flvideo folder empty | player does not play videos

[mango1]

Hi There,

Could someone please let me know what to look for to fix this?

Problem
Videos do not play when uploaded. Thumbs generated OK. flvideo folder empty, correct permissions set on flvideo folder

Here is a summary
- purchased and installed script this afternoon.
- all components installed, permissions correct, php.ini correct. Server used to run a diff video script with no problems.
- Tried to join the customer private forums. Read that expected wait is approx 12 hours. I know the answer is in there somewhere
- Searched forum and found a thread talking about this but pointing to the private forums which I still cannot access.

As such, is there something anything that anyone could point me to as far as figuring out this bug? Apparently it is common with new installs.

I would like to get this resolved asap and the wait for approval to join the private forum is killing me

[Locrian]

Just had this problem the 17th of last month. It ended up being a FFMPEG problem that the host had to correct. If they tell you its working fine and the required tools are installed, keep on them about it. Don't take no for an answer. Have them make an account and test it.

My problem ended up having the techs put my ticket on "accelerated" and the big wigs came and fixed it their self due to an underling installing something incorrectly.

Not saying this is your problem, but being so fresh in my mind and the exact symptoms....all I can do is pass it along.

Good luck
Loc

PS: One thing you may check prior is to make sure your paths to the tools are correct. If your host regularly host video sharing sites they should have the correct paths for both reseller accounts and vps/private servers listed in their knowledge base. You may have to ask them if they don't. I see no mention of it in your checklist.

[mango1]

Originally Posted by Locrian

Just had this problem the 17th of last month. It ended up being a FFMPEG problem that the host had to correct. If they tell you its working fine and the required tools are installed, keep on them about it. Don't take no for an answer. Have them make an account and test it.

My problem ended up having the techs put my ticket on "accelerated" and the big wigs came and fixed it their self due to an underling installing something incorrectly.

Not saying this is your problem, but being so fresh in my mind and the exact symptoms....all I can do is pass it along.

Good luck
Loc

PS: One thing you may check prior is to make sure your paths to the tools are correct. If your host regularly host video sharing sites they should have the correct paths for both reseller accounts and vps/private servers listed in their knowledge base. You may have to ask them if they don't. I see no mention of it in your checklist.

Thanks a bunch for your response. I will chase my host to ensure ffmpeg is configured correctly. I will update with details for future users.

[ltd192]

Originally Posted by mango1

Thanks a bunch for your response. I will chase my host to ensure ffmpeg is configured correctly. I will update with details for future users.

I'll second Locrian on this, Most probably it's a path issue.

[symtab]

Hi,

Would be better to ask your host if mencoder has support for lame, h264, win32codecs, xvid. Also make sure the paths are correct. Also check
if your host is running PHP as CGI.

[Minx]

ah ha... same problem as you, i solved it through endless research and help... i helped another dude the other day with the same problem and my solution worked for him as it did for me... and it's simple...

Firstly... all uploads ok? CS says it's converting or whatever...but it never does, your left with a 'loading' screen on every video but thumbnails are being made... no flv files created, right?

Well, i had a simple problem and a more sophisticated problem (FLVTool2 wasn't installed i believe on my SDX server) but the simple problem lies in the the encoder commands found in convert.php - basically theres a command in there which refers to -bframes (or iframes) cannot remember... anyways i removed the command and it worked perfectly!

try the code below - copy & paste over

it's 'convert.php' (you'll see it)

if($config[vresize] == 1) {$encodecommand="$config[mencoder] $config[vdodir]/$vdoname -o $config[flvdodir]/".$vid."x.flv -demuxer lavf -of lavf -oac mp3lame -lameopts abr:br=56 -ovc lavc -lavcopts vcodec=flv:vbitrate=$config[vbitrate]:mbd=2:mv0:trell:v4mv:keyint=10:cbp:last _pred=3 -vf scale=$config[vresize_x]:$config[vresize_y] -srate $config[sbitrate]";}

else {$encodecommand="$config[mencoder] $config[vdodir]/$vdoname -o $config[flvdodir]/".$vid."x.flv -of lavf -oac mp3lame -lameopts abr:br=56 -ovc lavc -lavcopts vcodec=flv:vbitrate=$config[vbitrate]:mbd=2:mv0:trell:v4mv:keyint=10:cbp:last _pred=3 -srate $config[sbitrate]";}

[symtab]

Hi,

For mencoder-1.0rc1 the -bframes... command is required. For 1.0rc2 remove
the bframes... command and replace -vop with -vf.

[mango1]

Thanks all for the tips. I was finally able to get my script working thanks to all the helpful posts on this board and a bit of digging around.

Here is a summary of what I did / happened
- My host had the required binaries preinstalled and were reluctant to re-image the server or agree that there could be something wrong with the installed components. After hours of trying different options I tried command line conversions which failed indicating there was something wrong with the installed modules for this script to work.
- I uninstalled all RPMS related to ffmpeg from the server.
- I reinstalled and compiled the required modules using sherin's script.
NOTE when using this. Be sure to get the latest version from here
http://downloads.sherin.in/scripts/ffmpeg2
I used the instructions from the CS3 install file which called for downloading version ffmpeginstall.2.1.1.tar.gz which is a few versions old and did not work too well on my server

- To install the CS3 script, I tried to be smart and unzip the CS3 zip file in my public_html and make changes using SSH and Vi so as to avoid a long FTP session. Despite following all the steps to edit the various config, cgi-bin and htaccess files, I would still get no conversions.

- Finally I cleaned out my public_html folder and edited all the CS3 files locally on my PC then uploaded all the contents via FTP. Made the permission changes to the required folders and all worked so well.

- I have a youtube bug when trying to import from youtube. It may be a database error related to not having channels set up. I also noticed youtube may have disabled fetching videos from their site.

I think a clean start is the way to go with server set up. My VPS seemed not to have been re imaged after the last user (just my speculation )

Anyway, thanks to all who post here. Your suggestions offer help in getting this script to work.

[rollykaunang]

Originally Posted by mango1

Thanks all for the tips. I was finally able to get my script working thanks to all the helpful posts on this board and a bit of digging around.

Here is a summary of what I did / happened
- My host had the required binaries preinstalled and were reluctant to re-image the server or agree that there could be something wrong with the installed components. After hours of trying different options I tried command line conversions which failed indicating there was something wrong with the installed modules for this script to work.
- I uninstalled all RPMS related to ffmpeg from the server.
- I reinstalled and compiled the required modules using sherin's script.
NOTE when using this. Be sure to get the latest version from here
http://downloads.sherin.in/scripts/ffmpeg2
I used the instructions from the CS3 install file which called for downloading version ffmpeginstall.2.1.1.tar.gz which is a few versions old and did not work too well on my server

- To install the CS3 script, I tried to be smart and unzip the CS3 zip file in my public_html and make changes using SSH and Vi so as to avoid a long FTP session. Despite following all the steps to edit the various config, cgi-bin and htaccess files, I would still get no conversions.

- Finally I cleaned out my public_html folder and edited all the CS3 files locally on my PC then uploaded all the contents via FTP. Made the permission changes to the required folders and all worked so well.

- I have a youtube bug when trying to import from youtube. It may be a database error related to not having channels set up. I also noticed youtube may have disabled fetching videos from their site.

I think a clean start is the way to go with server set up. My VPS seemed not to have been re imaged after the last user (just my speculation )

Anyway, thanks to all who post here. Your suggestions offer help in getting this script to work.

Congratulation.

[Locrian]

Heh...well it sounded exactly like the problems I encountered. Figured a new install would clear things up. Glad ya got'er workin.[sic]