WMP or not

Re: Windows 8 - Looks really awsome

You are paying for using Windows, you're not paying for playing every multimedia file in existence on the built-in WMP -- because Microsoft is not selling such "universal" feature neither making propaganda about it. (check what Microsoft states about WMP. Did you read some false propaganda?)

But you can play .avi and .flv in WMP - just add some third-party codec pack. There is no built-in restriction to codec packs. Heck, Microsoft explains that too.

 

Re: Windows 8 - Looks really awsome

Oh... gee... I suppose you didn't read this warning, coming from Microsoft...

-edit-

You're also forgetting that we do pay for everything that comes in the Windows DVD. I paid for everything, therefore I expect it to work. Windows Media Player is part of Windows, period. I paid for it. I suppose I can't just use an illegal key to use the free Windows Media Player, without being charged?

Surpringly enough, I don't need to hunt down for codec packs* with VLC Media Player/others, and run those unneeded risks.

* Which by the day, even with such codec packs, I still couldn't play *.avi files in Windows Media Player. Not even using the official codec supplier's codec.

But yes, why making Windows Media Player actually be useful, when 99% of consumers don't give a crap? I wouldn't make it work either. Why bother...

I'll rather warn the client that the media file can't be played due to lack of codecs, and let the user hunt them down, install some piece of crap and/or malicious crap...

 

Re: Windows 8 - Looks really awsome

But WMP is useful for what it is intended to be.

For example, I find WMP pretty useful to play .mp3.

It consumes way less memory than my other favorite media player (VLC Media Player Portable) for such task.

Finally, I didn't see any propaganda about WMP being a .flv and .avi player on the Microsoft site, did you?

 

Re: Windows 8 - Looks really awsome

I don't think that I'd miss WMP anyway. I can't play 3gp files from my phone on it & I tend to use VLC. I'd miss VLC if it disappeared. It just seems like another reason to move to Ubuntu rather than invest in a Win 8 computer to me.

 

Re: Windows 8 - Looks really awsome

3gp files can be played in WMP; but you would need to install the Haali Media Splitter (check every option during setup).

I generally prefer VLC too, except for audio/music reproduction.

 

posts moved to its own thread from Windows 8 discussion.

 

Back when I used Windows Media Player,I used the K-Lite Codec Pack so I was able to play avi's,etc. Now I use Media Player Classic or VLC player.

 

Good remind, I highly doubt that the Microsoft's warning against *some* codec packs was made with K-Lite Codec Pack (and its variations) in mind - if downloaded from the right location: http://www.codecguide.com/

 

My son can play practically any codec including mkv's with CCCP (Combined Community Codec Pack) and the included Media Player Classic Home Cinema.

 

Re: Windows 8 - Looks really awsome

I don't know why, but when I read this, it came to mind some other kind of software, where those software developers also insist it's still useful, even though there are other utilities capable of doing the same and a lot more (not bloat related, at all).

Can you play MP3 with Windows Media Player? That's great. So can I play it, *.FLV, *.AVI, etc in VLC Media Player.

I actually agree with that. It used to be my experience as well. Which is why quite recently I decided to make of WMP my only media player, and actually just stick to Microsoft/Windows code. Easier for upgrade reasons.

Unfortunately, I found that I could not play quite a few popular formats.

Nor did I say there's any propaganda? But, I got to ask myself why isn't Windows Media Player still capable of playing such formats? I've been using VLC for quite a few years already, and during all this time Microsoft never thought of actually making WMP play such formats? Why not? What's there to stop them and allow Windows paying users to make of WMP their sole media player?

There are choices, coming from Microsoft, that simply make no sense to me whatsoever, and this isn't just about Windows Media Player.

As a paying user of Windows, and that includes WMP, Internet Explorer, etc., I simply cannot understand how this kind of functionality is simply lacking.

This is also a bit like introducing the Metro UI - whether I like or not, it's of no importance - without bothering about adding functionality to Windows Explorer, by introducing tabs, for instance. This is something that's missing from Windows Explorer for years, and the only way to have it is by introducing alien code in Windows itself, and that always means issues - both stability and security wise.

It seems to be the trend. In the Windows 8 thread, AppLocker lacking from Windows 8 Professional, a version also meant for enterprises, is just another perfect example of how I simpply cannot understand any of these choices.

There's a lot more to be discussed, but we'd go off-topic.

