Lightbox Ultimate – Amazon s3 video streeming is very slow

[ashlager]

hi,

protected Amazon s3 video streeming is very slow. meaning: it take almost 60 sec for a video to start play.

thanks

[wzp]

Once the encrypted link is converted into an S3 expiring URL and handed off to Amazon, your server (and the plugin) is no longer part of the download equation.

There are any number of explanations for possible delays, but the most obvious would be the geographical difference between the bucket and the computer doing the download. This latency can be reduced by specifically creating the bucket in a geographical “region” that is closest to your customer base.

Also, because expiring URL must specify “s3.amazonaws.com” as part of the expiring URL host naming format, all bucket requests initially get routed through the US, even if the bucket is located someplace else. Depending upon network loads, or other “network events” that may be going on, a few seconds of delay wouldn’t be unusual.

And finally, there is the format of the video. Some video formats require more of the file to be downloaded first than others, before playback can begin.

[wpCommerce]

Hi, It shouldn’t take that long. Can you please post a link to the page where you have the shortcode embedded?

[george@lvv]

Having similar issues. Two concerns related to WZP’s reply:

1. “the geographical difference between the bucket and the computer doing the download. This latency can be reduced by specifically creating the bucket in a geographical “region” that is closest to your customer base.”

From Amazon S3 upload instructions, got impression AWS S3 prefers use of default bucket listed when uploading files to S3. Uploading from US East Coast, but every S3 video upload window indicated “Oregon” as default Bucket. Is it recommended to manually select a closer US AWS S3 processing center when uploading?

2. “Some video formats require more of the file to be downloaded first than others, before playback can begin.”

Was advised by T&T Support to ONLY use MP4 video. Had been using Adobe Flash Video, but all files uploaded to AWS S3 now MP4. Or does this reply mean some format differences within the MP4 format?

wpCommerce replied:

“Hi, It shouldn’t take that long. Can you please post a link to the page where you have the shortcode embedded?”

Agree. Is taking like 60 seconds. Once it shows, audio and video look fine.

Link below shows the video without T&T WP shortcode. First want to test using 3 min videos where protection is not a concern. Initially want to verify the videos run OK using Amazon S3 without involving the T&T shortcode yet. Once OK with S3, will then test using Amazon with T&T shortcodes.

Appreciate the feedback.

[http://www.learningviavideo.com/foreclosed-homes-for-sale-ful/]

[george@lvv]

Problem described above seems to be caused by what’s described / recommended by amin007 moderator here>>

https://support.tipsandtricks-hq.com/forums/topic/issues-with-getting-video-to-autoplay

Used Datagoround tool which solved slow start problem but now MP4 files play very poorly. Much stalling and skipping. Original MP4 files play very well – DataGoround.com tools seems the only logical cause of the file quality downgrade.

Are there any other tools that do a better job of performing this “End to Beginning” information switch for MP4 video files — without screwing up the quality of the file?

Found this other tool suggested to be completely useless:

[http://renaun.com/blog/code/qtindexswapper/]

Thanks again.

[wpCommerce]

Hi, qtindexswapper has been recommended by various sites including Flowplayer and Adobe.

[http://flowplayer.org/docs/encoding.html]

[http://www.adobe.com/devnet/video/articles/mp4_movie_atom.html]

I installed it myself as well. So I believe it’s not broken. However, I need to test it with a file. Do you have a mp4 file that requires the metadata fix? I can send you an email if you don’t wish to share the file URL.

[george@lvv]

>>> Do you have a mp4 file that requires the metadata fix? I can send you an email if you don’t wish to share the file URL.

Here’s the file that takes about 60 seconds to start. It’s total length is about 3 minutes.

[http://www.learningviavideo.com/foreclosed-homes-for-sale-ful/]

“Fixing it” may be a waste of time if other options provide a solution.

Premiere has several formats within H.264 for exporting, including:

Apple iPod (4 formats)

NTSC DV

Google Video

MySpace

Yahoo Video

YouTube

Sony PSP

I tested exports from Premiere with the Apple iPod and YouTube MP4 setting presets but both had terrible pixelization. Previously, the MP4 files I exported were in NTSC DV setting and looked just great.

I suspect the standard Premiere NTSC DV version of MP4 format writes the metadata at wrong end of the file.

I just tested exporting a file using the Apple iPod Large Size setting which looks very good playing with QuickTime Player on my hard drive.

I’ll look at it tomorrow in the test page set up for viewing AWS S3 video files to see how it opens and runs.

If none of this solves the problem, I may need to output a clip from Premiere in AVI format and then convert the AVI to MP4 using Camtasia7.

Of course I’ll also try the qtindexswapper with the Premiere files – made in NTSC DV format – to see how the overall quality of the video looks.

Thanks for your help and input. Good to know there’s some options. Regards, George

[george@lvv]

>>> “I installed it myself as well. So I believe it’s not broken. However, I need to test it with a file. Do you have a mp4 file that requires the metadata fix? I can send you an email if you don’t wish to share the file URL.”

I appreciate your help. The Tips and Tricks Support Team seems to be unaware of the whole “MP4 metadata fix” situation. They advised me to convert all my FLV files to MP4, but never mentioned the problem caused by MP4 metadate being at the end of the files.

Spent tons of time recreating video files in MP4 format only to find all those files are now worthless. Not very helpful.

>>> Hi, qtindexswapper has been recommended by various sites including Flowplayer and Adobe.

Can’t understand why.

Went to [http://renaun.com/blog/code/qtindexswapper/] .

The only download there is for “QTIndexSwapper.air”. Windows doesn’t recognize the “.air” file suffix. No clue how to get it to do anything. Not very useful.

Also went to [http://flowplayer.org/docs/encoding.html]

Long page of information. QTIndexSwapper is mentoined again. So too is MOOVRElocator, which takes you here:

[http://code.google.com/p/moovrelocator/]

Which shows this as downloads

“moovrelocator_0.1.zip”,

“moovrelocator_0.1.zip”.

No explanation which one should be used… or both??? If it’s intuitive, I don’t intuit.

Home page mentions “Members” & has a “Sign In” button. Zero discussion about membership appear on the same page, whether it’s required, etc.

[wpCommerce]

Can you please install Adobe Air first and then try the qtindexswapper:

[https://get.adobe.com/air/]

[george@lvv]

Installed Adobe Air and applied qtindexswapper. This resulted in MP4 file info being moved from back to front of MP4 file. When installing Adobe Air, was required to agree to terms and conditions – the usual 10 pages of “boilerplate” legalese.

Copied terms and conditions text to plain text editor and searched on “commercial”. This revealed that Adobe Air is only for non-commercial use. If commercial use is desired, getting a license is required. Terms and conditions of the commercial license is obviously written so only an attorney can understand it.

Not looking for legal advice. Just hesitant to proceed using Adobe Air with so much “fine print” legal language buried out of site.

[Author]

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