Replace Flash Videos With QuickTime, VLC, And WMP Compatible Videos [Extension]
According to some estimates, online video streaming amounts for majority of bandwidth utilization per month for an average user. Watching videos on websites, such as, Youtube, Vimeo, and Blip.tv can be quite frustrating as one has to wait for a longer period time for the video to completely stream. Other than bandwidth limitations, the slowdown can also occur due to the relatively high CPU utilization that FLV plugins take as compared to some other kinds of media players. FLV Replacer is a Firefox extension that allows users to instantly replace FLV streaming flash videos with media player plugins, such as, VLC Player, Windows Media Player and Quick Time Player, for more seamless playback.
Playing FLV files on such plugins can reduce the CPU usage and help users stream multiple videos more easily. After installation, the FLV Replacer button can be located next to the address bar in Mozilla Firefox. Clicking on the button opens an interface that allows users to choose the media player for streaming video. The same interface also allows you to change the quality settings of the video that you wish to stream. For example, users can select high,medium and low quality settings for viewing their videos.
The FLV Replacer extension does not open the streaming video separately but rather allows the streaming to continue on the same webpage. To use this extension, you will require Quick Time Player, Windows Media Player, or VLC Player compatible plugins. In their absence, you will be prompted to install them in order to use this extension.
By using FLV Replacer, users can also be saved from the hassle of installing stand alone FLV players to view videos online and can make more effective use of their PC resources by using lighter media player plugins to allow smooth streaming of multiple videos. However, I would have loved this extension even more if it also provided an option to allow users to download videos and view them offline with Windows Media player and Quick Time Player. Keep in mind that according to the developer, VLC Player plugin is not working well. This extension works with Firefox 3.0 and above.
FLV Replacer Extension for Mozilla Firefox (Removed from Mozilla Add-Ons section by developer)
