FLV Video Solution

Rob Loach's picture

There are a number of solutions available to get an FLV video solution where users upload an AVI movie directly within a node, the system converts it to FLV, and then displays it within the node. It seems that the best solutions are: Video, Embedded Media Field, FlashVideo, Media Mover and SWFTools, and OpenPackage. Unfortunately every solution I mentioned here has a few flaws.....

Video
The video module allows you to upload videos, but it doesn't convert them to FLV files. It doesn't seem to do a good job in integrating with CCK, and it seems that the majority of its code has migrated to Embedded Media Field.
Embedded Media Field
Although its a really slick module which integrates perfectly with CCK, it doesn't allow you to upload videos.
FlashVideo
It seems to do what I'm looking for, but I can never seem to get it to work. After following all the steps properly, after applying some user submitted patches, after hacking the code a bit and debugging, I could still never get it to work.
Media Mover and SWFTools
This is by far the most elegant solution to have users upload videos, convert them to FLVs and then display them. The idea is that the Media Mover module would convert the attached videos to FLV, adn then SWFTools would display the FLVs in a given media format. Both modules seem to suffer from bugs and issues.
OpenPackage
Sounds like a plausable solution, but it's a solution that I would have to pay for. Even after contributing a dollar and trying it out, I still couldn't get it to work properly.

So, that's my list of solutions and problems to go along with them. Although some of the solutions fit my needs, non of them execute. Do any of you have a solution? Or should I go implement a new module that does all this?

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Hi Rob I will be releasing

jbrown's picture
jbrown - Fri, 2007-07-20 23:05

Hi Rob

I will be releasing the next version of OpenPackage Video within the next few days. We've implemented loads of new features including: CCK field, views integration, local ffmpeg transcoding and play statistics.

Watch this space!

Jonathan


OP captcha validation broken

technivant - Thu, 2007-07-26 01:27

I'm trying to purchase a license on the OP site but the captcha validation doesn't seem to be working...


Hold off for a day or two. I

jbrown's picture
jbrown - Thu, 2007-07-26 02:30

Hold off for a day or two. I have a whole new site and module almost ready for launch. I'll make a post here when it is ready.


Okay - op_video-5.x-2.0 is

jbrown's picture
jbrown - Sun, 2007-07-29 09:51

Okay - op_video-5.x-2.0 is now available at openpackage.biz. Full announcement to follow.

Jonathan Brown
http://openpackage.biz/


Is there any module which

manuj_78 - Fri, 2007-08-03 15:38

Is there any module which can make adding video to the site simple. I am looking for a module similar in functionality to what Rob Loach mentions with the added functionality of supporting external videos like youtube etc.

I have

Tried video module - Painful and doesnt work
Tried OpenPackage new version - get a php error and besides there is confusion whether they charge for local transcoding or only for doing it through their site
Tried FlashVideo - Doesnt work...

Is there any module which can accomplish these tasks?


Can you post the php error

jbrown's picture
jbrown - Fri, 2007-08-03 16:35

Can you post the php error in the OpenPackage support forum, along with your php version / operating system.

There is no charge for transcoding on your own server.

Cheers!


Any progress with the issue

manuj_78 - Mon, 2007-08-13 13:42

Any progress with the issue jbrown?


Thanks for the quick reply

manuj_78 - Fri, 2007-08-03 19:35

Thanks for the quick reply jbrown

The error is

Parse error: syntax error, unexpected T_VARIABLE in /home/website/public_html/scratch/modules/Contrib/op_video/file.inc on line 204

php version is 4.4.6

OS is linux


op_video-5.x-2.1 is now

jbrown's picture
jbrown - Mon, 2007-08-13 19:44

op_video-5.x-2.1 is now available at http://openpackage.biz/. It fixes this problem.

Jonathan Brown
http://openpackage.biz/


The module installed

manuj_78 - Tue, 2007-08-14 07:57

The module installed correctly, but now when I try to upload any video, I get "Error Uploading Video" message
I tried uploading wmv and mov file and none of them worked.

Also in the module settings it mentions to specify absolute path to my ffmpeg. I have a vps with cpanel installed. The tech support tells me thatffmpeg is installed at /usr/local/bin/ffmpeg, so that is what I have specified in FFMPEG Binary path


I've replied to your comment

jbrown's picture
jbrown - Tue, 2007-08-14 14:58

OpenPackage WORKS!!!

Bendo - Wed, 2007-09-05 08:19

OpenPackage finally works in my local test machine.
You can make the transcoding with FFmpeg software on your machine, you don't have to pay for it.
I have only a codec problem with audio tracks.

I have done this macro steps:
1. Download OpenPackage Video 5.x-2.2 and decompress it in the module directory. (http://ftp.drupal.org/files/projects/op_video-5.x-2.2.tar.gz)
2. Download JW FLV Player and decompress it in the 'modules/op_video' directory. (http://www.jeroenwijering.com/upload/jw_flv_player.zip)
3. Download FFmpeg and install (configure - make - install) it in my local test machine. (http://ffmpeg.mplayerhq.hu/ffmpeg-checkout-snapshot.tar.bz2)


Audio Problem Solved

Bendo - Mon, 2007-09-24 23:27

It was more easy to install ffmpeg and lame codec with:
apt-get install lame ffmpeg in debian
yum install lame ffmpeg in Red Hat

It works fine!!!


Conclusion

Rob Loach's picture
Rob Loach - Thu, 2007-10-18 13:36

Many have asked me what solution I took, I just thought I'd put a concluding comment post here letting you all know I went with OpenPackage Video. Very slick solution, and it will only hopefully get better.


Video and Drupal

Terry Allan's picture
Terry Allan - Sun, 2008-06-15 16:14

This thread to a great extent exemplifies my findings. I spent the best part of a day last week trying to find and implement a video solution for a site I am building. Like Rob I investigated all the options and had difficulty getting any to work. The Embedded MedialField module and the Video module didn't present problems but Flash Player, FLV Player,Media Mover etc gave me grief. OpenPackage was interesting but I didn't want to pay for transcoding and installing ffmpeg was just a step too far. In any case none of these really did what I wanted - I think! Creating the FLV files is not a problem as I use Flash Encoder for that purpose although I can see the advantage of not having to do that.

What do I need? I need a means of embedding video into Drupal nodes by referencing video on a Macromedia Flash Communication Server which allows streaming of FLV format Flash Video files. Shouldn't be too difficult I thought but after a day of failure I am feeling a bit deflated. Anyone got any advice? Any suggestions will be most welcome. I thought that the Embedded Media Field module would do the business using the Custom URL facility but it did not seem to like what I was doing.


I have been trying to do a video solution for weeks now...

vyoumans's picture
vyoumans - Sun, 2008-06-15 19:15

and not having any luck. So I started looking at hosting on another video server. At the moment, I just use youtube, but I dont like that solution for the long term. I guess the biggest issue is your server platform.. something that can support ffmpeg. There apparently are servers out there that do that.
v

'Inflation is the one form of taxation not imposed by Legislation' - Milton Friedman
or...
'in an insane world, a sane man must appear insane' - spock


Flash Video

bany-gdo - Wed, 2008-06-25 08:07

I installed FlashVideo modul. Video upload and convert to .flv correctly. But i don't see the video on the site . Help me .... ASAP!!! (i put Player.swf in ./files/)


Did you run cron.php?

tjcook's picture
tjcook - Wed, 2008-06-25 14:33

In most cases you need to run the cron job to actually process the videos you upload.

T.J. Cook
HiDef Web Solutions, LLC.
www.hidefweb.com