Best Open source Flash players for linux.
Forum: Linux and Free Software
Topic: Best Open source Flash players for linux.
started by: Zucca
Posted by Zucca on Oct. 11 2006,16:28
(Also with 'player' I mean plugin for web browser.)
I'm getting really frustrated to Adobe's policies. We do need a flash player that can be inluded in linux distributions.
Wikipedia says: | Quote | | Since Flash files do not depend on a truly open standard such as SVG, this reduces the incentive for non-commercial software to support the format, although there are several third party tools which use and generate the SWF file format and a large and vibrant open source community. Apparently, the Flash Player cannot ship as part of a pure open source, or completely free operating system, as its distribution is bound to the Macromedia Licensing Program and subject to approval. |
But afaik there's not any good (enough support for new flash versions) open source (or just only free?) flash players around.
Anyways. I think thoise are usable in most cases. Youtube and Google Video service playback would be great, but possible with those... Dunno.
Any of you have any experience and thoughts about those alternative players?
Please, list also URLs so we can test those players.
Posted by Zucca on Oct. 13 2006,05:30
Ok. There's at least Gnash: | Quote | Flash Support:
--------------
Many of the Flash movies that I come across play fine in Gnash. Many
others do not. In particular, Flash movies that are used for browser
navigation do not cause the browser to navigate yet. Producing sound
does not generally work yet.
Gnash supports the majority of Flash opcodes up to SWF version 7, and
a wide sampling of ActionScript classes for SWF version 7. All the core
ones are implemented, and many of the newer ones work, but may be missing
some of their methods. All unimplemented opcodes and ActionScript classes
and methods print a warning when using -v with gnash or gprocessor. Using
gprocessor -v is a quick way to see why a movie isn't playing correctly.
Currently implemented ActionScript classes are: Array, Boolean, Date,
Key, Math, Mouse, Number, Object, Sound, String, XML,
XMLNode, and XMLSocket.
Partially implemented classes are: MovieClipLoader, NetConnection,
LocalConnection, MovieClip, TextField, and TextFormat.
Unimplemented classes are: Accessibility, Error, Function, LoadVars,
Microphone, NetStream, Selection, SharedObject, Stage, System, Button,
Camera, Color, ContextMenu, CustomActions, Video.
Unimplemented Opcodes are: Throw, Implements, Extends, EnumObject, Try,
NewMethod, MDLength, MDSubstring, MDChr, Delete, GetTarget.
There is currently no FLV video, only minimal AMF data support,
and no loading of external jpegs. Sound is currently non-functional.
Plugin:
-------
The plugin correctly installs itself into Mozilla, Firefox, or Konqueror.
It can play some Flash files in cooperation with the browser. It
should work with any browser that supports the newer version of
Mozilla's NSPR API and plugin SDK. This does not work with the older
browsers like Firefox 1.0.x, but works find with any Firefox 1.5 or
newer browser. The older browsers fail to initialize the plugin, so
you only get a blank screen.
Some web pages have Internet Explorer-specific Javascript that fail
in Firefox, which prevents the plugin from being loaded. In these cases
I "view source" and then use wget to grab the movie for testing.
By default, the configure script looks for the GtkGl extension, and if
that can't be found, it defaults to using SDL. The plugin works by
using the standalone player, so which ever graphics library Gnash
uses, it's the same as the standalone player.
The GTK version has full event handling, and supports a right-click
mouse menu to control the movie. The SDL version has no event
handling, which means mouse clicks and keys pressed get ignored. Also
the windows don't resize, and occasionally they overrun thweir
biundaries. The GTK version requires GtkGlExt, and defaults to SDL if
GtkGlExt is not installed, or if --disable-glext is passed to configure.
All Flash movies are downloaded in full to /tmp, and then played from there.
Gnash is not yet able to play a Flash file "as it arrives" over the
network. Adding the ability to handle input streams is on the TODO list.
Configure with --with-plugindir= to set the directory that "make
install" will install the plugin in. By default it will be installed
in the users .mozilla/plugins or .firefox/plugins directory. |
But as you noticed, it lacks many features.
Anyone know any better player?
Posted by Zucca on Oct. 13 2006,05:46
There's also < GPL Flash >..
But It lacks many features as well:| Quote | FEATURES
--------
Limitations :
- The plugin and the player use XShm extensions, so remote display is not possible.
- No Flash 4 features (but no crash on Flash 4 files).
Not functional :
- No Morphing.
- No vertical anti-aliasing.
SOUND SUPPORT
-------------
Limitations :
- No streamed sound supported (interleaved data).
- No sound envelop. So no fading or balancing effect.
But the main feature is here and sound can be enjoyed.
I recommend OSS drivers, but it is not required at all
(http://www.opensound.com)
If you have troubles with sound put the -DNOSOUND option
for compilation. Also do this for non-Linux Unix. |
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