Adobe showcases HTTP Live Streaming

Adobe showcased a feature for media producers who plan to target iOS users is the eventual addition of the iPhone-friendly HTTP Live Streaming to the Media Server's supported protocol list, says Tuaw.com.

It did this when showcasing several new and upcoming features of its Flash Media Server during the National Association of Broadcasters trade show last week.

HTTP Live Streaming is an HTTP-based media streaming protocol developed by Apple. It uses H.264 video and AAC or MP3 audio to deliver its media stream.

The protocol is supported by QuickTime on Mac OS X and is compatible with the iPhone, iPad and iPod touch.

Mac Blorge states that according to the company, by adding support for HTTP Live Streaming within the Flash Media Server, Adobe is reducing the publishing complexity for broadcasters who need to reach browsers supporting HLS through HTML5 (such as Safari) or devices where Adobe Flash is not installed.

Adobe's Flash has always performed, at best, poorly on the Mac. To this day, if Safari, Chrome or Firefox crash, it's overwhelmingly likely that Flash was the culprit, the report says.

According to PH Beta, besides the standards of Adobe's own HTTP Dynamic Streaming, the Flash Media Server in future will support Apple HTTP Stream media playing.

Kevin Towes, a product manager of Adobe Flash Media Server, claims that Adobe does this to decrease the complexity of operation when people don't install Adobe Flash.

But those devices that have been already installed with Flash will still use MPEG4 to transfer from HTTP to Flash playing.