VideoHub Documentation

Build your own WordPress video platform with a useful free core and optional official addons for advanced workflows.

What is VideoHub?

VideoHub is a WordPress plugin that lets you create a responsive video platform with videos, playlists, categories, tags, comments, reactions, search, and shortcodes. The free core works on its own; optional official addons add member, channel, upload, monetization, live, optimization, chat, navigation, shorts, and PWA workflows when your project needs them.

Key Features

• Multi-Platform Support - YouTube, Vimeo, Dailymotion, and self-hosted videos
• Modern UI - Responsive video platform layout for desktop and mobile
• Playlist System - Create and manage video playlists
• Optional Shorts Support - Vertical short-form video experience with the PVH Shorts addon
• Advanced Search - Professional filtering and search system included in the free core
• Reactions & Comments - Full engagement system
• Autoplay - Automatic next video playback
• SEO Friendly - Clean URLs and structured data

Installation

Method 1: WordPress Admin Upload

1. Download the polanger-videohub-lite.zip file from WordPress.org or your release package
2. Go to Plugins → Add New → Upload Plugin
3. Choose the zip file and click Install Now
4. Click Activate Plugin

Method 2: FTP Upload

1. Extract the polanger-videohub-lite.zip file
2. Upload the polanger-videohub-lite folder to /wp-content/plugins/
3. Go to Plugins in WordPress admin
4. Find "VideoHub - Build Your Own Video Platform" and click Activate

Quick Start Guide

Step 1: Configure API Keys (Optional)

For automatic video info fetching, add your API keys:

1. Go to VideoHub → Settings → API Keys
2. Enter your YouTube Data API v3 key
3. Enter your Vimeo Access Token (optional)
4. Click Test to verify keys work
5. Save settings

Step 2: Create Videos Page

1. Create a new page (e.g., "Videos" or "All Videos")
2. Go to VideoHub → Settings
3. Select your page under "Videos Page"
4. The shortcode will be automatically added

Step 3: Add Your First Video

1. Go to VideoHub → Add New
2. Enter the video title
3. Paste the YouTube/Vimeo URL in the Video URL field
4. Click Fetch Info to auto-fill description and thumbnail
5. Select a category
6. Click Publish

System Requirements

Settings

Access plugin settings via VideoHub → Settings in your WordPress admin.

General Settings

• Videos Page - Select the page to display your video archive
• Videos Per Page - Number of videos to show per page (default: 12)
• Videos Per Row - Number of columns in the grid (default: 4)

Video Player Settings

• Autoplay - Enable/disable video autoplay
• Related Videos - Show related videos in sidebar
• Related Videos Count - Number of related videos to display

URL Slugs

• Video Slug - URL slug for videos (default: "video")
• Category Slug - URL slug for categories (default: "video-category")
• Tag Slug - URL slug for tags (default: "video-tag")

API Keys Configuration

YouTube Data API v3

Required for fetching YouTube video information automatically.

1. Go to Google Cloud Console
2. Create a new project or select existing
3. Enable "YouTube Data API v3"
4. Go to Credentials → Create Credentials → API Key
5. Copy the API key and paste in VideoHub settings

Vimeo Access Token

Required for fetching Vimeo video information.

1. Go to Vimeo Developer Portal
2. Create a new app
3. Generate an access token with "Public" scope
4. Copy and paste in VideoHub settings

Dailymotion API Key

Required for fetching Dailymotion video information.

1. Go to Dailymotion Developer
2. Create an application
3. Copy the API key and paste in VideoHub settings

After entering your API key, click the "Test" button next to each field.
A green checkmark indicates the key is valid.
A red X indicates an invalid or expired key.

Homepage Options

Customize which sections appear on your video homepage.

Available Sections

• Hero Banner - Featured video showcase at the top
• Shorts Carousel - Horizontal scrolling shorts (requires Shorts addon)
• Latest Videos - Most recent video uploads
• Trending Videos - Most viewed videos in the last 7 days
• Playlists - Featured playlists section
• Categories - Category-based video sections

Section Settings

For each section, you can configure:

• Enable/Disable the section
• Number of items to display
• Excluded categories (for category sections)

Display Settings

Grid Layout

Thumbnail Sizes

• Small - 320x180px
• Medium - 480x270px (default)
• Large - 640x360px
• HD - 1280x720px

Adding Videos

Video Sources

VideoHub supports multiple video sources:

1. Video URL (Recommended)

Simply paste the video URL from YouTube, Vimeo, or Dailymotion.

YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VIDEO_ID
https://youtu.be/VIDEO_ID

Vimeo:
https://vimeo.com/VIDEO_ID

Dailymotion:
https://www.dailymotion.com/video/VIDEO_ID

2. Self-Hosted Video

Upload video files directly to your WordPress media library.

• Supported formats: MP4, WebM, OGG
• Recommended codec: H.264 for MP4
• Maximum file size depends on your server settings

3. Custom Embed Code

Paste any iframe embed code from other video platforms.

Fetch Info Button

Click "Fetch Info" to automatically retrieve:

• Video title
• Description
• Duration
• Thumbnail (set as featured image)

Bulk Video Import

Import multiple videos at once from YouTube playlists or channels.

Import from YouTube Playlist

1. Go to VideoHub → Bulk Import
2. Select "YouTube Playlist"
3. Paste the playlist URL
4. Select default category
5. Click "Import"

Import from YouTube Channel

1. Go to VideoHub → Bulk Import
2. Select "YouTube Channel"
3. Paste the channel URL
4. Set maximum videos to import
5. Click "Import"

Playlists

Creating a Playlist

1. Go to VideoHub → Playlists → Add New
2. Enter playlist title and description
3. Add videos using the video selector
4. Drag and drop to reorder videos
5. Set a featured image
6. Publish the playlist

Playlist Display

Use the shortcode to display a playlist:

[pvh_playlist id="123"]

Categories & Tags

Video Categories

Organize your videos into categories for better navigation.

• Go to VideoHub → Categories
• Add new categories with name, slug, and description
• Categories support hierarchy (parent/child)
• Each category has its own archive page

Video Tags

Add tags for more granular organization and related video suggestions.

• Go to VideoHub → Tags
• Tags are flat (no hierarchy)
• Used for related video matching

Shortcode Reference

VideoHub shortcodes let you place video platform sections inside pages, posts, widgets, and page builders. Paste a shortcode into the WordPress Shortcode block, Classic Editor, Elementor Shortcode widget, or any builder field that supports WordPress shortcodes.

How to Use Shortcodes in WordPress

1. Open the page or post where you want to show VideoHub content.
2. Add a Shortcode block, or paste the shortcode into the Classic Editor content area.
3. Replace example IDs such as 123 with the real video, playlist, stream, channel, or user ID from your site.
4. Update or publish the page, then view it on the frontend.

Where to Find IDs and Slugs

Common Copy/Paste Recipes

Core Shortcodes

[pvh_home] Shortcode

Displays the complete VideoHub homepage surface. It can show the hero section, latest videos, trending videos, playlists, and category-based sections. Addons can hook extra homepage sections into this layout when active.

[pvh_home]

Parameters

Examples

[pvh_home videos_count="6" playlists_count="3"]

[pvh_home categories="game,technology,news" max_categories="3"]

[pvh_home show_trending="no" show_playlists="no"]

Real-World Examples

[pvh_home]

[pvh_home videos_count="4" playlists_count="2" max_categories="4"]

[pvh_home show_latest="no" show_trending="no" categories="game,news,music"]

[pvh_videos] Shortcode

Displays a customizable grid of VideoHub videos. It supports category, tag, author, ID, sorting, exclusion, offset, and pagination controls.

[pvh_videos]

Parameters

Examples

[pvh_videos count="8" category="gaming"]

[pvh_videos count="10" orderby="views"]

[pvh_videos ids="123,456,789"]

[pvh_videos author="john-doe" count="12" paged="false"]

Most Used: Show One Category Anywhere

Use the category parameter when you want to place videos from one category inside any post, page, sidebar content area, or page builder section.

[pvh_videos category="game"]

[pvh_videos category="game" count="8" columns="4"]

[pvh_videos category="game-news" count="12" columns="3" orderby="date" order="DESC"]

Most Used: Manually Select Videos by ID

Use the ids parameter when you want full control over exactly which videos appear. VideoHub keeps the same order you write in the shortcode.

[pvh_videos ids="5283,5310,5402,5411" count="4" columns="4"]

[pvh_videos ids="5283,5310,5402" count="3" columns="3"]

[pvh_videos ids="5411,5283,5310,5402" count="4" columns="4"]

Real-World Examples

[pvh_videos category="technology" count="12" columns="3"]

[pvh_videos count="8" offset="4" orderby="date"]

[pvh_videos tag="interview,podcast" count="9" columns="3"]

[pvh_videos ids="5283,5310,5402,5411" orderby="rand" count="4"]

[pvh_video] Shortcode

Embeds one VideoHub video player by video post ID. Use it when you want a specific video inside a normal page or post.

