On
Monday Adobe grabbed a DRM company that creates lock downs for PDF files via a client-server method and document
encryption. This seems old hat in the textbook and business documentation world, but I wonder if Adobe will use this
method to create a new SWF based DRM. For more clues I sat at work listening to the Gillmor Gang discuss DRM and video. They brought up the new Google Video store and how Google is using Flash (7 if you must know) to
display its videos. One member of the gang (I forget his name) said (aroung the 18 minute mark) that Adobe and
Macromedia's merger should bring DRM to Flash in the future so Flash can become a more viable content distribution
model. I'm all for it... er let me clarify, I'd prefer DRM free content for ease of use etc, but if it must be there I
want cross platform content, like Flash. In order words, that new VH1 video site and the new Comedy Central video
service are closed to my iBook due to lack of vision on the part of their developers (and the music industry, but
that's another story), but if the content was Flash based (like CNN's free in page
video) then the content would be semi cross platform (sorry Linux, wait for 8.5). The only question is: Is SWF (and On2
by association) better than WMV and M4V?
image from video for Flash
1. On2's Flash 8 video codec is extremely good. Tons better than its predecessor. However, I don't believe it can handle exceptionally high bitrates, high definition or even multi-track audio that WMV and M4V supports.
On top of that, I don't believe Flash video currently supports and benefits from hardware acceleration, though that is rumored to take place in the next iteration of Flash Player.
Posted at 8:50PM on Jan 11th 2006 by Chris