New in Director 1.5.3: Universal video embedding
With the addition of universal slideshow publishing and embedding in Director 1.5, we made it easier than ever to embed your slideshows for both desktop and mobile playback. Today we are extending that even further with the addition of universal video embedding in Director 1.5.3.
Universal video embedding allows you to quickly copy and paste embed code from Director to your HTML document. The embed code — which will look very familiar if you have been using Director’s built-in slideshow publishing — creates a poster image using your assigned video preview with a play button drawn on top. Once the poster is clicked, the embed library attempts to play the video using the HTML5 video element. If the browser doesn’t support the new video element or the video codec that is being used, it automatically falls back to the SlideShowPro player for video playback. The result is a system for embedding videos that works consistently and transparently on mobile and desktop systems.
Consult the wiki for more on using the new video embedding system. Director 1.5.3 is available now via the in-app update system or the account center. If you are a SlideShowPro.com customer, you already have the update and are ready to go.
Director updated with important fix for SlideShowPro Mobile / iOS 4.2
We’ve just released a maintenance update for SlideShowPro Director, marked 1.5.2 (Build 5692). This update includes several small fixes (version history) and a very important update if you are taking advantage of SlideShowPro Mobile.
This past week, Apple released what is known as a GM (gold master) seed for iOS 4.2. This is typically the last developer seed for a new release, and it appears that iOS 4.2 will be released to all iPhone, iPad and iPod touch users on schedule sometime in November — possibly within the next week. Why is this important for SlideShowPro Director users? iOS 4.2 features a change that breaks video playback in SlideShowPro Mobile. We’ve resolved the issue with a fix in Director 1.5.2, and we encourage you to upgrade now so that your slideshows will be ready when iOS 4.2 drops.
1.5.2 is now available via the in-app updater or the account center if you prefer to update manually. If you are a hosting subscriber, we’ll be updating your install sometime over the weekend. Stay tuned to the SlideShowPro.com status blog for details.
A new build of SlideShowPro Director 1.5 is now available (Build 5533). We’ve fixed a variety of smaller issues (see the version history), but two additions are worth mentioning:
“Back” by popular demand
Since the initial preview of SlideShowPro Mobile, we’ve received strong feedback both for and against a dedicated back button. Initially, we decided not include a back button in favor of relying on the native back button already present in all of the mobile browsers that we support. With this new build of Director, we have added an option to the embed code that allows you to turn on a new built-in back button (it is off by default). For instructions on how to enable the back button, consult the wiki. We’ve also added a similar option that allows the “info” button to be turned off.
Incremental loading for the mobile player
In the week or so since Director 1.5 has been released, we’ve received various reports about the mobile player bogging down when larger galleries were being loaded. Mobile devices can often impose strict resource limits and it is very likely that the data requests for these large galleries were running into those limits. In Build 5533, we rewrote the data loading process for the mobile player so that it breaks the process up into smaller requests and also only loads the data when it is needed. The result is a much more efficient player that is easier on both the server and the mobile client.
Build 5533 is now available via the in-app upgrader and the account center. If you are a slideshowpro.com hosting customer, your installs have already been upgraded.
Director sale!
Don’t miss your chance to get Director for just $39. After October 1st the price will go up twenty bucks to $59. So whether you’re a developer looking to pick up extra copies for clients, or you’ve yet to purchase Director, now is the best time! Pick up one or more copies of SlideShowPro Director through your profile page in the SlideShowPro Account Center.
SlideShowPro 1.5 beta updated, nearing stable release
We’ve packaged up another update to the SlideShowPro Director 1.5 beta, labeled Build 5452. This update fixes a handful of bugs and also includes some refinements to how content is published using Director. See a full list of changes in the beta forum.
With this release, Director 1.5 is feature complete and hopefully bug-free. Barring any show-stoppers in this last beta phase, we expect to release 1.5 as stable to self-hosted customers in the next few weeks and hosting subscribers soon after that. So if you are a beta tester, please update to the latest build (via the in-app updater or the account center) and let us know if you find any issues. Thanks!
Director 1.5 beta updated, SlideShowPro Mobile now supports Android
The beta train for SlideShowPro Director 1.5 keeps rolling along. This new build (Build 5394) contains several fixes but most notably is the first beta to include support for Android phones (Android OS 2.0+ required).
