preloading video for speed?
Hi, I recently read something about using JavaScript to preload images for speed. For example, if you want a onmouseover effect the new image would already be downloaded and the effect would be instantaneous.
Code looks like this:
<script LANGUAGE="JavaScript">
hoverfx = new Image;
hoverfx.src = "new_image.jpg";
</script>
QUESTION: Can video files be pre-downloaded as well? (specifically a .wmv file for play in Windows Media Player) If so, can you provide any example code? Any other ideas?
Jimmy Changa posted this at 23:06 — 17th March 2003.
They have: 220 posts
Joined: Mar 2003
From what I know...any file type can be preloaded. But I may be wrong.
The code you put in your post is for rolover, but not for preload...
Here's one version of a preload script...
<!-- Preload Images Script-->
<script language="JavaScript" type="text/javascript">
var myimages=new Array()
function preloadimages(){
for (i=0;i<preloadimages.arguments.length;i++){
myimages[i]=new Image()
myimages[i].src=preloadimages.arguments[i]
}
}
preloadimages("yadayadayada.gif, etc.jpg, somethingelse.png")
</script>
<!-- End Preload Images Script -->
critical posted this at 00:43 — 18th March 2003.
They have: 46 posts
Joined: May 2002
Thank you. But does New Image() apply to .wmv files?
Anybody do this with invisible frames? e.g. have a video file pre-loading in an invisible frame so it's fully downloaded by the time it's required in the main frame?
Suzanne posted this at 01:32 — 18th March 2003.
She has: 5,507 posts
Joined: Feb 2000
PLEASE don't do this. PLEASE. If people want to view the video, they will wait for it to load. Otherwise you will suck up time and resources for people who don't want to view it, waste your bandwidth (considerable for movies) and throw away goodwill.
critical posted this at 02:13 — 18th March 2003.
They have: 46 posts
Joined: May 2002
This particular site requires everyone to view this video. While they are registering in one frame... why can't the video they *have* to watch be downloading in another (invisible) frame???
Also, the video will be hosted on another server specifically designed for that purpose. So the downloading of the video will not effect other people's ability to register on the main site.
Based on this new information, PLEASE reconsider and help me out if you can.
Suzanne posted this at 03:02 — 18th March 2003.
She has: 5,507 posts
Joined: Feb 2000
And if they choose not to register?
critical posted this at 03:14 — 18th March 2003.
They have: 46 posts
Joined: May 2002
It's just an example. Let's pretend people are getting paid $10 to watch a 30-second TV commercial concept and provide feedback on it. They've agreed to do this. No one goes to this particular web site except to do this. They have to answer a few screens of questions before they see the video.
Can I preload the video while they are answering the few screens of preliminary questions? Does JavaScript's new Image() function apply to .wmv files or is there another way to do this that I'm not thinking of?
Thanks in advance...
ROB posted this at 06:35 — 18th March 2003.
They have: 447 posts
Joined: Oct 1999
hmm, good question. i suppose you could always try it....
Jimmy Changa posted this at 15:54 — 20th March 2003.
They have: 220 posts
Joined: Mar 2003
There is that little issue of "security".
*shrugs*
critical posted this at 16:20 — 20th March 2003.
They have: 46 posts
Joined: May 2002
What do you mean about security? I'm not sure where you're going with that...
Also, I found documentation on Microsoft's web site on how to use JavaScript to set the filename to be displayed in an embedded media player. Now I'm just trying to get one embedded media player in the main frame to display (without delay) the same .wmv file that was already downloaded to an embedded media file in a hidden frame. It *should* work - hopefully I'll get it to work over this weekend...
Jimmy Changa posted this at 16:31 — 20th March 2003.
They have: 220 posts
Joined: Mar 2003
The security comment is not necessarily with your situation...just the preloading of files in general. Pardon my useless comments..I make many.
Hope your project works out for ya.
critical posted this at 16:40 — 3rd April 2003.
They have: 46 posts
Joined: May 2002
Mission accomplished!
mpeg video files can be preloaded. .wmv files cannot (they start to stream).
You just embed a Windows Media Player onto a web page (or in a hidden frame), specify the URL of the .mpg file, but set AutoStart or AutoPlay = false. The .mpg will start downloading immediately, but the video won't play until someone presses the play button.
Or use JavaScript to set the filename for a Windows Media Player in the main frame equal to the filename of the Windows Media Player in your hidden frame (which already caused the .mpg file to download to your computer's cache).
Works like a gem, but my god this was a pain in the arse to figure out...
Jimmy Changa posted this at 18:55 — 3rd April 2003.
They have: 220 posts
Joined: Mar 2003
Thanks for sharing your successful results with us.
Yvonne posted this at 00:45 — 13th March 2007.
They have: 2 posts
Joined: Mar 2007
Thanks for this thread. I'm having kind of the same problem wherein my wmv files can't be preloaded and take forever and a day to load when someone clicks to play. Maybe I should convert the files to mpegs? That wasn't a random thought but actually a question ;>)
Thanks for any opinions!
Yvonne
andy206uk posted this at 18:37 — 14th March 2007.
He has: 1,758 posts
Joined: Jul 2002
Whoaaa... old thread
In all honesty, in this day and age, Flash video is probably the best way to go. It can be preloaded easily and works on all systems that have flash (which is probably the most popular plugin out there). From what I know flash has something like a 98% install base, where as quicktime, realmedia, windows media are significantly lower.
Andy
Yvonne posted this at 13:15 — 16th March 2007.
They have: 2 posts
Joined: Mar 2007
Thanks Andy. If anyone can resurrect a thread from the dead, it would be me
I've read that Flash would be my best option but am such a noob in this area . . . just one more thing to fit into my day. Sigh.
Thanks again!
Yvonne
djsnay posted this at 12:18 — 29th March 2007.
They have: 1 posts
Joined: Mar 2007
can this preloading be done with MP3s as well... ?
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