How Do I Choose the Best Open Source Flash® Player?

An open source Flash® player is a program made to play Flash® movies and games, such as those commonly found on streaming websites. To choose the best player, users should look for certain features that will be important while using the open source Flash® player. It should be able to support features that the latest version of Flash® uses, to ensure it works regardless of the file. The program also should be able to use Flash® plugins, which are commonly needed for videos. Streaming, and any play features, also will help when deploying the open source Flash® player online.

Most of the time, open source Flash® players are used to play videos, but games also can be made using Flash®. When Flash® introduces a new software version, it typically includes new features and tools, which may cause a problem if the open source player lacks support. If one of these features is used and the open source Flash® player does not support it, then some or all of the game will not work. Users should look for programs that are consistently updated and can support the latest version of Flash®.

To play games and videos, users sometimes need to install a Flash® plugin. Along with being compatible with the features, an open source Flash® player also must be compatible with all, or at least the most common, plugins. Without this feature, any file that requires a plugin will be useless in the player program. The plugins also should be easy to install, so users do not have to struggle to get the player working.

Flash® players are sometimes used on the user’s computer, but they are more often deployed online for streaming websites. To match this need, the open source Flash® player should have a streaming feature that lets it load and display videos and games online. It also should be compatible with all modern Internet browsers. The streaming feature should be able to quickly load videos and games, so users do not have to wait long.

Playing features on some open source Flash® player programs are basic, while others are advanced. A basic player just needs play and pause buttons so the user can start and stop a movie. More advanced players come with fast-forward and rewind buttons, mute buttons, volume controls and other features. Commonly, more controls are better, but this depends on how the user wants to deploy the Flash® player.