k FLV stream, reducing the file size to around 10Mb. Giving you a high compression ratio of 5:1 in most cases. Is it more common on Google, YouTube, myspace, and many other video hosting websites.


Editing the XML file:
You can change all titles, descriptions, thumbnails and flv titles in the XML file. To edit it just right-click and select open with either Notepad, Wordpad or TextEdit (if you?re using a Apple).

Adding more videos:
Each video in the XML file is setup like this:
So, we have Date, Description, video_name.flv and video_name.jpg ? each videos detail is enclosed between < item > tags.

Thumbnails & Descriptions

Thumbnails:
These small images must be created in any graphics program (The player will work without these thumbnails). If you do wish to create these images then they should be of a maximum size (width=70 and height=50), making them all the same size does look better, if they don't show up make sure you have named them the same as the details in the XML file. Note they must be non-progressive jpg images.

Creating the Thumbnail Images:
You can easily create the images by playing the video you want the image for, pause it at the point where you would like the screenshot. Now Hold down the ALT key and Press PRT SCR ? this will take a screenshot of just the player, open any image program and select Paste. Crop the image and resize until it is no larger than 70x50 pixels, save as a jpg.

Description:
You can add short titles and dates to your videos (as shown in the screenshot and demo, this data is entered in the XML file.


Transcoding your movies to FLV format
[high]Free FLV Encoders:[/high]
http://rivavx.com/index.php?encoder&L=3 - Riva FLV Encoder
Transcodes AVI, MPEG, Quicktime, WMV and more codecs.

[high]Commercial FLV Encoders:[/high]
http://www.yaodownload.com/video-des...dersconverter/

[high]More FLV Encoders can be found here:[/high]
http://www.brothersoft.com/downloads/flv-encoder.html


Installation:
Upload the entire contents of the Upload folder into your forum ?root?. There are index.html files within the video and images folders, these are just directory protection files, so people cannot just browse your folders and download.

Note: If you have installed any previous releases by me, then you may receive an alert about overwriting the flashobject.js file ? this file hasn?t been changed at all, so you can skip or overwrite. DO NOT rename any files or folders; the player does have dedicated paths compiled which cannot be altered.

XML Setup:
Make sure you enter no paths, just the file names. The player has defaults set for images and video directories.

Template edit:
AdminCP -> Styles & Templates -> Navigation / Breadcrumb Templates -> navbar

Find:

Add after:

KNOWN ISSUES: none

Change Log:
15/11/2006 - Player screen resize fixed
13/11/2006 - Initial Release

Future Improvements:
Limited, due to being a XML version. All major features will be incorporated in the commercial fully integrated vBulletin version, available soon, with plugins.


This modification is fully supported, and keep your eyes open for other flash-based modifications I release. More ?XEON series? based projects are planned, but probably will not be released until early next year!

Screenshots below show current version.

vbFLV Video Player with WaterMarking

Design by Syrus XL Media
2003-2006
www.digitalport.co.uk

Installation:
=============
Firstly, you will need the main package of this modification installed.

The files within this package simply upload to your forums ROOT overwriting the existing vbflvPlayer.swf.

The watermark feature uses the Arial Bold font, which is embedded into the compilied flash file with a 41% alpha.

To change the default 'Syrus XL Media' watermark - simply edit the watermark.txt file with Notepad.
Default line is:

Change this line after the '=' symbol to anything you want to display on the video window.

This text will display across the top of the video window.


=============================================

File Size: 66k (increased due Font embedding)

Font Embedded: Arial Bold 16 - Uppercase, Lowercase, Numerals and Puntuation.
Language: English
Total number of glyphs: 114

A demo can be very good, thanks. Also can we use this for only show youtube videos from youtube (without using our server resources)
Like with a bb code that show the youtube videos on this player without youtube commercials.

In it's current state this wouldn't be possible. BB Code mods and Flash techniques don't mix well, and are prone to opening security holes to any forum.

But, on saying that there are ways around this issue, but not with this modification I'm afraid.

I am currently using macromedia to create a swf (39k) that I upload as attachment and which stream the flv. With that technique, I am able to stream on demand from database.

Would love to see yours streaming from database instead of an xml.

That will be released in the commercial version of this modification, this was mainly released as a teaser to the full integration version. I've already used the technique you're referring to with the XEON vbMp3 Player released last month, with multiple-playlists loading from the database via PHP. It's fully uses moderation, usergroup permissions and much more - still in beta stage while I fix a few 'bugs' and add multiple adding of track data.

My main aim is to create the system where mp3's, movies, 'live' Tv & Radio and possibly google, youtube working in a main console, but can be expanded to inline playing using plugins.

Getting there, gradually!:)

Great Addon.

can u make it where wheres we can watch users uploaded media imstead of a preset that we make ourselves?

J

I am using your mp3 player. I currently have thousands of mp3 on the site and this is taking a toll on server. I like your player as an alternative to stream external URL, without having to host them. Unfortunately, each 'channel' was limited to x amount of mp3.

Are you telling me that you have an unlimited database version?

This feature is part of the commerical version - however, it does cause problems. Unless you have dedicated hosting, you will need to add a php.ini file to override normal PHP restrictions on uploading (normally set at 2Mb). Some hosts allow clients to override this restriction, while others don't.

