CHARLOTTE, N.C. — AEBN has begun converting its substantial library of adult titles to the popular Flash .flv file format. With an estimated 99 percent install rate worldwide, Adobe’s Flash Player blankets the global streaming market, as compared to Microsoft’s Windows Media Player penetration of 79 percent. “Adding Flash to our VOD is a huge step forward,” says Ana Goforth, AEBN's director of sales.

"It will eliminate much of the compatibility and accessibility issues we've seen in the past. Our VOD services are now available on any device that supports Flash which, in this day, is a huge number," Goforth adds.

Flash video is currently used by most of the largest tube sites, including xTUBE, YouTube and general media sites. The ability to deliver high-quality video at reduced bandwidth is often cited as a distinct advantage of Flash over other players such as RealNetwork's RealPlayer and Microsoft's Media Player. Flash's platform-neutral capability, however, is the main reason why it is the player of choice for video-rich web sites.

Video software that delivers streaming content across varied devices is increasingly important as adult content reaches new markets such as mobile, cellular and smart phone users. Flash performs equally well on PC, Apple and mobile devices.

The current Flash 8 codec also permits developers to offer custom skins to match their site's design as well as adding unique functions through the use of ActionScript. DRM is not currently part of Flash players. Unlike other players, the streaming content is not cached, so no trace of the video is stored on the user's hard drive. Additional features such as scalable video without significant loss of quality makes the .flv format a viable contender to established video players.

AEBN is among the first of the larger VOD sites to offer Flash-formatted content. Sites such as HotMovies.com use Windows Media Player. VOD sites MaleFlixxx.tv and GameLink.com employ a mix of players, including iTunes, DivX and RealPlayer.