Playing or streaming FLV file in Flash MX

[quantum]

Has anyone worked with large video files and Flash? I am having problem with plain import and embed option. This makes the total swf/flash exe file size too large. Thus, it takes too long to load in the first place and becomes very RAM expensive. So I was looking at the .flv export option. It says in the help file:

Quote:

Using external FLV files provides certain capabilities that are not available when you use imported video: You can use longer video clips in your Flash documents without slowing down playback. External FLV files are played using cached memory. This means that large files are stored in small pieces and accessed dynamically, and do not require as much memory as embedded video files. An external FLV file can have a different frame rate than the Flash document in which it plays. For example, you can set the Flash document frame rate to 30 fps and the video frame rate to 21 fps. This gives you greater control in ensuring smooth video playback. With external FLV files, Flash document playback does not have to be interrupted while the video file is loading. Imported video files may sometimes interrupt document playback to perform certain functions; for example, accessing a CD-ROM drive. FLV files can perform functions independently of the Flash document, and thus do not interrupt playback. Captioning of video content is easier with external FLV files, because you can use event handlers to access metadata for the video.

Which sounds good to me. I am also doing some research on it in the net. If you have any suggestion or opinion or you know of a easy wasy to play or stream the flv files on the flash movie please reply.
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[hasnatme]

Generally I use Sorenson Squeez for converting any video to .flv and hope this is the best way in the world!!! After converting...drag the movie component to the stage and link to the .flv file from the option.
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[quantum]

Hasnat,

(Please check your private message.)

The problem with flv export option of Flash 2004 professional is,as I see, it does not compress very well. Degresses the video quality and the frame rate does not seem to be right. The video jerks.
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[hasnatme]

quantum wrote:

The problem with flv export option of Flash 2004 professional is,as I see, it does not compress very well. Degresses the video quality and the frame rate does not seem to be right. The video jerks.

Doesn't Matter.....Sorenson is official authorized software from..Macromedia, Apple, Real and many more....... I hope your problem will solve after using this software....this one dynamically compress your movie with sevaral...industrial settings by default and also you can customize it. The quality remain....extremely well as it is as the original.

For example... Apple use this software for their trailers and this is built in at Macromedia Flash 2004 Professional. But on the standalone version..it has some great feature..than the..built-in of Macromedia Flash.
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[hasnatme]

@quantum

Check your private message.
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[hasnut]

If the movie size is so big then you can't do it using only flash. You need to go streamming technology. But for that you need support from hosting company.

you can get more info at http://macromedia.com/software/flashcom/
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Sarder Hasnut
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[quantum]

Thanks hasnut. But it's for offline presentation, so I won't really need the streaming technology. The video file size is pretty big, so instead of embedding the video, I just want to load it dynamically in run time. Flv's progressive download process sounds good because it supposedly has better menory management. Let us see.
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[hasnut]

So, What about using a movie player using flash. or you can use macromedia director for that.
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Sarder Hasnut
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[quantum]

Hasnut,

Probelms with those approach is memory management. I am not sure about director X, But loading a big file in the RAM with the embedded movie in Flash player is not a good idea. I want the main movie to load independently and run smoothly. Streaming or progressive download is better solution I hope, as macromedia says, "example, accessing a CD-ROM drive. FLV files can perform functions independently of the Flash document, and thus do not interrupt playback."
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Last edited by quantum on Sun Sep 12, 04 5:39 am; edited 1 time in total

[hasnatme]

@hasnut
Yes Macromedia Director MX is best presentation software in the world.....Its very srong with programming and this can be intigrated to windows operating..like you can control windows component from the director and it basically..uses for database presentation and ofcourse copyright protection is the mainthing of director. But...if you want some extra ordinary animation on your presentation...then you can't use director..though it can import Flash content but it slow down user's PC. I think flash is better for normal presentation today...if there is no database and copyright protection and it also can call specific program to open specific files.
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[quantum]

You are right hasnat. Director X is another memory hog. To load an external movie of 15 megabyte a director x application stalls for 5 seconds. This is completely unacceptable.
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[quantum]

As I have gone through the whole flash flv and big video file business I learned several things that should be shared.

1. Flash is unable to handle very large video files practically, no matter how hard you try. By large I mean above 30 megs. You can chop it up, load dynamically, embed it, whatever you do, it just can't do it. It becomes very ram consuming and the computer comes to a stall.

2. Using flv is a better option than anything else out there. The problem with the default flash flv option is that there is only one configuration for exporting. So you cannot customize it. The file size gets too big. You should use sorenson squeeze for compressing the avi.mprg video to flash flv format. Generally, the CD configuration with 2000kb/sec gives a very good quality. Compress the movie to flv at the frame rate which the original flash file is running at.

3. You can embed the flash flv in the flash file itself. Or you can dynamically load the flv at run time. Embed it, if the file size is fairly small. It give better running quality.

4. To load an FLV file dynamically, we’ll require one holder object in Flash. From the Library panel’s option, select New Video. Drag the video object on to the stage and give it an instance name as ‘holder_video’
Add the following code listing on a new layer in Flash.

Code:

test_nc = new NetConnection(); test_nc.connect(null); test_ns = new NetStream(test_nc); holder_video.attachVideo(test_ns); test_ns.play(“test.flv”);

The above code first creates an instance (test_nc) of the NetConnection object and is used while creating test_ns, the NetStream instance. Later the attachVideo command associates holder_video with any media that streams through the test_ns NetStream. Finally, play() starts the video.

5. Another option is to use the MediaDisplay component from the component library. Don't use media controler or media playback. You can not size them perfectly. You can assign which video to play at which frame rate from the Media Display component inspector.

That's about it. If I remember anything else, I will post them here.
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[hasnatme]

This explanation Should help who are not aware of this.
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[quantum]

Here is a great tool that was very helpful in my FLV project. It plays FLV on a standalone projector. Like a media player. Great, if you want to test your flvs after compressing them in sorenson squeeze. It also registers the extension .flv. So all you need to do is double click on the .flv file. Neat.

[http://www.martijndevisser.com/archives/000021.php]
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[D_D]

Video to Flash Converter is really great proggy that converts any video format to SWF without any quality lossless and generates it to HTML.