Why use FMProjector/FMPlayer while Macromedia Flash MX begins to support Video? Read more to see the differences behind...

10 months ago, Flashants first introduced FMProjector/FMPlayer to designers with unique feature to enable Flash importing native video. And today, the solution is widely used by designers around the world to create fantastic video+flash multimedia content for webpages or CD-titles. As the pioneer to provide the technology, we are glad to see that Macromedia finally response to the requests of flash designers with the video support in the newly released Flash MX and Flash 6 Player.

We 'd like to outline the differences between the features on video support by Macromedia and Flashants , in the hope to help people to make their best choice when there comes a need to add video in flash.

1. Native Video Format vs. Conversion
Flash MX needs to convert video to the specific format supported by the Sorenson video codec that is embedded in Flash 6 player. The conversion is time consuming. And conversion always means degraded of quality.
Flashants FMProjector and FMPlayer allow importing native video in Flash and directly playback the native video by Window Media Player and Real Player.

2. Dynamic load external video in Flash
A great feature to designers is that Flash MX allows dynamically loading external jpeg and mp3 files. As for video, you don't have such option in FMX but have to convert video to flash format before you can use them. Flashants FMProjector/FMPlayer support to dynamically load external native video files or stream video from media servers.

3. Windows Media Technologies vs. Specific video codec
Flash 6 uses Sorenson Spark codec to playback video in Flash. FMProjector and FMPlayer adopt the Microsoft Window Media Player and Real Player to directly playback video and the market leading media technology from Microsoft and Real guarantee the best quality and performance.

4. Window Media Resource Kit vs. Sorenson Squeeze
Flash MX needs you to spend additional 299 USD to purchase Sorenson Squeeze (a video conversion tool) for using the full video features. If you choose FMProjector/ FMPlayer, you can use the whole set of Windows Media Resource Kit including Media Encoder and other professional utilities to create the high quality and small size video contents. And the best part is: They are all free.

5. Video formats support and new technology catch up
Flash MX exclusively supports the Sorenson's specific video format. As the video codec is embedded with the Flash 6 Player, there is no chance to upgrade the technology until next version Flash player released.
The technology revolution never waits. FMProjector/FMPlayer allow importing different video format according to different requirements on the video quality and size. And directly adopt the best of current and future technology including WMV, Mpeg4, or DivX.

6. Video length limitation
Flash MX has the limitation of 16,000 frames number for video clip (around 8.5 minutes of 30fps video.)

7. Flash Communication Server MX vs Windows Media Server
Soon there will be some independent comparison report about this. Before that, most people choose to bet on Microsoft's Windows Media Technology.

8. Content protection and DRM support
There is no DRM support for Video of Flash MX yet.
Using FMPlayer and FMProjector, you can make use the comprehensive DRM solution from Microsoft to protect your valuable contents from piracy.

9. Video Quality, Performance, and Length.
According to Ed McGarr, vice president of marketing and sales for Sorenson Video, "Flash has always been fast and lightweight. The embedding of small video files won't change that, but long, high motion, high quality video could result in packet loss and "pipe jamming,"
On the other hand, FMProjector and FMPlayer, based on Window Media Technologies, the robust and best of breed technology from Microsoft, providing the best performance and quality to guarantee your investment.

By no doubt, Flash MX is another great product from Macromedia. As a 3rd party software developer to Flash, our products will be fully compatiable with Flash MX and Flash 6 player.

While Flash MX supports to video, FMProjector/FMPlayer are still the must-have solution for those who are care about the video quality, video playback performance, contents protection, DRM, . multiple video formats, streaming video support, dynamic video contents , and wanna keep up with the best media technology for now and future.

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