Embedded video lets you embed a video file within a SWF file. When you import video in this way, the video is placed in the Timeline where you can see the individual video frames represented in the Timeline frames. An embedded video file becomes part of the Flash document.

When you create a SWF file with embedded video, the frame rate of the video clip and the SWF file must be the same. If you use different frame rates for the SWF file and the embedded video clip, playback is inconsistent. To use variable frame rates, import the video using either progressive download or Flash Media Server. When you import video files using either of these methods, the FLV files are self-contained and run at a frame rate separate from that of all other timeline frame rates included in the Flash SWF file.

You can import video clips into Flash as embedded files in QuickTime video (MOV), Audio Video Interleaved file (AVI), Motion Picture Experts Group file (MPEG), or other formats, depending on your system.

Embedded video works best for smaller video clips, with a playback time of less than 10 seconds. If you are using video clips with longer playback times, consider using progressively downloaded video, or streaming video using Flash Media Server.

The limitations of embedded video include:

• You might encounter problems if the resulting SWF files become excessively large. Flash Player reserves a lot of memory when downloading and attempting to play large SWF files with embedded video, which can cause Flash Player to fail.

• Longer video files (over 10 seconds long) often have synchronization issues between the video and audio portions of a video clip. Over time, the audio track begins playing out of sequence with the video, causing a less than desirable viewing experience.

• To play a video embedded in a SWF file, the entire video file must be downloaded before the video starts to play. If you embed an excessively large video file, it might take a long time for the SWF file to download in its entirety and for playback to start.