Adobe Releases Media Player 1.0

Adobe's long-awaited Media Player brings with it a network of major content providers and more options for viewers.

Nearly a year after Adobe first broke news of its upcoming media player, the company has released version 1.0 of the software for free to the public. Adobe Media Player expands the use of Flash for online video by providing viewers with a more powerful tool for watching video, and offering content providers more control over their releases.

Using Adobe Media Player, viewers can download video from a number of sources, build a personal video library from it, and even subscribe to channels so that their favorite shows arrive automatically upon release. Unlike existing implementations of Flash for pushing online video, Media Player will allow resolutions of up to 1080p, creating the possibility of streaming high-def content.

Adobe has already built up a network of media companies to launch initial content for the new player, including Comedy Central, Nickelodeon, MTV, CBS, and many more. Some of the first shows will include CSI: Miami, The Hills, and Star Trek. For content providers, Adobe Media Player offers everything from the ability to insert advertising to DRM protection and anonymous usage statistics, giving companies an incentive to add put TV content online for another shot at profit.

“With Adobe Media Player, we’re bringing viewers and content owners closer together, with an experience that doesn’t constrain them by platform or proprietary software application,” said John Loiacono, senior vice president of Creative Solutions at Adobe, in a statement. “It’s a merger of TV Guide and DVR for Internet video content.”