Kevin Towes on Online Video at Adobe

Today we released a new deployment guide for large scale installations of Flash Media Interactive Server for video streaming (live or onDemand). This guide is perfect if you are a CDN or building a video delivery infrastructure (eCDN) within your company (large or small!).

DOWNLOAD IT HERE

This new guide will step you through your FMS deployment options including

• Edge caching
• Using the C++ plugins
• Hardware Considerations including CPU, RAM, Networking
• Capacity Planning and options to increase scale
• Understanding how to Cluster
• Supporting Multiple tenants
• Access Control and Authentication
• Server Monitoring - including 3rd party monitoring systems
• Storage Options
• Cache management
• Live and VOD optimizations
• Full Details on clustering with LiveStreamCast 1.0
• Managing Content Protection features including RTMPe, Tunneling and SWF Verification
• Complete Troubleshooting guide including how to contact Adobe
• Full list of community resources
• And a Glossary
• Future sections will be added to include deploying Dynamic Streaming and DVR (expect that later this summer)

We also have a new full 2-day hands on training course on Large Scale Deployment. You can read the course outline here. Check for Classes here (select Category: "Adobe Video")

Today, We have also released a new free sample application called LiveStreamCast 1.0 - providing you with the foundation to deliver a live streams across a cluster of Flash Media Servers - simulating the technology found in the Edge server configuration.

Posted by Kevin Towes at 11:48 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

A key question that I get asked by customers is how do I encode this video to make it look good in Flash? In response, we now have 3 articles up on the Adobe Developer Connection to help you get started.

The first is a high level overview of the various tools in the market for Live and Video on Demand Encoding – both those available from Adobe as well as from our partner ecosystem.
http://www.adobe.com/devnet/video/articles/video_encoding_ecosystem.html

The second is an introductory encoding article – H.264 for the rest of us - written by Kush Amerasinghe of Ask the Adobe Ones fame. It takes you through all of the basics of encoding and some of the specific nuances of H.264.
http://www.adobe.com/devnet/flashmediaserver/articles/h264_primer.html

The third article is an advanced H.264 piece written by industry expert Jan Ozer, focused on some of the nitty gritty settings to get the best out of an H.264 encode.
http://www.adobe.com/devnet/flashmediaserver/articles/h264_encoding.html

Video compression and encoding can be pretty daunting if you’re just starting out, but these resources should start to demystify the process and help you deliver the best video experience through Adobe Flash Player.

-Laurel Reitman
Sr Product Manager
Flash Media Solutions

Posted by Laurel Reitman at 2:38 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Today we published the first of a 2-part series showing how to use DVR functionality with Flash Media Server 3.5 and User Generated Content. David Hassoun from Real Eyes Media is the author of this in-depth 6-page article that shows how developers can create a DVR-enabled stream using Flash Player and DVR a playback solution from scratch. Here's an excerpt:

"With the evolution of broadcast television and the ability to watch time-shifted content with pause and seek functionality, why wouldn't that same standard apply to the web?With the evolution of broadcast television and the ability to watch time-shifted content with pause and seek functionality, why wouldn't that same standard apply to the web?"

As we all look for ways to monetize content, one thing is clear - the longer you can engage a viewer, the more opportunities you have to draw revenue. DVR functionality will change the way we consume live video on the web by allowing the developer to create new ways to interact with live events including Instant Replay, live Clipping, instant VOD, Restart and jump-to-live.

This article will cover how to create Instant Replay applications and how to publish and play DVR-enabled streams. It will also discuss DVR publishing workflows.

Coming Soon! The next article of the series, you will learn how you can enable DVR Functionality without writing 1 line of code!

Posted by Kevin Towes at 7:20 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

THANK YOU developers and publishers for helping Flash Player 10 reach over 55% adoption! This is significantly faster than any adoption any previous new Flash Player. Check out these cool demos of what Flash Player 10 can do

So why is this important? This means that the world is coming closer to a better video experience with support for Dynamic Streaming and other enhancements for video playback. Not to mention all the cool new 3D effects, text engine, sound engine and new filters that will help create media experiences to keep your audience more engaged around the video! At this rate of installation, it's expected that by Q2'09, Flash Player 10 should surpass 80% adoptio (Pssst! Q2 is only a couple months away!)

We have also made a new milestone with AIR which is has been installed over 100 million times in just 1 year! You can have a look at the future of desktop video applications by browsing the shiny new AIR Marketplace. Search for "Video"

Have a look at the Adobe Flash Player penetration rerport here

Press release is here

Download Flash player 10 here. Download AIR here.

Posted by Kevin Towes at 9:29 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Andy Plesser and Beet TV came to our San Francisco Office and interviewed me on the the evolution of video in Flash. Aside from desperately needing a haircut, it's a good point of view from Flash player 6 and Sorenson through Flash player 8 with On2 and now with Flash player 9 and H264. From Embedding to Download to Streaming. This video gives a pretty good high level overview.

The context for this video is here:
http://www.beet.tv/2008/03/adobes-new-flas.html

Posted by Kevin Towes at 7:45 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Flash Video has exploded in growth and popularity. The broadband video industry in general is also exploding supporting "Fremium" content monetized by Advertising. New companies are forming that provide innovative new social media experiences built on the Flash platform.

My name is Kevin Towes, and I'm the product manager for Flash Media Server here at Adobe Systems. I'm very excited about starting this blog and letting our community know how we see the industry and what we're doing to enable the next generation of video experiences online.

I'll use this blog to share news stories I find interesting, talk about some unique projects that people are working on, and generally open the discussion around what we're up to. You might even see some sneak peaks here.

I look forward to seeing your comments and sharing this new world of video.

Kevin Towes

Posted by Kevin Towes at 10:13 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)