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Adobe Flash Media Server 3

Today, Adobe lifted the lid on FMS3 - Flash Lite 3 recording, almost doubled performance, MPG4 streaming, enhanced live event support, a new encrypted protocol for DRM protected content and licensing changes.

Flash Media Server (FMS) can already do video streaming, audio/video messaging and blogging, live audio/video chat, text chats, datacasting, multi-user gaming and it is also quite scalable using origin/edge server technology. The upcoming version of Flash Media Server 3 will add some neat features in addition to this feature set with MPEG4 streaming and DRM protection as the two main features that will make Flash Video even more interesting to content providers. The new MPEG4 features of the current Flash Player beta was revealed about three weeks ago so this was expected.

The addition of DRM has been much debated, especially these days when major content providers are leaving DRM. Another press release from Adobe today announced "significant adoption of Adobe Media Player (AMP) by key organizations involved in the creation, management and delivery of online and offline content for the entertainment industry". AMP really appeals to the content providers as it delivers new possibilities for enhancing both brand and marketing while protecting their content with DRM. AMP is expected as a public beta on Adobe's Labs site this autumn.

FMS3 will initially be available "as a service through select partners" and also "also available through select hosting providers". Early next year the software itself will become available to ordinary users.

Adobe will show FMS3 to those attending the IBC conference starting today in the city of Amsterdam.

Written by Jens C Brynildsen (September 06th 2007)