[pvh_video id="123"]

Parameters

[pvh_video id="123" width="100%" autoplay="false"]

Real-World Examples

Use this shortcode when you want to place one specific VideoHub video inside a blog post, sales page, documentation page, or lesson page.

[pvh_video id="5283"]

[pvh_video id="5283" width="100%" autoplay="true"]

[pvh_video id="5283"]

[pvh_video id="5310"]

[pvh_categories] Shortcode

Displays VideoHub categories as a grid, list, or pill-style navigation. This is useful for browse pages and category directories.

[pvh_categories]

Parameters

[pvh_categories style="pills" show_count="false"]
[pvh_categories count="12" columns="3"]

Real-World Examples

[pvh_categories]

[pvh_categories style="pills" hide_empty="true" show_count="true"]

[pvh_categories hide_empty="false" columns="4"]

[pvh_playlist] Shortcode

Displays one playlist by playlist post ID. Depending on the style, it can render a grid, list, or player-focused playlist view.

[pvh_playlist id="123"]

Parameters

[pvh_playlist id="123" style="player"]
[pvh_playlist id="123" style="grid" columns="3"]

Real-World Examples

Use this shortcode when you want to create a page for a course, video series, event replay list, or curated collection.

[pvh_playlist id="5310" style="player"]

[pvh_playlist id="5310" style="grid" columns="3"]

[pvh_playlist id="5310" style="list"]

[pvh_channel] Shortcode

In the core plugin, this displays videos by a specific WordPress author ID. When the PVH Channels addon is active, the same shortcode is handled by the Channels addon and can display a full channel by channel ID or slug.

Core Usage

[pvh_channel author="1" count="12" columns="4"]

Channels Addon Usage

[pvh_channel id="123"]
[pvh_channel slug="my-channel"]

Real-World Examples

[pvh_channel author="7" count="12" columns="3"]

[pvh_channel slug="websehri"]

[pvh_channel id="6281"]

[pvh_trending] Shortcode

Displays videos sorted by view count within a recent date window. Use it for lightweight trending sections outside the main homepage.

[pvh_trending count="8" days="7" title="Trending"]

Real-World Examples

[pvh_trending count="8" days="7" title="Trending This Week"]

[pvh_trending count="12" days="30" columns="3" title="Most Viewed This Month"]

[pvh_latest] Shortcode

Displays the newest published videos. Use it for compact recent-upload sections on normal pages.

[pvh_latest count="8" columns="4" title="Latest Videos"]

Real-World Examples

[pvh_latest count="6" columns="2" title="New Videos"]

[pvh_latest count="12" columns="4" title="Latest Uploads"]

[pvh_search] Shortcode

Displays the VideoHub search interface. In the standard package, PVH Search powers this shortcode with tabs, filters, and AJAX-style results.

[pvh_search]

Parameters

[pvh_search placeholder="Search tutorials..."]
[pvh_search show_filters="no"]

Real-World Examples

[pvh_search placeholder="Search videos, playlists, and more..."]

[pvh_search show_filters="no" show_tabs="no" placeholder="Search videos..."]

[pvh_search show_filters="no" show_tabs="yes"]

Official Addon Shortcodes

The following shortcodes are registered by official VideoHub addons. They are available only when the related addon is installed, licensed where required, and active from VideoHub -> Addons.

PVH Auth

[pvh_login_link text="Login"]
[pvh_register_link]Create account[/pvh_register_link]

PVH Auth Real-World Examples

[pvh_login_link text="Login" class="button"]
[pvh_register_link text="Create Account" class="button button-primary"]

[pvh_login_form]

[pvh_profile]

PVH Community

[pvh_community limit="12" title="Community"]
[pvh_community_feed user_id="15" limit="8" title="Creator Updates"]
[pvh_community_messages]
[pvh_community_notifications]

PVH Community Real-World Examples

[pvh_community limit="12" title="Community Wall"]

[pvh_community_feed user_id="42" limit="6" title="Latest Posts"]

PVH Community requires PVH Auth. Its CSS and JavaScript load only on configured Community pages or pages containing these shortcodes.

PVH Channels

[pvh_channel slug="websehri"]
[pvh_channels_list limit="24" orderby="subscribers"]
[pvh_create_channel]

PVH Channels Real-World Examples

[pvh_channels_list limit="24" orderby="subscribers" order="DESC"]

[pvh_create_channel]

[pvh_channel slug="polanger"]

PVH Uploads

PVH Uploads Real-World Examples

[pvh_upload_form]

Place this shortcode on a page named "Upload Video" or "Submit Video". Logged-out visitors will see a login-required message. Users who reached their upload limit will see a permission or limit message instead of the form.

PVH Shorts

[pvh_shorts count="12" category="game"]
[pvh_shorts_carousel count="8" title="Shorts"]

PVH Shorts Real-World Examples

[pvh_shorts_carousel count="8" title="Shorts"]

[pvh_shorts count="20" orderby="date" order="DESC"]

[pvh_shorts category="music" count="12"]

Live Streaming

[pvh_live_streams status="live" limit="6" columns="3"]
[pvh_live_streams_carousel count="8"]
[pvh_live_stream id="123"]

Live Streaming Real-World Examples

[pvh_live_streams limit="12" columns="3"]

[pvh_live_streams status="live" limit="6" columns="3"]

[pvh_live_streams_carousel count="8"]

[pvh_live_stream id="7421"]

Official Addons Without Public Shortcodes

Some addons work through hooks, settings, automatic UI, or background integrations rather than standalone shortcodes. At the time of this documentation, PVH Comments, PVH Reactions, PVH Ads, Premium Content, Marketplace, Media Optimizer, Live Chat, Navigation Panel, and Progressive Web App do not register public shortcodes.

Legacy Compatibility Aliases

VideoHub keeps older pvhl_ shortcodes working for existing sites. New pages should use the pvh_ shortcodes above unless you are maintaining old content.

PVH Shorts Addon

Vertical short-form video support with a fullscreen swipe player.

Features

• Vertical video format (9:16 aspect ratio)
• Fullscreen swipe navigation
• Auto-loop playback
• Touch-friendly mobile interface
• Shorts carousel on homepage
• Dedicated Shorts archive page
• Featured & Trending Shorts sections
• Maximum duration: 60 seconds

Adding a Short

1. Go to VideoHub → Shorts → Add New
2. Enter the short title
3. Paste the vertical video URL
4. Click "Fetch Info"
5. Publish

Shortcode

[pvh_shorts_carousel count="8" title="Shorts"]

Shorts Archive URL

Default: yoursite.com/shorts/

PVH Search

Professional video search and filtering system.

Features

• Real-time search
• Advanced filter panel
• Filter by upload date (Today, This Week, This Month, This Year)
• Filter by type (Videos, Shorts, Playlists)
• Filter by duration (Short <4min, Medium 4-20min, Long >20min)
• Filter by category
• Sort options (Relevance, Date, Views, Rating)
• Type tabs for quick filtering

Filter Options

PVH Reactions

Add engagement features to your videos.

Features

• Like button with count
• Dislike button with count
• Share button (copy link, social sharing)
• Report video functionality
• AJAX-powered (no page reload)
• Works for guests and logged-in users
• Cookie-based tracking for guests

Display

Reactions are automatically displayed below the video player on single video pages.

PVH Comments

Advanced commenting system for videos.

Features

• Threaded replies (up to 2 levels deep)
• Comment voting (upvote/downvote)
• @mentions support with autocomplete
• Sort by: Newest, Oldest, Top Comments
• Lazy loading for performance
• Real-time comment count
• Admin moderation tools
• Spam protection

Settings

• Comments Per Page - Default: 10
• Reply Depth - Maximum: 2 levels
• Guest Comments - Enable/disable
• Moderation - Auto-approve or manual

PVH Auth Addon

Complete frontend authentication system with custom login, register, and profile pages. Transform your video platform into a full membership site.

