strange flvplayer problems

March 20, 2007 at 7:52 pm · Filed under code, videos

Playing around with flv player yesterday I came across an odd problem.

Using flvplayer to play a flv file on my machine worked fine. As soon as I uploaded it to a server (infact in this case it was my localhost - but same thing really) it no longer played.

After all sorts of searches for phrases like “FLVPlayer not streaming video”, “flv not streaming online”, “problems streaming flv video”, “im bored and slightly hungry”, “why isn’t this working”, “what is the answer mr google? tell me!”, “flv player flv video streaming problems” and so on, I came across an odd thing. This is a well known problem .

Under IIS 6.0, microsoft changed the way they handle flv files. Heres the article by adobe on how to fix the problem with iis. The way to fix is to add the .flv extension as a MIME type on iis.

The way I found to do this best (as it was on my local server) was to go to IIS and then the Default Web Site, right click on properties, then go to the HTTPHeaders tab. On the bottom click on File Types and in there add the following:

Associated Extension: flv

Content Type (MIME): flv-application/oclet-stream

For all intents and purposes, this should of fixed the problem.

But it didn’t.

Here’s the markup I’m using for embeding:

<object data=”mcpassets/flvplayer/flvplayer.swf” type=”application/x-shockwave-flash” height=”600″ width=”600″>

<paramvalue=”file=assets/video/pete.flv&image=assets/video/pete_thumb.jpg” name=”flashvars” />

<param name=”movie”value=”mcpassets/flvplayer/flvplayer.swf?file=assets/video/pete.flv&image=assets/video/pete_thumb.jpg” />

<object>

Now while this showed the thumbnail, the movie itself never played. After much searching and some going TOTALLY CRAZY, I discovered the root of the problem.

While the path of the thumbnail is relative to the page, the path of the flv, oddly, isn’t. Instead, the path of the flv is relative to the location of the flvplayer.swf.

Does this make sense? NO. But after some quick code changes, and changing the params to this:

paramvalue=”file=../../assets/video/pete.flv&image=assets/video/pete_thumb.jpg”

TADA! It now works. Isn’t that lovely. I’m sure there will be problems in the future, but for now, I’m happy.

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crazy sheep

March 16, 2007 at 10:13 am · Filed under random, videos

Reasons I don’t own a swing set:

1. I have no where to put one
2. I’m meant to be a grown up
3. I don’t know where to buy them
4. The constant fear of a terrorist attack by rampaging, genetically enhanced sheep clones

Maybe number 4 is just me, but this demonstrates EXACTLY what I’m afraid of.

See? No, I bet you’re afraid of terrorist sheep. They’ll attack you in your sleep. Your precious precious sleep. Little terrorist sheep.

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Colbert bids farewell to Captain America

March 13, 2007 at 10:04 am · Filed under comics, videos

Stephen Colbert says goodbye to an American icon, who began his career fighting the Nazis and would go on to capture the cultural temperature for decades. Plus, don’t miss Fox News reaction: “You should not kill Captain America when we’re at war.”�

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animation station redux!

March 13, 2007 at 5:18 am · Filed under animation, videos

a long while ago i posted on an animation that i found on youtube.

Seriously somebody must of been reading and thought it hilarious, because no less than half an hour later the video was taken off youtube, and i’ve been unable to find the same thing elsewhere.

Until now.

While working hard i stumbled upon this. The exact same video but on google video. Huzzah!

So now, if you missed it first time, here is the animation i wanted to show you nearly 6 months ago.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=8551388588379137772

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No, I haven’t been drinking

February 23, 2007 at 6:15 am · Filed under videos

Sometimes it does feel like this

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Saddam and Osama!

January 30, 2007 at 2:04 am · Filed under videos

Now thats good kids tv!

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Now THATS a tunnel

January 25, 2007 at 5:15 pm · Filed under videos

Apparently this 3150 meter long tunnel is the longest in-city tunnel in Europe, and when the temperature drops to -38 degrees like it did on this day, the road freezes. All the accidents happened over the course of one day.

Damn, I seriously wouldn’t go through that tunnel when it was cold if I had the choice.

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why scrubs rules

January 25, 2007 at 5:07 pm · Filed under videos

Wether its cancer or a touch of the flu - everything comes down to poo.

Check the poo! Ive been shot! Check the poo! Read the rest of this entry »

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