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11/14/2002 Archived Entry: "Video Portfolio Updates (Flash MX Samples)"
It's been a very busy couple of weeks around here, but I finally managed to find some time to add coding improvements to my recently released Flash MX Video Portfolio. The new version includes a working preloader so that users on slow modems don't see an empty screen for the first 30 seconds or so (while the 52K interface loads). It's still under testing, so if you notice any problem with the preloading sequence please let me know.
In addition, I have just purchased Sorenson Squeeze for Flash MX. As soon as it arrives, I'll recompress the original video samples. My testing with the demo version of this software resulted in much better quality with significantly smaller file sizes. Plus, the batch compression features are a huge time-saver. For the next couple of weeks, Sorenson is offering a reduced price on their Squeeze software. The rumor mill is buzzing with news that an even better version of Squeeze for Flash MX will be released early next year (January?). So, the sudden discount shouldn't be much of a surprise.
The issue with preloading components in Flash has been a problem that developers have been struggling with since the release of Flash MX (about six months ago). A recent tutorial by Darshan Sawardekar details his solution to the problem, which I've adapted for own my application.
In addition to a working preloader, I included a couple of other interface improvements in this update to my Video Portfolio. The most significant is that I decided to limit the number of pop-up windows to one. In the original version, each new video link opened in a new window within the Flash application. Limiting the number of windows should ease the amount of mousing required to navigate through the materials. This will also reduce the load on the processor.
Because the application uses external XML data, I can still offer a link to the old version. As I add new samples to the XML data file, the content in both the old and new Video Portfolios will remain the same. This is one of the benefits of XML publishing.
For those interested:
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Today, I added updated versions of most of the clips in my Video Portfolio. For the updated files, I used Sorenson Squeeze and the results were pretty much in line with my expectations. I was able to cut the file sizes down approximately 50% for each sample while at the same time, improving the image quality. I also added some new "Modem-Sized Samples".
Posted by Jim Duber @ 11/17/2002 01:34 PM PST
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