Features

• Custom Login Page - Modern, styled login form at /login/
• Custom Register Page - User registration with customizable fields at /register/
• User Profile Page - Public profile pages at /profile/{username}/
• Profile Editing - Users can edit their profile, avatar, and cover image
• User Dropdown Menu - Header dropdown with user actions
• Avatar Upload - Custom profile picture upload
• Cover Image - Profile banner/cover image support
• Social Links - Add social media links to profile
• Bio/About Section - User biography field
• Profile Tabs - Extensible tab system for profile sections

Registration Fields

Configure which fields are required during registration:

URLs

• /login/ - Login page
• /register/ - Registration page
• /profile/{username}/ - User profile page
• /my-account/ - Account settings (redirects to profile)

Settings Location

Go to VideoHub → Settings → Auth to configure:

• Enable/disable registration
• Required registration fields
• Email verification settings
• Login redirect URL

Hooks for Developers

// Add items to user dropdown menu
do_action( 'pvh_user_dropdown_menu_items', $user );

// Add tabs to profile page
add_filter( 'pvh_profile_tabs', function( $tabs, $user, $is_own_profile ) {
    $tabs['custom'] = 'Custom Tab';
    return $tabs;
}, 10, 3 );

// Add content to profile tab
do_action( 'pvh_profile_tab_content_{tab_slug}', $profile_user, $is_own_profile );

// Add buttons to profile header
do_action( 'pvh_profile_header_actions', $profile_user );

PVH Community Addon

PVH Community adds a social layer to VideoHub with creator walls, a global community feed, follows, private messaging, notifications, reports, and moderation-ready data structures.

Feature Modules

• Global Wall - A site-wide feed where members can publish community posts.
• Profile Walls - User or creator-specific posts that can later be shown inside profile/channel experiences.
• Follow System - Follow users or channels using dedicated indexed tables.
• Private Messaging - Direct conversations with membership checks and rate limits.
• Notifications - Lightweight records for messages, reactions, follows, and future community events.
• Reports & Moderation Foundation - Report records are stored separately so moderation screens can be expanded without changing the core data model.

Performance Model

Community activity can grow much faster than normal WordPress content. For that reason, PVH Community stores high-volume social data in dedicated tables instead of overloading postmeta. Feed, follows, messages, notifications, and reports each have indexes designed for their main lookup patterns.

• Frontend assets load only on Community shortcodes or configured Community pages.
• Video pages do not receive Community JavaScript or CSS unless a Community surface is actually present.
• REST write actions use rate limiting for posts, comments, reactions, follows, and private messages.
• Feeds are cursor-based and bounded, avoiding large unpaged queries.

Shortcodes

Settings Location

Go to VideoHub → Settings → Community to configure Community pages, enabled modules, feed size, message fetch limits, and rate limits.

PVH Channels Addon

Channel system allowing users to create their own public presence, customize branding, and build subscriber bases.

Features

• Channel Creation - Users can create their own channels
• Channel Customization - Custom banner, avatar, description
• Channel Handle - Unique @handle for each channel
• Subscriber System - Users can subscribe to channels
• Subscriber Count - Display subscriber numbers
• Channel Tabs - Videos, About, Playlists sections
• Social Links - Website, YouTube, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok
• Channel Visibility - Public, Unlisted, or Private channels
• Admin Approval - Optional channel approval workflow
• Multiple Channels - Allow users to create multiple channels

Channel Page Sections

URLs

• /channel/{channel-slug}/ - Channel page
• /create-channel/ - Create new channel
• /edit-channel/{channel-id}/ - Edit channel

Settings Location

Go to VideoHub → Settings → Channels to configure:

• Channel Slug - URL prefix for channels
• Allow Multiple Channels - Let users create more than one channel
• Max Channels Per User - Limit number of channels
• Require Approval - Admin must approve new channels
• Default Visibility - Public, Unlisted, or Private
• Enable Subscriptions - Allow channel subscriptions

Admin Management

Go to VideoHub → Channels to:

• View all channels
• Filter by status (Published, Pending, Suspended)
• Approve or reject pending channels
• Suspend channels that violate policies
• View channel statistics

Channel Visibility Options

PVH Uploads Addon

Allow users to upload their own videos directly from the frontend. Complete video upload system with progress tracking, thumbnail selection, and video management.

Features

• Drag & Drop Upload - Modern upload interface with drag and drop
• Progress Tracking - Real-time upload progress bar
• Video Details Form - Title, description, category, tags
• Thumbnail Upload - Custom thumbnail selection
• Visibility Options - Public, Unlisted, or Private videos
• Upload Limits - Daily and monthly upload quotas
• File Size Limits - Configurable maximum file size
• Format Restrictions - Control allowed video formats
• Role-Based Access - Control which user roles can upload
• Moderation - Optional approval workflow for uploads
• Duplicate Prevention - Prevents accidental double uploads

Upload Page Layout

The upload page features a guided multi-step publishing interface:

• Left Panel - Upload dropzone with drag & drop
• Right Panel - Upload quota, tips, user info
• Progress View - Shows during upload with percentage
• Edit Page - Video details form after upload

URLs

• /upload/ - Video upload page
• /upload/edit/{video-id}/ - Edit uploaded video details

Settings Location

Go to VideoHub → Settings → Uploads to configure:

• Maximum File Size - Max upload size in MB (default: 500MB)
• Daily Upload Limit - Max uploads per day (default: 10)
• Monthly Upload Limit - Max uploads per month (default: 100)
• Max Title Length - Character limit for titles
• Allowed Formats - MP4, WEBM, MOV, AVI, MKV, WMV, FLV, M4V
• Allowed User Roles - Which roles can upload videos
• Require Approval - Videos need admin approval before publishing

Video Status Flow

Pending Video Messages

When a video is pending or suspended:

• For Visitors - "This video is currently under review" message
• For Owner - Yellow/red banner showing status and reason
• Suspended Videos - Shows suspension reason if provided by admin

Upload Button Locations

The upload button appears in multiple locations:

• User dropdown menu
• Profile header (own profile only)
• Header actions area

Premium Content Addon

Sell individual videos through WooCommerce integration. Monetize your video content with pay-per-view functionality.

Features

• Pay-Per-View - Sell individual videos at custom prices
• Preview System - Allow users to preview videos before purchase
• Access Control - Automatic access management after purchase
• Premium Badge - Visual indicator on premium video cards
• WooCommerce Integration - Seamless checkout experience
• My Account Tab - Users can view purchased videos
• Order Management - Track video purchases in WooCommerce orders
• Refund Handling - Automatic access revocation on refund

Setting Up Premium Videos

1. Go to VideoHub → Videos
2. Edit a video or create a new one
3. Find the Premium Content Settings meta box
4. Check "Mark as Premium"
5. Set the Price (e.g., $9.99)
6. Set Preview Duration in seconds (0 = no preview)
7. Publish/Update the video

How It Works

Premium Video Settings

• Price - Set any price in your WooCommerce currency
• Preview Duration - Seconds of free preview (0 to disable)

User Purchase Flow

1. User visits premium video page
2. Sees preview or locked content with price
3. Clicks "Buy Now" button
4. Video added to WooCommerce cart
5. Completes checkout
6. Instant access granted
7. Video appears in My Account → Purchased Videos

Live Streaming Addon

Create and sell live streams from supported providers including YouTube, Twitch, Vimeo, and Dailymotion. Offer free or paid access to real-time broadcasts, scheduled events, and stream replays.

Key Features

• Supported Providers - Embed supported YouTube, Twitch, Vimeo, and Dailymotion stream URLs
• Scheduled Streams - Set start date/time for upcoming broadcasts
• Live Status Indicator - Automatic "LIVE" badge when streaming
• Paid Streams - Sell access to exclusive live content
• Free Streams - Offer free broadcasts to all visitors
• Stream Archive - Keep streams accessible after they end
• Homepage Integration - Live streams section on homepage
• Category Support - Organize streams with VideoHub categories

Creating a Live Stream

1. Go to VideoHub → Live Streams → Add New
2. Enter the Stream Title
3. Add a Description for your stream
4. Set a Featured Image (thumbnail)
5. In the Stream Settings meta box:
   • Paste your supported stream URL, such as YouTube, Twitch, Vimeo, or Dailymotion
   • Set Stream Status (Upcoming, Live, or Ended)
   • Set Scheduled Date/Time for upcoming streams
6. Publish the stream

Stream Status Types

Making a Stream Premium (Paid)

1. Edit your live stream
2. Find the Premium Settings meta box
3. Check "This is a Premium Stream"
4. Set the Price (e.g., $19.99)
5. Update the stream

Homepage Live Streams Section

When the Live Streaming addon is active, a "Live Streams" section automatically appears on your homepage (if using [pvh_home] shortcode). This section:

• Shows currently live streams with priority
• Displays upcoming scheduled streams
• Has a special red glow effect when streams are live
• Links to the full streams archive via "See All"

PVH PWA (Progressive Web App)

Transform VideoHub into an installable mobile app. Users can add your video platform to their home screen and enjoy an app-like experience with offline support.

