Windows Media Player 12 Sucks Eggs

[skysober]

I finally have given up... With Windows7 playing only about 80% of the videos, and then only about 10% even allow contrast / brightness adjusting, I have made it simple.

Format ? Re-Install Windows XP Media Edition.

Solved. 100% of all of my videos work like they SHOULD.

Funny I UPGRADED to windows XP I think - lol Maybe Windows 7 will catch up in a few years, but it has been over a year now (yes I was using the beta from day 1) and still it is not working.

 

[Seven Eleven]

i use foobar2000 for music and Media Player Classic for videos. MPC supports DXVA. i'm happy panda.

 

[MadMaxData]

To the thread starter...This may seem like over simplifying things, but if you were happy with a previous version of WMP, then why don't you just download and install that version?

You may have to uninstall the WMP 13 you hate so much, but that shouldn't be a problem for you after seeing your comments about it.

By the way, if you had system restore enabled when you installed WMP 13 you can always roll it back to your previous version.

 

[hybridfan]

i use foobar2000 for music and Media Player Classic for videos. MPC supports DXVA. i'm happy panda.

Yep same here, do you have the dsp_delta plugin for Foobar? it will make your music sound so much better, grab it from here....

Components for foobar2000

 

[MadMaxData]

WMP 12 works perfectly fine here for every single file/format I throw at it.

Yeah, me too. Should I consider installing your codec pack anyway? Do you think I'll eventually run into a file that WMP won't play?

 

[Seven Eleven]

Yep same here, do you have the dsp_delta plugin for Foobar? it will make your music sound so much better, grab it from here....

Components for foobar2000

thanks, gonna try it now.

 

[pezzonovante]

WMP 12 rocks. With shark007's codecs installed it's by far the best media player for Windows 7. I love its beautiful UI. VLC and Media Player Classic suck balls.

 

[MadMaxData]

I'm leary of installing codec packs though. Does Shark have a page with the download, and an explanation of what's in the codec pack?

 

[Shark007]

I'm leary of installing codec packs though. Does Shark have a page with the download, and an explanation of what's in the codec pack?

its all posted here, Shark007.net - Windows 7 Codecs - WMP12 Codecs

 

[Vertex]

I would say that WMP 12 has far more features and works fine apparently but one thing I do not like so much about it is the user interface. Windows Media Player 11 has an easier user interface if you ask me.

 

[paddypower]

windows media player 12 sucks

excuse me, if this is off topic. when I installed W7, i clicked on WMP12 as my default player. Now I want to cancel that and set iTunes as my default player. How do I do that? seriously, I must be blind - i have spend an hour searching for an answer, in W7 help. TIA, Paddy.

 

[MadMaxData]

excuse me, if this is off topic. when I installed W7, i clicked on WMP12 as my default player. Now I want to cancel that and set iTunes as my default player. How do I do that? seriously, I must be blind - i have spend an hour searching for an answer, in W7 help. TIA, Paddy.

Isn't there a setting in iTunes to make it the default program? If not, click on the Windows orb [start button] go to Default Programs, and choose Itunes from there.

 

[mitchell65]

I have downloaded one of the wmv files and it seems to have add odd codec. I can play it but get no audio. the quality of the video seems very poor. I would contact the website admin and ask them what player they use to play the video. You could try converting a file to a different format with a freebie video converter like "Super" from here:
SUPER &copy
Scroll down to get the download. The AVS converter at the top is very good but you need to pay for it. SUPER will do a good job providing the original really does work.

 

[bobalazs]

I kind of agree with you on that one.
I really don't like wmp12 either.
That's why i use jetaudio.
Though, for some people, getting to know the interface is a pain to get through.

 

[bobalazs]

I have downloaded one of the wmv files and it seems to have add odd codec. I can play it but get no audio. the quality of the video seems very poor. I would contact the website admin and ask them what player they use to play the video. You could try converting a file to a different format with a freebie video converter like "Super" from here:
SUPER &copy
Scroll down to get the download. The AVS converter at the top is very good but you need to pay for it. SUPER will do a good job providing the original really does work.

I have not seen any better, easier converter than Format Factory.

Also, use gspot to view the encoder codec on the media, than install proper codec, dont waste time with converting media.

Format Factory - Free media file format converter

 

[mitchell65]

WMP 12 works perfectly fine here for every single file/format I throw at it.

Exactly what do you find so wrong with it?

Forgive please if it is not kosher to post a website, but this page <http://cambridgecitycoc.org.uk/sermon.htm has a listen of sermons which won't play on my Acer Aspire 5740 with I3 M330 processor with Windows 7 x64.
Won't play it in IE8 or Google Chrome. You said earlier that the .wmv format is native to WMP. So any ideas why I'm not able to play. I went into file association to make sure .wmv was played by WMP. That's good. Baffled.

Have looked further into this. Disregard MY previous advice. No need to have any other viewer. Go to this site:
Free-Codecs.com :: Download Acelp.net Codec 3.02 : Acelp.net Audio Codec is a speech codec for Windows Media Player
Choose the Download [ Acelp.net Codec 3.02 for Windows Vista ] version
Download the codec and follow the installation screen. When completed reboot then open the website where the sermons are, double click any one and it will play fine in Windows media player.
Hope this helps

 

[Seven Eleven]

I have not seen any better, easier converter than Format Factory.

Also, use gspot to view the encoder codec on the media, than install proper codec, dont waste time with converting media.

Format Factory - Free media file format converter

seconded. and it's completely free too. only thing is, i would recommend to install it before any codec packs. i once installed it after and it messed up some codecs settings that i later fixed manually. that was some older version of FF, though.

 

[paddypower]

setting iTunes as default

excuse me, if this is off topic. when I installed W7, i clicked on WMP12 as my default player. Now I want to cancel that and set iTunes as my default player. How do I do that? seriously, I must be blind - i have spend an hour searching for an answer, in W7 help. TIA, Paddy.

Isn't there a setting in iTunes to make it the default program? If not, click on the Windows orb [start button] go to Default Programs, and choose Itunes from there.

Thanks! i cannot believe how complicated it seeme to me, when i was messing around with computer default settings !!

 

[mitrich]

Shark-

WMP12 (Win7 64bit Home Premium) will not load in my 289 videos, all mp4.
In Default programs, .mp4 does not even show up. So, I loaded VistaCodecs and then ffdshow (I think ffdshow said one needs vistacodecs first).

So, now, at least .mp4 shows up, "unknown program".

So, I go back to WMP12 and I try with Library| Organize|Videos. Nothing.

Now, I do not need WMP12. I use Winamp, Zune and WMC, all fine.

But I am not satisfied that WMP12 does not work. It loaded my music just fine.

So, what is the procedure to load in video?

Thanks.

 

[CircuitBreaker]

What happened to the mini player in the task bar?

I've read through this post and tend to agree with the 90% that don't like the wmp 12. Although my main gripe is "why did they do away with the mini player in the task bar?". It was extremely simple - all the main controls right there. Now I've got to hover over the wmp task bar entry until the other part of it shows and then skip to the next song or go back.

My only question is this - did they not pass this around at the Microsoft office for their army of music geeks to test out? 30 seconds and I'm sure someone would have popped up out of their cube like a Meerkat sounding the alert that yes, they were in danger of yet again changing something that didn't need to be changed.

Microsoft has a warped sense of direction that says "if we want to sell another upgrade of our software, we need to make it look and act differently than before". There's a vast difference between improving something and making it look different. They should have a web site where they post the features of MS products and let the public vote on which ones to keep. "MS Idol" maybe? :sarc: