Code for detecting ideal media player at DVinfo.net

Dana Salsbury · June 21st, 2007, 02:01 PM

Sometimes flash is the best. Sometimes wmv is the best. Sometimes quicktime is the best. Every visitor on my site has one particular media player that works best, or at all. There has to be a code that detects this before choosing a solution. I can offer different playing options and sizes, but frankly most brides have no idea what to pick and will quickly give up.

James Watt · June 22nd, 2007, 06:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dana Salsbury

I can offer different playing options and sizes, but frankly most brides have no idea what to pick and will quickly give up.

LOL, Ive been thinking about this a lot lately too. I was thinking about offering QT and WMV to satisfy both Mac and Windows uses, But I am now of the opinion that if I don't give them the option then they don't have to think about it!!!
I like your idea about code determining what format plays based on what player the visitor has installed on there machine, that would solve the choices issue!
Maybe the code could do a quick modem speed test too so that it could choose the best file size for the visitor... Mmmm now that would be cool..
However until someone writes the code or points you (and me) in the direction of it just use flash!!
I just had a look at some stats in Analytics and of the last 3,069 visits 42 of them displayed no data. (I guess that means they did not have flash installed) Thats 1.37% could not view flash!
1,071 had version 9.0
1,052 had version 9.0 r28
257 had version 9.0 r16
the rest had versions 8 and below.. so the majority of visitors should be able to see On2 VP6 pro encoded flash video!

But your code idea would be better!! Anyone?

Emre Safak · June 22nd, 2007, 01:13 PM

Don't label your videos by the codec, but by the operating system (Mac for QuickTime, Windows for WMV). Almost everybody knows if they have a Mac or a PC! If not, you can include a suitable icon as a hint.

Dana Salsbury · June 22nd, 2007, 05:02 PM

Your a genious Emre. I've never seen anyone do that.

Dana Salsbury · June 24th, 2007, 10:30 AM

I like the way WMVs load and play, but it seems like a code could detect an error loading <b>anything</b> and redirect to a flash site.

From what I've heard, a flash site is most apt to work if it is enclosed within html page.

June 21st, 2007, 02:01 PM	#1
Dana Salsbury Major Player Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Phoenix, AZ Posts: 859	Code for detecting ideal media player Sometimes flash is the best. Sometimes wmv is the best. Sometimes quicktime is the best. Every visitor on my site has one particular media player that works best, or at all. There has to be a code that detects this before choosing a solution. I can offer different playing options and sizes, but frankly most brides have no idea what to pick and will quickly give up. __________________ www.LegacyHDV.com Weddings \| Corporate \| HMC150s \| FCPX \| Encore \| Lion

June 22nd, 2007, 05:02 PM	#4
Dana Salsbury Major Player Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Phoenix, AZ Posts: 859	Your a genious Emre. I've never seen anyone do that. __________________ www.LegacyHDV.com Weddings \| Corporate \| HMC150s \| FCPX \| Encore \| Lion

June 24th, 2007, 10:30 AM	#5
Dana Salsbury Major Player Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Phoenix, AZ Posts: 859	I like the way WMVs load and play, but it seems like a code could detect an error loading <b>anything</b> and redirect to a flash site. From what I've heard, a flash site is most apt to work if it is enclosed within html page. __________________ www.LegacyHDV.com Weddings \| Corporate \| HMC150s \| FCPX \| Encore \| Lion

June 22nd, 2007, 01:13 PM	#3
Emre Safak Trustee Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Brookline, MA Posts: 1,447	Don't label your videos by the codec, but by the operating system (Mac for QuickTime, Windows for WMV). Almost everybody knows if they have a Mac or a PC! If not, you can include a suitable icon as a hint.