SIMS User Guide

Online Learning >> SIMS User Guide >> Adding a Video

Adding a Video

This might seem like a lot of steps just to get a video onto your page, but if you follow them carefully the first time, subsequent videos will be really easy to put on. Its really not hard and if you stick with it you'll have your videos online in no time!

Part 1 - Converting the Video into FLV (Flash format)
  • Go to http://www.download.com/Riva-FLV-Encoder/3000-2140_4-10320097.html and download the free Riva FLV Encoder.
  • Select "Open File From its current location" or save and run the file.
  • Follow through the installation process as with normal Windows programs.
  • Open the new program through Start->Programs->Riva FLV Encoder or use the new icon on your desktop or use the Launch option at the end of the installer.
  • Once the program opens use the "Browse" option below "Input Video" and select the video that you wish to put on the website, you will need to locate the file on your computer or USB drive as normal.
  • Once you have found it, click on the "Encode" button further down the screen, the rest will take care of itself. (Note: if you wish, you may change the output folder or output filename using those options, but you don't need to).
  • The encoding process will take a long time depending on the size of the video and speed of your computer. Converting videos is a complicated process so even the most modern computers could take a long time to convert your videos. The best idea is leave it going and use other programs while you wait

Part 2 - Upload the video to your website
  • Go to Content -> File Manager
  • Click "Videos"
  • Scroll down and use the "Browse..." button to find the video file we just converted. This will be in the "Output folder" that was chosen, if you forget where it is go back to Riva FLV converter and see what it says. The filename you are after is the output file, it will have the extension .flv, so the file might be video.flv
  • Click on the "Send" button
  • The file will take a while to upload depending on its size, once it has finished your video is on the server.

Part 3 - Putting the video on your page.
  • Find the place on your page where you would like the video to appear and put the cursor there by clicking where you want it.
  • Copy and paste the following into your page where you have placed the cursor:
    {video file="nara4.flv" still="nara4.jpg" width="275" height="220" id="nara4"}

  • Change the "file" section to the filename of the video you just uploaded.
  • Change width and height if you like, but don't go higher than 640x480
  • Change the "id" field to a short name that describes the video, don't use any spaces in the id
  • The "still" field it optional, this is the image which appears before the user presses play on the video. To put a still image in, upload an image to the /Videos/Stills directory using the upload instructions above, and put the filename here. If you don't want a still image at the start just delete where it says still="nara4.jpg"
  • Submit the page and your video should now appear.