One of the more difficult aspects of developing for Android is fragmentation. Unlike iOS, which is used only on Apple devices, Android is used on multiple devices and is often modified to some extent by the manufacturer or the carrier (or both). Because of that, we could really use your help in testing our mobile player if you are running an Android phone (OS 2.0+). You can either try the beta on your own install, or just load up our mobile demo directly. We’d appreciate any and all feedback, and be sure to include what device/OS version you are using. Thanks!
Please note that this is still beta software and should not be used on production websites. We cannot guarantee if it will work or when bugs will be fixed.
New beta of SlideShowPro Director 1.5 / SlideShowPro Mobile available
Over the last week, we’ve had more than 100 early adopters kicking the tires on the SlideShowPro Director 1.5 beta (which also includes SlideShowPro Mobile). Thanks to their testing and feedback, we’ve been able to resolve several issues with the release of the second beta for 1.5, Build 5354. The new beta is available via the in-app upgrade process or the account center.
For more info on the beta, check out the dedicated wiki section for 1.5. We greatly value your feedback, so be sure to drop us a note in the beta form if you encounter any issues or just have a suggestion. Again, thanks for testing!
Please note that this is still beta software and should not be used on production websites. We cannot guarantee if it will work or when bugs will be fixed.
A public beta of Director 1.5, which includes the new SlideShowPro Mobile media player for iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch, as well as integrated slideshow publishing, is now available for users with Director installed on their own servers (hosting subscribers with us will receive the final version).
Because this is technically beta software, we encourage only those who are comfortable upgrading their installations to non-final software install the upgrade. If that’s okay with you, head over to the 1.5 upgrade notes to learn how to upgrade.
Also at the wiki is documentation on the new integrated slideshow publishing, as well as instructions on how to update an existing slideshow to support the mobile player.
As noted earlier, this is technically a beta release, so we ask that you only publish new slideshows or provide the mobile player fallback to existing slideshows on low traffic or non-live sites, just to be safe.
An important note regarding player compatibility: At this time, we only recommend that users of SlideShowPro for Flash or SlideShowPro Standalone attempt to modify their player embed code to support the mobile fallback player. We are working on updates for SlideShowPro for Lightroom and SlidePress that will allow those products to work much more seamlessly with the Director embed code.
We’re offering this beta because we very much want to receive feedback on the work done thus far, and to see if there are any oversights, bugs, or general issues we can assist with. Please contact us if you have feedback.
Our goal is to burn through this beta and get to a final release as quickly as possible. We greatly appreciate everyone’s input and time. Have fun!
New in Director 1.5: slideshow publishing
Back when we announced SlideShowPro Mobile, we explained that the mobile fallback player could be enabled simply by updating your Flash Player embed code (with code provided by us). What we didn’t explain was where the new embed code would come from.
We had a number of options for offering the code (including just plopping it in a wiki document and calling it a day), but one option rose above as the most elegant solution: integrated slideshow publishing. Below is a screenshot:
Director 1.5 (which will be a free upgrade for all Director users) will now allow you to embed a slideshow / photo gallery of any album or gallery without requiring any other products. You simply kick-up the “Embed slideshow” window from inside an album or gallery, choose a style, enter a size, and modify some of the player’s main options. Click “Copy embed code”, paste your clipboard into an HTML document, and you’re done! Desktop users will see the Flash version, while mobile clients (including iPad, iPhone and iPod Touch) will see a clickable poster that leads them to the mobile player.
For new users of Director only interested in the default player, or those who only want to modify a handful of options, this will make slideshow publishing as easy as embedding a YouTube video. And because Director is powering it all, you’ll have a slideshow that works across all desktops, laptops, and compatible mobile devices, as well as the ability to update the content being loaded by both the Flash and mobile player anytime you want.
As an existing user, you may be wondering how your current slideshows factor into this. Here’s how it’ll work. You embed a new slideshow from Director in your HTML document that loads the album or gallery you want to display, then edit the player embed code to point to your own SWF. So you’ll be able to leverage the player embed code Director publishes, include support for the mobile player fallback, while retaining the ability to create your own custom slideshows using one of our SlideShowPro player plugins (including ThumbGrid).
