onsite video, and user-updating of info

[johreiki]

I have a potential client who wants to put a 15-minute "video business card" on her site (the video is now in VCR format, and she intends to convert it to DVD). I'm a total Neanderthal about using video on websites -- but it seems to me, anyone with a phone connection will be waiting a mighty long time for a 15-minute video to load -- yes? In case it's not an outrageously long time (or she just decides to do it anyway), can we simply upload the file from a DVD -- or what would be the best way and file type?

Her site will include an "online shopping center" -- each vendor having a page to present his/her products and services; and she wants the vendors to be able to log in and view their own personal account information. Can someone suggest the simplest way to set this up (giving each person a secure page for their account info)? It seems to me, all that's needed is a login form, for ID and password, where the ID brings up the proper page of info -- yes?

Thanks very much -----

[MHenscheid]

Not sure on the whole video thing...However in response to the login:

You are going to need some Server-side code. I have seen some "canned" packages that are pretty simple to install, I think one I found was free (this was probably a couple weeks ago...I think is was VBscript/ASP).

Most work like this:

1)user goes to login screen, and types in info, then hits submit

2)server side code checks the user name and password pair

3)If the Login is Successful set a session variable like UserLogin="bob@bob.com" (put their actual email/login/userid there). In Vbscript, the code is similar to:

session("UserLogin")=UserLoginName

4)Redirect to a page like www.site.com/userprofile.asp

5)this page checks for the existance of the session variable "UserLogin". If the session variable exists, get information from a database based on the user login.

6) the session variable will expire after a certain amount of time of inactivity (usually like 10 - 20 min) or when the browser is closed.

7) you could additionaly use cookies to add a "Remember Me" feature to the login.

Hope this helps

[johreiki]

Sorry it's taken me so long to respond! Thanks very much for the help. I looked up some info on the scripts you mentioned -- is it correct that ASP requires a Windows server?

Do you know if these things can be done using PHP? I'm going to investigate that....


Thanks again ----
_||_
db

Originally Posted by MHenscheid

Not sure on the whole video thing...However in response to the login:

You are going to need some Server-side code. I have seen some "canned" packages that are pretty simple to install, I think one I found was free (this was probably a couple weeks ago...I think is was VBscript/ASP).

Most work like this:

1)user goes to login screen, and types in info, then hits submit

2)server side code checks the user name and password pair

3)If the Login is Successful set a session variable like UserLogin="bob@bob.com" (put their actual email/login/userid there). In Vbscript, the code is similar to:

session("UserLogin")=UserLoginName

4)Redirect to a page like www.site.com/userprofile.asp

5)this page checks for the existance of the session variable "UserLogin". If the session variable exists, get information from a database based on the user login.

6) the session variable will expire after a certain amount of time of inactivity (usually like 10 - 20 min) or when the browser is closed.

7) you could additionaly use cookies to add a "Remember Me" feature to the login.

Hope this helps

[cyanide]

Hi Don,

Streaming video can be a bit tricky..
There are 2 main types... Real Streaming and http
Real streaming requires specialised streaming servers and requires deep pockets, because it's not cheap.

http is basically video incorporated and housed on the website. It should have no problem supporting 10-12 simltaneous visitors at a time. Any more than that and it can be a drain on the server.

From dvd, you'll have to decode it into a digitized format, depending on the decoder used.
There are 3 main vendors : Windows Media, RealMedia and Quicktime. Each one has a converter/decoder to support their own file-type.

If you use the Windows Media decoder, then the file will only be viewable by people that have the windows media player. The decoder should also offer a choice in file size that you end up with.

It's common for people to make 2 types (dsl/cable and dial up)... then if you factor in the 3 vendors above, to maximize the number of people who can view the video, you could be looking at creating 6 files

I think the windows media decoder is free, or there is a free version, the others cost.

[johreiki]

Originally Posted by cyanide

Hi Don,

Streaming video can be a bit tricky..
There are 2 main types... Real Streaming and http
Real streaming requires specialised streaming servers and requires deep pockets, because it's not cheap.

<snip>

YIPES! -- no wonder I've never felt attracted to dealing with video! : ^ ) At the moment, the would-be client is changing her mind every ten minutes, about the whole project and what she wants to do -- so it may be that nothing will even come of it. Thanks very much for the info; I'll keep it handy just in case....


Be well -----

[cyanide]

haha, I can certainly relate.

The only time I've had to do it was converting a video into a Windows media file. A 10 minute video took a couple hours to encode. I did the 2 versions.
Client changed their mind and we never used it.

So, definitely wait until the client knows exactly what they want, because it will take time to complete it all

[MHenscheid]

Originally Posted by johreiki

Sorry it's taken me so long to respond! Thanks very much for the help. I looked up some info on the scripts you mentioned -- is it correct that ASP requires a Windows server?

Do you know if these things can be done using PHP? I'm going to investigate that....

ASP does require a windows server, however you should be able to do everything I mentioned with PHP. I am not very familiar with PHP so I am afraid I wont be much help there...Good luck!

[johreiki]

Originally Posted by cyanide

haha, I can certainly relate.
<snip>
So, definitely wait until the client knows exactly what they want, because it will take time to complete it all

Thanks again for the warning!! : ^ )

[johreiki]

Originally Posted by MHenscheid

ASP does require a windows server, however you should be able to do everything I mentioned with PHP. I am not very familiar with PHP so I am afraid I wont be much help there...Good luck!

Thanks again -----