Key Features

• Installable App - Users can add to home screen on iOS and Android
• Offline Fallback - Shows a friendly offline page when no connection
• Custom Branding - Set your own app name, icons, and theme colors
• Standalone Mode - Runs without browser UI for true app experience
• Install Prompt - Smart banner prompts users to install the app
• iOS Support - Special handling for Safari on iOS devices
• Hide Header/Footer - Option to hide theme elements in PWA mode
• Scope Control - Limit PWA to VideoHub pages only

Configuration

PWA settings are located in VideoHub → Settings → Mobile tab:

Icon Requirements

• 192x192 PNG - Required for Android devices
• 512x512 PNG - Required for splash screens and app stores
• Icons should be square with transparent or solid background
• Use your brand logo or a recognizable icon

How It Works

1. PWA generates a dynamic manifest.json via REST API
2. A Service Worker is registered for the specified scope
3. Users see an install prompt when visiting VideoHub pages
4. After installation, the app runs in standalone mode
5. Offline fallback page is shown when no internet connection

PVH Live Chat

Add real-time chat functionality to your videos and live streams. Users can interact with each other and content creators during video playback.

Key Features

• Adaptive Polling - Smart refresh rates (3s active, 10s slow, 25s idle)
• Typing Indicators - See when others are typing
• Rate Limiting - Prevent spam with user + IP based limits
• Permission System - Restrict chat to purchasers for premium content
• Message Moderation - Authors, admins, and content owners can delete messages
• XSS Protection - Secure message sanitization pipeline
• Cache Layer - Object Cache + Transient fallback for performance
• Audit Trail - Soft delete with deleted_at and deleted_by tracking
• Profanity filter - Blocklist in Chat settings; viewers see a standard notice; only administrators see original text
• Transport Interface - Ready for future WebSocket/Pusher upgrade

Configuration

Live Chat settings are located in VideoHub → Settings → Chat tab:

Profanity filter (addon v1.0.2+)

At the bottom of the Chat settings tab, the Profanity filter section lets you maintain a blocklist of words or phrases. Messages are stored unchanged in the database; filtering is applied when messages are displayed.

• Blocked words or phrases — Multi-line textarea: one term per line, or comma-separated entries. Each line is limited to 80 characters. Saved in option pvh_live_chat_settings as profanity_blocklist (sanitized with sanitize_textarea_field).
• Matching — Case-insensitive substring search per term. If mb_stripos is available, matching is UTF-8 safe.
• What viewers see — If a message matches the blocklist, other users and guests see the English placeholder (translatable via __()): "This message has been hidden because its content does not meet our community standards." Filtered rows use message_filtered: true and the pvh-chat-message-filtered CSS class (muted/italic styling).
• Who sees the original text — Only users with the manage_options capability (typically site administrators) see the unfiltered message. The message author sees the same placeholder as everyone else.
• Performance — Message cache stores raw rows; formatting (including profanity filtering and delete permissions) runs per request so the correct text is shown for each viewer. Cache key _messages_v2 replaces older cached formats.

REST API Endpoints

Live Chat provides the following REST API endpoints:

• GET /wp-json/pvh-chat/v1/fetch - Fetch messages (with after_id for incremental)
• POST /wp-json/pvh-chat/v1/send - Send a new message
• POST /wp-json/pvh-chat/v1/typing - Set typing indicator
• DELETE /wp-json/pvh-chat/v1/delete/{id} - Delete a message

Database Tables

Live Chat creates two database tables:

• wp_pvh_chat_rooms - Chat rooms linked to videos/streams
• wp_pvh_chat_messages - Chat messages with optimized indexes

Hooks & Filters

// Customize message sanitization
add_filter( 'pvh_chat_sanitize_message', function( $message ) {
    // Add profanity filter, etc.
    return $message;
});

// Override transport (for a future WebSocket addon)
add_filter( 'pvh_chat_transport', function( $transport, $addon ) {
    return new My_WebSocket_Transport( $addon );
}, 10, 2 );

PVH Marketplace

Transform your video platform into a multi-vendor marketplace where creators can sell videos and earn money.

Key Features

• Automatic Earnings - Commission calculated automatically on each sale
• Configurable Commission - Set platform commission rate (e.g., 20%)
• Holding Period - Earnings held for configurable days before available
• Vendor Payout Profiles - Bank name, IBAN, SWIFT/BIC, country
• Withdrawal Requests - Vendors request payouts when balance is available
• Admin Approval Workflow - Approve, reject, or mark withdrawals as paid
• Minimum Withdrawal - Set minimum amount for withdrawal requests
• Refund Protection - Handles refunds for withdrawn earnings
• WooCommerce Integration - Works seamlessly with Premium Content addon

How It Works

Admin Dashboard

The Marketplace admin panel provides comprehensive management tools:

📊 Dashboard Tab

• Quick Stats: Pending withdrawals, pending earnings, total paid out, commission rate
• Sales Chart: Visual bar chart with Week/Month/Year filters
• Top Vendors: Leaderboard of best-selling vendors (20 items)
• Top Videos: Leaderboard of best-selling videos (20 items)
• Clickable Cards: Quick navigation to pending items

💰 Earnings Tab

• Status Filters: All, Pending, Available, Withdrawn, Refunded
• Pending Alert: Warning banner when earnings are waiting
• Quick Actions: Release button to make pending earnings available immediately
• Vendor Filter: Filter earnings by specific vendor

💸 Withdrawals Tab

• Status Filters: All, Pending, Approved, Paid, Rejected
• Pending Alert: Red warning when withdrawals need attention
• Action Buttons: Approve, Reject, Mark as Paid
• Payout Details: View vendor's bank information
• Earnings Snapshot: See which earnings are included in withdrawal

👥 Vendors Tab

• Profile Status: Active, Incomplete, Pending
• Payout Information: Bank details for each vendor
• Quick Stats: Total earnings per vendor

Vendor Experience

Vendors access their marketplace features through WooCommerce My Account:

Earnings Page

• View all earnings with status (Pending, Available, Withdrawn)
• See holding period countdown for pending earnings
• Track total available balance

Withdrawals Page

• Request new withdrawal (when minimum reached)
• View withdrawal history and status
• Track pending, approved, and paid withdrawals

Payout Profile Page

• Enter bank account details
• IBAN and SWIFT/BIC support
• Country selection
• Profile must be complete before requesting withdrawals

Configuration

Marketplace settings are located in VideoHub → Settings → Marketplace tab:

Database Tables

Marketplace creates three database tables:

• wp_pvh_marketplace_earnings - Vendor earnings from video sales
• wp_pvh_marketplace_withdrawals - Withdrawal requests and history
• wp_pvh_marketplace_vendor_profiles - Vendor payout information

Hooks & Filters

Marketplace provides comprehensive hooks for customization:

// Notify vendor when earning is created
add_action( 'pvh_marketplace_earning_created', function( $earning_id, $data ) {
    $vendor = get_userdata( $data['vendor_id'] );
    wp_mail( $vendor->user_email, 'New Sale!', 
        'You earned $' . $data['net_amount'] . ' from a video sale.' );
}, 10, 2 );

// Track withdrawals for accounting
add_action( 'pvh_marketplace_withdrawal_paid', function( $withdrawal_id, $withdrawal ) {
    // Log to external accounting system
    my_accounting_log( 'payout', $withdrawal->amount, $withdrawal->vendor_id );
}, 10, 2 );

// Custom notification on withdrawal rejection
add_action( 'pvh_marketplace_withdrawal_rejected', function( $withdrawal_id, $withdrawal ) {
    // Send custom rejection email
}, 10, 2 );

Available Hooks

Requirements

• WooCommerce: Required for payment processing
• Premium Content Addon: Required for video sales functionality

Navigation Panel Addon

Modern collapsible sidebar navigation panel for a professional video platform experience.

Key Features

• Collapsible Sidebar - Expand/collapse with smooth animations
• Brand Logo Area - Optional image logo or text logo fallback at the top of the panel
• Customizable Menu Items - Home, Subscriptions, Library, History, Liked Videos, My Videos, My Channel, and custom links
• Dedicated Explore Page - A discovery surface for new videos, channels, shorts, premium videos, and popular comments
• Video Categories - Automatically displays categories with video count badges
• User Subscriptions - Shows subscribed channels with avatars and a helpful empty state (requires Channels addon)
• Logged-in Visibility Rules - Personal links such as Subscriptions, Library, History, Liked Videos, My Videos, and My Channel are hidden from guests
• Panel Position - Left or right side positioning
• Adjustable Width - Configure expanded and collapsed widths
• Mobile Drawer - Full-screen drawer for mobile devices
• Dark Mode Support - Automatic theme detection
• Lucide Icons - Beautiful, consistent iconography

Configuration

Navigate to VideoHub → Settings → Navigation to configure:

Logo Area

The logo area is optional. When Show Logo is enabled, the panel displays the uploaded logo image if one is selected. If no image is selected but Logo Alt Text contains text, that text is shown as a clean text logo. If both fields are empty, the logo area is not rendered.

