Adobe has released a beta of a new version of its Flash Player 9 software, code-named Moviestar, which includes H.264 standard video support -- the same standard deployed in Blu-Ray and HD-DVD high definition video players
The update also supports High Efficiency AAC (HE-AAC) audio support, as well as hardware accelerated, multi-core enhanced full screen video playback. Adobe says that the this enables the delivery of HD television quality and premium audio content through the ubiquitous Flash Player and pave the way to expand rich media Flash experiences on the desktop and H.264 ready consumer devices.
With H.264 encoding already available in Premiere Pro and After Effects software, H.264 playback is now enabled in the Flash Player, and will be supported by the Adobe Integrated Runtime (AIR) and applications developed with Adobe AIR software, including Adobe Media Player.
The public beta version of the update to Adobe Flash Player 9 software, which includes H.264 and HE-AAC functionality, is available as a free download from the Adobe Labs Web site. The final release is expected to be available via update in the autumn. Demonstrations of Adobe Flash Media Server and Adobe Flash Media Encoder supporting the new codecs will be held during IBC 2007 at the RAI Exhibition and Congress Center in Amsterdam, September 7- 11 (Stand 7.721) and again at the Adobe MAX conference in Chicago, which begins September 30th.
For more information see the Adobe Labs Web site.
