Adobe Flash Media Server 4.5 Brings Flash Video Streaming to iOS Devices

Friday September 9, 2011 12:25 pm PDT by Eric Slivka

Adobe yesterday announced the release of Flash Media Server 4.5 and Flash Access 3.0, updated tools to allow publishers to host streaming Flash video content. As noted by Computerworld, the release includes a new solution to allow Flash content to be repackaged and streamed to iOS devices, which famously do not support Flash Player directly.
"With Adobe Flash Media Server 4.5, media publishers now have a single, simple workflow for delivering content using the same stream to Flash-enabled devices or to the Apple iPhone and iPad."

In other words, Adobe's solution repackages content in real-time, changing the protocol to suit the target device, HTTP Dynamic Streaming or HLS, for example. This should mean that iOS devices will get much of the advantages of Flash video support, without the processor degradation and battery life cost of the format in use on other devices.
Consequently, as media publishers begin to adopt the new Adobe software, they will be able to easily deliver HTML5-compatible content to mobile devices alongside the traditional Flash Player content. Because the feature utilizes video streaming technology rather than running the Flash content directly on the device, it does not yet support interactive Flash content such as games and banner ads, but the ability to access streaming Flash video on iOS devices will certainly be a welcome addition for many users.

A number of media providers have of course already taken to providing HTML5 versions of their video content in order to bring compatibility to iOS devices, but direct integration of the functionality into Flash Media Server should simplify the process for those content providers who have invested in the platform.

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Pared
110 months ago
This is what a good company does - find and provide a solution to a problem.

Now imagine if Adobe had released this during all that time they spent publicly fighting with Apple - they'd have a year or more of profit to account for.
Rating: 25 Votes
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troop231
110 months ago
At $4500 a pop I doubt all websites will upgrade.
Rating: 12 Votes
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MacSince1990
110 months ago
You know, I suppose this is basically good news. Flash support (kinda) for iOS without having to build it in...

Does feel like a bit too little too late though. At least the boxes are pretty.
Rating: 12 Votes
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yadmonkey
110 months ago
Happy to have this functionality coming, but really it's been remarkably rare that I've missed Flash on my iStuff.
Rating: 11 Votes
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alectheking
110 months ago
Wow. Seems like a great thing, don't know what the android boys will have to argue against compared to their local flash installation crap.
Rating: 11 Votes
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troop231
110 months ago

this isnt geared to nobody websites -- its for enterprise content publishers. people with millions of hits. yes, they will upgrade.


There's no guarantee that they will, IMO, they should just code in HTML5 and be done with it once and for all.
Rating: 8 Votes
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ARandomFellow
110 months ago

Wow. Seems like a great thing, don't know what the android boys will have to argue against compared to their local flash installation crap.


I think they will be mad that this new, more efficient method of streaming will only go to iOS devices and blame Apple for forcing them to continue to use their antiquated, memory hogging, local Flash installations and which slow down and/or crash and run their devices out of battery. Which of course they will package in a neat little pouty phrase like "yeah, you need to use this new, sissy Flash because Apple sucks".
Rating: 7 Votes
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KnightWRX
110 months ago

Never said it doesn't work. I said it doesn't work well. It works just fine except when it crashes or drags your browser or device to a standstill, which it does far too often.


I haven't had a Flash crash on vector animations/Action script games in.. forever.

And since this was back on P2-333, running with the sorry Linux version of Flash player, I doubt it could drag my MBA to a standstill (in fact, it doesn't when playing Dragon Age Legends on Google+).

He's clearly talking about it not working on mobile devices not very well, and indeed, i've seen flashed based games work very poorly on android devices.

I am not sure these days anymore though, I'll try kongregate later.


I don't have an Android device, but my on HP TouchPad, it works just fine too. Didn't have a crash related to Flash yet (though I haven't used it much, as I have no real use for a tablet).

But all non-iOS devices will continue to see processor degradation and battery issues and memory issue. Sounds like a perfectly stupid plan.


My iOS phone already has battery issues when doing anything other than letting it sit there. Playing 3D games or watching video on it just sucks up that juice like there's no tomorrow.

Hint : All processor intensive tasks drain the battery, that's just a reality we need to live with.
Rating: 6 Votes
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mdelvecchio
110 months ago

a few homebrew patches to fix HP's dumb default configuration. ;) Makes all the performance issues vanish and turns the "sluggish" tablet into a very cheap and functional one for 150$.


i guess i have a hard time believing that Some Internet Dude's touchpad was fixed via his home brew patches, when none of the global electronics companies the world over have been able to fix their implementations. hmm. going w/ occam's on this one...
Rating: 5 Votes
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sishaw
110 months ago

You both realise that streaming video is only a very small part of what Flash can do right ?


Yes, Flash can also interpose a meaningless animation between you and the website you are trying to access, create siezure-inducing ads featuring flashing lights and, often, animated monkeys, and make those Beavis & Butthead animations that you find all over. Yup.

Very, very rarely some rather nice interactive content can be provided, but you have to REALLY hunt for it.
Rating: 5 Votes

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