• Logo Image - Best for brand marks or horizontal logos.
• Logo Alt Text - Used for accessibility and as the text-logo fallback.
• Logo Link URL - Leave empty to link to the site homepage, or enter a custom destination.
• Logo Size - Set separate desktop and mobile widths.
• Logo Padding - Control top, right, bottom, and left spacing inside the drawer/panel.

Explore Page

The Navigation Panel addon creates a dedicated /explore/ page. The Explore menu link is a fixed system item that appears directly below Home on the frontend. It is not managed from the regular Menu Items list, because the page has its own settings and addon-aware visibility rules.

Menu Items

Most menu items can be individually enabled/disabled and customized. The Explore item is handled separately as a fixed system link below Home.

• Home - Link to homepage
• Subscriptions - User's subscribed channels feed (login required)
• Library - User's video library (login required)
• History - Watch history (login required)
• Liked Videos - User's liked videos (login required)
• My Videos - User's uploaded videos (login required)
• My Channel - User's channel page (login required)

Use Add Custom Menu Item to add your own links to pages, products, carts, account pages, or external URLs. Custom items support a label, URL, icon, divider behavior, and optional new-tab behavior.

Hooks & Filters

// Add custom items to navigation panel
add_action( 'pvh_nav_panel_after_items', function() {
    echo '<div class="pvh-nav-panel__custom">Custom Content</div>';
});

// Add content to panel footer
add_action( 'pvh_nav_panel_footer', function() {
    echo '<div class="pvh-nav-panel__footer-content">Footer</div>';
});

// Mobile drawer hooks
add_action( 'pvh_mobile_drawer_after_items', 'my_custom_drawer_content' );
add_action( 'pvh_mobile_drawer_footer', 'my_custom_drawer_footer' );

// Add custom content before or after the Explore page sections
add_action( 'pvh_navigation_panel_explore_before_sections', function( $nav_panel ) {
    echo '<div class="my-explore-banner">Featured discovery content</div>';
});

add_action( 'pvh_navigation_panel_explore_after_sections', function( $nav_panel, $sections_rendered ) {
    // Add addon-powered sections after the built-in Explore sections.
}, 10, 2 );

// Register addon-aware Explore section definitions
add_filter( 'pvh_navigation_panel_explore_section_definitions', function( $sections ) {
    $sections['my_addon_section'] = array(
        'label'       => 'My Addon Section',
        'description' => 'Shown only when my addon is active.',
        'setting_key' => 'explore_show_my_addon_section',
        'available'   => class_exists( 'My_Addon' ),
        'requires'    => 'my-addon',
    );

    return $sections;
});

CSS Classes

• .pvh-nav-panel - Main panel container
• .pvh-nav-panel--collapsed - Collapsed state
• .pvh-nav-panel--left / .pvh-nav-panel--right - Position classes
• .pvh-nav-panel__section - Section container (categories, subscriptions)
• .pvh-nav-panel__logo - Logo/text-logo container
• .pvh-navigation-explore - Explore page wrapper
• .pvh-explore-section - Explore section card
• .pvh-mobile-drawer - Mobile drawer container

PVH Ads Addon

Complete video monetization system with pre-roll, mid-roll, display, in-feed, and shorts ads with full analytics tracking.

Key Features

• Pre-roll Ads - Show ads before video playback with skip button
• Mid-roll Ads - Show ads during video at configurable intervals
• Display Ads - Above video, below video, and below comments positions
• In-feed Ads - Inject ads between videos in grids and carousels
• Shorts Ads - Full-screen ads between shorts while scrolling
• Ad Statistics - Track impressions and clicks with daily breakdown
• Premium User Support - Hide ads for users who purchased content
• Role-Based Visibility - Hide all ad formats for selected WordPress user roles

Ad Types

Video Provider Compatibility

Ad Content Options

Each ad slot supports two content types:

• Ad Code (HTML) - Paste AdSense, ad network code, or custom HTML
• Image + URL - Upload an image and set a click-through URL

Settings

Configure ads from VideoHub → Settings → Ads tab:

• Pre-roll Skip After - Seconds before skip button appears (0 = no skip)
• Mid-roll Interval - Show mid-roll every X seconds (minimum 15)
• In-feed Interval - Show ad after every X videos in grids
• Shorts Interval - Show ad after every X shorts
• Hide for Premium - Hide all ads for users who purchased content
• Hide Ads for User Roles - Select WordPress roles that should never see frontend ads

Role-Based Ad Visibility

PVH Ads can hide ads for selected WordPress roles from VideoHub → Settings → Ads → Audience Rules. This is useful when administrators, editors, moderators, instructors, vendors, members, or other trusted roles should browse the site without ads.

• The role rule applies globally to all PVH Ads formats.
• Selected roles will not see display ads, pre-roll ads, mid-roll ads, in-feed ads, or shorts ads.
• Visitors who are not logged in do not have a WordPress role, so they continue to see ads unless another rule or custom hook hides them.
• If a user has multiple roles, matching any selected hidden role is enough to hide ads for that user.

Statistics Dashboard

Access ad statistics from VideoHub → Ads:

• Total impressions and clicks per ad slot
• Click-through rate (CTR) calculation
• Daily breakdown with date filtering
• Revenue tracking (when integrated with ad networks)

Developer Hooks

Customize ad behavior with these hooks:

// Filter whether to show ads
add_filter( 'pvh_ads_should_show', function( $show, $video_id, $user_id, $slot ) {
    // Example: hide only below-video ads for administrators.
    if ( 'below_video' === $slot && current_user_can( 'administrator' ) ) {
        return false;
    }

    return $show;
}, 10, 4 );

// Action after any ad event is tracked.
add_action( 'pvh_ad_event_tracked', function( $slot, $event, $video_id, $user_id ) {
    if ( 'impression' === $event ) {
        // Custom impression tracking logic.
    }
}, 10, 4 );

// Action after a completed ad interaction, such as a click.
add_action( 'pvh_ad_completed', function( $slot, $video_id, $user_id ) {
    // Custom completion/click handling.
}, 10, 3 );

CSS Classes

• .pvh-ad-unit - Base ad container
• .pvh-ad-overlay - Pre-roll/mid-roll overlay
• .pvh-ad-skip-btn - Skip button
• .pvh-ad-label - "Ad" label badge
• .pvh-ad-above-video - Above video position
• .pvh-ad-below-video - Below video position
• .pvh-ad-infeed-item - In-feed ad card
• .pvh-ad-shorts-item - Shorts ad container

Best Practices

• Pre-roll: Keep skip time between 3-5 seconds for best user experience
• Mid-roll: Set interval to 30+ seconds to avoid annoying viewers
• In-feed: Show ads every 5-8 videos for balanced monetization
• Image Ads: Optimize images for fast loading (under 150KB)
• Mobile: Test all ad formats on mobile devices

Media Optimizer Addon

Auto-optimize self-hosted MP4 videos with FFmpeg for dramatically improved mobile performance and streaming experience.

Key Features

• Automatic FFmpeg Detection - Detects FFmpeg from 40+ common paths (cPanel, Plesk, DirectAdmin, CloudLinux, Windows, macOS)
• Automatic Optimization - Videos processed automatically after upload
• Background Processing - Uses WP-Cron for non-blocking optimization queue
• Fast Start (moov atom) - Videos start playing instantly, no waiting
• Mobile Compatible - yuv420p format ensures universal device support
• Quality Presets - Fast, Balanced, or Quality encoding options
• Resolution Control - Auto-downscale to 480p, 720p, or 1080p max (no upscaling)
• Safe Fallback - Original video preserved, automatic fallback if optimization fails
• Duplicate Protection - Same video never processed twice
• Disk Space Check - Verifies available space before optimization
• Compression Stats - Shows file size reduction percentage after optimization
• Debug Mode - Built-in logging system for troubleshooting

Server Requirements

FFmpeg Installation Guide

If FFmpeg is not detected, follow the instructions for your hosting environment:

cPanel / WHM

1. Login to WHM as root
2. Go to Software → EasyApache 4
3. Search for "ffmpeg" and install it
4. Or ask your hosting provider to install FFmpeg

Plesk

1. Login to Plesk as admin
2. Go to Tools & Settings → Updates
3. Install FFmpeg extension if available
4. Or use SSH: yum install ffmpeg or apt install ffmpeg

DirectAdmin

1. Login via SSH as root
2. Run: cd /usr/local/directadmin/custombuild && ./build ffmpeg

Linux (Ubuntu/Debian)

sudo apt update && sudo apt install ffmpeg -y

Linux (CentOS/RHEL/AlmaLinux)

sudo yum install epel-release -y && sudo yum install ffmpeg ffmpeg-devel -y

Windows (Local Development)

