Streaming with DNA Video Player

Overview:

There are 3 basic steps to using the DNA Video Player for DNA Streaming service to deliver content through the DNA peer network:

1. Enter the URL of the video file to be delivered into Create Downloader. This will check that the existing distribution infrastructure conforms to the Basic DNA Integration Requirements and generate a DNA Video Player.
2. Include the DNA Video Player embed code (generated by Publish file) on your website.  Users that watch video thru this player will have the video delivered using the DNA peer network.
3. (Optional) Customize the behavior and appearance of the DNA Video Player

1. Enter the URL of the video file to be delivered into Publish File.

Enter the URL of the video content that is intended to be delivered using DNA into the text box of Create Downloader

This will confirm whether the existing distribution infrastructure for that content conforms to the Basic DNA Integration Requirements, and that the file can be delivered thru the DNA peer network.  In cases where this distribution infrastructure does not conform to these requirements, Publish File will provide an error message as to the issue, and the infrastructure should be reconfigured accordingly.  For a list of potential error messages and corresponding solutions see DNA URL Requirements Tester Tool. For any additional assistance use BitTorrent DNA support.

The following is the list of requirements for your distribution infrastructure to conform to ideal DNA requirements:

Web-servers:

• You must have access to web servers and have permissions to host a DNA JavaScript file to be provided by BitTorrent Inc.
• You must have permissions to adjust HTML on your website to load the DNA JavaScript file on each relevant page and be able to modify content URLs on the page to invoke functions that the DNA JavaScript file provides.

Content-servers and Content:

• Your content servers must support “range requests” and should support “persistent” or “keep-alive” connections of at least 2 seconds duration.
• You must have exclusive use of the domain or domains from which the content is served.
• You must know the fully qualified URL or URLs for each piece of content to be DNA-enabled.
• The fully qualified URL or URLs for each piece of content must be persistent over time.
• The actual files to which the fully qualified URL or URLs point must remain unchanged over time.
• Content servers must not require any form of authentication to enable downloads. BitTorrent DNA only supports HTTP (HTTPS is not yet supported).
• All popular content servers are supported with the exception of Microsoft IIS v5.1 (which does not support range requests).

2. Include DNA Video Player embed code on your website.

If the content entered into the Publish File text box conforms to the Basic DNA Integration Requirements then a DNA Video Player will be generated.

Note: a DNA Video Player will only be generated if the file entered into Publish File is one of the following extension types:

• FLV
• MP4
• MOV
• M4V
• F4V
• 3GP

Any other file type will result in the generation of the DNA Downloader instead (as all other file types are unsupported by the DNA Video Player).

The DNA Video Player is an embeddable SWF flash player, provided by BitTorrent, which is pre-integrated to provide Progressive Download streaming of video files thru the DNA peer network.  The DNA Video Player is only able to use the DNA peer network if the DNA client is installed on an end-user’s computer.  By default the Player will suggest users who do not have DNA to install DNA prior to playing the video (this a configurable behavior – see 4 for more details)

Embed code will be provided that can be included in HTML in order to embed the DNA Video Player on web pages of your site.  End users that use this Player will watch the video file specified in Publish File, delivered thru the DNA peer network.

By default the embed code will remote link to the .SWF file for the Player which is hosted by bittorrent.com.   If instead you choose to host a copy of this .SWF file yourself, you must be prepared to update it in order to keep up with any updates to the Player software (new features and/or bug fixes) made by BitTorrent, Inc.  Using remote linking to the .SWF file will ensure that the Downloader automatically remains updated to the latest version by BitTorrent, Inc.

DNA can also be integrated into existing SWF flash players (rather than using BitTorrent provided DNA Video Player) thru either a JavaScript or ActionScript integration

3. (Optional) Customize the behavior and appearance of the DNA Video Player

Publish File also enables the DNA Video Player to be optionally customized.  On the DNA Video Player generation screen selecting Customization Options will expose a variety of parameters that can be modified to tailor the height/width, autoplay, theme color, DNA client requirement behaviors.

General Settings

Figure: DNA Video Player theme color – green (default)