Macromedia Flash 8: Video Development

Prerequisites
This course is for developers with extensive experience with Macromedia Flash (either Flash MX Professional 2004 or Flash 8). To take this course, you should:
Have completed the Macromedia Flash 8: Rich Content Creation course or have equivalent experience.
Have completed the Macromedia Flash 8: ActionScript course or have equivalent experience.
Have experience working with video (recommended).

Unit 1: Introducing the Course
Getting familiar with the course methodology and format
Understanding the course objectives
Understanding the course prerequisites
Viewing the course outline

Unit 2: Introducing Flash Video
Defining streaming
Defining digital video
Understanding key Flash Video concepts
Looking at the evolution of Flash Video
Viewing Flash Video market adoption statistics
Examining the streaming video market
Identifying key benefits of Flash Video over traditional media
Introducing the Flash Media Server for streaming video
Unit 3: Building a Component Based Media Player
Understanding the Flash Video development workflow
Using the Insert Flash Video command in Dreamweaver 8
Building a media player with the FLVPlayback component
Building a media player with FLVPlayback Custom UI components
Binding playback properties and components
Building a playlist and video picker
Skinning FLVPlayback Custom UI components
Unit 4: Encoding Flash Video
Understanding Flash Video (FLV)
Introducing CODECs and video encoding
Converting to FLV using the Flash 8 Video Encoder
Understanding bandwidth and data rate
Using advanced encoding settings
Adding cue points, cropping, and trimming
Using encoding best practices


Unit 5: Delivering Flash Video
Understanding video delivery options
Comparing embedded vs. progressive download
Streaming Flash Video
Using Macromedia Flash Video Streaming Services
Using the Flash Media Server
Tracking FLV Playback

Unit 6: Reviewing ActionScript
Reviewing ActionScript basics
Using Media Component properties
Using Media Component methods
Handling Media Component events
Using ActionScript to control the Media Components

Unit 7: Building a Custom Media Player
Understanding the process for building a custom media player
Learning the ActionScript required for streaming
Creating a connection to the server
Controlling and managing streams
Introducing and using the embedded Video object
Adding video playback filters
Using the Sound class to manage audio
Listening and responding to stream events
Unit 8: Adding Flash Video Effects
Understanding filters, blends, and masks
Masking the FLVPlayback component
Importing alpha channels with video
Creating a Flash movie that uses video with alpha channels
Understanding differences between author-time and run-time effects
Embedding the FLVPlayback component inside a MovieClip
Using blend modes
Using ActionScript to apply filters


Unit 9: Enhancing the User Experience
Understanding the importance of the user experience
Creating auto detection for bandwidth, Flash Player version, and connection speed
Creating playback controls
Using full screen playback
Creating error handling

Unit 10: Working with Cue Points and User Accessibility
Introducing embedded cue points
Understanding accessibility issues for video playback
Manipulating cue points with ActionScript
Adding closed captioning
Controlling video with keyboard commands

Unit 11: Using Live Video
Introducing live video
Using the live video encoder
Setting the live encoder
Recording a live stream
Playing a live stream
Creating bandwidth strategies