Encoding Flash Video (FLV) Files

Flash video has become a popular media format due to the wide (99%) availability of the Flash plug-in on internet connected devices.  This largely exlaints the poular use of the media by websites such as YouTube.

ASPNetFlashVideo provides excellent playback for FLV files – but media must first be encoded to the FLV format to work in this way.

 

Desktop FLV Encoding

Flash Video can be encoded easily using free tools:

Adobe provides Flash Video encoder with the Flash IDE Software.
http://www.adobe.com/products/flash/flashpro/productinfo/encoder/

RivaVX FLV Encoder is free and well designed (it is Windows only)
http://www.rivavx.com/?encoder

There are also some excellent commercial options including:

• Sorenson Squeeze for Flash   
• ON2 Flix Encoders
• VisualHub Video Converter (Macintosh Compatible)
• FFMPEG compression suite (Open Source, Command Line)

Server Side FLV Encoding

To automatically encode videos to FLV on your web-server you have server options including:

• HeyWatch!  (A Web-Service)
• Sorenson Squeeze for Flash   (using “watch folders”)
• FFMPEG compression suite (exploiting the Command Line interface)