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Embed Video Clips

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Embed Video Clips
Hi,
I want to embed some video clips in my html pages and I'm looking for advice on the best file format/ plug-in to use. I want to make the video clips accessible by a wide range of browser and operating systems. I've narrowed my choices of players down to Windows Media Player, Quick Time and Flash Player.
Any advice on which one would be best and why?
Thanks.

Last edited by:

jai: Mar 17, 2006, 4:19 AM
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Re: [jai] Embed Video Clips In reply to
Hi,

I see RealOne is also popular. BBC use this to show Video clips.

Cheers,

Cheers,

Dat

Programming and creating plugins and templates
Blog
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Re: [jai] Embed Video Clips In reply to
Some versions of WMV/WMA are widely supported, but Windows Media Player is only officially supported on two platforms and many people do not like it. Similarly, Macromedia's Flash/Shockwave player is (currently) the only player to support Shockwave or Flash.

You could use an embedded application to play movies like Flash or a Java applet, but this replaces the (often better) functionality of a browser's plugin. You could use an open format like MPEG or [a truly unencumbered format like] Ogg Theora. MPEG 1 is widely supported but the file size can be very large. MPEG 2 and MPEG 4 aren't well supported, with support for MPEG 4 being about as wide as support for Theora.

I believe that parts of all of the MPEG standards are covered by at least one patent (whereas part of the purpose of Ogg is to have truly free formats).
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Re: [jai] Embed Video Clips In reply to
mpeg4 format preferred.
If you are looking for having large media files, opt for a host that can give you streaming media support on your account. Unfortunately though you wouldn't find many 3$/Mo unlimited everything hosting accounts truely supporting streaming media. If you are on your own dedicated box, install Darwin Streaming Media Server. This would also enable you to play with H.264 format and start broadcasting too.

Other alternative to Darwin Streaming Media server is Helix Universal Server but support for mpeg4 is only available in PAID version.

Would need a high bandwidth server in this case if you are really aiming at professional quality media streaming. Let me know if you need professional support on Streaming Media Server Projects.

Thanks
HyTC
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Last edited by:

HyperTherm: Mar 19, 2006, 11:35 PM
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Re: [HyperTherm] Embed Video Clips In reply to
It seems to me that if all that you are planning on serving is static documents, you have no need for "streaming media" support; Apache (or any other file sharing server) suffices.
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Re: [mkp] Embed Video Clips In reply to
Not sure how a 100MB media file would behave on just http streaming.

Thanks
HyTC
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Last edited by:

HyperTherm: Mar 23, 2006, 2:11 PM
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Re: [HyperTherm] Embed Video Clips In reply to
Just like any other file via HTTP. HTTP does support ranges and caching, not to say that it's the best protocol. Just better than requiring the use of some other protocol when you are already using it.
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Re: [mkp] Embed Video Clips In reply to
http://www.mediacollege.com/video/streaming/overview.html

Thanks
HyTC
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Re: [HyperTherm] Embed Video Clips In reply to
Quote:
When you download a file the entire file is saved on your computer.
...
Delivering video files this way is known as HTTP streaming.




That's not strictly correct. Yes, a file is usually buffered and/or cached to a temporary location. But the entire file is not downloaded before opening the file unless the user chooses to do this.

Windows Media Player, RealPlayer, QuickTime, xine-plugin, mplayer-plugin - that's just a short list of multimedia browser plugins capable of playing media shortly after the download starts (not after it ends).

There are three major differences between using a so called "streaming" method and a primarily static file delivery system (such as HTTP or FTP).
  1. In order to get an acceptable quality with streaming content, you need a sufficiently fast Internet connection. This is unique to streamed content.
  2. Streams often support more efficient seeking than the alternatives.
  3. Streams usually do not support useful caching. Ever major web browser does.
A fourth important concern is that no shared web host will stream your content for you. If you do get a shell account ($$$) so you can run a streaming server, you'll probably have to pay a large licensing fee ($$$).


The "Progressive Downloads" thing does not truly explain what happens or its support as I have just done. Basically, the users won't get to choose between saving the complete file or using a "progressive download" unless they know what they are doing.

