If you’ve watched a web video or upgraded your browser or computer in the last decade, chances are you’re familiar with Adobe’s ubiquitous Flash technology.

In a nutshell, it makes Internet video and other rich web applications tick—and when it’s not working, you know it (and your screen will usually be telling you to update to the latest version of Flash player).

At this week’s NAB (National Association of Broadcasters) Show, Adobe revealed that it would be bringing Flash further into the digital home—to your TVs, set-top boxes, Blu-ray players and more.

We’ve known that consumers are willing and ready to grab up Internet-supported TVs and that manufacturers are obliging by bringing more options to market. Adobe will be there to partner with chip makers, vendors, OEM providers, cable operators and others on heightening the web experience you’ll have on the TV.

This will include better high-def video streamed from the web, and more robust web applications that you’ll be able to tap into straight from the set-top box, embedded in your Blu-ray player, or right from the TV. Adobe counts partners such as The New York Times, Disney, Netflix (which we’re similarly seeing on all sorts of devices these days), Intel, Atlantic Records and others with their support in this endeavor, and says products will start rolling out in the second half of 2009.

“Adobe Flash Platform for the Digital Home will dramatically change the way we view content on televisions,” said David Wadhwani, general manager and vice president, Platform Business Unit at Adobe. “Consumers are looking to access their favorite Flash technology-based videos, applications, services and other rich Web content across screens.”

We certainly don’t want to have such a wide gap between what we’re watching on cable or satellite and then what we’d be seeing quality-wise from the web on our TVs, so hopefully Adobe’s increasing presence will soon have us guessing whether we’re viewing cable or YouTube HD. Hey, the more HD options the better, whether it comes from cable, our Blu-ray players or the web.

Arlen Schweiger - Managing editor of Electronic House Magazine

Arlen contributes product news items to electronichouse.com along with his role on the print publication. Got a tip? Send it along!