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I will start by stating what is required for this to work for you.  Any website containing videos in a flash format (typically ending in .flv) that can be accessed via FTP (file transfer protocol) hosted on a machine with PHP scripting capability.  This covers the majority of the linux/unix webhosting out there that let you install or add on a pre-made video script such as PHP-motion. The second prerequisite a desktop computer running windows XP or Vista that has a cable / DSL internet connection.

If you are using windows hosting I don’t know if this will work.  If it is windows hosting that also has PHP it might work but that has never been tested.

The primary focus of this article will deal with how I did this on my site http://www.funnyvideoguy.com and hopefully it will get you started if you wish to do the same.

A basic overview of how it will work is this:

1) The original videos in FLV format reside on the server in whatever directory the video script uploads them into when they are added to your site. DCU (Download, Upload, Convert) software connects to the server via FTP and compares the files on the server to determine which of the original videos in FLV format have a file of the same name in MP4 format. For example if the video filename is 1.flv it checks to see if 1.mp4 exists.

2) If 1.mp4 does not exist download a copy of the original 1.flv file and convert it into 1.mp4

3) Upload the newly converted 1.mp4 back up to the server.

To make this happen the first thing to do is get DCU (Download, Convert, Upload) software for free from FVG software by right-clicking then choosing ‘Save Link As’ on the following link

http://www.fvgsoftware.com/DCU/DCU.msi

Once, the file has finished downloading double click it or right-click then choose install to install it.

When installation has completed start DCU from the start menu or the icon on your desktop. Enter your ftp server info into the boxes at the top and click the TEST button to check if the connection is working.

If you have any problems with this login to your webhosting account/control panel and look for an FTP option there. Info for connecting via FTP client should be there somewhere.  This info will include server name, something like ftp.your-host-name.com, port number 21 and username and password.

Once that the FTP connection is working select both radio buttons labeled ‘Remote Directory via FTP’ under ‘Get files to convert from:’ and ‘Put converted files into:’ The textbox below the radio buttons should both contain a forword slash ‘/’ indicating the root directory of your ftp account.  Then, find the directory the original video files are located in, for my installation of PHPmotion script the location of the original video files is in /public_html/uploads. To move up and down in the directories on the server double-click on the directory names shown in the listbox.  The names in bold are directory names and the non-bold are the files in the current directory. Use the double dots ‘..’ to move back up a directory.  Once you find the directory the original files are located in and you have choosen the output directory I recommend using the same directory in which the original files are stored.

The listbox in the lower-left shows the files that need to be downloaded, converted, and uploaded. And, the listbox on the lower-right is a log of converted files.

All that is left is to click the ‘Convert Files’ button to get the converting of files underway.

Ok, one more thing is needed for this to work out well. In the template folder edit the play.php file but by adding this code to the code.

$download_url = “Sorry, No MP4 is available for this video.” ;

$newname = ‘uploads/’ . $result["video_id"] . ‘.mp4′ ;

if (file_exists($newname)) { $download_url = “Right-click to download this in MP4 format” ;

and put it in just before this bit of code.

//get members personal information

$sql = “SELECT * FROM member_profile WHERE user_id = $member_id”;

$query = @mysql_query($sql);

@$result = @mysql_fetch_array($query);

$member_username = $result["user_name"];