Red 5 Flash Server - streaming FLV?

[beyondthegrave]

I wanted to protect my FLV videos so users can't download the original FLV file even though they can view it. Using a Flash server to stream is supposed to solve that problem.

Does Red 5 do the same thing? If so, that would be great to get free Flash streaming instead of paying a special host.

Thanks for any info you can offer.

[Krispy Kritter]

Typically, if you can view it, you can copy/save it. Programs such as this https://www.videohelp.com/tools/Orbit_Downloader make it pretty easy for the average person.

I don't know how the Flash server is supposed to work, but you may want to spend a little time trying a few tools like this on a known "protected" file to see if it really works before deciding where to upload/share your files.

[beyondthegrave]

Adobe's Flash Server works by streaming the video straight to the video player, then the bits are dumped immediately after, they're not cached. The video downloaders only work when it streams through the browser, which caches the video, and then downloaders just grab it from the cache.

So Adobe Flash Server is safe from these programs. I'm just not sure whether Red 5 does the same as Adobe Flash Server.

[Krispy Kritter]

Adobe's Flash Server works by streaming the video straight to the video player, then the bits are dumped immediately after, they're not cached. The video downloaders only work when it streams through the browser, which caches the video, and then downloaders just grab it from the cache.

So Adobe Flash Server is safe from these programs. I'm just not sure whether Red 5 does the same as Adobe Flash Server.

That's not entirely true. Some programs pull the info from the cache or temp folder (which you can sometimes do yourself without the software). However, downloaders like the above, pull the link to the server and download it directly (no browser, cache, or temp folder is used). The software directly connects to the server with the file and downloads it.

[beyondthegrave]

When using Adobe Flash Server, you can't directly download the file. It's safe from at least amateur attempts to download.

[Krispy Kritter]

Maybe we are just misunderstanding each other. And if you know for sure how this all works, then feel free to ignore me.

With that said, when trying to download save flv files, you can sometimes right click and save or other times pull from the cache or temp files. Those are the easy ways.

There are other files that will open in their own java window or the url's use redirection to prevent right click saving. And other ways that I'm likely not remembering at the moment. Anyway, programs such as the one list above, will generally work by finding the destinataion url, connecting to the server and downloading the file.