Joomla installation
jVideoDirect is a video sharing component built on Joomla framework.
For the very first thing, you need Joomla to be properly setup.
Once you have installed Joomla,
goto administrator > components > jVideoDirect > configuration
and save configuration. This will generate a configuration file for jVideoDirect.
jVideoDirect has incorporated a "checkup" tool to check basic requirement of your php settings
and test run some operations that will be used by jVideoDirect.
Make sure all tests are passed before proceed.
For users who have converter installed and like to use video upload features. You need to goto "tester"
to trial run video transcoding procedures.
A nice, clean and short URL for jVideoDirect is also a great option for your users.
It helps your users to memorize their channels or groups and it's easier for them to share it.
see Configuration for reference. To achieve it, you can play around with the three switches in
administrator > Site > Global Configuration > SEO Settings.
Typically, "Search Engine Friendly URL" and "Use Apache Mod_rewrite" is enabled.
jVideoDirect installation
Installation of jVideoDirect is very simple.
Simply, goto administrator > extensions > install/uninstall
and load up jVideoDirect component, modules and plugins files
There are a couple of plugin types and they are installed at a different location.
see Features - Others for reference.
Remark:
- CB plugin is required to be installed within CB component.
- jVideoDirect addon plugins is required to be installed at
administrator > components > jVideoDirect > plugins
Configuration
We tried to make everything simple. We also hope that you will found it simple too. 
Once jVideoDirect component is successfully installed, you should first create at least one category before adding any video.
Menu Items
All necessary "Menu Items" have already created for you in the main menu. All you need to do is to move them to your preferenced menu and adjust their access level if required. Of course, you can leave it as it is. jVideoDirect will check rather or not a user can access members area.
Configuration file
jVideoDirect uses a configuration file as working settings and database as permanent configuration storage. To create the first configuration file, you need to go to
administrator > components > jVideoDirect > configuration and press "save". We recommend it's done straight after installation of component package.
Configuration of jVideoDirect is very straight forward. All parameters have an explaination at the side to assist you to choose your preference. Most of them are self-explained.
Shared Hosting
Video converters* are likely not available on typlical shared hosting. If your site is hosted with a shared hosting plan or a machine that does not equiped with video converters*, you can still use jVideoDirect simply goto
administrator > components > jVideoDirect > configuration > upload and switch on "Fetch Link Only".
Videos can be added in embed mode. No video conversion and users upload will take place. However, administrators can manually upload video files in batch at components > jVideoDirect > import
To get more from jVideoDirect you may need a dedicated server or VPS hosting plan.
Dedicated Server
Dedicated Server, VPS hosting plan or media hosting plan.
You need to prepare converter on your server. See Server Preparation for reference.
You need to fill up all command paths in components > jVideoDirect > configuration > converter.
Although jVideoDirect has detected it for you during installation, it is always a good practise to double check by using below command if you are using linux
>which ffmpeg
>which mencoder and etc...
If you don't have access to server shell or terminal, please contact your server administrator for the full path of those commands.
If you plan to use Perl uploader (with realtime progress bar), we have already put together the software portion.
In order to make it works, you need to take care of a couple of things
- Your need to make sure that ScriptAlias of cgi-bin is set to joomla/cgi-bin or public-html/cgi-bin
- Make sure permissions are set properly especialy if suexec is used.
* Remarks
Video converters - Ffmpeg, Mencoder, Mplayer and Flvtool2
Uploader - Perl, Flash and / or PHP