Digitizing Video: for Drupal Websites

Providing a Source File

To embed a video into a page using the Drupal video player, a project manager must first arrange for a video file to be given to a member of the Creative Services web area. (Note that we generally do not allow YouTube videos on our Drupal sites.)

Requesting a Video from Rutgers Today

The project manager should send a message to Karen Smith (ksmith@ur.rutgers.edu) requesting the video file. Specify where you want the video to be placed in the Groups network. (Usually, it is placed in Jessica Walker’s folder in Share.)

Requesting a Video from RU-tv

The project manager should send a message to the member of the Creative Services web area who will be adding the video to the Drupal site. The web area member will then pull the video from RU-iptv. (The web area member may need to work with Jennifer Toone in RU-tv to match the video description with the RU-tv file naming scheme.)

Requesting a Video from another Source

Videos are generally too big to be emailed. Therefore, one of the best methods would be to have the video sent to Davidson Hall on a CD or data DVD. The project manager would have to contact the person who has the video file and request this CD or data DVD to be sent to Davidson Hall. The disc should then be provided to the person who is converting the video file.

Another good method is available if the person providing the video has their own server space. He or she could then provide a link to the file on the server, which then the person who is converting the video file could download and work with.

Video File Format

  • Video provided to the web area can be in the MOV, AVI, WMV, MPG, or MP4 formats.
  • Please note that the following format will not work: FLV.

Video Location on a Web Page

The project manager must also specify where the video is to be located on the page. This will help the person encoding the video know what size to make it.

The following are possible video placements, and one of the sizes the video must then conform to:

  • Sidebar (panel page site): 200px wide
  • Sidebar (platform site): 180px wide
  • Body text area: 420px wide
  • Core site homepage banner area: 230px tall

Note that it is ideal if the video file provided is larger than the specs above. (This is because increasing the width and height of the original video file will cause pixilation and distortion. So, better to size down than size up.)