Putting FLV video on website - How to add a static image before it plays

Question

I am trying to put an FLV video on a website.

I tried using Dreamweaver CS3 (Insert - Media - Flash Video), it works great except for 2 problems:

1. The video starts black (How do you show an image prior to playing the video?)

2. The browser starts downloading the whole movie even before the play button is clicked (I want the video to be downloaded only after the user clicks on Play)

Anyone has a solution for this? Thank you.

Solution 1

I don't know if Dreamweaver's FLV player supports this. However, you can use a different player such as JW FLV Media Player, which supports the features you ask for.

Solution 2

just click on preview in the compontent inspector of flash and it will show up when you embed in your html code.

Solution 3

Add your image to the first 5 frames of the video. I usually take a snapshot from somewhere in the video but any image that you want to replace the black screen will do fine.

Comments

[strager]

The flash video does not have the FLV embedded in it. The flash video loads the FLV itself, not the browser.

[strager]

On the img/object swap, <object> can be used to display an image. (Not sure about browser support, though.) A few attribute changes can solve the problem as well.

[kans]

While <object> can display an image, it's just as easy to swap the tags out, and this improves browser support. I wasn't aware that Dreamwever used an SWF to embed an FLV. That seems like silly overkill.

[strager]

Weird escaping would need to occur because 'whatever HTML dreamweaver gives him' probably includes ", ', <, and >.

[strager]

@singpolyma, I would assume it would. I don't think FLV files are natively playable by most computer setups without the aid of Flash.

[Emiel Bruijntjes]

I got it, don't tick include Viral when downloading. Thank you for your other comments as well