Last edited by:

mkp: Apr 6, 2006, 1:36 PM
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Re: [mkp] Embed Video Clips In reply to
Yes no 3$-10$/mo hosting accounts would ever allow streams because most of them are desparate resellers. Even with http embedding the moment one starts hitting regularly on bandwdth consumption, accounts would get to behave inconsistently (Read TOS carefully for those Huge Bandwidth offer in 3$/Mo ... they may have media files not allowed burried under some * somewhere on their site). There are few who offer on shared hosting but their prices are not in the 10$/Mo class.

Limitiation being that there is no way of having muliple copies of the same media but optimized for different connection speeds and the correct one pushed automatically with http embedding (i am not using http streaming :-)).

Darwin Streaming Server (Apple) is free i presume and supports mp4. Yes helix has mp4 support but only in paid versions.

True for just non critical stuff embedding would/should be fine
but TOS has to be Read carefully. Funny things happen on gomamma and gobabba 3$/Mo hosting account :-)

Thanks
HyTC
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Re: [HyperTherm] Embed Video Clips In reply to
Most paid web hosts allow any kind of content that is legal. If you are pirating movies, that is illegal regardless of whether it is against your host's TOS or not. When you max out your bandwidth, there are two possibilities depending on your host and your TOS:
  1. You will be charged money for the extra bandwidth used; or
  2. A "contact the billing department" page will be displayed instead of the preferred content
It is correct that there is no way to have media files optimized for all connection speeds. But with HTTP or FTP, how much is to be buffered is up to the client, not the server. Streaming is designed to minimize buffering. i.e., if your connection is too slow, video will be very jumpy or may not play at all. Just to reiterate what I said before: this limitation does not exist with HTTP or any other non-streaming protocol.

You can build yourself a computer for $150, install an OS for which you paid $0, install a streaming server for $0, and set up your server. Assuming you can get 1.5Mbps (symmetric) T1 service in your area for $350/mo (a very low price), you get 450GB/mo - 4608 full 100MB downloads - which may or may not be sufficient, depending on your needs. You can get "500GB"/mo (probably actually 465GB) from Yahoo! Small Business hosting for $39.95/mo, plus there is no question of whether your zoning allows it. Most people would choose the $39.95 over the $350.

There are many streaming servers that support many formats. Mentioning specifics is irrelevent for this discussion.

If you make a habit of not reading applicable terms of usage and service, you are stupid. That is not an opinion. "Stupid" is defined as
Quote:
Very dull; insensible; senseless; wanting in
understanding; heavy; sluggish; in a state of stupor; --
said of persons.


i.e., you, if you don't pay attention to the legally binding documents you agree to be bound under.


A good reason to prefer Ogg Theora over MPEG-4 is because MPEG-4 is covered by multiple patents. Theora is not covered by any patents and is a truly open format. To quote Jimbo Whales, creator of Wikipedia, "free knowledge requires [..] free file formats". If you use MPEG-4, for example, you may be required to pay patent licensing fees, in addition to the makers of the software that supports that format.
You are free not to pay those fees just as you are free not to pay taxes or to rob a bank - it is illegal.

Last edited by:

mkp: Apr 8, 2006, 9:03 PM
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Re: [mkp] Embed Video Clips In reply to
Quote:
There is no paid version of Helix.


While on subject it was implied Server not player.
mpeg4 support is only available for commercial versions (paid):

http://www.realnetworks.com/products/media_delivery.html

Henlix DNA server doesn't support mpeg4

https://helix-server.helixcommunity.org/2003/devdocs/helix_server_comparision.html

Thanks
HyTC
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Last edited by:

HyperTherm: Apr 8, 2006, 8:54 PM
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Re: [HyperTherm] Embed Video Clips In reply to
I reread what you were replying to and started correcting my post (and adding onto it) before you replied. Reread my post for the most up-to-date response Crazy

Last edited by:

mkp: Apr 8, 2006, 9:05 PM
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Hmmm while i ws at it, you were on category list for 3 minutes :D

Thanks
HyTC
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