1. Download from ffmpeg.org/download.html
2. Extract to C:\ffmpeg
3. Add C:\ffmpeg\bin to System PATH
4. Restart Apache/XAMPP

macOS

brew install ffmpeg

Manual Path Entry

If FFmpeg is installed but not auto-detected, find its path manually:

• Linux/Mac: Run which ffmpeg in terminal
• Windows: Run where ffmpeg in CMD

Then enter the full path in VideoHub → Media Optimizer → FFmpeg Path

Setup Instructions

1. Go to VideoHub → Media Optimizer
2. Verify FFmpeg is detected (green checkmark)
3. If not detected, enter custom FFmpeg path
4. Select quality preset (Balanced recommended)
5. Set max resolution (720p recommended for most sites)
6. Enable "Auto Optimize" for automatic processing
7. Click Save Settings

Quality Presets

Optimization Status

Each video displays optimization status in the edit screen:

• Not Optimized - Video waiting for optimization (manual trigger available)
• Queued - Added to background processing queue
• Processing - FFmpeg currently optimizing the video
• Optimized - Video optimized and ready for mobile playback
• Failed - Optimization failed (original video still works)

Technical Details

ffmpeg -y -i input.mp4 \
  -map 0:v:0 -map 0:a? \
  -c:v libx264 -preset veryfast -crf 23 \
  -profile:v high -level 4.1 \
  -pix_fmt yuv420p \
  -movflags +faststart \
  -c:a aac -b:a 128k \
  output_optimized.mp4

Why This Matters

Background Processing

Optimization runs via WP-Cron to prevent server overload:

• One video processed at a time
• Queue system prevents duplicate jobs
• Processing timestamps tracked for monitoring
• Failed jobs don't block the queue

Debug Mode

Media Optimizer includes a built-in debug system for troubleshooting optimization issues:

• Log File: wp-content/uploads/pvh-optimized/logs/optimizer-debug.log
• Admin Panel: View logs directly in VideoHub → Media Optimizer (when debug mode is enabled)
• Log Levels: DEBUG (blue), INFO (green), WARNING (orange), ERROR (red)

Enable Debug Mode

To enable debug mode, edit the addon file and set:

define( 'PVH_MEDIA_OPTIMIZER_DEBUG', true );

When enabled, the admin page shows a real-time log viewer with syntax highlighting and refresh/clear buttons.

Hooks for Developers

// Triggered when optimization completes
do_action( 'pvh_video_optimized', $video_id, $optimized_path, $optimized_url );

// Filter video source URL in player
$file_url = apply_filters( 'pvh_video_player_source', $file_url, $video_id );

// Triggered when video is uploaded (before optimization)
do_action( 'pvh_video_uploaded', $video_id, $file_path );

Selling Videos - Complete Guide

Turn your video content into a revenue stream with just 2 clicks. VideoHub's Premium Content addon makes selling videos incredibly simple.

Prerequisites

• ✅ VideoHub core installed and activated
• ✅ Premium Content addon enabled
• ✅ WooCommerce installed and configured
• ✅ Payment gateway set up (PayPal, Stripe, etc.)

Quick Start: Sell Your First Video

What Your Customers See

Purchase Flow

1. Customer visits premium video page
2. Watches preview (if available)
3. Clicks "Buy Now - $X.XX" button
4. Video automatically added to WooCommerce cart
5. Customer completes checkout
6. Order auto-completes (digital product)
7. Instant access granted!

Managing Purchases

All video purchases are tracked in WooCommerce:

• WooCommerce → Orders - View all video purchases
• Order Details - See which videos were purchased
• Refunds - Access automatically revoked on refund

Pricing Strategies

• Single Video - $5-$50 per video
• Course Series - Premium playlist with multiple videos
• Exclusive Content - Behind-the-scenes, tutorials, etc.
• Early Access - Premium for new releases, free after time

Selling Live Streams - Complete Guide

Monetize your live broadcasts with paid access. Perfect for webinars, concerts, exclusive events, and premium live content.

Prerequisites

• ✅ VideoHub core installed and activated
• ✅ Live Streaming addon enabled
• ✅ WooCommerce installed and configured
• ✅ An account on your chosen stream provider, such as YouTube, Twitch, Vimeo, or Dailymotion

Quick Start: Sell Your First Live Stream

Use Cases for Paid Live Streams

Customer Experience

1. Customer sees upcoming/live stream with price
2. Clicks "Buy Access - $X.XX"
3. Completes WooCommerce checkout
4. Instant access to the stream
5. Can watch live or replay (if you keep it available)

Before vs After Purchase

Promoting Your Paid Stream

• Homepage Visibility - Streams appear in Live Streams section
• Countdown Timer - Creates urgency for upcoming streams
• Social Sharing - Share stream page URL
• Email Marketing - Send stream link to your list
• Early Bird Pricing - Offer discounts before event

Managing Stream Access

• WooCommerce Orders - Track all stream purchases
• My Account Tab - Customers see purchased streams
• Refunds - Access revoked automatically on refund
• Admin Access - Admins always have full access

Official Addon Activation

The VideoHub free core does not require a paid license. Licenses are used only for optional official paid addons and bundles purchased from Polanger.com.

Finding Your Addon License Key

After purchasing an official addon or bundle, the license key is sent by email and is also available in your Polanger.com account.

• Your order confirmation email
• Your account on polanger.com → My Account → Orders
• Your account on polanger.com → My Account → Licenses, when available

Installing and Activating an Official Addon

1. Download the addon ZIP from your Polanger.com account.
2. Install it from Plugins -> Add New -> Upload Plugin, or upload it from VideoHub -> Addons using the Official Addon Installer.
3. If uploading from VideoHub -> Addons and the same addon is already installed, enable Replace existing addon package before submitting the ZIP.
4. Return to VideoHub -> Addons to view addon status, dependencies, price, and license state.
5. If the addon is paid, open the license action shown on the addon card.
6. Paste the license key and click Activate License.
7. Activate the addon from its card when the license and required dependencies are ready.

Status Labels

Official Addon License Management

Installed paid addons show license status from the VideoHub -> Addons page. The license screen is intentionally not shown as a separate sidebar menu item to keep the admin clean.

Information Shown on Addon Cards

• Licensed badge - Shows that the addon license is active.
• Purchase date - Shown when the license server provides it.
• Expiration date - Shows when the current license period ends.
• Time left - Helps admins renew before expiration.
• Site limit - Shows how many sites the license allows.
• Renew link - Opens the related Polanger product page in a new tab.

Moving a License to Another Site

1. Open the addon license screen from the addon card or from the admin notice link.
2. Click Deactivate License on the old site.
3. Install the same addon ZIP on the new site.
4. Paste the same license key and activate it on the new site.

Renewing an Addon License

When an official paid addon license expires, protected paid addon features are paused on that site until the license is renewed. The free VideoHub core remains available.

Renewals are handled from Polanger.com. Early renewals add time to the current expiration date, so renewing before the deadline does not remove the remaining days.

Performance Architecture

VideoHub is built as a WordPress video engine, not just a visual gallery. The plugin keeps WordPress compatibility where it matters, while moving high-volume video activity into purpose-built data structures.

WordPress Scaling Boundaries

VideoHub is designed to make WordPress a strong video management engine, but WordPress should not be treated as a dedicated large-scale video delivery backend by itself. Very high concurrent playback, large upload volume, adaptive streaming, private media delivery, and heavy analytics need the same infrastructure decisions used by serious media products: caching, optimized hosting, object storage, CDN delivery, and background processing.

Media Delivery Recommendations

• Use CDN/object storage for growth: WordPress should manage the video records, permissions, playlists, comments, and monetization; the CDN should carry the video bandwidth.
• Keep PHP proxy as a fallback: It helps with compatibility and controlled delivery, but long video streams can occupy PHP workers under high concurrency.
• Aggregate analytics: High-volume views and engagement should be summarized into stats tables or cached reports instead of recalculating from raw logs on every request.
• Cache discovery surfaces: Home, Explore, trending, category sections, and search suggestions should stay bounded and cache-friendly.
• Use background jobs for processing: Optimization, thumbnails, imports, and future adaptive streaming workflows should not depend on a single frontend page request.

Why VideoHub Uses Custom Tables

Video platforms generate a different type of load than normal blog content. A single popular video can create thousands of view events, reactions, comments, chat messages, purchases, or ad impressions. Storing all of that activity only in wp_postmeta would create large meta tables, slow lookups, and unnecessary joins. VideoHub separates those high-frequency operations into focused tables with predictable columns.

