on iphone, how can i stream several videos one after one? - iphone

Right now i am use using mpmovieplayercontroller, but i need to close mpmovieplayercontroller for play another video.
Is there a way to play several videos without closing the mpmovieplayercontroller?
thx

You can subscribe to your MPMoviePlayerController's MPMoviePlayerPlaybackDidFinishNotification notification.
For example, you have:
// this is a PoC code, you can do it a lot cleaner
// in your .h
#property (nonatomic, retain) MPMoviePlayerController *moviePlayer;
#property (nonatomic, retain) NSMutableArray *movieUrls;
int indexPlayed;
// in your .m
- (void)setupPlayer { // or in your constructor, viewDidLoad, etc
moviePlayer = [[MPMoviePlayer alloc] init];
movieUrls = [NSMutableArray arrayWithObjects:nil, nil, nil]; // add your movie NSURLs here
indexPlayed = 0;
[[NSNotificationCenter defaultCenter] addObserver:self selector:#selector(playerPlay:) name:MPMoviePlayerPlaybackDidFinishNotification object:moviePlayer];
[self playerPlay:nil];
}
- (void)playerPlay:(NSNotification *)n {
if (indexPlayed < [movieUrls count]) {
moviePlayer.contentURL = [movieUrls objectAtIndex:indexPlayed++];
[moviePlayer play];
}
}

Related

MPMoviePlayerViewController won't play larger mp4 files

What I have are 2 links to 2 versions of the same movie, one in lower definition the other in higher, both .mp4 format.
It plays the low-def just fine, but when I click the link for the HD version the movie player pops up like it should then dismisses itself back to the original view controller. If I click it again, it works, but the first try usually fails. Like something with threading is going on and succeeding or not. From what I've read it's an issue with ARC but I can't seem to get it right.
I want to use the MPMoviePlayerViewController because I like how it by default acts as a modal popup. I tried with a MPMoviePlayerController but you have to set the view then handle rotations it seems.
I'm not getting any crashes or any warnings in the log inside Xcode either.
Here's my code:
#interface VideoInfoViewController ()
#property (nonatomic, strong) MPMoviePlayerController *player;
#end
- (IBAction)playLowVideo:(id)sender {
[self playVideoFromURL:[NSURL URLWithString:_video.video_url_low]];
}
- (IBAction)playHDVideo:(id)sender {
[self playVideoFromURL:[NSURL URLWithString:_video.video_url_HD]];
}
- (void)playVideoFromURL:(NSURL *)url {
MPMoviePlayerViewController *playerViewController = [[MPMoviePlayerViewController alloc] initWithContentURL:url];
_player = playerViewController.moviePlayer;
_player.scalingMode = MPMovieScalingModeFill;
[_player prepareToPlay];
[self presentMoviePlayerViewControllerAnimated:playerViewController];
}
ETA:
found this tutorial: http://josebolanos.wordpress.com/2011/09/28/dismissing-mpmovieplayerviewcontroller-the-right-way/
- (void)playVideoFromURL:(NSURL *)url {
MPMoviePlayerViewController *player = [[MPMoviePlayerViewController alloc] initWithContentURL:url];
[self presentModalViewController:player animated:YES];
[player.moviePlayer prepareToPlay];
[player.moviePlayer play];
}
still doesn't work.

How to target NSNotification for different MPMoviePlayerControllers?

I'm trying to create an app that displays a unique info page after different videos play. Currently, I am displaying the info page with the moviePlayBackDidFinish notification method but I can't figure out how to customize it for different videos. Here's my code...thanks very much in advance!!
EDIT after subclassing movieplayercontroller...how do I use new property in NSNotification?
//subclassed movieplayercontroller
myMovie.h
#import <UIKit/UIKit.h>
#import <MediaPlayer/MediaPlayer.h>
#interface myMovie: MPMoviePlayerViewController
{
myMovie *videoPlayer;
}
#property (nonatomic, strong) NSString *movieTitle;
#end
myMovie.m
#import "myMovie.h"
#interface myMovie ()
#end
#implementation myMovie
#synthesize movieTitle;
#end
//main viewcontroller
videoPlayViewController.h
#import <UIKit/UIKit.h>
#import <MediaPlayer/MediaPlayer.h>
#import "View2.h"
#import "myMovie.h"
#interface videoPlayViewController : UIViewController
-(IBAction) playMovie;
videoPlayViewController.m
#import "videoPlayViewController.h"
#import "myMovie.h"
#interface videoPlayViewController ()
#end
#implementation videoPlayViewController
-(void)playMovie
{
NSURL *url = [NSURL fileURLWithPath:[[NSBundle mainBundle]
pathForResource:#"sample" ofType:#"mov"]];
myMovie *videoPlayer = [[myMovie alloc]
initWithContentURL:url];
[[NSNotificationCenter defaultCenter] addObserver:self
selector:#selector(moviePlayBackDidFinish:)
name:MPMoviePlayerPlaybackDidFinishNotification
object:videoPlayer.moviePlayer];
videoPlayer.moviePlayer.controlStyle = MPMovieControlStyleDefault;
videoPlayer.moviePlayer.shouldAutoplay = NO;
videoPlayer.movieTitle = #"sample";
[self.view addSubview:videoPlayer.view];
[videoPlayer.moviePlayer setFullscreen:YES animated:YES];
}
- (void) moviePlayBackDidFinish:(NSNotification*)notification {
MPMoviePlayerController *player = [notification object];
[[NSNotificationCenter defaultCenter]
removeObserver:self
name:MPMoviePlayerPlaybackDidFinishNotification
object:player];
NSLog(#"Is this working?");
View2 *second =[[View2 alloc] initWithNibName:nil bundle:nil];
[self presentModalViewController:second animated:YES];
[player.view removeFromSuperview];
}
Create a subclass of MPMoviePlayerController with a property (or many properties) to hold the info that you need when the video ends. Then, when the video ends, you'll get your customized MPMoviePlayerController in the notification object, and you can inspect the properties to find out whatever it was that you wanted to know about the movie that ended.

