Flash 8 required

FMP300 Flash Video Playhead::Support

FAQ

The FMP300 series of flash playheads have been proven in high-traffic projects across the Web, and use elements of the same core code that Draftlight use for their major design projects.

Common questions

I've bought it, and it's not working!
Click here for our product support pages.
I'm trying to load a playlist from another website, but nothing happens
Flash is very security-minded, and won't allow a Flash document from one website open anything from another (including your playlist) unless that second website gives permission. The site hosting the playlist will need to upload a small XML file called a Cross-domain Policy Statement. Click here for information.
What version of Flash or Flash Player do I need?
The supplied software contains source code written exclusively for the Flash 8 Professional IDE, and the 'FLA' file cannot be opened in an earlier version of the authoring environment.

The software is supplied with a precompiled SWF in Flash Player 8 format. Our current range of video playheads are designed to compile for Player 8 targets, as they utilise features for video control not possible in earlier versions.
Do I need any software to use the playhead?
No. The SWF file just needs uploading to your website, anyone with a web browser will be able to use it. The viewer's browser must have the Flash 8 (or higher) plugin, but the vast majority of people have that installed already, and it's free. To edit the playlist and configuration files you just need a basic text editor such as Windows Notepad or VI.

Some of our designs support skinning and color changes, set via the configuration file. Where a design allows skinning, the original artwork (in Photoshop format) is supplied with your package.