Performance Principles

• Only load what is needed: Addon sections render only when the related addon is active and the feature is enabled.
• No empty addon markup: Pages like Explore hide unavailable addon sections instead of outputting placeholder HTML.
• Separated high-write data: Views, votes, comments, purchases, chat, and analytics use dedicated records instead of bloating core content tables.
• WordPress-native content where appropriate: Videos still benefit from WordPress posts, taxonomies, capabilities, permalinks, and template overrides.
• Query limits by default: Discovery surfaces such as Explore keep sections small and predictable, usually 6 cards per section.
• Admin-only diagnostics: Debugging tools are not loaded for normal visitors, protecting frontend performance.

What This Means for Site Owners

On ordinary hosting, the goal is to avoid unnecessary work on every page load. VideoHub tries to keep public pages focused: query the content needed for the current screen, avoid inactive addon output, and keep high-volume records in tables designed for that type of data. This does not replace good hosting, caching, or media optimization, but it gives the plugin a stronger foundation than a purely postmeta-based video system.

What This Means for Developers

If you build integrations or official addons, follow the same rule: use WordPress posts/taxonomies for content that needs editorial workflows, and use dedicated tables or efficient storage for repeated events, logs, queues, counters, and transactional data. When extending UI surfaces, always check addon availability and keep queries bounded.

Notification Engine

VideoHub includes a lightweight core notification engine so official addons can send consistent user notifications without each addon building a separate notification system.

What Users See

• Desktop notification button: Logged-in users see a bell button near the VideoHub search/filter controls when the search surface is available.
• Mobile and PWA button: Logged-in users see a notification item in the mobile bottom bar with a red unread badge.
• Slide-out panel: The notification list opens only when the user clicks the button, keeping initial page loads light.
• Unread badges: Notification badges show the unread count and collapse automatically when there is nothing new.
• Community message badge: When PVH Community is active, the Messages menu item can show how many conversations contain unread messages.

Performance Model

Core Helper Functions

Addons and custom integrations should use the helper functions instead of writing directly to the notification table.

pvh_add_notification( $recipient_user_id, 'user_followed', array(
    'actor_id'    => $follower_user_id,
    'object_type' => 'user',
    'object_id'   => $follower_user_id,
    'url'         => $profile_url,
) );

pvh_register_notification_type( 'video_approved', array(
    'label' => __( 'Video approved', 'polanger-videohub' ),
    'icon'  => 'check',
) );

REST Endpoints

• GET /wp-json/pvh/v1/notifications/count - Returns the current user's unread notification count.
• GET /wp-json/pvh/v1/notifications - Returns a paged list of notifications for the current user.
• POST /wp-json/pvh/v1/notifications/read - Marks selected notifications read, or all when no IDs are passed.

Community Integration

PVH Community uses the core notification engine for follows, direct messages, message requests, accepted message requests, post comments, reactions, and mentions. If the core helper functions are unavailable, Community keeps a fallback path for compatibility, but the recommended path is the shared core engine.

Frontend Diagnostics Tool

The Frontend Diagnostics Tool is an admin-only troubleshooting layer for VideoHub pages, shorts feeds, search surfaces, and self-hosted playback flows.

Where to Enable It

1. Go to VideoHub -> Settings.
2. Find Frontend Diagnostics Tool.
3. Enable Enable Frontend Diagnostics Tool.
4. Open a supported VideoHub frontend page while logged in as an administrator.

What It Can Inspect

Recommended Workflow

1. Enable the diagnostics tool only while investigating a problem.
2. Open the affected VideoHub page as an administrator.
3. Use the floating diagnostics control or the single-video test button where available.
4. Check Server Report first to confirm routing, addon state, source resolution, and access decisions.
5. Check Browser Player Events for actual player state and media errors.
6. Check Network Probe for HTTP status, range request support, content type, and blocked stream URLs.
7. Copy the diagnostic output before changing settings, cache, server rules, or addon state.
8. Disable the tool again after debugging to keep the admin surface clean.

Common Problems It Helps Find

• Video never starts: Confirms whether the browser receives a playable source and whether range requests work.
• Premium video access issue: Shows whether Premium Content wrapped the stream and whether the current user has access.
• Optimized file mismatch: Shows whether the optimizer selected an optimized file and whether it exists on disk.
• Search live results fail: Shows live search requests and frontend response handling while diagnostics are enabled.
• Shorts autoplay issues: Shows active slide media type, iframe/video source, autoplay/mute state, and slide transitions.
• Addon conflict suspicion: Shows active addon classes and can reveal when an expected addon is missing or inactive.

Template Override

Customize plugin templates by copying them to your theme.

How to Override

1. Create a folder in your theme: your-theme/polanger-videohub/
2. Copy template files from plugins/polanger-videohub-lite/templates/
3. Edit the copied files in your theme folder

Available Templates

• single-pvh_video.php - Single video page
• archive-pvh_video.php - Video archive page
• taxonomy-pvh_category.php - Category archive
• single-pvh_playlist.php - Single playlist page

🔧 Developer Documentation

VideoHub provides hooks at every stage of the video lifecycle, enabling developers to build powerful integrations and custom addons.

Key Integration Points

• Video Lifecycle - Hooks for upload, import, update, delete, and status changes
• Video Engine API - Select, render, and check access for VideoHub videos from other plugins
• Template Injection - Add content at any point in video pages
• Player Customization - Filter player arguments and output
• AJAX Operations - Before/after hooks for all AJAX actions
• Settings & Profile - Add custom tabs and content

Full Documentation

For complete hook documentation with all parameters and examples, see:

/wp-content/plugins/polanger-videohub-lite/docs/DEVELOPER-HOOKS.md

Video Engine API

Use this API when another WordPress plugin or theme wants to use VideoHub videos without rebuilding upload logic, player logic, thumbnails, playlists, premium access, live support, or optimization logic.

What This Solves

Most Important Helper Functions

Example 1: Render One Video in Any Template

If you already know the VideoHub video ID, render it like this:

<?php
$video_id = 123;

echo pvh_render_video( $video_id, array(
    'context' => 'custom_template',
) );
?>

Example 2: Add VideoHub Picker to an LMS Lesson

This is the easiest integration. Your LMS plugin only tells VideoHub which post type needs a video picker.

add_filter( 'pvh_video_picker_post_types', function( $post_types ) {
    $post_types[] = 'lesson';       // Example LMS lesson post type.
    $post_types[] = 'sfwd-lessons'; // Example LearnDash lesson post type.

    return $post_types;
} );

VideoHub will add a VideoHub Video meta box to those edit screens. The selected video ID is saved in this post meta key:

_pvh_attached_video_id

Example 3: Show the Lesson Video on the Frontend

Inside your LMS lesson template, get the selected VideoHub video ID and render it:

<?php
$video_id = pvh_get_attached_video_id( get_the_ID() );

if ( $video_id ) {
    echo pvh_render_video( $video_id, array(
        'context' => 'lms_lesson',
    ) );
}
?>

Example 4: Query Videos for a Custom Layout

Use pvh_get_videos() when you want a theme, LMS page, or custom block to list VideoHub videos without writing the whole query layer yourself.

<?php
$videos = pvh_get_videos( array(
    'category' => 'education',
    'limit'    => 12,
) );

foreach ( $videos as $video ) {
    echo pvh_get_video_card( $video->ID );
}
?>

Example 5: Check Access Before Showing a Custom Button

Use this when your plugin needs to decide what text or action to show around the video.

<?php
$video_id = 123;
$state    = pvh_get_video_access_state( $video_id, get_current_user_id() );

if ( $state['can_watch'] ) {
    echo '<a class="button" href="' . esc_url( get_permalink( $video_id ) ) . '">Watch lesson video</a>';
} elseif ( $state['requires_login'] ) {
    echo '<a class="button" href="' . esc_url( wp_login_url() ) . '">Login to watch</a>';
} elseif ( $state['is_premium'] ) {
    echo '<span class="notice">Premium video access required.</span>';
}
?>

Example 6: Add a Manual Picker Field to Your Own Meta Box

If you already have your own meta box, call the picker field yourself and save the selected ID in your own meta key.

add_action( 'admin_enqueue_scripts', function() {
    if ( function_exists( 'pvh_enqueue_video_picker_assets' ) ) {
        pvh_enqueue_video_picker_assets();
    }
} );

echo pvh_render_video_picker_field( array(
    'name'        => '_my_lesson_videohub_video_id',
    'selected'    => absint( get_post_meta( get_the_ID(), '_my_lesson_videohub_video_id', true ) ),
    'label'       => 'Lesson Video',
    'description' => 'Choose a video from VideoHub. Your plugin only stores the video ID.',
) );

Change the Automatic Meta Key

If your plugin wants the automatic picker to save into a custom meta key, use this filter:

add_filter( 'pvh_video_picker_meta_key', function( $meta_key, $post_type ) {
    if ( 'lesson' === $post_type ) {
        return '_lesson_videohub_video_id';
    }

    return $meta_key;
}, 10, 2 );

Important Developer Rule

Hooks & Filters Reference

Core hooks available throughout VideoHub.