MPMoviePlayerViewController movie plays without being asked

I have a problem using MPMoviePlayerViewController. I'm trying to initialize the movie on viewDidLoad and then play the movie on touchesBegan. But the movie initially starts playing and on touchesBegan it only shows the finished movie.
ViewController.h file
#interface ViewController : UIViewController{
MPMoviePlayerController *moviePlayer;
MPMoviePlayerViewController *mpviewController;
MPMovieControlStyle controlStyle;}
- (IBAction)touchesBegan:(id)sender;
#property (nonatomic) MPMovieControlStyle controlStyle;
#end
ViewController.m
- (void)touchesBegan:(NSSet *)touches withEvent:(UIEvent *)event{
[self.view addSubview:mpviewController.view];
[moviePlayer play]; }
- (void)viewDidLoad
{
NSString *movpath = [[NSBundle mainBundle]
pathForResource:#"my_moviefile"
ofType:#"m4v"];
mpviewController =
[[MPMoviePlayerViewController alloc]
initWithContentURL:[NSURL fileURLWithPath:movpath]];
[[NSNotificationCenter defaultCenter]
addObserver:self
selector:#selector(movieFinishedCallback:)
name:MPMoviePlayerPlaybackDidFinishNotification
object:mpviewController];
MPMoviePlayerController *mp = [mpviewController moviePlayer];
// [mp setMovieControlMode:MPMovieControlModeHidden];
// [mp.view setFrame:CGRectMake(0, 0, 250, 263)];
mp.controlStyle = MPMovieControlStyleNone;
[mp prepareToPlay];
[super viewDidLoad];
}
If I put all the code in touchesBeganit works as expected, but the movie still has to load, but I want to preload it and then do something again when it finished playing.
Any clues?
Regards
Consider putting your [super viewDidLoad] at the top of your viewDidLoad implementation. This often causes unpredictable problems.
Also, just try adding [mp pause] and mp.currentPlaybackTime = 0; at the end of viewDidLoad.
Make sure you set MPMoviePlayerController's property shouldAutoplay to NO when initializing the player.
From the Reference:
shouldAutoplay
A Boolean that indicates whether a movie should begin playback automatically.
#property (nonatomic) BOOL shouldAutoplay
Discussion
The default value of this property is YES. This property determines
whether the playback of network-based content begins automatically
when there is enough buffered data to ensure uninterrupted playback.
Availability
Available in iOS 3.2 and later.
Declared In
MPMoviePlayerController.h

