S2file shortcode for JW player alternative with RTMP

#1

Hit a bit of a wall so I’d appreciate any assistance on how I can get over it.

I’m attempting to use any html5 player to use RMTP’s service. My amazon s3/cloudfront is setup and working correctly. Direct links such as:

[s2File download=‘comp.mp4’ download_key=‘yes’ stream=‘yes’ inline=‘yes’]

Work great if I insert it into a link and the video loads on click in a new window. I’m attempting to stream locally through another player though. I’ve tried several solutions but here’s the major hurdle(s):

  1. If I use another wordpress video player plugin, the s2file shortcode doesn’t output the URL within the shortcode (I also added the “outerbridge nested shortcodes” plugin so a shortcode could work within a shortcode with no luck).

  2. I loaded the VideoJS html5 player locally and tested it accurately, when attempting to insert the shortcode, it again doesn’t generate the URL within the page (just leaves the shortcode as-is). I also attempted to insert the outputted URL from the standalone shortcode into the “src” field of the videojs just to review compatibility and that failed as well. Other local videos play fine FYI

So what I’m hoping for is a few examples from the community where they used an alternative player (preferably self-hosted) and were able to insert the s2file shortcode accurately? Good bet I may also be missing some local variables to the shortcode to grant accurate permissions?

Any guidance/assistance here would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

#2

I love the VideoJS API and use it for advanced JS stuff when I need it (hosted unprotected on S3 or CloudFront), but mostly I use Vimeo and referring domain protection.

Have to say, though, that I only use that API when third party requirements mandate it and I can’t convince them otherwise (a government, for example).

As mobile traffic makes up more than 50% on most sites and mobile HTML5 video players seem to ignore most JS AND mobile users tend to get distracted and come back to the page later, expiring links are just an inconvenience to paying users.

Last I spoke to @clavaque about this, I think he’s looking into prioritizing and working on this based on user requests, but personally I think it’s an outdated way of looking at video consumption and there’s more important issues to tackle.

Hosted solutions like ClickFunnels recommend to use YouTube private videos for video content (and Russell Brunson hosts his videos that way).

I just don’t think that assuming our paying customers are thieves is the best growth mindset.

1 Like
#3

Right…do ANY other players work than just the (expensive) JW?

#4

Hi @BobMane - RTMP will be decommissioned in Dec 2020 so the use of the s2members streaming video mechanism is no longer viable. See https://docs.aws.amazon.com/AmazonCloudFront/latest/DeveloperGuide/distribution-rtmp.html

If you want protected streaming video from AWS have a look at https://foliovision.com/ this is who I switched to after researching all the options in the market. Your streaming will use the HLS standard rather than the RTMP standard. See https://foliovision.com/player/demos/encrypted-hls-stream

#5

So that also means that all the S2member video tools are useless and will not be upgraded?

#6

I will defer that to the plugin author @clavaque to respond…I don’t know the plans for video.

I use s2member for secure AWS S3 file downloads and page content protection. The streaming video was a bonus. S2member is designed to be a content protector but streaming video is a special case…always has been. Protected streaming video is between the player and the streamer (e.g. AWS) so s2member or any other content protection plugin is really just a bystander to the process.

#7

Yes it would be nice to know. Would not want to invest time configuring something that is sunsetting. I also plan to use s2member for secure AWS S3 file downloads and page content protection. I have another post up where I am working on that.

But yeah streaming video was a bonus and the reason I originally bought s2 because I knew I was going to transition away from my old streaming platform. I have a history on streaming video using Magento with a fairly complex backend that involved Wowza and dedicated servers. It was secure and worked well but was expensive. With flux in customers too much for me to afford. Had to pay for JWPlayer, Wowza, Servers and integration plus updates into Magento.

#8

Foliovision / AWS is a good combo. Encrypted / protected HLS works well. The player works well. RTMP was always a pain since it never worked on IOS (iPad / iPhone). Streaming HLS works on everything. You can create a template in AWS Elemental Mediaconvert to transcode the video into the various high / low resolution versions with almost one button press. The AWS Elemental Mediaconvert template can only be configured for 99% of what is required to do secure transcoding. Each video file has a unique path on the S3 server and a unique encrypted url. Those two have to be manually entered for each video file being processed. I’ll end up writing a script one day so I can get a true 1-buttonpress video processing (upload / transcode-configure / transcode). You can take a look at S3 Media Maestro if you are happy to use progressive download. I prefer encrypted streaming HLS for maximum piracy protection though I haven’t checked if the browser addons for recording video can / cannot still record the encrypted streaming video.

#9

I was not clear on price of Foliovision? Is it $150 one time of are there various costs? How about with Amazon and any other services needed to do what you outlined? Do you have any cost breakdowns?

#10

Foliovision and s3 Media Maestro are yearly fees. I looked extensively…there are no useful free or one-off-payment options that I could find.

Regarding AWS costs they charge transcoding based on length of video, features used and target resolution. Example from my configuration for transcoding 1.8GB mp4 file:

HD, AVC/H.264, <=30 fps transcode: $3.49 (1920x1080)
SD, AVC/H.264, <=30 fps transcode, $2.61 (480x270 & 640x360 & 960x540 & 1280 x 720)

You can see that high resolution is where most of the cost is. So if you stick with SD it’s a couple of bucks per large video though I am not sure if SD is grainy on a 1920x1080 display. Would have to test that.

NOTE: you don’t save any transcoding costs if you pre-compress the mp4 video. The transcoding cost is per minute of video so it’s about the length of the source video not the size of the source video.

Network costs are obviously dependent on: the length and number of videos you stream, how long people watch for, and which resolution they watch at. So to watch a 64mb video (in my case the 1.8GB mp4 transcoded to 480x270 HLS) it would be about 6 cents per complete video view.

#11

OK so pay yearly fee for Foliovision and yearly for s3 Media Maestro + per use for AWS S3?

#12

Yearly for Foliovision OR S3Media Maestro…don’t buy both…they are competitive offerings in the market.

Option A) Folivision Option: This is a video player that is feature-rich and supports secure encrypted streaming video or progressive download with secure links from AWS.

Option B) S3Media Maestro Option: This is a Media plugin. It includes a bundled player (Flowplayer I think…not sure). I don’t believe this plug-in supports streaming…only progressive video (you would need to check with them as a pre-sales query).

If you want secure encrypted streaming video and are comfortable configuring the AWS transcoding via the AWS console…choose option A. I think there is a new “coconut” plugin for the player that simplifies the transcoding admin in which case option A is the best option (see https://foliovision.com/downloads/fv-player-coconut)

If you are ok with progressive downloaded videos with protected links and would rather have simplified transcoding configuration via the plug-in’s WordPress admin rather than use the AWS Console…select Option B.

CAVEAT: I have been using Folivision player for my streaming video. It works fine. I have not yet used the S3Media Maestro plugin although I did just purchase a copy to try out.

Regarding AWS costs…there are three costs (although the Foliovision + coconut plugin appears to provide a less expensive AWS-based service than AWS does itself…I have to look into that further):

  1. AWS S3 storage costs
  2. AWS S3 data costs or Cloudfront data costs
  3. AWS Media Transcoding costs
#13

Thanks for the info. folio does look pretty good. Did you ever look into the https://www.theoplayer.com/licensing? 0 - 10k impressions a month on the FREE TIER

#14

Looks interesting. Thanks for the link. I’ll take a look at it later in more depth. It looks proprietary. I only pick open source solutions that are not sold via Envato. It is the only way I can guarentee to my clients that I can fix any error that arises if the plugin author does not.

#15

Good point, I have been there and that is no fun.