Add video to Flash



Flash provides several methods by which you can import video into Flash, incorporate the video into your Flash document, and play it back for users.

Before you begin

Before you start working with video in Flash, it is important to understand the following information:

  • Flash can only play specific video formats.

    These include FLV, F4V, and MPEG video. For instructions on converting video in other formats, see Create video for use in Flash.

  • Use the separate Adobe Media Encoder application (included with Flash) to convert other video formats to FLV and F4V. For instructions, see Create video for use in Flash.

  • There are different ways of adding video to Flash, each with advantages in different situations. See below for a list of these methods.

  • Flash includes a Video Import Wizard that opens when you choose File > Import > Import Video.

  • Using the FLVPlayback component is the simplest way to quickly get video playing in a Flash file.

    For instructions, see Progressively download video using a web server.

Methods for using video in Flash

You can use video in Flash in different ways:

  • Progressive download from a web server

    This method keeps the video file external to the Flash file and the resulting SWF file. This keeps the SWF file size small. This is the most common method of using video in Flash.

  • Stream video using Adobe Flash Media Streaming Server.

    This method also keeps the video file external to your Flash file. Adobe Flash Media Streaming Server gives you secure protection of your video content in addition to a smooth streaming playback experience.

  • Embed video data directly inside a Flash file

    This method results in very large Flash files, and is only recommended for short video clips. For instructions, see Embed video within a Flash file.

Progressively download video using a web server

Progressive downloading lets you use either the FLVPlayback component or ActionScript that you write to load and play back external FLV or F4V files in a SWF file at runtime.

Because the video file is kept external to the other Flash content, it’s relatively easy to update video content without republishing the SWF file.

Progressive downloading provides the following advantages over embedding video in the Timeline:

  • During authoring, you can publish only your SWF file to preview or test part or all of your Flash content. This results in faster preview times and quicker turnaround on iterative experimentation.

  • During playback, video begins playing as soon as the first segment of video is downloaded and cached to the local computer’s disk drive.

  • At runtime, video files are loaded by Flash Player from the computer’s disk drive into the SWF file, with no limitation on video file size or duration. No audio synchronization issues or memory restrictions exist.

  • The frame rate of the video file can be different from the frame rate of the SWF file, allowing for greater flexibility in authoring Flash content.

Import video for progressive download

You can import a video file that is stored locally on your computer, and then upload the video file to a server after importing it to your FLA file.

You can also import a video file that is already uploaded to a standard web server, an Adobe Flash Media Server (FMS), or Flash Video Streaming Service (FVSS).

  1. Select File > Import > Import Video to import the video clip into the current Flash document.

  2. Select the video clip to import. You can select either a video clip located on your local computer, or enter the URL of a video already uploaded to a web server or Flash Media Server.

    • To import video located on your local computer, select Load external video with playback component.

    • To import video already deployed to a web server, Flash Media Server, or Flash Video Streaming Service, select Already deployed to a web server, Flash Video Streaming Service, or Stream From Flash Media Server, and enter the URL of the video clip.

      Note: The URL for a video clip located on a web server will use the http communication protocol. The URL for a video clip located on a Flash Media Server or Flash Streaming Service will use the RTMP communication protocol.

  3. Select a skin for your video clip. You can choose to:

    • Not use a skin with the FLVPlayback component by selecting None.

    • Select one of the predefined FLVPlayback component skins. Flash copies the skin into the same folder as the FLA file.
      Note: FLVPlayback component skins are slightly different depending on whether you are creating an AS2- or AS3-based Flash document.

    • Select a custom skin of your own design by entering the URL of the skin on the web server.

  4. The Video Import Wizard creates an FLVPlayback video component on the Stage that you can use to test video playback locally. When you finish creating your Flash document and want to deploy the SWF file and video clip, upload the following assets to the web server or Flash Media Server hosting your video:

    • If using a local copy of the video clip, upload the video clip (which is located in the same folder as the source video clip you selected with a .flv extension)

      Note: Flash uses a relative path to point to the FLV or F4V file (relative to the SWF file), letting you use the same directory structure locally that you use on the server. If the video was previously deployed to your FMS or the FVSS hosting your video, you can skip this step.

    • The video skin (if you chose to use a skin)

      To use a predefined skin, Flash copies the skin into the same folder as the FLA file.

    • The FLVPlayback component

      To edit the FLVPlayback component’s URL field to that of the web server or Flash Media Server that you are uploading the video to, use the Component inspector (Windows > Component inspector) to edit the contentPath parameter.

Stream video using Adobe Flash Media Streaming Server

In streaming, each Flash client opens a persistent connection to the Flash Media Server, and a controlled relationship exists between the video being delivered and the client interaction. Flash Media Server uses bandwidth detection to deliver video or audio content based on the user’s available bandwidth. This lets you provide different content for users based on their ability to easily access and download content. For example, if a user with a dial-up modem accesses your video content, you can deliver an appropriately encoded file that doesn’t require too much bandwidth.

Flash Media Server also provides you with quality of service metrics, detailed tracking and reporting statistics, and a range of interactive features designed to enhance the video experience. As with progressive downloading, the video content (FLV or F4V file) is kept external to the other Flash content and the video playback controls. This lets you easily add or change content without having to republish the SWF file.

Streaming video with Flash Media Server (FMS) or Flash Video Streaming Service (FVSS) provides the following advantages over embedded and progressively downloaded video:

  • Video playback starts sooner than it does using other methods of incorporating video.

  • Streaming uses less of the client's memory and disk space, because the clients don’t need to download the entire file.

  • Network resources are used more efficiently, because only the parts of the video that are viewed are sent to the client.

  • Delivery of media is more secure, because media is not saved to the client’s cache when streamed.

  • Streaming video provides better tracking, reporting, and logging ability.

  • Streaming lets you deliver live video and audio presentations, or capture video from a web cam or digital video camera.

  • Flash Media Server enables multiway and multiuser streaming for video chat, video messaging, and video conferencing applications.

  • By using server-side scripting to control video and audio streams, you can create server-side play lists, synchronized streams, and more intelligent delivery options based on the client’s connection speed.

To learn more about Flash Media Server, see www.adobe.com/go/flash_media_server.

To learn more about Flash Video Streaming Service, see www.adobe.com/go/fvss.