Calling another UIViewController

I'm in a UITableView and the user has watched a video. After the video I would like the user to take a test. Just can't figure out how to call this view controller so I can start the test.
Im in the PlayListViewController and want to call the TestViewController.
The TestViewController.h is imported. At this stage all there is in the TestViewController is what comes with UIViewController and some stuff that I added in .xib. The test coding isn't done yet (that will be the next problem).
I would greatly appreciate if someone has the time to give me directions.
-(void) movieFinishedPlaying: (NSNotification *) note {
[[NSNotificationCenter defaultCenter]
removeObserver:self
name:MPMoviePlayerPlaybackDidFinishNotification
object:[player moviePlayer]];
[player release];
NSLog(#"Video has finished playing\n");
// To the test
UIAlertView *alert = [[UIAlertView alloc] initWithTitle:#"Info"
message:#"Now for the test!"
delegate:nil
cancelButtonTitle:#"OK"
otherButtonTitles: nil];
[alert show];
[alert release];
// Call on test here
TestViewController *testVC = [[TestViewController alloc] init];
[self presentModalViewController:testVC animated:YES];
[testVC release];
}
I have this in the TestViewController.h
#import <UIKit/UIKit.h>
#interface TestViewController : UIViewController {
UIWindow *tVC;
UIViewController *testVC;
}
#property (nonatomic, retain) IBOutlet UIWindow *tVC;
#property (nonatomic, retain) IBOutlet UIViewController *testVC;
#end
And this in the m file
#import "TestViewController.h"
#implementation TestViewController
#synthesize testVC, tVC;
Register for MPMoviePlayerPlaybackDidFinishNotification notification before playing video (I guess you are using MPMoviePlayerController to play video, right?):
[[NSNotificationCenter defaultCenter] addObserver:self selector:#selector(playerPlaybackDidFinish:) name:MPMoviePlayerPlaybackDidFinishNotification object:playerViewController];
and when it get's fired, present him the instance of TestViewController modally and unregister the notification:
- (void)playerPlaybackDidFinish:(NSNotification*)notification
{
TestViewController *testVC = [[TestViewController alloc] init];
[self presentModalViewController:testVC animated:YES];
[testVC release];
[[NSNotification defaultCenter] removeObserver:self name:MPMoviePlayerPlaybackDidFinishNotification object:playerViewController];
}
presentModalViewController is deprecated in ios 6 so now it is
ViewController *vc = [[ViewController alloc]init];
[self presentViewController:vc animated:YES completion:NULL];