We've added it to the commercial version, along with many other features. I will add the list of differences between this version and the commercial version, too many to list in a single post that will probably get lost...lol

There is limits on the versions released on here. And yes, there is a commercial mp3 player, with unlimited playlists and tracks. The limits imposed on the version released on here, were done via the Action Script and also external conditionals. Originally, there was a 100 track per playlist limit, but since then I've fixed the player and removed the conditionals.

No commercial versions have been released yet, due to being overloaded with other projects. It's a case of finding the time lately to do things.;)

Nice mod! Installed!

By the way, what is the setting (kbits/sec) for .flv files on your demo? And if possible, how big are the file sizes for Citroen Ad and Crazy Frog? It looks good and stream pretty fast.

Thanks for another nice Flash hack!

Both were compressed using an expensive program called Sorenson Squeeze.
They are optimized for a 512k stream, and are roughly 1.7Mb each.

:cool:

The beauty with FLV files, they stream. I have 80 Megs videos that opens instantly and deliver smoothly.

Looks very cool :)
*edit

Yeah, it does have many advantages over other formats.:)

Thanks Shazz!;)

looks pretty cool ! I've seen some flv's with a "click here" link showing up at the end of the clip. Any idea how to do that ?

Digitalport website doesnt seem to be working :S Any screenshots please?

Sorry about that, my server seems to be down at the moment.:(

I've now attached a screenshot.:)

youhou! thank you! i've been waiting for something like that!

now with that one do you offer branding fee? and whats the diff between the commercial and this version?

It will be cool to stream outside urls just like your MP3 player.

Right now, most people host their videos on external sites like youtube, or metacafe etc...
I think your hack should handle both local and external urls.

As it is, most people here dont have the bandwidth to host their own videos, so what's the point of having a hack they cant really afford to use because of bandwidth limitations?

There are many features on the commercial version, really no comparison to this release.

Just some of the included features:

• Usergroup Permissions
• Usergroup FLV upload (Host dependent)
• Moderation on/off on uploads
• PM Notification on Approved FLV's
• Player uses multiple playlist (Named Lists)
• 'On-the-fly' animated thumbnail creation of FLV
• FLV's can be set to auto-add on upload (no need to enter titles)
• Mass population by directory upload

Plus a host of other features...

At the moment its still in development, pending coding changes.

The actual player used on here is also changed, and the current player will be updated shortly.

Branding free will be offered, but as with all my products - branding fee also comes 'domain-locked' and incorporates other security features.

do you get to set how many frames?

Sorry, but it was designed this way by members requests. There are many hacks for YouTube and Google, I don't think there are any, that use specialized players though, apart from the inline AnyMedia hack by Crist (not updated yet). I am looking at updating this hack to work with all browser configurations, and run under vBulletin 3.6.x and above.

Hi Lionel,

No.. it works by showing a small version of the real video upon rollover - when clicked it then plays the full FLV.

:)

woohooo i cant wait! i'll install this in the mean time

This is one certainly to watch closely. Big potential here.

Bob

what is the recommended flv dimensions so it fit perfectt in the window?

Hi, I have installed this and it seems to work great when viewing the video for the first time, than after you view it other times after that, it jumps up to the top left and can't be seen, you can only hear it. Has anyone else experienced this, or is it something in my browser that is causing this, because other users are not having any issues, but it does it in both firefox and IE. Thanks, nice hack.

The player window dimensions are set at 320x240 - but this for a 'normal' sized video, it automatically shrinks if it detects a 'widescreen' format.

On an overall basis, this seems to give quite a high quality output and still maintain a small compressed file size.

Do you mean the actual output window is shrinking and goes very small into the top-right?

This was a problem I had, when designing the player, however I did fix it. Perhaps, I forgot to update the package on here, with the new player. I'll re-check the version on here, to the one I'm using.

This is coming real handy to me. How much time before the commercial version is available? Will you include the fla files?

It will probably be around a month, or so; in the meantime this player will be updated so it can be used inside a vbulletin page, or as a pop-up.

Sorry but I never release my flash source files. This is why I place quite alot of security AS in branded versions; including 'domian-locking', 'domain-redirecting' and if any of my files are decompiled they virtually 'self-destruct' and become useless.

If most of the design was just pure Flash components and hardly any customized scripting I might release the fla, but this is very rare - most of my flash work is dynamic, meaning I import variables, images, etc directly from either php, xml or sometimes even a text file.

That is exactly what its doing, I haven't tried any other video's yet, been trying to figure out what would be causing it. I'll wait till I hear back from you

Tricky how the video works :)

Is there a way so we can change the player looks? Because to say the truth, I dont like the actual player and dont like the mp3 player either :(

Finally, if you dont put a very high price for this hack, ill buy it :D


Thanks for the replies

I'll update the package later today! :)

The vbflvPlayer.swf is now updated in this package.

Only overwrite this file, not any others or you will lose your playlist.

Skin changing is not an option with the XEON series - it is basically a hard-coded, designed player. The only option I offer on this player is brand-free, but at a cost, since all details and urls are removed.

As for a price, this hasn't been decided upon yet, since the commercial version will be 'modular' based - so you will be able to purchase addons/plugins for expanding the modification further.