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I use one of the following methods to handle video:

• using the FlashVideo module
• using jQuery Media and filefield
• using jQuery Media only

always required: a mediaplayer

All methods use a mediaplayer which is to be downloaded seperately. I use the JW FLV Player for Flash. You need to unzip it in an empty directory. Then rename the file player.swf to Player.swf. Then upload or move this file, which is the only file we need, to Drupal's files directory. This is a location which allows us to use all the default settings in the FlashVideo module.

You might encounter a permission problem when the files directory is not writable nor owned by you, because it was created by Drupal and therefore it is owned by the webserver. If that's the case, then create a PHP file in your Drupal root directory with content like this:

error_reporting(E_ALL);
chmod("sites/default/files", 0777);

and execute it using a webbrowser. Then upload Player.swf to the files directory. Then restore the mode, by replacing 0777 by 0775 and re-execute it using a webbrowser. Finally remove the PHP file to avoid abuse.

optional for methods 2 and 3

In addition, for the second and third method, the jQ module is recommended.

which method to choose

Use the third method if your video's are already in the correct format and uploaded to the server, for example using FTP or SCP. Use the first or second method if you want to handle video uploads.

You need the first method if you have FFMPEG installed on your server and you want to use it to convert your video's to the correct format automatically, if necessary. Video's in FLV-format will remain untouched. Conversions and file moving are handled using cron, so cron must be called before your video's are visible. You can upload multiple video's per node, and you can put the video players anywhere within your body text.

Use the second method if your video's are already in the correct format and don't need conversions. The video's are attached to CCK fields, that can appear either above or below your body text.

Choose your method below and read on.