MPMoviePlayerController switching movies causes white flash

I have a small UIView that displays a repeated movie. When the user taps a button another movie is loaded and displayed in the same UIView.
The problem is that there is a half second "flash" between the removing of the first movie and the displaying of the second. Is there any to remove this?
- (void) setUpMovie:(NSString*)title {
NSString *url = [[NSBundle mainBundle] pathForResource:title ofType:#"mp4"];
MPMoviePlayerController *player = [[MPMoviePlayerController alloc] initWithContentURL:[NSURL fileURLWithPath:url]];
[[player view] setFrame:self.movieView.bounds];
[self.movieView addSubview:player.view];
if ([title isEqualToString:#"Bo_idle_02"]) {
[player setRepeatMode:MPMovieRepeatModeOne];
} else {
[player setRepeatMode:MPMovieRepeatModeNone];
}
[player setControlStyle:MPMovieControlStyleNone];
[player play];
}
- (void) startDanceAnimation { [self setUpMovie:#"Bo_dance_02"]; return; }
I managed to get my movies changing without the white flash using the AVFoundation as suggested previously. sudo code below, hope it helps someone :)
Apples reference docs can be found here and I used them to get most of my information:
http://developer.apple.com/library/ios/#documentation/AudioVideo/Conceptual/AVFoundationPG/Articles/00_Introduction.html#//apple_ref/doc/uid/TP40010188-CH1-SW3
The first thing I did was to add the following class, called PlayerView (can't remember where I got it sorry) to my project. Its a subclass of UIView and its the view that the movie will be displayed in. Once you add it to your project open UI Builder, add a new view to an existing xib and change its class to PlayerView. Connect this using an IBOutlet. Again remember this is the view that will display the movie.
PlayerView.h
#import
#import
#import
#interface PlayerView : UIView {
AVPlayer *player;
}
#property (nonatomic,retain) AVPlayer *player;
#end
PlayerView.m
#import "PlayerView.h"
#implementation PlayerView
#synthesize player;
+ (Class)layerClass {
return [AVPlayerLayer class];
}
- (AVPlayer*)player {
return [(AVPlayerLayer *)[self layer] player];
}
- (void)setPlayer:(AVPlayer *)player {
[(AVPlayerLayer *)[self layer] setPlayer:player];
}
- (void) dealloc {
[super dealloc];
[player release];
}
#end
In the ViewContoller that displays the movies I have the following:
DisplayMovies.h
#import
#import
#class PlayerView;
#interface DisplayMovies : UIViewController {
IBOutlet AVPlayer *player;
AVPlayerItem *movieOneItem;
AVPlayerItem *movieTwoItem;
}
#property (nonatomic, retain) AVPlayer *player;
#property (retain) AVPlayerItem *movieOneItem;
#property (retain) AVPlayerItem *movieTwoItem;
DisplayMovies.m
#implementation DisplayMovies
#synthesize player, movieOneItem, movieTwoItem;
- (void)viewDidLoad {
// load the two movies
NSURL *movieOneItemURL = [[NSBundle mainBundle] URLForResource:#"movieOne" withExtension:#"mp4"];
AVURLAsset *movieOneItemAsset = [AVURLAsset URLAssetWithURL:movieOneItemURL options:nil];
self.movieOneItem = [AVPlayerItem playerItemWithAsset:movieOneItemAsset];
[[NSNotificationCenter defaultCenter] addObserver:self
selector:#selector(movieOneItemDidReachEnd:)
name:AVPlayerItemDidPlayToEndTimeNotification
object:self.movieOneItem];
NSURL *movieTwoItemURL = [[NSBundle mainBundle] URLForResource:#"movieTwo" withExtension:#"mp4"];
AVURLAsset *movieTwoItemAsset = [AVURLAsset URLAssetWithURL:movieTwoItemURL options:nil];
self.movieTwoItem = [AVPlayerItem playerItemWithAsset:movieTwoItemAsset];
[[NSNotificationCenter defaultCenter] addObserver:self
selector:#selector(movieTwoItemDidReachEnd:)
name:AVPlayerItemDidPlayToEndTimeNotification
object:self.movieTwoItem];
[self.player play];
}
- (void) movieOneItemDidReachEnd:(NSNotification*)notification {
// play movie two once movie one finishes
[self.player seekToTime:kCMTimeZero];
[self.player replaceCurrentItemWithPlayerItem:self.movieTwoItem];
[self.player play];
}
- (void) movieTwoItemDidReachEnd:(NSNotification*)notification {
// play movie one once movie two finishes
[self.player seekToTime:kCMTimeZero];
[self.player replaceCurrentItemWithPlayerItem:self.movieOneItem];
[self.player play];
}
The solution posted above didn't work for me. I was still getting short flashes between tracks. I was able to solve the problem by creating two views each with its own AVPlayer. I set them both playing and then switch between them by hiding the top view. This got rid of the flash, and I was able to animate a transition between the two tracks by hiding the top view by setting its alpha to 0.0 instead of using setHidden. Here is my code:
AVPlayerItem *theAsset = [self generatePlaylistAssetWithVideoOne]; //In my app this returns an AVPlayer Item
layerView1 = [[VideoLayerView alloc] initWithFrame:CGRectMake(-50, 0, 580, 320)]; //VideoLayerView is a subclass of UIView with the video layer stuff added in.
[layerView1 setPlayer:thePlayer];
[thePlayer play];
[self.view addSubview:layerView1];
AVPlayerItem *theAsset2 = [self generatePlaylistAssetWithVideoTwo];
[thePlayer2 setActionAtItemEnd:AVPlayerActionAtItemEndNone];
layerView2 = [[VideoLayerView alloc] initWithFrame:CGRectMake(-50, 0, 580, 320)];
[layerView2 setPlayer:thePlayer2];
[thePlayer2 play];
[self.view addSubview:layerView2];
Then to animate between the videos I used:
if (water) //Water is a BOOL set up earlier in the file
{
[UIView beginAnimations:nil context:NULL];
[UIView setAnimationDuration:0.5];
///DO STUFF
[layerView2 setAlpha:0];
[UIView commitAnimations];
water = NO;
}
else
{
[UIView beginAnimations:nil context:NULL];
[UIView setAnimationDuration:0.5];
///DO STUFF
[layerView2 setAlpha:1.0];
[UIView commitAnimations];
water = YES;
}
To change the videos, you just need to set the hidden view to start playing what you want and then do the switch after the flash.
I still have to come back to this project but I have received some more advice. I will be back working on this project in hopefully two weeks so I will let ye know which solution worked (fingers crossed) for me. In the mean time here's my options:
1.
You won't be able to use MPMoviePlayerController to switch the movie without a flash.
As an alternative, you can use AV Foundation. The AVPlayer -replaceCurrentItemWithPlayerItem: method will seamlessly transition from the old player item to the new one without flashes.
For more information about programming with AV Foundation, see the "AV Foundation Programming Guide" which you can find here:
http://developer.apple.com/library/ios/documentation/AudioVideo/Conceptual/AVFoundationPG/
2.
You can merge all your movies into a single (large) movie, then use the MPMediaPlayback currentPlaybackTime / endPlaybackTime properties to "select" and play the desired movie (within the large movie). If you use this technique you'll also need to make sure there's a key frame at the point in time where the new movie starts.
3.
Alternately, create a single MPMoviePlayerController object, use the -setContentURL: to set the new movie URL, and take advantage of the backgroundView property to make a more seamless transition. The backgroundView is automatically sized with the view property, but it will be hidden before the movie is preloaded. You can put a black view behind both movie views, and then make the backgroundView's backgroundColor = black, which should make it appear more seamless.
Hope this helps.
Find solution here http://joris.kluivers.nl/blog/2010/01/04/mpmovieplayercontroller-handle-with-care/ from iOS 6 you need to use [self.moviePlayer prepareToPlay]; and catch MPMoviePlayerReadyForDisplayDidChangeNotification to use [self.moviePlayer play];