Just one nodus after another. . .

nodus (NOH-duhs) plural nodi (NOH-dy) noun

MEANING: A complicated situation or problem. ETYMOLOGY: From Latin nodus (knot). Ultimately from the Indo-European root ned- (to bind), which is also the source of node, noose, annex, connect, ouch, nettle, and denouement.

Yep, that's me, I've been plagued by nodi the last 3 months! Actuallly, it hasn't been quite 3 months since I started this project, but it's getting mighty close. And I am sooooo close to being ready to 'go live'!

I have the book done. I have the bonus reports done. I have the sales page, and other necessary pages done. The membership site... well, as of today I think I've *finally* got it whipped. It has been a week in the making, but I think the vendor and membership softwares are now talking to each other correctly.

My last major hurdle is streaming video. I'm beginning to hate it. Unfortunately, I have 71 videos I need to put in on the membership site. I thought I'd put a link there and people watch the video and easy-peasy, right?

Ha! And again I say, HA!

First off, with that many videos, I can't reliably host them on my website. I ended up learning how to use Amazon S3 (Simple Storage Service). Or at least, learning enough to get my videos uploaded and viewable and the links I need. (That's fodder for another post... on how many things I have had to learn to do this: how many videos I've watched, manuals I've read, research and reports and.... !!!)

Anyway, you can't just put the links on the site. You need a PLAYER for the video. And there's the rub.

I've looked at shareware but can't use it on a commercial site. I've looked at services for 'building' the players for each video, but there's a monthly fee. I looked at a whole lot of software, but wow! $90 a site, and for unlimited use anywhere from $1000-$2000.

I finally found a reasonably priced software that is supposed to work on html or php files (I'm using both), will work within a membership site, will work with mp4 files, and will also work with videos hosted on AS3.

But you caught that one little word didn't you? SUPPOSED to work. I've tried every combination I can think of for files, folders, server paths, etc. I've spent days trying to make this work. I've emailed support a dozen times.

It *looks* simple. And I get a nice player on the page... but it doesn't play the video! I've tried and tried and still no success. I work and work until I finally fall in bed exhausted when I can't focus my eyes any more to try something else.

To parapharase Thomas Edison, "I now know a thousand ways not to get a video to play."

But one of these days, and soon (I hope!), the light bulb is going to come on and those dadratted videos are going to play correctly!

And then, my friends, it's going to be time to 'party hearty dudes'!