Template Action Hooks

Filter Hooks

Example: Add Content After Video

add_action( 'polanger_videohub_after_video_details', function( $video_id ) {
    echo '<div class="my-custom-section">';
    echo '<h3>Related Products</h3>';
    // Display related products
    echo '</div>';
} );

Example: Filter Player Arguments

add_filter( 'pvh_video_player_args', function( $args, $video_id ) {
    // Disable autoplay for premium videos
    if ( get_post_meta( $video_id, '_is_premium', true ) ) {
        $args['autoplay'] = false;
    }
    
    // Add custom poster
    $args['poster'] = get_post_meta( $video_id, '_custom_poster', true );
    
    return $args;
}, 10, 2 );

Video Lifecycle Hooks

These hooks fire at key moments in a video's lifecycle, enabling integrations with LMS, APIs, caching systems, search indexes, and analytics.

Example: Track Status Changes

add_action( 'pvh_video_status_changed', function( $post_id, $old_status, $new_status ) {
    if ( $new_status === 'publish' && $old_status !== 'publish' ) {
        // Video just published - notify subscribers
        my_notify_subscribers( $post_id );
    }
    
    if ( $new_status === 'trash' ) {
        // Video moved to trash - update analytics
        my_analytics_track( 'video_trashed', $post_id );
    }
}, 10, 3 );

Example: Sync with External Search Index

// Add to search index when video is published
add_action( 'pvh_video_status_changed', function( $post_id, $old, $new ) {
    if ( $new === 'publish' ) {
        my_search_index_add( $post_id );
    }
}, 10, 3 );

// Remove from search index when deleted
add_action( 'pvh_video_deleted', function( $post_id ) {
    my_search_index_remove( $post_id );
} );

JavaScript Player Events

VideoHub 1.5.0 introduces a comprehensive JavaScript player events system for ads, analytics, and custom interactions.

Global Player API

Access the player through the global window.PVH_Player object:

Available Events

Listening to Events

// Method 1: Using PVH_Player.on()
PVH_Player.on('play', function(data) {
    console.log('Video started:', data.videoId);
});

PVH_Player.on('milestone', function(data) {
    if (data.milestone === 50) {
        console.log('User watched 50% of video');
    }
});

// Method 2: Using DOM events
document.addEventListener('pvh:player:ended', function(e) {
    gtag('event', 'video_complete', { video_id: e.detail.videoId });
});

Mid-Roll Ads with Cue Points

// Add cue points for mid-roll ad breaks
PVH_Player.on('ready', function() {
    PVH_Player.addCuePoint(30, { type: 'midroll' });  // 30 seconds
    PVH_Player.addCuePoint(300, { type: 'midroll' }); // 5 minutes
});

// Listen for cue point triggers
PVH_Player.on('cuepoint', function(data) {
    PVH_Player.pause();  // Pause video
    showAd();            // Show your ad
    PVH_Player.play();   // Resume after ad
});

Player Control Methods

Building External Addons

Create your own addons that integrate with VideoHub without modifying core files.

Minimum Bootstrap File

This is the entry point for any external addon. Copy this template to start your addon:

<?php
/**
 * Plugin Name: PVH Sample Addon
 * Description: Sample external addon for Polanger VideoHub
 * Version: 1.0.0
 * Author: Your Name
 * Requires Plugins: polanger-videohub-lite
 */

if ( ! defined( 'ABSPATH' ) ) {
    exit;
}

/**
 * Bootstrap - Wait for WordPress to fully load
 */
add_action( 'plugins_loaded', function () {

    // Check if VideoHub is active
    if ( ! defined( 'POLANGER_VIDEOHUB_VERSION' ) ) {
        return; // VideoHub not installed, do nothing
    }

    /**
     * Wait for VideoHub addon system to be ready
     * This ensures all core classes are available
     */
    add_action( 'polanger_videohub_addons_loaded', function () {
        
        // Initialize your addon here
        pvh_sample_addon_init();

    } );

} );

/**
 * Initialize addon functionality
 */
function pvh_sample_addon_init() {

    /**
     * Example: Hook into video import
     */
    add_action( 'pvh_video_imported', function ( $post_id, $provider_id, $video_data ) {
        // Custom logic: log, webhook, tagging, etc.
        error_log( "Video imported: {$post_id} from {$provider_id}" );
    }, 10, 3 );

    /**
     * Example: Add content to video page
     */
    add_action( 'polanger_videohub_after_video_details', function ( $video_id ) {
        echo '<div class="pvh-sample-addon-box">';
        echo 'Content added by external addon';
        echo '</div>';
    } );

    /**
     * Example: Add settings tab
     */
    add_filter( 'pvh_settings_tabs', function ( $tabs ) {
        $tabs['my-addon'] = array(
            'label' => 'My Addon',
            'icon'  => 'dashicons-admin-generic',
        );
        return $tabs;
    } );

    add_action( 'pvh_settings_tab_content_my-addon', function () {
        echo '<h2>My Addon Settings</h2>';
        // Render your settings form here
    } );

}

Why This Structure?

Addon File Structure

wp-content/plugins/pvh-my-addon/
├── pvh-my-addon.php      ← Main bootstrap file
├── admin/
│   └── views/            ← Admin templates
├── public/
│   ├── css/              ← Frontend styles
│   ├── js/               ← Frontend scripts
│   └── views/            ← Frontend templates
└── includes/             ← PHP classes

AJAX Hooks

Hooks that fire before and after AJAX operations, useful for logging, validation, and rate limiting.

Upload Hooks

Example: Log Upload Attempts

// Log all upload attempts
add_action( 'pvh_before_ajax_upload', function( $file, $user_id, $settings ) {
    error_log( "Upload attempt by user {$user_id}: {$file['name']}" );
}, 10, 3 );

// Track successful uploads
add_action( 'pvh_after_ajax_upload', function( $video_id, $attachment_id, $upload, $user_id ) {
    // Update user upload count
    $count = (int) get_user_meta( $user_id, 'total_uploads', true );
    update_user_meta( $user_id, 'total_uploads', $count + 1 );
}, 10, 4 );

Example: Rate Limiting

add_action( 'pvh_before_ajax_upload', function( $file, $user_id, $settings ) {
    $last_upload = get_user_meta( $user_id, 'last_upload_time', true );
    
    // Require 60 seconds between uploads
    if ( $last_upload && ( time() - $last_upload ) < 60 ) {
        wp_send_json_error( array(
            'message' => 'Please wait before uploading again.'
        ) );
    }
    
    update_user_meta( $user_id, 'last_upload_time', time() );
}, 10, 3 );

CSS Customization

VideoHub uses CSS variables for easy customization.

CSS Variables

:root {
    /* Primary Colors */
    --pvh-primary: #e50914;
    --pvh-primary-hover: #c40812;
    
    /* Text Colors */
    --pvh-text: #0f0f0f;
    --pvh-text-secondary: #606060;
    
    /* Background Colors */
    --pvh-bg: #f9f9f9;
    --pvh-bg-elevated: #ffffff;
    --pvh-card-bg: #ffffff;
    
    /* Border & Shadow */
    --pvh-border: #e5e5e5;
    --pvh-radius: 12px;
    --pvh-shadow: 0 4px 12px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1);
    
    /* Card Width */
    --pvh-card-width: 240px;
}

Dark Mode

@media (prefers-color-scheme: dark) {
    :root {
        --pvh-text: #ffffff;
        --pvh-text-secondary: #aaaaaa;
        --pvh-bg: #0f0f0f;
        --pvh-bg-elevated: #1a1a1a;
        --pvh-card-bg: #1a1a1a;
        --pvh-border: #303030;
    }
}

Frequently Asked Questions

Troubleshooting

Videos Not Displaying

• Check if videos are published (not draft)
• Verify the shortcode is correct
• Clear any caching plugins
• Check for JavaScript errors in browser console

404 Errors on Video Pages

• Go to Settings → Permalinks
• Click "Save Changes" to flush rewrite rules
• Clear cache if using a caching plugin

API Key Errors

• Verify the API key is correct
• Check if the API is enabled in your Google/Vimeo console
• Ensure you haven't exceeded API quota limits
• Check if API key has proper permissions

Styling Issues

• Check for CSS conflicts with your theme
• Use browser inspector to identify conflicting styles
• Add custom CSS with higher specificity if needed

Planned Official Addons

VideoHub is designed as a video engine that can grow through dedicated addon packages. The items below describe product directions we are exploring for future official addons. They are not date-based commitments and may change based on customer feedback, platform requirements, and technical compatibility.

Changelog