Movies - start automatically

nerdykit

I'm trying to use FlowPlayer to show a couple of .mov files. I'm using ZP 1.2.5 with the Default theme so it's a very simple setup. When I click on a movie item in an album, I get an image display page with a link to the movie (but it's not clear to users that they'd have to click that link) which then plays the movie using QuickTime. If I choose the slideshow link I get a FlowPlayer Slideshow of ALL the movies in sequence.

So my question is, how do I get a nice (FlowPlayer?) display of a movie (.mov type) ready for viewing that doesn't require further action from the viewer once they've selected that item from the album index page? (Just steer me to the right place if these instructions are already here somewhere... search didn't turn them up for me, though). Maybe this isn't functionality that is already in ZenPhoto but I suspect that it is.

Thanks

acrylian

Both flash players flowplayer2/3 and flv player do not support Quicktime movies. Quicktime movies are always played by the browser directly, given the Quicktime plugin is installed.

What do you mean they get a link to click on? Actually if the Quicktime plugin is present there should be the quicktime control bar to start the movie.

We actually do not have autoplay for Quicktime movies by default as it can be annoying for users if everything starts right away. Although we might add an option to allow autoplay of Quicktime movies. (the flash players do have an options for that).

nerdykit

Here's two screenshots (if I'm allowed to enter a URL here) to show the situation.

The first shows the screen immediately after selecting a .mov file from the thumbnails in an album...

http://www.kitandjane.ca/files/picture_14.jpg

The merlin-tree is a link that if clicked will bring up a blank white page and QuickTime will display the movie as you say it will because the browser plugin for QuickTime is certainly there. I'd at least like to bypass the need to click a further link and to run the movie using QuickTime directly within ZenPhoto Default Theme.

The second link shows what I believe to be one of the two installed players... not sure but I think it's FlowPlayer in the middle of playing one of my .mov files and that's what happens if I click on 'View Slideshow' (it runs through ALL the items in that album, not just the one selected).

http://www.kitandjane.ca/files/picture_15.jpg

Thanks for the response

acrylian

You need to tell me what browser you are using as I do not have this extra link in any of my browsers. I get a direct display of the move to start. I am on Mac though. Anyway, we recommend to use flv movies anyway as flash is more likely installed than Quicktime (if not dealing with Macusers only).

Your 2nd screenshot shows the flowplayer (I guess FLowplayer2, we also have v3 and flv player 3 and 4, so four actually) but that player does not play Quicktime movies actually. Says it's developer.

And yes if you click on the slideshow that goes through all items, images and movies. That's how the slidesshow is meant. Actually the jQuery mode of the slideshow does not support movies but the Flowplayer mode does.

Actually a link to your site would be helpful.

nerdykit

FireFox - Macintosh

I've since discovered that if I change to jQuery, the QuickTime plugin DOES kick in on the actual image display page.

The site is http://www.kitandjane.ca/gallery/merlin/movies

acrylian

The normal bigger image/movie display (we call that sized image) is not dependend on the slideshow setting. Anyway as said the slideshow itself in jQuery mode is not really meant for movies and the flash/flowplayer mode does not support Quicktime.

nerdykit

I'm trying some experiments now. I think that mp4 is probably the best mode for these and I'm just trying to determine the best export settings using QuickTime Pro. Safari (4) plays the movies now with FlowPlayer but Firefox doesn't. I've got a few extensions enabled in FireFox, including one specially for videos. I'm going to disable it. Will report back.

nerdykit

Yup. FireFox (Macintosh) DownloadHelper 4.4.1 was preventing mp4 movies from displaying video. Once removed things seem OK for mp4 playing using FlowPlayer 3 for both FireFox and Safari. That's about all I can test without going over to the dark side via boot camp which I'll try later.

Thanks for your input (and for a great photo gallery)

acrylian

The flash players (flowplayer/flv player) can be a little picky regarding mp4 setting (same for flv which is actually a container not a codec). I have no recommendation about, but if you need that in detail I would like to refer to each player's website.