Finally! FMS developers now have a handy tool for writing communication ActionScript, thanks to Darren Lee — the Flash Media Server Eclipse Plugin

Features:

• Outline View
• Code Complete
• Output Console
• Auto Insert
• Import AS2
• Error checking

See a demo screencast here: http://fczone.com/eclipse/demo/

A tool to enhance FMS development workflow has sorely been needed. Darren has really outdone himself with this — it certainly helps that he has an amazing amount of first-hand knowledge about what FMS developers need. The code completion alone will save me tons of time, not to mention the tricked-out Output Console and error checking.
This is a test-build release, so be sure to check for the latest updates. Thanks, Darren! You rock.

We’re excited to be part of FitC again this year — and it’s shaping up to be yet another fantastic conference. Renee will be presenting “Flash Video Crash Course” and I’ll be “Demystifying FLV Encoding.” FitC is always chock-full of motivating and educational sessions, and a great group of people — don’t miss it!
Check out the details >> here <<… and when you decide to get your ticket, use this code for a discount:
10% discount code: HD777
See you in Hollywood!

The latest update to the Flash Player brings serious video quality improvements, for those who have the right hardware. In this video interview with Tinic Uro of Adobe, he discusses the specifics. Here are the highlights:

• Core renderer will now support multi-core hardware, giving us fully multi-threaded performance (so, if you have the right system, full-screen HD Flash video can be amazing quality, and screaming fast).
• The native resolution of the video in Flash is scaled up to full-screen through hardware acceleration.
• This hardware acceleration is implemented using OpenGL on Mac and Direct3D/DirectDraw on Windows.

Pretty exciting stuff, even though most of us don’t have the hardware to experience it just yet. Just more proof that Adobe is serious about video.

Our book is now available on Amazon, and will be “wherever books are sold” very soon! We worked really hard on this book, and tried to include everything you need to create Flash video applications in the real world. You’ll find all sorts of solutions to problems you’ll invariably encounter out there. Clients that may not know what they want. Video that’s blocky and choppy. Slow internet connections. Transitions, filters, thumbnail snapshots, streaming, progressive, videoconferencing… we cover it all. In both AS2 and AS3. It took a few years off our lives, but here it is!
Details over here >>

The folks as FF have graciously given me a discount link to share with you, the dear reader. You can save $50* at the FlashForward registration checkout with this code: LN231BST

Cya there!
*Does not apply to Film Festival/Expo Hall Pass

We’re booked for presenting on several upcoming conferences: FlashBelt next week in Minneapolis, FlashForward Boston in September, Adobe MAX in October, then Flash on the Beach in Brighton UK in November…

Whew!

We’ll be presenting on various Flash Video-related topics. Click on the banners on the left for more info — hope to see you there!

Renée and I are currently working on Flash Video for Professionals, to be published by Wiley, and it’s now available for pre-order on Amazon! You can buy it here: Flash Video for Professionals: Expert Techniques for Integrating Video on the Web. We’ll also be posting some excerpts here to give you an idea of what we’re working on as we finish it up. Feel free to leave comments, feedback and requests!

Here you will find random thoughts, links and resources relating to all things Flash, especially Flash Video.

// Renee & Lisa