Hi All!
I would like to propose to look for the alternatives for Moodle's mediaplugin filter - the one that comes with a standard Moodle package.
The biggest issue with the current filter is that it (it seems) lacks the source code for filter/mediaplugin/flvplayer.swf. At the same time the note in flvplayer.README.txt says that the player is GPL-ed - It may be a license breach.
Also, the flash player is quite old - there seem to be nice, Open Source alternatives available.
A very popular one is JW Player - but it requires buying a license for commercial use, so it's not suitable to be shipped with core Moodle.
I think that flowplayer could be a good fit here. What do you think?
Related Moodle bug: http://tracker.moodle.org/browse/MDL-23870 .
cheers,
Tomek
Hi Tomasz,
Great suggestion! Actually, flvplayer.swf is a very old version of the JW FLV Player. I developed and currently maintain the Media Player activity module which uses JW FLV Player version 5, and you're right, it isn't GPL although the source code for player 5 onwards is open. You're only required to buy a licence if you use the player for commercial purposes.
There's two good possibilities for a replacement that I know of:
As you mentioned, Flow Player http://flowplayer.org/ is a good open source project with lots of support.
Although, I think a better option would be a player developed specifically for Moodle, that would include viewer tracking (either JSON or AMF3), from the Open Source Media Framework: http://www.osmframework.com/ With this option, the parameters passed into the player, i.e. FlashVars, could be kept the same as the old flvplayer.swf to ensure compatibility with existing media filter instances. I'd also suggest updating the filter code itself to allow more control over the player's appearance and behaviour.
Just a suggestion.
All the best,
Matt
Great suggestion! Actually, flvplayer.swf is a very old version of the JW FLV Player. I developed and currently maintain the Media Player activity module which uses JW FLV Player version 5, and you're right, it isn't GPL although the source code for player 5 onwards is open. You're only required to buy a licence if you use the player for commercial purposes.
There's two good possibilities for a replacement that I know of:
As you mentioned, Flow Player http://flowplayer.org/ is a good open source project with lots of support.
Although, I think a better option would be a player developed specifically for Moodle, that would include viewer tracking (either JSON or AMF3), from the Open Source Media Framework: http://www.osmframework.com/ With this option, the parameters passed into the player, i.e. FlashVars, could be kept the same as the old flvplayer.swf to ensure compatibility with existing media filter instances. I'd also suggest updating the filter code itself to allow more control over the player's appearance and behaviour.
Just a suggestion.
All the best,
Matt
In reply to Tomasz Muras
Flowplayer replaces Flash multimedia filter in Moodle 2.0
by Helen Foster -
Just to update everyone, a flowplayer replaces the Flash multimedia filter in Moodle 2.0 - MDL-23870. Many thanks to Tomasz Muras and Rossiani Wijaya for their work. 
You can check out the new flowplayer on our Moodle QA Testing site or Tomasz' demo site http://demo.enovation.ie/moodle3 (login as guest).
You can check out the new flowplayer on our Moodle QA Testing site or Tomasz' demo site http://demo.enovation.ie/moodle3 (login as guest).
In reply to Helen Foster
Re: Flowplayer replaces Flash multimedia filter in Moodle 2.0
by Joseph Rézeau -
Many thanks to Tomasz Muras and Rossiani Wijaya for their work. However I have 2 problems when inserting an MP3 file in a Page in Moodle 2.0 Preview 4+ (Build: 20100913).
I have visited Tomasz' demo site and I really like the look of the MP3 player. However, in some circumstances it may be too large (1).
On my moodle test site, when I use the file picker to insert a "moodle media" on a Page, I get a browser (Firefox) warning to "load a plugin" (2).
When I display the page, the MP3 player is really tiny (3).
Question: how and where does one set the size of the MP3 player individually, i.e. can we have a different size each time we embed the player in a Page (forum, etc.)?
Thanks in advance,
Joseph
In reply to Joseph Rézeau
Re: Flowplayer replaces Flash multimedia filter in Moodle 2.0
by Joseph Rézeau -
bump
Tomasz, are you there?
Joseph
Tomasz, are you there?
Joseph
In reply to Joseph Rézeau
Re: Flowplayer replaces Flash multimedia filter in Moodle 2.0
by Tomasz Muras -
Hi Joseph,
I am here - no worries! It's just that we have a lot of work recently - I will come back to flowplayer next week. I will also deploy newest version of the code to the demo site.
cheers,
Tomek Muras
Enovation Solutions
I am here - no worries! It's just that we have a lot of work recently - I will come back to flowplayer next week. I will also deploy newest version of the code to the demo site.
cheers,
Tomek Muras
Enovation Solutions
In reply to Tomasz Muras
Re: Flowplayer replaces Flash multimedia filter in Moodle 2.0
by Joseph Rézeau -
Thanks for the reply, Tomasz. I'll be patient! 
In reply to Joseph Rézeau
Re: Flowplayer replaces Flash multimedia filter in Moodle 2.0
by Tomasz Muras -
Hi Joseph,
I've updated the demo site with the latest Moodle RC1 - so this is how it actually looks like.
Now, in terms of the sizes: there is nothing in the filter that would let a user adjust the settings of a player - but flow player is quite customizable, have a look at flowlayer setup page to see what could possibly be exposed in Moodle.
The question is how should that be made configurable - it could be:
* only by admin in the settings
* while putting a link to .flv by adding extra arguments after '?'
cheers,
Tomasz Muras
Enovation Solutions
I've updated the demo site with the latest Moodle RC1 - so this is how it actually looks like.
Now, in terms of the sizes: there is nothing in the filter that would let a user adjust the settings of a player - but flow player is quite customizable, have a look at flowlayer setup page to see what could possibly be exposed in Moodle.
The question is how should that be made configurable - it could be:
* only by admin in the settings
* while putting a link to .flv by adding extra arguments after '?'
cheers,
Tomasz Muras
Enovation Solutions
In reply to Tomasz Muras
Re: Flowplayer replaces Flash multimedia filter in Moodle 2.0
by Joseph Rézeau -
Tomasz:
The question is how should that be made configurable - it could be:
* only by admin in the settings
* while putting a link to .flv by adding extra arguments after '?'
the second option, of course... On large Moodle sites with many courses, the admin cannot know which options will be needed in the various courses, so the final options should rest with the individual teachers.
In reply to Joseph Rézeau
Re: Flowplayer replaces Flash multimedia filter in Moodle 2.0
by Reuben Rowntree -
The flow player looks and appears to work well, but the resolution of the video does not seem to be maintained. Would it be possible to use swfobject.js to help? I have strarted to use
just for mp4 videos. This filter uses JW player and swfobject. Although I don't believe this is written for Moodle 2, It does actually work.
Sorry, I'm not an expert but I'm guessing that swfobject may help the resolution problem.
In reply to Joseph Rézeau
Ang: Re: Flowplayer replaces Flash multimedia filter in Moodle 2.0
by Barfuss Ruge -
Hi
I was browsing the documentation to see if I could find a way to customize the built in flowplayer in moodle 2.0. Is the configuration possibilities mentioned above implemented in moodle?
If not so: is there some file on the server that I could modify to customize the colors etc. of the built in flowplayer?
Best regards
Barfuss Ruge