The NaviSite-TV project came from a video library playback requirement for a website that eMagine was designing for NaviSite. The client wanted a video library browser and viewer that integrated tightly with the content management system so that video content could be easily maintained and published as it changed over time. The target environment selected for implementing the video functionality on this project was Adobe Flash and Actionscript 3 since it provided broad browser support, high performance, and the ability to easily integrate with XML feeds generated by EZ-Edit, the client’s content management system.

Key requirements for this project included the ability to support video libraries of any size and organized by group, the ability to share videos with friends and to link back to specific videos in the library, full-screen playback capability, optional product information linking, and support for integrated sales information e-mail requests for products or services associated with each video. This project was implemented in a way that enabled it to be easily re-skinned or repurposed for different clients as future requirements dictated. The project was delivered on time and within budget along with full documentation.

Technical information

The NaviSite-TV video browser and player was implemented using Adobe Flash and Actionscript 3. A reusable class library was created to control the user interface functionality and an XML data feed was used to define the list of videos and groups to be displayed along with associated product and e-mail link information. Page-level parameters were provided for runtime configuration of the player for embedded or standalone operation, auto playback of specified videos, location of media, and XML data source URL. Additional highlights included the design of an Actionscript 3 class library for parsing the XML, managing the player UI, and integrating with page-level controls and e-mail functionality. A scalable (vector) version of original Photoshop design was also created to support high-fidelity playback at full screen resolutions.

Tools & Technologies

• Adobe Flash
• Actionscript 3
• Javascript
• XML
• Adobe Photoshop
• Adobe Illustrator