Solved Windows Media Player: Here At Last

[unisol]

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.

 

[Barman58]

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

 

[unisol]

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.

 

[DiamondNRG]

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!

 

[unisol]

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!

 

[baarod]

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.

 

[unisol]

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).

 

[baarod]

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.

 

[unisol]

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.

 

[baarod]

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.

 

[unisol]

Hey there. I tried using the so-called Windows Media Player and it gave all soerts of problems, a virus was one of them. This doesn't seem to be valid. You would see it on softpedia or download.com by now and people all over the net buzzing about it. I don't like what I see in the version I saw first. There was another WMP12 player screenshot I saw and I liked That one! I have been hearing people say that WMP12 will ship with Windows 7. I get that for the millionth time. What I am interested in is getting WMP 12 for beta or a final. That is all. I am not too happy with Windows 7 from what I seen in screenshots. Just wanted to get a taste of WMP12 from Microsoft officially and see the new UI. And play my media of all kinds; video, audio and
images. I am sick of J River. Too boring and unstable Windows is the best out now but I know WMP12 will be the best of all time. Hopefully I will get WMP12 by new years eve or even new year's day. Can't wait any longer.

 

[darkassain]

um sorry to burst your bubble ( i really am)
but wmp 12 isnt even a beta yet
everything in Windows 7 is a bre-beta (including WMP 12)
there is no official wmp 12 beta (or non beta for that matter)
just wait till they ms officially lets users download the WMP

remember wmp 11 wasnt intended to be developed along with vista (but of course was bundled with it and that included the betas)
wmp 12 is...
just my two cents...

 

[baarod]

Hey there. I tried using the so-called Windows Media Player and it gave all soerts of problems, a virus was one of them.

A virus? What was reported and with what scanning software?

This doesn't seem to be valid. You would see it on softpedia or download.com by now and people all over the net buzzing about it. I don't like what I see in the version I saw first.

This is an older build that does not include some of the features available with the build in the latest Windows 7.

There was another WMP12 player screenshot I saw and I liked That one!

Likely one of the newer builds.

I have been hearing people say that WMP12 will ship with Windows 7. I get that for the millionth time. What I am interested in is getting WMP 12 for beta or a final. That is all.

What you downloaded is the only standalone build of WMP12 that I know of.

I am not too happy with Windows 7 from what I seen in screenshots. Just wanted to get a taste of WMP12 from Microsoft officially and see the new UI.

Unfortunately, you'll have to get Windows 7 to see the latest WMP12. Neither would be exactly "official".

And play my media of all kinds; video, audio and images. I am sick of J River. Too boring and unstable Windows is the best out now but I know WMP12 will be the best of all time. Hopefully I will get WMP12 by new years eve or even new year's day. Can't wait any longer.

I doubt that an "official" beta will be available in that time frame. WMP12 depends on a new codec framework in Windows 7 to handle most of the new formats. So far I've not been able to transplant WMP12 files into Vista and have them run because I can't figure out how to transplant that required framework.

 

[darkassain]

as i see it...
xp didnt have the framework that vista had wmp 11 (on xp) still relied on ffdshow so i can see what he thinks that wmp 12 would be different...

the thing is since they are now working with on tighting the integration with only core technologies (i mean as in bundling with the os IE WMP ect) i believe there wont be wmp 12 till at least sp2 if not later....

but thats my opinion but it sure seem like that from what i hear

 

[baarod]

as i see it...
xp didnt have the framework that vista had wmp 11 (on xp) still relied on ffdshow so i can see what he thinks that wmp 12 would be different...

the thing is since they are now working with on tighting the integration with only core technologies (i mean as in bundling with the os IE WMP ect) i believe there wont be wmp 12 till at least sp2 if not later....

but thats my opinion but it sure seem like that from what i hear

WMP11 did not rely on ffdshow. At least not out of the box. If it did then they would not need a new framework as ffdshow plays most of the stuff they are trying to play in Windows 7. Maybe you meant DirectShow?

You might be right -- WMP12 standalone might not appear right away but look at WMP11 -- they released the required WMP11 format runtime installer along with WMP11 for Vista not long after Vista shipped.

 

[darkassain]

barod
yes i must have half asleep at the keyboard....
it did rely on the on the on old directshow framework (at least on xp)


but the other point remains....
they are intergrating wmp into 7 way more than before...
MS codecs, play most videos OOB???
thats unheard of i mean in the windows world...
i hope it stays that way till rtm....
at least for endusers....
i love not having to go and have one of my friends says x video dosent work on y system and its giving me z error....

but yeah they might do it but only after SP2 (almost for sure)
my 2 cents (6 cents and counting...)

 

[baarod]

I'd like MS to add a few more container formats like Matroska but overall their codec coverage is pretty sweet. I have a folder with over 100 movies that represent everything from ancient DivX to the most current h.264 video, MP3 to AAC/AC3 audio, and various packed and unpacked bitstream AVIs, MPEG TS and PS and MP4s. Not only does it play them all fairly well but it even creates the the thumbnails that Vista always refused to. There has been some fourcc code tweaking required for the really whacked-out combinations but I haven't had to install any of those odious "codec pack" nightmares nor ffdshow. So far so good.

 

[darkassain]

yes usually when vista sees an unknow or invalid(unlikely since then it wouldnt play) fourcc code (at least to vista's codec) then it wouldnt create an thumnail....


well for me i wanted to...
it for prefference because i dont want to be tied to the whole protected plataform framework (even though my hardware is compatible, most are)...
i trust Ddshow more that this framework....
call me stubborn
but i love the fact that codecs are there for end users...
OOB is good for enduser (the majority of them)

as for matroska
in my point (i would believe ms's too)
mkv's are not in a large part of videos to be played...
not saying that they are there (the quality in most mkvs are incredible for such a container and its open source.... gotta love that...)
give it a few months and you will see it more widespread
MKV is the future (at least for me)

 

[baarod]

You can still install and use whatever DirectShow filters you want and they will easily override the built-in support. Software like GSpot will still function as well.

 

[darkassain]

it depends....
media player classic will this instead
but you have to rename mfpmp.exe for it to default to ddshow codecs...