Flash Video Format

What is FLV?

Flash Video (FLV) is a container file format used to deliver digital video content over the Internet using Adobe Flash Player. FLV was the dominant format for web video in the mid-2000s, powering platforms like YouTube before HTML5 video became standard. The format is now largely obsolete following the end of Flash Player support in 2020.

Legacy video format used for web streaming during the Flash era

History

The evolution of FLV format:

• 2002: Introduced with Flash Player 6
• 2003: Adopted by YouTube for video streaming
• 2005: FLV becomes dominant web video format
• 2007: H.264 support added via F4V variant
• 2020: Adobe ends Flash Player support, FLV becomes obsolete

Features and Capabilities

• Small File Size: Efficient compression for web delivery
• Streaming Support: Progressive download and RTMP streaming
• Wide Codec Support: H.263, H.264, VP6 video codecs
• Metadata: Cue points and video information embedding
• Alpha Channel: Transparency support with VP6 codec
• Low Bandwidth: Optimized for slower internet connections

Common Use Cases

FLV is commonly used in the following scenarios:

• Legacy YouTube and online video platforms
• Archived web video content
• Old educational and training videos
• Video conversion for historical preservation

Advantages and Disadvantages

Advantages

• Excellent compression for its time
• Universal web support through Flash Player
• Good streaming performance on slow connections
• Effective for simple video delivery

Limitations

• Obsolete format with no modern browser support
• Requires conversion for current use
• Security vulnerabilities in Flash Player
• Limited mobile device support even at peak

Technical Specifications