Windows 7: Windows Media Player: Here At Last

I have been seeing and hearing about Windows Media Player 12. When can we expect it. It looks great from the screenshots I have seen. Is there a chance we can see it in a couple weeks, late December 2008 to early January 2009? I love the look and can't wait. Advice please?


ASAP.

Hello Unisol,

As WMP12 will be an integral part of Windows 7 it is highly unlikely to be released for general use with other Operating Systems until the official release of Windows 7 which looks at the moment to be late 2009 or early 2010.

However, The official Beta test version of Windows 7 should be available shortly, (January 2009??), If you wish to use windows Media Player 12 before the official Release I would suggest you sign up for Microsoft Connect and watch for the official Windows 7 Beta Release.

Hope this helps

It has happened before where Windows Media Players are released in between systems or before MS OSs. WPM11 is a case in point. WMP11 was released in Beta before Windows Vista. WMP 9 and 10 was released in between Windows before. I should hope that the same is true with WMP 12. It's not that I hate to wait, it's just that WMP are very great and are useful in managing, playing and burning, etc, It's a great piece of software and I know WMP 12 will be a good system. I just hope that they don't eliminate Zune Software Player in the process. I love it a lot too. It's different and unique.

They need to actually just make the Zune work with WMP12 by default. There is no reason for the Zune software to exist. It actually is a terribly made piece of software, almost as bad as iTunes. It even causes the machine to take almost a full extra minute to turn off (on my fiance's vista machine and my previous vista machine).

And WMP12 is AWESOME so far compared to the horror that is WMP11!

I really love Zune Software Player and I think it is great. The problem I have with it is that it doesn't play certain file types, especially AVI. Other than that it is good. It is new, fresh and different and different from those clones out there, like J. River and MediaMonkey. Sure it is new and stuff but it is a solid player and you can customize the background. You don't find stuff like that happening unless you are a Winamp user who can create good skins from random images easily. Windows Media Player 12 looks good and I have the same feeling i had when I first used WMP11 but it looks so ugly in Vista. WMP12 actually does look good from the outside looking in. Look at RealPlayer and Rhapsody and how they have managed to co-exist, just like Zune and WMP. So I think there is hope for Zune. No media player is perfect from day one. Even Microsoft's media players. Players nowadays can burn CDs, burn DVDs, use tv tuners, order music and movies. Zune is still evolving just like all other players out there.

Do you people out there really think WMP 12 wil be the next player from microsoft and that zune is very likely to be dumped? (lol). Zune software looks great and i have stated my issues with it still. But WMP 12 doesn't look all that great from the preview picture I have seen. Nothing has really changed. And the color is too light. May have to hope for something that will blow us all away. MS is great for a reason. They make good products and are very popular.

Here is the thing y'all. I like to customize my stuff. It would be great if WMP12 would allow you to customize your own background by tweaking a few settings or using your own picture as you personal interface with buttons and everything else in tact. I don't know if WMP 12 will do that but I know Winamp does. But Winamp is second rate and far inferior to WMP. But I like the skins I make. I wish it could be that way with all software but it is not. Customization is key. That is why they call it "Personal Computer." You personalize everything the way you want. At this point, the Batman Begins and Catwoman skins stuff is old now. Needs to change. Peace out!

WMP11 skins seem to work for the most part with WMP12 in 32-bit Windows 7 build 6956. If all you want is a background image that should be easy. See Skin Creation Guide and if you need help let me know.

Hey baarod, you seem to know a bit more than I do concerning WMP12. Care to share any news regarding the software? Beta news, release? Anything about the UI would be helpful. Merry Christmas too. (lol).

You can get more information for yourself here Windows Media Player 12 Beta 1 - Download! or get Windows 7 build 6956 with it built in. Beta release is planned in conjunction with Windows 7 open beta. Currently the library is a little shaky and the new restore media library function appears incomplete. The version included in 6801 had some display issues so try for as close to WMP12 build 6596.7000 as possible.

Hey baarod. I have logged onto the page for WMP12. I am not sure if I should use the WMP12 beta, even if it is legit. I don't want it to mess up my system so you gotta let me know if it is fake or not. Thanks and please reply soon.

Set a system restore point and/or perform a backup before installing to be safe but that build has been widely distributed and is the source of many of the screen shots you've seen around the web. I would especially backup your \AppData\Local\Microsoft\Media Player folder in your home directory to preserve your library in WMP 11 format in case you want to go back.