MediaElement.js Released
- July 29th, 2010
- Posted in Uncategorized
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As a demo for ECHO conference, I’m releasing the very first version of MediaElement.js which aims to do something new in the HTML5 world. All HTML5 video players out there today have the following behavior.
- HTML5 video player for HTML5 enabled browsers
- Completely separate Flash player for other browsers
Instead, MediaElement.js is a set of Flash and Silverlight plugins that implement the HTML5 MediaElement API spec. So instead of using Flash as a fallback, MediaElement.js uses Flash as a fallforward that mimics HTML5 for older browsers. Here’s how MediaElement.js works:
- Upgrade all browsers to HTML5 spec
- Build a player on top of the common framework
Here’s what’s happening
The added bonus to this approach is that it levels the codec playing field. In addition to adding HTML5 to IE and other older browsers, this approach also adds H.264 to Firefox and Opera, and when Flash gains WebM capability, it will be able to add WebM to Safari.
Hope you enjoy it!
Wouldn’t it be more accurate to claim that MediaElement.js is a proxy for the new Media API rather than stating that it “is a set of Flash and Silverlight plugins that implement the HTML5 MediaElement API spec?”
When I read that I was a bit confused because it sounded to me like MediaElement.js was pushing all the work over to Flash/Silverlight instead of using the native support at all. Of course thats not really what is happening, its just a smart proxy that meets the same API standard and forwards the messages to a different implementation when necessary…I think marketing the system as a proxy would make the functionality a lot more clear to those of us who are not used to the phrasing offered right now. Just a thought.
Matt,
Thanks for the thoughts. I’m really not sure which one is more clear to people. I’m guessing some folks don’t know the technical definition of “proxy,” and for others “implement the HTML5 MediaElement API spec” is confusing. “Shim” and “polyfill” are other good terms I’ve seen.
John, I just install the WordPress plugin. I have tried to create a test post and embed a short video. When I try to preview the post their is a box for the video player but it is blank or black. When I play the video nothing happens. What do I need to do?