Flash goes HD with H.264 update

Stephen Withers
Wednesday, 05 December 2007 04:01

Business IT - Technology

Flash Player 9 Update 3 adds high-definition video capability to Adobe's media plug-in.

This is achieved through support for H.264 video, along with support for hardware acceleration and multi-core CPUs. Update 3 supports full-screen playback and also handles High Efficiency AAC (HE-AAC) audio.

This, in conjunction with the newly announced Adobe Flash Media Server 3, provides a mechanism for web sites such as Fox News to deliver HD video clips. "FOXnews.com features an extensive and continuously updated video library of breaking news, high-profile interviews and compelling segments from news programs throughout the day," said Jeff Misenti, vice president and general manager, FOX News Digital.

"Collaborating with Adobe allows us to enhance the viewer experience and meet the growing demand for Web video in high-definition."

Another site backing the development is Hulu, the video site set up jointly by NBC Universal and News Corporation. Hulu is currently in provate beta, and is testing the delivery of clips at 1280x720 resolution.

"Hulu is committed to giving consumers the best online video viewing experience possible and we are always seeking innovative, new technologies that help us deliver," said Eric Feng, chief technology officer at Hulu.

"Together with Adobe, we will provide a best-in-class, high definition video experience."

Hulu is only available to people in the US.

Adobe claims Flash is already installed on over 99 percent of Internet-enabled desktop systems. The latest version - code named Moviestar - works with a variety of browsers for Windows, Mac OS X and Linux, and is available from the company's web site.

Adobe plans to release Adobe Media Player in early 2008. Created using the company's AIR software, it will take advantage of H.264 and HE-AAC, and allow web videos to be watched on or offline.

The company's Premiere Pro and After Effects content creation packages already support H.264, along as does software from other vendors such as Apple.

YouTube primarily uses Flash's own video format to deliver clips, but has begun offering H.264 files for compatibility with Apple's iPhone and iPod touch.