OT: Windows Media Player 9,10,or11?

Videocanuck wrote on 8/29/2007, 2:37 PM

I have just built a new computer and am installing software (Windows XP Pro sp2). I was wondering if I should upgrade Windows Media Player or just stick with version 9? Other than compiling music libraries etc., do the later versions offer any improvements for playing video files?

Comments

Chienworks wrote on 8/29/2007, 3:00 PM

Version 11 properly recognizes PAR in MPEG files. Version 9 didn't do this well. Even 10 seemed spotty at times.

Videocanuck wrote on 8/29/2007, 4:25 PM

Any issues with Windows Media Player 11 in XP Pro SP2? Is it stable?

craftech wrote on 8/29/2007, 7:31 PM

Stick with Media Player 9 - Nice and stable.

If you need to play any other type of media file download VLC Media player

John

Soniclight wrote on 8/29/2007, 8:38 PM

Or 10. 11 is bloated and has stability issues. I recently rolled back to 10 and am very happy. As for playing file types, just deal with it when you find a new one you want to play. Get an alternate player also. You'll also need Quicktime anyway :)

Coursedesign wrote on 8/29/2007, 9:15 PM

WMP11 has created a lot of trouble, not a good idea to install it unless you absolutely have to have it, and you have the time to deal with the likely/possible consequences.

Chienworks wrote on 8/30/2007, 4:05 AM

That's interesting to hear. I did the version 11 upgrade on one of my PCs, and except for handling MPEG PAR correctly and having to switch it back to the "corporate" skin that i like to use, i noticed absolutely nothing different about it. It works just the same as version 10 did and hasn't affected anything else.

I will say though that version 11's default skin is GHASTLY difficult to use. It's all eye candy, with very little obviousness at all. It's as though someone decided that a cool looking display was way more imporant than having buttons that actually meant something to the user.

GenJerDan wrote on 8/30/2007, 5:05 AM

I've had no problems with v11, either. Except for having to de-skin it to work like all the previous versions.

v10, on the other hand, prevented Vegas from outputting audio in uncompressed AVIs, and refused to play WMVs in anything other than an ActiveMovie Window.

JJKizak wrote on 8/30/2007, 6:21 AM

I have 11 in four computers and Nero Showtime in two of them. I think the Showtime does a better job with the HD stuff.
JJK