To change the operation of the playhead, you will have to open the source code files - for this you'll need a copy of the Adobe Flash Pro 8 IDE - this is commercial software. We do not provide source code for older versions of Flash, so please do not ask.
Why do you only supply the source code in Flash 8 format?
Flash 8 is firmly established in the market and has been for some time. Our products are part of a far larger range of media control software and the logistics of retaining 'legacy' versions make it commercially unrealistic. Remember though - you only need this software if you intend to alter the functionality of the player, or embed it into a larger movie.
What video files will it play?
The playhead will render files encoded as Flash Video (FLV) format, either as Sorensen or On2 VP6. Flash Player cannot support any other type of video, so the playhead is not suitable for displaying MPEG, AVI, Windows Media, Quicktime or RealPlayer files. The standard designs of video playhead in our catalog expect progressive download (video files hosted on a webserver) and will not support streams delivered by FMS or Red5. We supply a stream-mode playhead for these types of media.
How do I make an FLV video file from my mpeg..avi...wmv...dvd...
The bundled encoder supplied with Flash 8 Pro can generate FLV files from a wide range of sources, and supports the new (and better) On2 VP6 codec. Sorensen Squeeze (the codec used for Flash player 7) is also available as a standalone program, but both of course cost money. There are several free programs available on the Web that can convert videos into FLV format, but not all are able to insert the metadata needed by Flash Player. If you are using a third-party video encoder it's important to check that it works correctly in the video playhead - missing metadata will cause the progress bar and zooming functions to misbehave.
Why does my playhead miss a track?
Usually it means the video file cannot be found, is corrupted or the XML playlist has errors. Check that the URL for your file works, and that the format is correct, then check your XML file for errors. This is best done by opening it in your web browser - Firefox for example has a very nice error-reporting utility and will tell you where the problem is. Remember that the file is XML - and that is very strict about things like using the & symbol (you have to use '&' instead).
Why is playback jerky?
Flash Video tries to play as soon as it possibly can, but if the download speed slows for any reason the playback will be paused. On a connection where the download speed is below the playback speed, the content will "stutter". FLV is far better at coping with slow connections than some other formats, but if you know your video is going to be targeted at low-speed users, you can increase the buffer time via a setting in the playhead configuration file. This will reduce stuttering at the expense of a delay before the video starts to play.
How can I stop people stealing a copy of my video file?
To prevent all but the most technically-aware users from making a local 'cache' copy of the video file, you will have to use streaming and Flash Media Server. Since anyone watching the video will have to have physically collected the entire contents, even using a stream cannot totally prevent users from saving a copy - but unless your video is of high commercial value this process is usually too much effort for users to try. To prevent other websites from connecting to your videos without permission, you must set permissions via your webserver to restrict access by 'referrer'. Both Apache and IIS can easily block attempts to link directly to files - commonly called 'anti-leech' protection. Another option is to pass the video file through a CGI script (PHP, Perl, ASP, etc.) that does the checking before delivering the content. Provided the content is the same, our playheads do not care if the URL of the video file ends in '.flv' or something else.
Why does the playlist use XSPF format?
The XSPF Playlist Format is a public open-source format for playlist files, that we actively promote as an emerging standard. Many large music-industry companies, including Draftlight, support XSPF as our preferred way of describing playlists. XSPF allows much more information to be given, such as links to websites, locations of images, artist names and album titles.
Do video playlists support M3U format?
M3U playlists do not contain enough information for reliable video delivery, and anyone directly opening the 'm3u' file in another media player will cause problems due to the FLV tracks. Our playheads will read an eM3U playlist, but we strongly suggest using XSPF. If you insist on using eM3U be aware that the duration is ignored.
Can I put the playhead in a popup window?
Yes, of course you can. Just put the source code for the flash OBJECT into a blank page and call it using the usual JavaScript window.open() method. However, this is often blocked by firewall and security software, so if you're just trying to keep a video playing as a visitor browses through your website, take a look at how Skipjack works!
Is this a streaming thing? What is 'progressive download'?
The playhead does not 'stream' in the technical sense. Streaming means that the music is sent by the server in a controlled way, and the listener cannot pause or skip through the track. Streaming also means that the video is never saved onto the client computer, so if they listen five times, it downloads five times. The FMP playheads actually download the track into memory, so it is only collected once by the listener, saving you money and them time. It is quite easy for people to save a copy, but then it's also easy to do that with a stream! When the playhead is using FLV files it can start playback before the entire track is downloaded, but there is a small delay while it collects enough of the file to inspect what's inside it - typically about 5 seconds. Although DNeX produces true streaming versions of our playheads, a user will need a Flash Media Server to control the process, and high FMS server costs usually make this option strictly for professionals. There are projects to create an open source version of FMS, but we do not currently support these for production loading.
When I use Skipjack, there is a huge delay every time the I navigate between pages
Skipjack relies on the part-downloaded FLV file to be in your browser cache. If the file is downloaded from a website that sets special No-Cache headers, it has to be redownloaded every time. Skipjack then has to wait before restarting playback. We do not suggest Skipjack is used where the video data is uncached, but if it waits too long it will simply give up and play from wherever it can reach.
When I try and open the FLA file I get a message about missing fonts
Some designs of playhead use special fonts to display the LCD-effect panels. We have included the fonts in the ZIP file where needed, but before you open the FLA file you must install the fonts onto your computer. The fonts are not needed on your website and should not be shared or sold.
Can I remove your logo from the playhead?
No. The prices in our public catalogs require that our brand identity and 'help' links stay intact and are not disguised or blocked. If you require a non-branded playhead, contact us for details of our pricing structure and custom-design services.
Can the playhead play YouTube or Google Video streams?
It is possible to connect into these streams using our FCS stream-mode designs - but to directly stream content from either of these sites to a playhead on another site is a copyright infringement, and is likely to result in legal action from the rights owners. We will not provide details of how to perform this task, and users should be aware that our security group actively monitors for rights infringement on websites, including those purchasing our software.
Why do you say 'no refunds' in the purchase section? I don't trust you!
This is standard with all software sold digitally - there's no way we can refund a customer as there's no way you can 'send us the product back'. What you actually buy is the license to use the software, and given the fact we've got demos to play with, there should really be no reason for your purchase to fall below expectations. We will try and help out wherever possible, but for a few dollars there are limits to what we're prepared to do!
I bought an older design, and now I see they're updated - can I have another copy?
If the update is for performance or design purposes, then the simple answer is no. If the upgrade is to address a bug, then you will automatically be notified and a new version will be delivered by email.
Do you make other designs?
Yes, the DNeX Group produces playheads for our clients in hundreds of different designs, but the only ones we're selling to the general public are the ones you can see on the site. If you're in the market for a custom style, a standalone application or unusual functionality, click the Contact tab below to ask us for details and quotations.