Eliminate Flash Dependency for steam store (h.264 / x264 video)

masterchef341 · 03-29-2012, 03:26 PM

Go ahead and re-encode all your video to x264 if they aren't already, and remove the flash containers. It's time.

Zodiark1593 · 03-29-2012, 03:29 PM

Uhh, why? If computers can play them, I really don't see any issue.

stevethepocket · 03-29-2012, 04:59 PM

If the Steam browser can play videos without Flash's help, I really don't see why it should require it.

masterchef341 · 03-29-2012, 05:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zodiark1593

Uhh, why? If computers can play them, I really don't see any issue.

Quote:

Originally Posted by stevethepocket

If the Steam browser can play videos without Flash's help, I really don't see why it should require it.

Answered. It's just more software we have to install that provides no benefit. Steam could also require us to install skype for chat and voice, and computers would be able to handle it. Steam already went through the effort of building these features, so it's a waste to force us to install skype to cover those features. Similarly, others already went through the effort of making it easy to play x264 video natively on all platforms steam runs on. It's a waste to have us install flash to cover those same features.

Nekomancer · 03-29-2012, 05:15 PM

The less dependencies the better. I agree and support this suggestion.

There's only a small problem, not all browsers support h.264. Many rely on the open source and free of cost alternative WebM using the VP8 codec. So Valve would have to provide them in two variants depending on the browser.

Mangr0v3 · 03-29-2012, 05:29 PM

Valve could just do what much of the web is doing and support H.264 with a flash fallback for non-h.264 browsers.

masterchef341 · 03-29-2012, 06:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nekomancer

The less dependencies the better. I agree and support this suggestion.

There's only a small problem, not all browsers support h.264. Many rely on the open source and free of cost alternative WebM using the VP8 codec. So Valve would have to provide them in two variants depending on the browser.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mangr0v3

Valve could just do what much of the web is doing and support H.264 with a flash fallback for non-h.264 browsers.

These are good points, but I originally just meant in context of the steam application. Since steam is a custom webkit based browser, they could support whatever video standard they want. They wouldn't need to have a fallback, or multiple variants (for steam the application)

As far as the regular website, the issue is slightly more complex, as noted, because not everyone is currently using the same video standard.

GDL · 03-30-2012, 06:38 AM

Supported.

I hate flash.

Moes · 03-30-2012, 12:33 PM

Yeah can support this move on steam, but the web, I am a flash developer and most of my income currently is making flash based sites.

masterchef341 · 03-30-2012, 04:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Moes

Yeah can support this move on steam, but the web, I am a flash developer and most of my income currently is making flash based sites.

You should probably pick up a book on html5 and ajax if you want to continue to have an income in the near future

03-29-2012, 03:26 PM	#1
masterchef341 Join Date: Dec 2008 Reputation: 713 Posts: 1,200	Eliminate Flash Dependency for steam store (h.264 / x264 video) Go ahead and re-encode all your video to x264 if they aren't already, and remove the flash containers. It's time.

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03-29-2012, 03:29 PM	#2
Zodiark1593 Join Date: Mar 2011 Reputation: 362 Posts: 913	Uhh, why? If computers can play them, I really don't see any issue.

03-29-2012, 04:59 PM	#3
stevethepocket Join Date: Apr 2008 Reputation: 247 Posts: 1,824	If the Steam browser can play videos without Flash's help, I really don't see why it should require it.

03-29-2012, 05:15 PM	#5
Nekomancer Join Date: Mar 2008 Reputation: 2386 Posts: 15,162	The less dependencies the better. I agree and support this suggestion. There's only a small problem, not all browsers support h.264. Many rely on the open source and free of cost alternative WebM using the VP8 codec. So Valve would have to provide them in two variants depending on the browser.

03-29-2012, 05:29 PM	#6
Mangr0v3 Join Date: Sep 2008 Reputation: 4237 Posts: 13,589	Valve could just do what much of the web is doing and support H.264 with a flash fallback for non-h.264 browsers.

03-30-2012, 06:38 AM	#8
GDL Join Date: Mar 2012 Reputation: 997 Posts: 2,157	Supported. I hate flash.

03-30-2012, 12:33 PM	#9
Moes Join Date: Jul 2010 Reputation: 23 Posts: 118	Yeah can support this move on steam, but the web, I am a flash developer and most of my income currently is making flash based sites.