Adobe Opens That MF Up

Written by Ryan Lawler

Tuesday, July 21. 2009 at 01:00 AM EDT 2 comments

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Remember how Adobe Systems Inc. (Nasdaq: ADBE) launched that initiative called Strobe to create an open framework that could theoretically make it easier for publishers to build customized video players?

And remember how Adobe announced broad industry support for the framework before it even existed?

Well, apparently it now exists.

Adobe released the Open Source Media Framework (OSMF) today to enable developers to "easily create unique playback experiences that can leverage plugins for advertising, reporting metrics, and content delivery, along with standard video player features such as playback controls, video navigation, buffering, and dynamic streaming."

(In other words, they'll have to do less coding to make things work together, because other people will be building plug-ins for them.)

But, Adobe can't do this alone. So instead, the company has released an application programming interface (API) and partnered with a number of third parties that will support the open-source MF and build plug-ins for the easy implementation of value-added services.

"Media players need to integrate with all these third-party services," says Sumner Paine, product manager for the Adobe Strobe framework. "Adobe can't build this thing unilaterally."

Adap.tv, Akamai Technologies Inc. (Nasdaq: AKAM), Blip.tv, Brightcove Inc., CDNetworks Co. Ltd., Digitalsmiths Corp., EyeWonder Inc., GlanceGuide Inc., Grab Media, Incited Media LLC, iStreamPlanet Co., KickApps Corp., Level 3 Communications Inc. (Nasdaq: LVLT), Limelight Networks Inc. (Nasdaq: LLNW), Multicast Media Technologies Inc., The Nielsen Co., Omniture Inc., Panache, PointRoll Inc., ScanScout Inc., Thumbplay Inc., Visible Measures Corp., and YuMe Networks have all pledged to support the framework.

Just as importantly, Adobe is working with others to ensure compatibility among multiple open-source projects. So the company has partnered with Akamai to create a consistent framework with the content delivery network's own Open Video Player.

The Open Source MF is available under Mozilla Public License at: www.OpenSourceMediaFramework.com.