Tools, tips and techniques to help you create and profit from web video

One of the great features of the WVZ video player system is the ability to remotely control your Web Video Player without having to edit any web pages...

You only have to change your player's settings in your WVZ control panel, and the changes take place automatically, in real time, even if you have a player on ten different sites and twenty different web pages.

In the past, we relied upon javascript to accomplish this nifty feat. However, there are problems inherent with using javascript:

1. Not all users have javascript turned on. While most do, some don't. A browser with javascript disabled will not show any page elements that rely upon this scripting language (including Google AdSense ads, and the Web Video Player).

2. Javascript code frequently cannot be added to many community web sites (e.g., forums, eBay, blogs, MySpace, etc.). Previously, if you wanted to encourage people to add your videos to their sites, or if you wanted to add it to a site that wouldn't accept javascript, you may have been out of luck.

3. A piece of javascript code can conflict with another piece of script on the same page. There are times simply when the location of javascript code can cause problems, especially if there are other javascripts on the page.

To get around this, the Web Video Player could also be added to a page using basic "embed" code. This would work in most cases where javascript posed a problem. However, the downside to this was if you chose to use the embed code instead of the javascript, you would not be able to remotely control and update your video players.

Fortunately, we've just made some important changes to the way you can add videos to your site that will solve all of these problems.

A better way to add videos to any web page...

When creating or editing a Web Video Player, you have two choices for how your videos are displayed on a web page:

1. Standard / Javascript - This was previously the recommended method. One problem with this method is that it is not compatible with some web sites because it utilizes javascript. So if you need to add your video to a site and cannot use javascript, you should use the other option...

2. Embed / Non-javascript - This non-javascript method will work in most cases where javascript can not be used. Examples include eBay, MySpace, and many blogs and forum systems. (This method was previously known to WVZers as the "eBay" option.)

Two ways to add your video to a web page

Despite the known issues regarding javascript, it was the preferred choice because it was the only way to remotely control the video players. This capability simply wasn't possible unless you used javascript.

But now, you can remotely control your players if you use the standard javascript OR the non-javascript embed method.

Previously, when using the embed method, all of a player's configuration settings needed to be included within the web page's HTML. The result? Bloated, confusing code that needed to be updated any time the player was updated. But now, the code is lean and mean, streamlined and simple.

Here's an example of what the new embed code looks like:

<embed src='http://go.webvideoplayer.com/webvideo.player?HrOTnyvqKbXNFhzuck561137'
quality='high' pluginspage='http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer'
type='application/x-shockwave-flash' allowScriptAccess='always'
width='330' height='292'></embed>

Javascript conflicts and issues can now easily be avoided by using this code, and your player will automatically update in real time when you make changes in your control panel - all without having to update the code on your web page. (Unless you adjust the player's size. Changing the size does editing changing the code on the page.)

Improvements to the "Add to Site" Feature

In addition to making it better and easier for WVZ members to add videos to their sites, we've also done the same for anyone else who would like to add your videos to their sites. When people press the "Add to Site" button on your players (here's an actual video player example), they will now be able to select from either the javascript or embed option:

Your visitors can choose how they add your videos to their sites

Previously, there were problems if people wanted to add your videos to their sites but they weren't able to do so due to javascript restrictions (e.g., MySpace). But that's in the past, and it's now much easier for everyone!

Adding video to your site - a few things to keep in mind...

• You should use the standard/javascript method if plan to change the size of your video player and you don't want to have to edit the web page on which it appears.
• Use the embed/non-javascript method if you have other javascripts on the page that may conflict with your players.
• These new methods both work with the Video Affiliate System
• We've also made some improvements to the javascript method, so if you prefer to continue to use it, you should encounter fewer problems.
• The player and javascript code has already been updated. You don't need to make any changes unless you're using the "old" embed code. In this case, you may want to updated it on your sites (but it will still work if you don't).
• These methods will work with public forum and blogging systems only if the site owner allows embed or javascript code to be added to the site. For security reasons, javascript is usually not permitted.