 

-edit-

I don't think that Microsoft is forbidden from supporting such formats, is it? I never found information mentioning it. Because, if that was the case, then it would be a different scenario. A stupid one, but nonetheless, a different one.

 

Re: Windows 8 - Looks really awsome

OK, thanks for the info Sir Peter. I knew there'd be a hack somewhere, I just got so used to using VLC for years.

 

I think that's probably the case, just think about .PDF, Microsoft needed years and years of negotiation in order for Adobe to allow it to include built-in support for .PDF on Windows ( one of the new features of Win8 ).

Another possible reason is that those codecs/formats were not considered stable/good and/or popular enough by MS.

 

WMP is pretty much obsolete in my opinion. I don't know how much MS figures it's worth when they're deciding what to charge for Windows, but I'm sure it's too much.

 

WMP? That's the first thing I uninstall when I install Windows

The interface sucks big time especially in full screen mode as their seekbar is very obstructive if you tend to wanna use the seekbar a lot like me (watching pr0n for example)

Anyway, the best player IMHO is MPC-HC (make sure you only grab the regular version not the 64-bit version as that doesn't work with everything and with some decoders like LAV) along with SVP (Smooth Video Project) that will make any video render @ 60 FPS for super smooth playback!

Once you try that, you will NEVER EVER go to another player or use anything else. The smoothness is so freakin' realistic it sometimes scares you

 

Too much? By the looks of it I don't think it's worth much at all or they'd actually develop it Good thing that better alternatives like MPC-HC, VideoLAN & foobar2000 exist!

 

foobar2000 (for audio) + MPC-HC (for video) is what I used to have as my combo.

But then I decided to start getting all my music from Nokia Ovi Music Store. And music from that store always comes as DRMed WMA files.

I then realized that WMP plays .wma as good as any other player could play. After all, .wma ("windows media audio") is developed by Microsoft, isn't it?

I checked memory and all, WMP consumed less memory than foobar2000 for .wma playback and about the same for .mp3 playback (ok - a little more...) - with the bonus of an arguably better GUI.

As for MPC-HC x64, I agree with those who say that it is great and all, but I saw no need to keep it, as I rarely if ever play any video outside of YouTube. VLC Portable is just better to have at hand for the rare occasion which I happen to need it - easier to maintain/update with the help of PA Platform's support.

So my combo now is WMP + VLC Portable.

Guess what, I'm pretty happy with this "not so developed" media player from MS.

 

I stopped download "music" a while ago. I say "music" because I feel sorry for anyone who pays money for lossy sounds files. I'd rather buy CD's and rip them to lossless FLAC, another format which WMP doesn't support, yet foobar2000 supports fine. Oh by the way, Symbian supports it too I hear!

 

I should have added that the .WMA coming from Nokia Ovi Music Store is the WMA Lossless kind (Bit rate: 192kbps).

Also, I'm not paying for it, I bought the N8 in 2011 and it came together with a promotion: 2 years of unlimited music download from Nokia Ovi Music Store. The downloaded musics can be reproduced forever. The store is also very complete, I've been able to find everything I looked for until now.

What ~Phrase removed~ are the DRM's restrictions of the music from Nokia Store: I can't have the music in more than 2 devices (a PC/laptop and a Nokia phone) at the same time, and I can change these devices only every 90 days (LOL).

Of course I could remove the DRM crap without issues and loss of quality (using the right approach), but I don't see me doing this in the foreseeable future. I'm happy with this thing for now.

 

Oh, that's good to hear, though the bitrate doesn't quite compare to 1,411kbps FLAC (which is what the CD plays at). It's a shame other stores don't really push lossless, especially when they are in a position to do so, and considering the storage technology of today, etc.

LOL nice deal.

Another reason I (personally) couldn't justify it. Having the CD on hand means I can rip it to whatever format I wish, whatever the future brings to us. As it stands I have a FLAC (1,411kbps) collection for storage/filing of my music and for desktop/laptop listening, and a WMA lossless (1106kbps) collection for my portable devices. Both ripped from the same CD's and both without DRM.

 

Now I use J River Media Center, it's awesome, before I used Media Player Classic and WMP 12. Never had any problems with playback of different formats when having shark007's Windows 7 Codecs installed.

 

It can't be lossless at 192kbps. If it were possible, we would see other lossless formats at least getting close to that.

Unless it's a test tone or the like that compresses extremely well, as opposed to actual music.