So. There were some serious security issues with Flash support in Quicktime. Apple released 7.3.1 to fix them. Unfortunately, they fixed them by disabling Flash support.

Let us step back for a moment. Quicktime plays Flash files? Yup, Quicktime will playback SWF files that are compatible with Flash version 5 or earlier. They can also be embedded as tracks within other quicktime files. Many content producers take advantage of this to add interactivity to Quicktime movies.

Needless to say, an update suddenly removing that capability has created some serious issues for a number of users. No warning, no downgrade path and no comments about workarounds. Sounds like classic Apple to me. Jerks.

Youtube has expanded their previously very limited program of cutting content producers in on ad revenue. This is good for folks who are already planning to post their content on Youtube, though it’s probably not your path to web2.0 riches.

Ok, first discovery – Flash doesn’t seem to support compressed headers on Quicktime H264 files. Just choose ‘fast start’ and you’ll be all set.

Adobe released Flash Player 9 Update 3 today, which includes official support for H264 video and AAC audio. That’s about the nicest thing I’ve heard all week. OK world: upgrade now. On2 be damned.

Sony has announced two new HDV cameras and a new HDV deck. StudioDaily has a nice roundup, but it looks like Sony’s really got some winners here.

Fully buzzword compliant – 24p, XLR in, record to tape or compact flash, etc. Not a whole ton of other info available right now, but I think Sony is trying hard to win back my heart.

If all of my titles were alliterative … that’d be awesome.

Avid announced yesterday that they’re not going to show up at NAB 2008. No booth, no shouty presenters, no pretentious representatives …

So what’s this all about? Avid has had a bad year (sizable losses) and may see the expense of NAB as not worth the return. That’s one option. Option two is that this could be a signal that NAB is on the decline. Apple hasn’t officially booked a booth yet either. NAB has been growing so much though, it’s hard to imagine that’s the case. I guess we’ll see come April.

Uhh. Panasonic? Dudes? You’re making my eyes bleed.

Welcome everyone, to the Panasonic AG-HMC70, by far the ugliest camera I have ever seen. Seriously, I hope there’s an aftermarket bodykit for this or something. Maybe with some ground effects and flared wheel arches …

Oh yeah, it’s a three chip, AVCHD camera that records to SD cars with an OIS leica lens. So that’s all pretty neat. You get XLR jacks plus both an LCD and a viewfinder. AVCHD is still a bit of a funny format – I’ve seen very good AVCHD, and very bad AVCHD. Hopefully this tilts towards the former.

No price on this yet, though I’d expect it to come in under the HVX-200. Which really begs the question of why Panasonic, which has thrown all of its weight in the prosumer and professional field behind P2 and DVCProHD/AVC-Intra, would jump into the market with an AVCHD camera recording to SD. So very confusing.

Woo.

Update: $116 with the educational discount? Excuse me? Gee thanks Apple, $15 off. What a deal.

Maybe I just have a faulty memory, but it sure seems like we’ve heard a handful of stories since Google bought YouTube about their imminent attempts to monetize the service. But anyways, here’s another go, adding non-video ad content around the video content. They’re giving the content producer a cut, which is nice, but I imagine for most regular content producers the numbers will be insignificant compared to traditional advertising placement.

Sony has announced a pair of interchangeable-lens cameras at IBC (announced might be too strong a word… previewed?). Take a look at the rundown from some dude’s blog.

The little guy is pretty cute. Smallish CMOS chips, but you can swap the lens, including adding SLR lenses with the right adapter. I haven’t seen US press releases on these yet, nor model numbers, so I wouldn’t expect anything concrete until NAB08.