Video Services

As the use of video on websites is becoming more and more popular, xCatalyst makes the use of videos one step easier by utilizing flash video. By using flash video, xCatalyst addresses the site visitors' need for convenience, eliminating having to download an additional file or application.

xCatalyst supports videos that are encoded in Flash Video (FLV) format. The files are then uploaded to a specified directory. The media player (Adobe Flash) dynamically adds the files to a play list and, can be set up to reference an XML file which can be manually updated. The media player can also receive RSS feeds from other sites.

The FLV format is the recognized standard for media files; Adobe Flash is installed on more than 98% of all browsers worldwide. Adobe Flash also does not require any special codecs such as Windows Media format (WMV), QuickTime format (MOV), or any of the other hundreds of codecs. For the website visitor, there are many benefits to the way xCatalyst supports video. Flash Video is based on the technology behind the Flash Player—so it's ready to play in almost all PCs worldwide. Some of the advantages are:

• The media is compatible with the majority of browsers and operating systems
• Industry standard for media players
• You can use a traditional player window, or seamlessly blend the video into the background
• Progressive downloading
• Video streaming that starts the instant viewers click "Play"

The codec provides superior video quality that is competitive with today's best video codecs at a much smaller file size. The player also supports SWF, JPG, and many other file formats.

For the webmaster, this type of system dynamically creates a play list based on what files are in the directory or file manager. Some other benefits are:

• Does not require any special codecs
• Content is easy to maintain
• Author interactive content
• Unique, engaging websites

xCatalyst and the Adobe Flash player can not only easily enhance the website, but add value to the organization by reducing the amount of time spent on uploading files and creating an “on-demand” environment for all site visitors.