Hello,

I am trying to learn the difference between using Adobe Flash to convert imovie files to .flv versus using a cheap 40.00 converter program that performs the same function?

Thanks!

Without knowing what application you're comparing to it's impossible to make any suggestions or give feedback. However if you already own Flash Pro then you don't need anything else. There are also many shareware apps that cost less than $10 which can make FLV files too. Do a Google search and you'll get tons of data.

Welcome to the forums.

Do consider if you really need to convert to .flv.

For web use, Flash Player has played H.264 files for two+ years now, and those H.264 files look much better for the same bitrate/filesize than .flv files.

True, but it depends on your target audience. Most of my clients (corporate stuff) have problems with H.264 as their software (and sometimes their hardware!) tends to be "held back" (deliberately) by their IT departments to stuff they know and trust to be stable etc. - hence most of my material is put up as Flash 8 (FLV) on my own site (in both public and private areas).

I still supply H.264 versions to the clients for future use for the reasons you state and for them to upload to YouTube/Vimeo etc.

For the record I use Sorensen Squeeze Flash Pro 5 (for On2 VP6 Flash 8 encoding). I like this software product and it's quality of output but can't help the OP with an Adobe's product comparison (as I don't use that).

OK, well any IT department that allows Flash Player 9.something or later in the company's PCs will play H.264, if you embed it in your website pages correctly as Flash, not QT. It doesn't need Quicktime installed at all. (But I expect you knew that!)