Rest assured, we’ll be posting all the instructions you need (it’ll be easy, really!) at the time Director 1.5 beta drops (which will be this week — maybe even tomorrow).
If you have questions, fire away.
Today we completed work on the 1.5 public beta of SlideShowPro Director that includes the new HTML5 SlideShowPro Mobile player. If nothing catches fire or breaks down over the weekend, you can expect to see a public beta released early next week.
In related news, we’ve posted a demo of SlideShowPro Mobile you can try out. This has all the same content from the demonstration video, plus general improvements.
To view, get your iPhone, iPod Touch or iPad, load this news post, then click this link. That will take you directly to the mobile player itself.
If you try it out and have feedback you’d like to share, we’re all ears.
Oh, and there’s “one more thing” concerning Director 1.5 beta we haven’t written about. We think you’ll like it. Stay tuned!
We’ve received a number of questions concerning the recently announced SlideShowPro Mobile. Below are the most common questions with answers. If you have a question not addressed here, contact us.
When will it be available?
The mobile player will be included as part of a SlideShowPro Director 1.5 beta release, which we plan on offering before the end of this month (July).
Is this an add-on for Director I’ll need to purchase?
Nope! SlideShowPro Mobile will be bundled with SlideShowPro Director for free. Any self-install or hosted setup of Director will receive it as part of an application point update. If you don’t have Director, you can purchase it now and receive the mobile player when available.
Can I be a beta tester?
Sure – anyone with a self-install of SlideShowPro Director will be able to try the beta.
I’ve got an iPad/iPhone. Is there a live demo I can try?
We’ll be posting one soon. Watch this space.
What about other mobile devices, like Android?
We’ve focused on Apple’s devices out-of-the-gate not only because of their popularity, but also because they cannot (and may never) support Flash content. So it was important that we addressed those devices first. Android users have (or will soon receive) the Flash Player, so a fallback isn’t absolutely necessary. Nonetheless, we will be including mobile player support for Android, and will look into other platforms thereafter.
Will SlideShowPro Director be required?
Yes. From a usability perspective, it was important to us that the mobile player be easy to implement, and that you wouldn’t be responsible for an entirely separate content creation workflow. Additionally, the mobile player requires some back-end functionality that would be difficult to implement without a centralized application behind the scenes. Director provides the platform for all of the above.
Will both self-install and hosted versions of Director be compatible?
In the final release, yes. The beta test will be first offered to self-install users before deployment on the hosted platform.
I use SlideShowPro for Flash / Lightroom / Standalone. Will the mobile player provide a fallback for it?
Yes. The mobile player can be implemented as a fallback for any SWF loading content from SlideShowPro Director.
Will I need to re-encode / upload my videos?
If your videos are encoded as FLVs or F4Vs, yes, they will need to be re-encoded / uploaded as H.264 in order for them to be viewable in the mobile player. We plan on providing tips and suggestions for video content creation before a final release.
Why mobile? Why not desktop?
We believe that (on the desktop) Flash is still the best delivery method for photo/video galleries and slideshows for it provides the most consistent user experience across all browsers and the broadest range of playback and customization options. As HTML5 support matures across all desktop browsers, we’ll continue to look into alternate presentation options.
Can the mobile player be embedded in my own HTML page?
No. The mobile player has to be served from a special page published by SlideShowPro Director so that user agent and display resolution can be detected, and the player’s user interface fits the screen as intended.
Will the mobile player have all the customization options the Flash player has?
No. We’ve purposely designed the mobile player to feel like a native app on the device, and abstracting from that would erode usability and unnecessarily bloat the player file size (which is crucially important on mobile). You will be able to customize the poster graphic (see video) however you want, but mobile player options will be kept to a minimum.
Will people be able to copy images?
No. Photos aren’t recognized as such by the iPad/iPhone/iPod Touch and thus are not made available to save locally.
Can the mobile player’s orientation be rotated?
Yes. You can rotate the device for either portrait or landscape and the player will adjust automatically.
What about the iPhone 4′s Retina display? Will that be supported?
You bet. We purposely developed the interface using only CSS3 and SVG so that everything scales. As for images, higher resolution versions will be published by SlideShowPro Director. Net result? A super high resolution photo gallery that looks as good as a native application.
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