HTML 5 <video> tag vs Flash video. What are the pros and cons?

Question

IMPORTANT UPDATE

This question was made over 9 years ago. It made sense then, it doesn\'t make it now. Flash is hard on its way out; sup

Answer 1

HTML5 Pros:

1. It supports whole new DOM API for video objects, you can write script which can interact with new HTML5 tags.
2. You can detect different video format support play, pause, and track video playback.
3. Its already well supported. Firefox, opera, chrome already support chrome, video , etc... Even youtube is testing some HTML5 player.

Flash Pros/ HTML5 Cons:

1. Flash is there everywhere. So HTML5 will take lot and lots of time to catch up.
2. Flash support extensive features, let it be HW rendering, high definition video supports, Animation features it supports are simply irreplaceable(?)
3. DOM API would never replace AS2/AS3 feature already supported by flash.
4. Just count the number of professional flash developers out there... they will never switch unless HTML5 answers all their questions. There are number of flash developers who haven't switched from AS2 to AS3 yet :-)